Skin warts during fingolimod treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND

Fingolimod is associated with different infections including lower respiratory tract, herpes virus, cryptococcal meningitis, histoplasmosis, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, atypical mycobacterial infections, kaposi sarcoma and reactivation of hepatitis c.

OBJECTIVES

To describe five cases of skin warts in MS patients treated with fingolimod at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) MS center (MSC).

METHODS

We reviewed all MS patients treated with fingolimod at our MSC and identified patients who developed skin warts during treatment. We also reviewed a control group of patients treated with different interferons matched for age and sex.

RESULTS

Of 220 patients treated with fingolimod at our MSC, 5 (2.2%) developed skin warts. In 220 patients treated with different interferons and matched for age and sex, no cases of skin warts could be detected.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, we report five patients who developed skin warts during fingolimod therapy, especially HPV-related, for an overall incidence of 2.2%. Larger cohorts are needed to confirm this proposed higher susceptibility of fingolimod-treated patients to HPV infections.