Dermatology : International Journal for Clinical and Investigative Dermatology

BACKGROUND: Very few studies have investigated possible role of sociodemographic factors in terms of differences in access to dermatologic visits and almost all of them have been conducted in health system realities where insurance companies play and important role in terms of access to health care providers . To our knowledge in Italy there is lack of studies carried out with the aim to investigate possible role of sociodemographic factors regarding differences in outpatient dermatologic use for a variety of dermatologic conditions...

BACKGROUND: Mycosis fungoides (MF) in solid-organ transplant recipients (SOTR) is rare, with limited data on disease characteristics. OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of MF in SOTR with an emphasis on the immunosuppressive therapy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of patients diagnosed with MF, who were also SOTR, followed at 3 cutaneous lymphoma outpatient-clinics, between 1/2010-02/2022. RESULTS: Ten patients were included, (7 male; median ages at transplantation and at-diagnosis of MF were, 33 and 48 years, respectively; 40% were diagnosed before the age of 18 years)...

Patients with alopecia areata (AA) may access a wide range of sources for information about AA, including the recently developed ChatGPT. Assessing the quality of health information provided by these sources is crucial, as patients are utilizing them in increasing numbers. This study aimed to evaluate appropriateness and accuracy of responses to common patient questions about AA generated by ChatGPT. Responses generated by ChatGPT 3.5 and ChatGPT 4.0 to 25 questions addressing common patient concerns were assessed by multiple attending dermatologists in an academic center for appropriateness and accuracy...

BACKGROUND: This review summarizes new applications for dermatological research of in vitro culture models of human skin explants (HSE). In the last decade, many innovations have appeared and an exponential number of studies have been recorded in various fields of application such as: process culture engineering, stem cell extractions methodology or cell-to-cell interaction studies in physiological and pathological conditions, wound-healing and inflammation. Most studies also concerned pharmacology, cosmetology, and photobiology...

BACKGROUND: Pain and itch are impactful and burdensome symptoms of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Elucidating factors associated with pain and itch severity may identify groups disproportionally affected by HS-related pain and itch and further our understanding of how pain and itch impact quality of life (QoL) in patients with HS. OBJECTIVE: To determine factors associated with pain severity, itch severity, and reduced quality of life in patients with HS. METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of 257 adults with HS who received care in an HS Specialty Clinic from January 2019 to August 2021...

Background Sebaceous neoplasms (SNs) always raise the possibility of an association with Muir-Torre syndrome (MTS) and permit to screen internal malignancies, colorectal and endometrial carcinomas, before they become symptomatic. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), molecular biology and clinical examination are different approaches for detection of MTS. We conducted a retrospective analysis of non-selected SNs in order to determine the optimal tools to implement for MTS screening. Methods Deficient MMR phenotype (dMMR) was determined by either IHC using antibodies directed to four mismatch repair (MMR) antigens on tissue-microarray or molecular biology using pentaplex PCR...

OBJECTIVES: To compare the survival outcomes of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) and wide local excision (WLE) for less common nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs). METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results dataset between 2003 and 2018. The less common NMSCs include Merkel cell carcinoma, skin appendage neoplasm, fibromatous malignancy, and other rare NMSCs. The stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (SIPTW) and the Kaplan-Meier methods were adopted to assess the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS)...

Background Chronic prurigo (CPG) presents with pruriginous lesions and reduced quality of life (QoL). Established treatment options are often unsatisfying. Little is known about efficacy of topical occlusive treatments. Patients often report rapid relief of symptoms when using topical occlusive zinc oxide patches (ZOP). We therefore aimed to assess efficacy of ZOP. Methods In this randomized controlled split-body crossover study, 22 participants were analyzed receiving three treatments sequentially: ZOP, topical betamethasone 17-valerate (TGC), and both ZOP and TGC combined (ZOP+TGC)...

BACKGROUND: Grey perifollicular circles are a dermatoscopic clue to melanoma, especially in facial skin. So far, no other adnexal clues than follicular have been investigated in this diagnosis. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to analyse the prevalence of hyperpigmented periadnexal microcircles (HM) in melanoma and its common simulators at non-facial non-acral sites, analyse the relation between the presence of MH, regression and hypopigmentation, and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of this structure in melanoma...

BACKGROUND: Acitretin, a synthetic vitamin A derivative, is the most studied and widely used oral retinoid for ichthyoses. Its major disadvantage is the need for contraceptive measures during three years after discontinuation. An alternative is needed for women of childbearing age. With alitretinoin, another retinoid, pregnancy is considered safe one month after discontinuation. OBJECTIVES: To provide evidence for alitretinoin as an alternative for acitretin for ichthyosis in women of childbearing age...

