Dermatology
06 Dec Hand Eczema: Patch Testing Important in Diagnosis of Potential Allergens
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_24142" align="alignleft" width="128"]
Dr. Jonathan Silverberg[/caption]
Jonathan Silverberg, MD, PHD, MPH
Associate Professor
Director of Clinical Research
Director of Patch Testing
George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Washington, DC
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study
Response: Chronic hand eczema was previously shown to be associated with higher rates of allergic contact dermatitis. Yet, little is known about recent trends in North America with respect to the clinical presentation and allergen profile in chronic hand eczema. This study sought to determine the clinical characteristics and etiologies of hand eczema in a large North American cohort of adults referred for patch testing. The patients in the study were patch tested using the North American Contact Dermatitis Group’s allergen screening series.
04 Dec Study Finds Minimal Risk of Inhaled Nanoparticles from Sunscreen Application
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_56138" align="alignleft" width="142"]
Dr. Gernand[/caption]
Jeremy M. Gernand, PhD, CSP, CRE
Associate Professor
Environmental Health and Safety Engineering
Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Given concern in the public about exposure to nanoparticles in cosmetics, we decided to investigate the exposure potential for inhaling nanoparticles during the application of aerosol mineral-based sunscreens that are typically marketed as safer for children. We choose three commercially available sunscreens to test in the lab in a manner intended to capture the amount of inhaled particles that would typically occur during application of sunscreen to the mid-point of one’s own arm.
20 Nov Skin Conditions Associated with Down Syndrome
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_56009" align="alignleft" width="134"] Dr. Rork[/caption]
Jillian F. Rork, MD
Assistant Professor of Dermatology
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center at Manchester and
The Geisel School of Medicine
Society for Pediatric Dermatology Member
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you briefly explain the genetic condition of Down syndrome?
Response: Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal abnormality, occurring in approximately 1 in 700 newborns in the United States. Trisomy of chromosome 21 can result in multisystem involvement such as hearing loss, heart defects, autoimmune conditions and dementia.
This study focuses on how trisomy 21 affects one of the body’s largest organs, the skin. Current literature addressing dermatologic conditions associated with Down syndrome is limited. There is often emphasis on rare skin conditions such as elastosis perforans serpiginosa, milia-like idiopathic calcinosis cutis, and eruptive syringomas. There is lack of consensus on incidence of more common disorders. We performed a retrospective chart review of 101 patients with Down syndrome in our dermatology practice at the University of Massachusetts to better describe associated skin conditions.
19 Nov Melanoma: Gene Profile Test Can Help Pathologists Identify Difficult-To-Diagnose Lesions
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_55999" align="alignleft" width="142"] Dr. Estrada[/caption]
Sarah I. Estrada, M.D., FCAP
Laboratory Director
Affiliated Dermatology®
www.affderm.com
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: As a dermatopathologist who makes diagnoses on lesions that may be melanoma, I’m faced with the reality that my accurate interpretation of biopsy tissue is key for the patient to be treated most effectively. Often histopathological evaluation is straightforward but not as often as I would like.
The study presented here offers a new test that can be used in conjunction with my evaluation to determine if a questionable lesion is in fact melanoma. The test was developed to take into account the gene expression of the lesion which may factor in characteristics that I cannot visually observe. The test was validated and has shown very promising accuracy metrics.
17 Nov Contact Allergic Reaction to Face Masks Reported
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Yashu Dhamija MD Dr. Thomas Schmidlin, MD Cleveland Clinic Akron General MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: We are seeing an increased use of face masks in the COVID-19 pandemic and while that is encouraged and necessary to limit the spread of disease in the general publication, it can mean challenges for some individuals. Patients with known sensitizations to allergens contained in face masks may experience rash or irritation with commonly used face coverings. It is also possible for patients without a history of contact dermatitis to become sensitized to allergens after wearing facial coverings more regularly, thus leading to new cases of contact dermatitis (CD) in individuals with no known prior history of contact dermatitis.
