Report of successful treatment of follicular occlusion triad with adalimumab and research progress on biologic therapy for follicular occlusion triad

Abstract

Purpose: This article aims to present a case report of a patient with Follicular occlusion triad (FOT) who achieved successful disease control with adalimumab combined with isotretinoin and provide a comprehensive review of the current research progress on biologic therapies for FOT.Methods: We report a case of a 22-year-old female patient diagnosed with FOT, who was treated with adalimumab combined with isotretinoin after failing to respond to conventional therapies. A systematic literature review was conducted to summarize the current research progress on biologic therapies for FOT, including TNF-α inhibitors, IL-17 inhibitors, IL-12/IL-23 inhibitors, IL-23 inhibitors, IL-1 inhibitors, and other novel biologic agents.Results: The patient achieved significant improvement in skin lesions, pain, and quality of life after three months of treatment with adalimumab combined with isotretinoin, without experiencing severe adverse reactions. The literature review revealed that adalimumab and secukinumab are the two FDA-approved biologics for FOT, while others, such as bimekizumab, infliximab, anakinra, and bermekimab, have shown promise in clinical studies.Conclusions: Biologic therapies have revolutionized FOT management, providing effective options for patients unresponsive to conventional treatments. As our understanding of FOT pathogenesis and the mechanisms of action of biologics grows, further advancements in biologic therapies for FOT are expected.

Keywords

• Follicular occlusion triad
• biologic therapy
• adalimumab