BACKGROUND: We see increasing evidence that dietary and nutrients factors play a pivotal role in allergic diseases and recent global findings suggest that dietary habits influence the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). Frequent consumption of fast food diets are associated with AD development. Despite the rising prevalence of AD in Asia, efforts in investigating the role of dietary habits and AD in adults are still lacking. METHODS: We evaluated the association of foods and dietary habits with AD presentation using our population established for the Singapore/Malaysia Cross-sectional Genetics Epidemiology Study (SMCGES)...

BACKGROUND: The keloid treatment is still a thorny and complicated clinical problem, especially in multiple keloids induced by wound, severe burn, ethnic background or cultural behaviors, or unexplained skin healing. Mainstream treatments have limited efficacy in treating multiple keloids. As no oral treatment with painlessness and convenience is available, oral treatment strategies should be formulated. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and therapeutic mechanism of oral tofacitinib in keloid patients...

BACKGROUND: Chronic urticaria (CSU) is a chronic inflammatory mast cell-driven disorder of which reliable clinical data in Belgium are lacking. This study focusses on clinical characteristics of CSU patients presenting at an urban Immunology-Allergology department. METHODS: Outpatients with CSU were included from 2018-2021. Clinical characteristics, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Urticaria activity score (UAS7) were collected by thorough anamnesis and questionnaires...

BACKGROUND: The advancing evolution towards a Th2 immune environment confers a progressive immunosuppression in patients with longstanding cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). The conjunction of the disease-related immunosuppression as well as the immunosuppressive character of some CTCL treatments increase the risk of infectious and neoplastic diseases, sometimes with fatal outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To prospectively study the causes of death in a cohort of CTCL patients, in a tertiary university skin cancer center...

BACKGROUND: Tattoo aftercare instructions describe how to care for a new tattoo. Unfortunately, tattoo artists often base their advice on personal experience rather than best practices in medical wound management. The diversity of recommendations in these instructions is currently unknown. OBJECTIVES: Our review was performed to determine current recommendations in tattoo aftercare instructions in the United States. METHODS: Using a Google search, a total of 700 aftercare instructions from all 50 states and Washington D...

Background Paradoxical psoriasis (PP) has been mainly described in patients receiving tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)-inhibitors for inflammatory bowel disease or psoriasis vulgaris, while such data in the context of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) are scarce. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the course of PP and the underlying HS upon switching from adalimumab to a biologic agent targeting the interleukin (IL)-17/IL-23 axis. Methods The electronic medical database of the outpatient department for HS of a tertiary hospital for skin diseases was searched to identify patients with moderate to severe HS under treatment with adalimumab, who developed PP and were switched to biological therapy with an IL-17 or IL-23 inhibitor between February 2016 and January 2022...

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is a common chronic, relapsing and remitting inflammatory skin disorder associated with cutaneous dysbiosis. Current treatment options often fail to adequately control the disease and have unfavorable safety profiles. There is a need for new options that address these treatment shortcomings. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of FB-401, a live therapeutic product of 3 strains of Roseomonas mucosa, compared to matching placebo applied topically 3 times per week to participants ages ≥ 2 years of age with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis...

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is a common depigmentation skin disease associated with significant psychosocial morbidity and profound effect on the quality of life. The treatment of vitiligo is still a major challenge in the field of dermatology. Currently, topical steroids, calcineurin inhibitors, ultraviolet (UV) phototherapy, surgery, and cultured and non-cultured epidermal melanocyte transplantation are used for the treatment of vitiligo. However, the effectiveness of these treatment modalities is limited by the lack of response, long-term treatment periods, high cost and inevitable adverse effects...

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that is often severely painful due to nociceptive mechanisms (i.e. stimulation of cutaneous nociceptors). However, patient-reported pain character suggests that neuropathy may also drive HS pain in a subset of patients. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) can help identify neuropathic pain by testing for heightened and paradoxical pain responses in patients, but it is less feasible for routine clinical use compared with brief questionnaires...

Background The study aimed to investigate the relationship of MAPK4 genetic variants with the efficacy of MTX in psoriasis patients. Methods Patients treated with MTX were classified as responders or nonresponders if the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) at week 12 was reduced to greater than 75% or lower than 75%, respectively. The genotypes of 14 MAPK4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 310 patients were analyzed. The expression levels of MAPK4 protein were detected by western blot. Results Only rs9949644 polymorphisms were associated with the efficacy after adjusting for the confounding factors...