| dc.description.abstract | SUMMARY
The aim of this article is to introduce oclacitinib, a new, orally applied Janus-ki nase inhibitor, administered to treat canine atopic dermatitis and canine multi factorial pruritus. Atopic dermatitis is a severe, frequently occurring skin disease
in dogs. Oclacitinib, licensed in 2014 in Europe, is a new perspective for the
treatment of atopic dermatitis, since it has several important advantages con cerning efficacy, pharmacokinetics and safety compared to other substances
used for this disease. The authors discuss the mechanism of action, including
the JAK-STAT signalling pathway, the inflammatory cytokines mostly influenced
by JAK inhibitors (IL-4, IL-13, IL-31) and the possible side effects. They present the
active substance’s antiinflammatory, antipruritic and antiallergic effects as the
pharmacological result of the mechanism of action. Pharmacokinetic parame ters, efficacy and side effects are described based on short- (28 days), medium-
(112 days) and long term (630 days) clinical studies, all of these carried out with
the same dose of oclacitinib (0.4-0.6 mg/kg BID at the first two weeks, and the
same dose SID for the remaining time). The drug’s efficacy is evaluated via VAS
(Visual Analog Scale), based on the severity of pruritus observed by the owners
and the treating veterinarians. The main studies incorporated only dogs with
severe pruritus, nevertheless experiences in cats are also described. For cha racterizing clinical signs in cats, besides VAS scoring, SCORFAD system is also
used (evaluation of skin lesions). Furthermore, oclacitinib is compared to other
substances frequently used for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (cyclosporin
and prednisolone). The authors’ aim is to make the treatment of atopic derma titis more effective by spreading knowledge about new possibilities nationwide. | en_US |