17 Nov Finasteride: Study Investigates Suicidality and Psychological Adverse Events
Posted at 11:22h
in Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Dermatology, JAMA, McGill, Mental Health Research
Editor's note: This piece discusses suicide. If you have experienced suicidal thoughts or have lost someone to suicide and want to seek help, you can contact the Crisis Text Line by texting "START" to 741-741 or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
David-Dan Nguyen, MPH
Research Fellow | Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Medical Student | McGill University
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: There is ongoing concern about the side-effects of finasteride, a drug used for the management of alopecia and benign prostatic hyperplasia. These concerns have led to the coining of the “post-finasteride syndrome” which remains controversial. Indeed, there is conflicting evidence on the post-finasteride syndrome/adverse events associated with finasteride.
We wanted to contribute to this conflicting body of evidence by examining suicidality, depression, and anxiety reports linked to finasteride use using the WHO’s pharmacovigilance database, VigiBase. Such pharmacovigilance databases are useful for the study of rare adverse events that are suspected to be associated with medication use.
![MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Selin Tokez, PhD Student Department of Dermatology Erasmus MC, Rotterdam MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common skin cancer worldwide with still increasing incidence rates. Given these high incidence rates together with the associated health costs and possibility of fatal progression, it is extremely important to have accurate and complete data on the epidemiology of this disease. Nevertheless, national cancer registries in many countries do not routinely record cSCC cases and therefore currently known numbers are mainly based on incomplete data sources. Additionally, if cSCC cases are registered, this usually only concerns the first cSCC per patient while we know that, contrary to many other malignant neoplasms, patients may develop numerous cSCCs over time. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Response: In the present study, we analyzed Dutch nationwide data comprising about 145,000 patients with a first invasive cSCC diagnosis between the years 1989 and 2017. We found that the incidence rates of a first cSCC per patient almost tripled in male patients and increased about fivefold in female patients in this 30-year time period. Also, we had data on all cSCCs per patient for the year 2017 and could therefore compare this with the data on only the first cSCC per patient: incidence rates increased by 58% for men and 35% for women when multiple cSCCs were considered. In absolute numbers, this resulted in an increase of 45% in cSCC diagnoses in 2017. Lastly, we extended our analyses by predicting future cSCC incidence rates up to 2027. Given that no substantially effective measures are undertaken in the near future, current cSCC incidence rates will increase with 23% in males and 29% in females in the next decade. MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report? Response: We could summarize our main message in two points: while people generally know that cSCC is a very common disease with increasing incidence rates, it is not taken into account that these numbers are often based on incomplete data registries and that the real numbers are even higher. In this paper, we provided these numbers for a period of 30 years based on highly accurate data from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. On top of that, as a second main finding, we showed that the real burden caused by cSCC is approximately 50% higher (taken males and females together) when all cSCC diagnoses in 1 year are registered instead of only the first tumor per patient. Together with our prediction analyses that showed an on average 26% further increase for the coming decade, this will have enormous implications for the dermato-oncological health care planning and cost management. Our results urgently call for revision of skin cancer health policies to be able to cope with this rising burden of cSCC management. Ultimately, primary prevention will remain the key strategy to halt the increasing trend in cSCC incidence and the occurrence of multiple cSCCs per patient, which we hope to further stimulate with our paper as well. MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work? Response: As we had data on multiple cSCCs for only one year, we would suggest to perform trend analyses for multiple cSCCs per patient as well when a longer follow-up duration has been reached. Furthermore, it would be very relevant to identify high-risk cSCCs or patients at risk for multiple cSCCs in order to be able to establish efficient follow-up regimens and take these high risk groups into account when revising skin cancer health policies. MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? Response: The authors of this study have no conflicts of interest that are relevant to this article. Citation: Tokez S, Hollestein L, Louwman M, Nijsten T, Wakkee M. Incidence of Multiple vs First Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma on a Nationwide Scale and Estimation of Future Incidences of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. JAMA Dermatol. Published online October 28, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2020.3677 [subscribe] Last Modified: [last-modified] The information on MedicalResearch.com is provided for educational purposes only, and is in no way intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any medical or other condition. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health and ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. In addition to all other limitations and disclaimers in this agreement, service provider and its third party providers disclaim any liability or loss in connection with the content provided on this website.](https://medicalresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/squamous-cell-cancer-dermnetnz-image.jpg)
