Changing antimalarial agents after inefficacy or intolerance in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus: A multicenter observational study.

BACKGROUND: Changing from one antimalarial (AM) agent to another is often recommended in cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) when the first AM agent is ineffective or poorly tolerated.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect on cutaneous response of a switch from hydroxychloroquine to chloroquine, or the reverse, after failure of the first AM agent.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study between 1997 and September 2015. The overall cutaneous response rate and reasons for failure of the switch were assessed for up to 48 months. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to assess the risk for failure of the second AM agent.

RESULTS: A total of 64 patients with CLE (78% were women) were included; for 48 patients, the switch was for inefficacy, and for 16, it was for adverse events. Median follow-up was 42 months (range, 3-171). Of the patients changed because of inefficacy, 56% were responders at month 3; however, the response decreased over time, with a median duration before failure of the second AM agent of 9 months (95% confidence interval, 6-24). For patients switched because of adverse events, the second AM agent was well tolerated in 69% of cases.

LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design and subjective evaluation of cutaneous response.

CONCLUSION: A change of AM agent should be considered in patients with CLE when the first AM agent is ineffective or poorly tolerated.