A 54 year-old man had developed several scattered, itchy, excoriated erythematous papules on both the arms and back (5 years previously). He had no underlying disease. The clinical diagnosis was prurigo nodularis and treatment was started. Oral cyclosporine (200 mg/day) was taken for 1 year, but his symptoms waxed and waned. Treatment was changed to oral alitretinoin (30 mg/day). Within 16 weeks of treatment, the symptoms and skin lesions had improved more than with previous treatment. His treatment with oral alitretinoin continued for 3 years without progression or any side effects.
A 75 year-old man presented with multiple scattered nodules and excoriated patches with crusts on the trunk, both arms, and both legs that were two weeks old. He had no underlying disease. The initial clinical diagnosis was prurigo nodularis and treatment was started. Despite treatment with oral cyclosporine (100 mg/day) for 3 years, his symptoms and skin lesions waxed and waned. After that, the treatment was changed to oral alitretinoin in a dose of 30 mg/day. Within 12 weeks of treatment, pruritus had improved and treatment with oral alitretinoin was stopped with partial remission.