30 Oct Multiple Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas are a Growing Health Care Burden
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Selin Tokez, PhD Student Department of Dermatology Erasmus MC, Rotterdam MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? [caption id="attachment_55804" align="alignleft" width="200"] Example of one type of squamous cell skin cancer: DermNetNZ image[/caption]Response: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common skin cancer worldwide with still increasing incidence rates. Given these high incidence rates together with the associated health costs and possibility of fatal progression, it is extremely important to have accurate and complete data on the epidemiology of this disease. Nevertheless, national cancer registries in many countries do not routinely record cSCC cases and therefore currently known numbers are mainly based on incomplete data sources. Additionally, if cSCC cases are registered, this usually only concerns the first cSCC per patient while we know that, contrary to many other malignant neoplasms, patients may develop numerous cSCCs over time.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: In the present study, we analyzed Dutch nationwide data comprising about 145,000 patients with a first invasive cSCC diagnosis between the years 1989 and 2017. We found that the incidence rates of a first cSCC per patient almost tripled in male patients and increased about fivefold in female patients in this 30-year time period. Also, we had data on all cSCCs per patient for the year 2017 and could therefore compare this with the data on only the first cSCC per patient: incidence rates increased by 58% for men and 35% for women when multiple cSCCs were considered. In absolute numbers, this resulted in an increase of 45% in cSCC diagnoses in 2017. Lastly, we extended our analyses by predicting future cSCC incidence rates up to 2027. Given that no substantially effective measures are undertaken in the near future, current cSCC incidence rates will increase with 23% in males and 29% in females in the next decade.
30 Oct Non-Absorbable Microbe Has Potential To Reduce Inflammatory Disorders Including Psoriasis
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_55788" align="alignleft" width="125"]
Dr. Maslin[/caption]
Dr. Douglas Maslin, MPhil, MB BCHir
Dermatologist and Pharmacologist
Addenbrooke's Hospital
Cambridge, UK
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: I’d like to answer this question in three parts:
Firstly, the background to Evelo and the therapeutic EDP1815: Evelo is developing orally administered biologic medicines based on a new understanding of how systemic inflammation is controlled. Evelo’s medicines are selected for their ability to modulate the small intestinal axis, or SINTAX, a network of anatomical and functional connections that has evolved to connect the small intestine with the rest of the body. SINTAX links small intestinal mucosal immunology with systemic inflammation and is now accessible with oral medicines. This inflammatory control pathway may enable a new class of products which are effective, safe, and can be manufactured affordably at large scale.
EDP1815 is a non-live pharmaceutical preparation of a strain of the bacterium Prevotella histicola isolated from the duodenum of a human donor. Its pharmacodynamic effect is through interactions with the immune cells within the small intestine and it has no systemic absorption. These local interactions in the small intestine then downregulate systemic inflammation. In fact, the inflammatory control afforded by targeting the small intestinal axis appears to result in the coordinated downregulation of multiple inflammatory pathways without immunosuppression, mimicking the body’s normal physiological processes of inflammation resolution.
Secondly, there is the key and exciting background pre-clinical data on EDP1815 – the details of which have been published today at the EADV conference. For example, oral administration of EDP1815 to mice has been shown to lead to striking therapeutic effects in in vivo models of delayed-type hypersensitivity, imiquimod-induced skin inflammation, fluorescein isothiocyanate cutaneous hypersensitivity, collagen-induced arthritis, and experimental acute encephalomyelitis (EAE).
The consistency of effect and dose shows that EDP1815 can coordinately resolve systemic inflammation across TH1, TH2 and TH17 pathways. This suggests the potential for clinical benefit across multiple diseases.
And, thirdly, there is the clinical unmet need for an oral, safe, effective treatment specifically for mild and moderate psoriasis patients, who have very limited treatment options outside of the poorly tolerated topical therapies, and these patients are reported to be dissatisfied with treatment options and therefore are often under-treated.
These three points explain the background to EDP1815 and the reason for progressing forward into the phase 1b in psoriasis.
28 Oct DUOBRII® : Halobetasol and Tazarotene Combination Lotion May Provide Durable Psoriasis Remission
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_55770" align="alignleft" width="133"] Dr. Stein Gold[/caption]
Dr. Linda Stein Gold MD
Director of Dermatology Clinical Research at Henry Ford Health System
Detroit, Michigan
Division Head of Dermatology
Henry Ford Health System in West Bloomfield, Michigan
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Halobetasol and Tazarotene work by complimentary mechanisms of action in treating psoriasis and also have been shown to counteract the side effects associated with the other medications.
