Intralesional Steroid Therapy In Patients With Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a rare chronic inflammatory breast disease. Its histopathology is characterized by the presence of noncaseating granulomas. Although oral contraceptive use, pregnancy, breastfeeding history, high prolactin levels, smoking and chemical irritations have been blamed for its etiology, it has not been fully elucidated. We studied the responses obtained with intralesional steroid application in addition to conventional treatments in IGM patients referred to the rheumatology and radiology departments of Fırat University Research Hospital.
METHODS: 76 female patients diagnosed with IGM who were followed between January 2021 and May 2023 were included in the study. The pathologies of the patients, whose average age was 36.5±6.8 years, were compatible with IGM. In terms of differential diagnoses, other conditions that could cause granulomatous mastitis were excluded. The data obtained were analyzed with appropriate statistical methods using the SPSS 22 program.
RESULTS: Remission was achieved in 55.3% of the patients (42 patients). While remission was observed in 61.6% of the patients who received IL steroids, remission was achieved in only 23.1% of the patients who did not receive IL steroids, and this rate was found to be statistically significant (p=0.010). There was no statistically significant difference between the treatments received by patients who achieved remission and the treatments received by patients whose treatment continued (p>0.05).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In our study, the treatments received by patients who were and were not administered IL steroids were similar, but a significant difference was seen in patients who were administered IL steroids in terms of achieving remission. It suggested that IL steroid administration would have a positive contribution to the treatment response.