THERAPIES FOR T-CELL MEDIATED SKIN DISEASE (A PARADIGM):
• | tend to have a “remittent effect” or a “suppressive effect” |
remittent effect:
• | inducing long term remission |
• | these therapies greatly reduce the number of activated T-cells in the epidermis and dermis by inducing T-cell apoptosis |
• | ex. PUVA, UVB, methotrexate |
suppressive effect:
• | improving lesions but with a prompt recurrence when the treatment is discontinued |
• | these treatments inhibit the production of cytokines by intralesional T-cells |
• | but rarely reduces the number of lesional T-cells below 50% of the pre-treatment levels |
• | ex. topical corticosteroids, cyclosporine |
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