In prior studies using tazarotene as monotherapy, there was a maintenance of effect even after the drug was discontinued. We investigated to see if there was a maintenance of treatment effect in patients who achieved clear skin after using the fixed combination of halobetasol propionate 0.01%/tazarotene 0.045% lotion for 8 weeks of daily treatment.
I served as lead author on the study, which was presented Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference this weekend in a poster titled, “Long-term management of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: maintenance of treatment success following cessation of halobetasol propionate 0.01%/tazarotene 0.045% lotion.”
02 Oct Scientists Identify Factor That May Allow Skin to Heal Without Scarring
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_55555" align="alignleft" width="133"] Dr. Driskell[/caption]
Ryan R. Driskell Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
School of Molecular Biosciences
Center for Reproductive Biology
Washington State University
Pullman, WA. 99164
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Scars a serious health concern when they cover large areas of the body. Understanding how to functionally regenerate skin can improve the quality of life for individuals with large scars.
Importantly, our study is proof of concept, in that we identified a genetic factor that allows adult skin to repair itself like the skin of a newborn babe. The discovery has implications for better skin wound treatment as well as preventing some of the aging process in skin.
01 Oct Parkinson’s Disease: Skin Biopsy May Provide Less Invasive Diagnostic Test
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_55549" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr. Wenquan Zou[/caption]
Wenquan Zou, MD/PhD, Professor
Department of Pathology
Associate Director
National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. It is characterized by the accumulation of pathologically misfolded α-synuclein (αSynP) aggregates in the brain. Currently, a definite diagnosis relies on the detection of αSynP-containing Lewy bodies in the brain of PD patients. Development of a reliable and sensitive assay for αSynP in easily accessible peripheral tissue specimens is critical for early or differential diagnosis, determination of disease severity, and evaluation of therapeutic efficacy in clinical trials. Previous studies have revealed that the pathologically phosphorylated α-synuclein is detectable with traditional immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy but the sensitivity with IHC/IF is highly variable and inconsistent.
Also the prion-like aggregation seeding activity of αSynP is detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of Parkinson’s disease patients with highly sensitive real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) and protein misfolding cyclic amplification assays (PMCA). But the lumbar puncture to collect CSF is more invasive compared to skin punch biopsy.
29 Sep Botox Treatments: How Long Do They Last and What Is the Optimal Treatment Strategy?
Botox treatment was created to make undesirable physical lines less visible. It is an efficient way to bring the natural facial appeal back to its normal condition. By getting quick and painless Botox injections, you can maintain the appearance you want most. There are a lot of myths surrounding the treatment, but the popularity of Botox is a very real thing.
The Stars Know
When you hear about Botox, it is usually attached to a celebrity story. This type of treatment is very popular in Hollywood circles, and for good reason. It is an effective way to keep a specific look without major cosmetic surgery.
When time is of the essence, Botox has no equal. You can set up an appointment, get the injections, and see results as early as three days. That is a single weekend required to get good looking results without breaking the bank. Hollywood is a business that relies on looks, so the popularity of Botox is no surprise. Its effectiveness on the most beautiful people in the world is the main reason why it’s still trending.
16 Sep Skin Reactions in Children Treated With Targeted Cancer Therapies
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_55386" align="alignleft" width="100"]
Dr. Lara-Corrales[/caption]
Irene Lara-Corrales, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto
Staff physician in Pediatric Dermatology at the
Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada
She is a member of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology.
[caption id="attachment_55387" align="alignleft" width="100"] Dr. Boull[/caption]
Christina Boull, MD
Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the University of Minnesota
Program Director for the Advanced Dermatology Medical Student Rotation
Fellowship Director for the Pediatric Dermatology Fellowship
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: We got involved in this project a couple of years ago when many members of the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance's (PeDRA) Skin Tumors and Reactions to Cancer Therapies (STARC) group started seeing many patients with skin toxicities given by targeted therapies. We recognized that this was a new and growing area of skin concerns that pediatric dermatologists were starting to see. Being such a new field, and with little known about these medications, we thought it would be important to put our cases together and describe what we were seeing.
