Hailey-Hailey disease (HHD) is a debilitating genetic skin disorder, affecting mainly body folds with erythema and painful erosions and blisters. Histopathological findings include epidermal hyperplasia, suprabasilar clefting, dyskeratosis and acantholysis of keratinocytes. A final diagnosis of HHD is usually confirmed based on clinical and histopathological findings in line with genetic testing. Several treatment options have been proposed for this chronic and disabling disorder, however, there is no reproducibly effective therapeutic for it. The primary objective is to evaluate the treatment response of guselkumab. Single-center, non-randomized, single-arm, open-label, phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of guselkumab for the treatment of patients with HHD.
Several treatment options have been proposed for HHD as chronic and disabling disorder, however, there is no reproducibly effective therapeutic for it. The primary objective is to evaluate the treatment response of guselkumab. After the participant has been deemed an appropriate candidate for the study and has signed the consent form, they will be enrolled. All participants will be started on guselkumab 100mg at the FDA-approved psoriasis dose and will be seen for clinical follow-up 4, 12, 24 weeks after initiation of therapy. A 12-week follow-up period will be conducted post-administration of the final dose of guselkumab to monitor safety. Laboratory monitoring including Complete Blood Count, Basic metabolic panel, Liver function tests, and pregnancy test (if applicable) will also be performed at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after starting therapy. At each visit except Week 20 a full H\&P, complete Review of Systems and physical examination will be performed. Outcomes will be assessed and full-body photography will be performed at each visit except Week 20. Research tissue samples (skin biopsies) will be obtained at baseline (prior to therapy) after 24 weeks of treatment in all participants. Research blood will be obtained at screening, baseline and after 4, 12, and 24 weeks of guselkumab therapy.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
10
Subcutaneous injection of 100 mg at Weeks 0, 4, 12, and 20
Church Street Research Unit, Yale Center for Clinical Investigation
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
RECRUITINGChange in Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) score
The PGA is a widely recognized and frequently utilized scale for evaluating treatment outcomes in clinical trials, spanning across both adult and pediatric populations. It is a straightforward tool with easily interpretable results. . In order to conduct this assessment, a healthcare provider or physician relies on a comprehensive analysis of data gathered from all aspects of the patient's medical history and condition. Scoring is based on a 9 point Likert scale ranging from Markedly Improved (+4) to Markedly Worse (-4).
Time frame: baseline and week 24
Change in Ichthyosis Scoring System (ISS) score
ISS is a reliable system to measure global ichthyosis severity in adults and children. The body is divided into 10 regions, and Likert scales (0-4) are used to quantify scale and erythema, with extensive descriptors and photographic standards. The ISS score takes values from 0 to 75. Higher scores indicate more severe injury.
Time frame: baseline and week 24
Change in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score
The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is a questionnaire consisting of ten questions used to gauge how a skin disease affects an individual's quality of life. Each question evaluates the influence of the skin condition on the patient's life during the preceding week. Each question is rated on a scale from 0 to 3, resulting in a potential score range from 0 (indicating no impact of the skin disease on quality of life) to 30 (representing the maximum impact on quality of life). A decrease in DLQI scores indicates improved well-being.
Time frame: week12 and week 24
Changes in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) score
HRQoL is an evaluation of how an individual's overall well-being could be influenced over a period of time due to a medical condition, disability, or disorder. The scale comprises three components. The first module which will be used in this study, known as the Core Healthy Days module, includes a single item prompting respondents to assess their overall health using a 5-point scale (1 = excellent; 3 = good; 5 = poor). Within this module, there are also three additional items that inquire about the number of days when respondents experienced poor physical health, poor mental health, and days when their health disrupted their daily activities. To calculate an unhealthy day's score, researchers sum the number of days marked as physically unhealthy and mentally unhealthy. The highest possible score is 30 unhealthy days. Lowest score is 0 unhealthy days.
Time frame: baseline, week12 and week 24
Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) scores
Physicians evaluate the overall severity of ichthyosis based on clinical judgment, considering factors such as scaling, erythema, and patient-reported symptoms. Scoring is based on a 9 point Likert scale ranging from Markedly Improved (+4) to Markedly Worse (-4). Improvement in PGA involves a decrease in overall severity as judged by the physician.
Time frame: baseline and weeks 4,12 and 24.
Changes in cytokines
Cytokine levels (pg/ml) will be assessed in plasma
Time frame: baseline and weeks 4,12 and 24
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