09 Sep Pediatric Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers Without Known Risk Factors
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_55366" align="alignleft" width="150"]
Dr. Huang[/caption]
Jennifer Huang, MD
Dr. Huang is a pediatric dermatologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
She is an Associate Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Huang is a member of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology.
[caption id="attachment_55369" align="alignleft" width="100"] Dr. Zhong[/caption]
Connie Zhong, MD, MSc
Dr. Zhong is an intern at Brigham and Women’s Hospital
She will be doing her dermatology residency at the Harvard Combined Dermatology Program.
She is a member of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology.
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Pediatric nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC) are rare and when they do occur, are often associated with genetic/predisposing skin conditions or iatrogenic risk factors. There are some pediatric patients who develop NMSCs who do not have identifiable risk factors. The objective of our study was to describe the demographic and clinical features of these children without identifiable risk factors and compare them with those who have either genetic or iatrogenic risk factors. We conducted a retrospective study at 11 tertiary care institutions across North America through the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA)
03 Sep Does Hair Dye Raise Your Risk of Cancer?
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Yin Zhang MD Research Fellow in Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Among modern hair dyes, permanent hair dye is the most popular type, and is the most aggressive and extensively used type that has posed the greatest potential concern about cancer risk. Monitoring and investigating the carcinogenic hazard to people from personal use of permanent hair dyes has major public health implications. In 2008, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer, after comprehensive reviewed prior evidence, classified occupational exposure to hair dyes as a probable carcinogen to humans (group 2A), whereas personal use of hair dyes was not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans (Group 3). Data on hair dye safety has also been continuously monitored by the USFDA. Prior epidemiological evidence may have been influenced by not discriminating between personal and occupational exposure, an inability to distinguish types and colors of hair dyes used, imprecise assessment of several critical domains of exposure history (duration, frequency and cumulative dose), and inadequate control for potential confounding.
14 Aug Atopic Dermatitis: No Link Found Between Topical Calcineurin Inhibitor Use and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer
Posted at 14:37h
in Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Cancer Research, Dermatology, JAMA
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
[caption id="attachment_55124" align="alignleft" width="160"] Dr. Asgari[/caption]
Maryam M. Asgari, MD MPH
Professor
Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital
Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are Topical Calcineurin Inhibitors used for?
Response: Topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs) are FDA approved for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (though they are used off-label to treat a wide range of inflammatory conditions of the skin, including psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and contact dermatitis). There are currently two drugs available – tacrolimus and pimecrolimus – both of which carry a black box label warning users about the potential for increased skin cancer risk. The risk associated with keratinocyte carcinoma, the most common cancer (defined as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma), remains poorly defined because findings from large-scale post-marketing surveillance studies are lacking.
31 Jul FDA Approves Dupixent® (dupilumab) Pre-Filled Pen For All Indications in Patients Aged 12 Years and Older
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Elizabeth Laws, PhD Vice President and Global Project Head for Dupilumab/Dupixent Sanofi Marcie Ruddy, MD, MA Strategic Program Direction, Immunology and Inflammation Regeneron Dr. Laws and Dr. Ruddy discuss the FDA approval of a 300 mg single-dose pre-filled pen for Dupixent® (dupilumab) for all indications in patients aged 12 years and older. [caption id="attachment_54997" align="alignleft" width="200"] Dupixent is a biologic therapy that works differently from existing therapies that treat atopic diseases[/caption]
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this announcement? What are the main indications for Dupixent?
Response: Until now, Dupixent 300 mg dose was available only in pre-filled syringe for administration. The approval of the pre-filled pen provides an additional, easy-to-use option for patients to self-administer Dupixent.
Dupixent is approved to treat patients aged 6 years and older with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) and can be used with or without topical treatments. Dupixent is also approved for use with other medicines for the maintenance treatment of uncontrolled moderate-to-severe eosinophilic or oral steroid dependent asthma in patients aged 12 years and older, and with other medicines for the maintenance treatment of uncontrolled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) in adults, respectively.
The pre-filled pen is approved for use in patients prescribed Dupixent who are 12 years of age and older across current indications, at the 300 mg dose.
25 Jul Seasonal Patterns in Pediatric Alopecia Areata
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54952" align="alignleft" width="200"] Dr. Eunyoung Cho[/caption]
Eunyoung Cho, Sc.D.
Associate Professor and Director of Research
Department of Dermatology
The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: We are interested in whether flares of alopecia area (AA), one of the most common autoimmune diseases resulting in sudden loss of scalp and facial hair, follow seasonal patterns and whether these potential patterns are related to climate factors. We recently analyzed a set of data on pediatric AA flares, which demonstrated seasonal patterns, with the largest number of flares in the fall, finding that climate factors such as UV index were correlated with the AA flare frequency of patients in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a geographical region with four distinct seasons. Here, we explored the seasonal patterns and contribution of climate factors in pediatric AA patients in Providence, Rhode Island, another geographical region with four distinct seasons, to test whether we can replicate our previous findings.
25 Jul Allergenic Potential of Eczema Moisturizers
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54947" align="alignleft" width="177"] Catherine M. Ludwig[/caption]
Catherine M. Ludwig is a 4th year medical student at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine.
Her interests in dermatology include inflammatory and genetic conditions, especially within pediatric dermatology.
[caption id="attachment_54948" align="alignleft" width="163"]
Alyssa M. Thompson[/caption]
Alyssa M. Thompson is currently a 2nd year medical student at the UA-COM Tucson. She graduated from the University of Arizona, Summa Cum Laude in 2018 as the athletic department's Valedictorian with a degree in Physiology and an Entrepreneurship certificate. Her passion for research and dermatology stems from her innovative and integrative mindset with specific interest in inflammatory skin disease.
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Eczema is very common in children. Prescription medications are important for managing eczema flares, but a lot of the work in treating eczema is preventative, done by consistently moisturizing the skin at home with drug store products. Allergic contact dermatitis occurs more commonly in people with eczema. A previous study was done in characterizing the allergenic potential of drug-store moisturizers and found that 88% of moisturizers contain at least one common allergen. Many moisturizers are marketed specifically to eczema, but the allergen content of these products are unknown.
25 Jul Race and Atopic Dermatitis During Early Childhood
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54941" align="alignleft" width="133"]
Dr. Schoch[/caption]
Jennifer Schoch, MD
Dr. Schoch is a pediatric dermatologist and
Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Florida.
Her research focuses on the infantile skin microbiome and its role in pediatric skin disease.
She is a member of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology.
[caption id="attachment_54942" align="alignleft" width="144"] Dr. Monir[/caption]
Reesa Monir, MD
Dr. Monir is a PGY-3 dermatology resident at the University of Florida.
She plans to pursue a career in pediatric dermatology.
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Atopic dermatitis is a common pediatric skin condition that often begins during infancy. Kids and families alike suffer from the itching and demanding care required to manage this condition. While existing studies have examined the impact of race on atopic dermatitis from birth to adulthood, few studies have examined the early childhood period specifically.
As this time is the peak period for diagnosis, we sought to examine the impact of race on disease prevalence during early childhood.
22 Jul Non-Invasive Skin Biopsy Can Distinguish Eczema from Psoriasis
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_13209" align="alignleft" width="130"] Dr. Guttman-Yassky[/caption]
Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD, PhD
Professor of Dermatology and Immunology
Vice Chair of the Department of Dermatology
Icahn School of Medicine
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What is the importance of differentiating these two skin conditions?
Response: The background is that up to now skin biopsies were considered the gold standard for obtaining skin biomarkers of atopic dermatitis/AD and psoriasis that are linked to disease activity in skin and for obtaining the cutaneous gene and protein expression fingerprint of each individual disease. Biopsies are also used in clinical trials to obtain the skin phenotype. However biopsies are invasive, painful and scarring. Thus we need less invasive means to profile diseases and obtain biomarkers. Tape strips is a minimally invasive approach to sample and study the skin. However, prior studies using tape strips could not fully capture the phenotype of the diseases and also sampling the recovery rate was less than optimal, not allowing this approach to be widely used. Psoriasis and AD are the most common inflammatory skin diseases, but these diseases are treated very differently and in some cases are very difficult to differentiate between them clinically and even in biopsies.
09 Jul Dermatologist Discusses Patient Struggles with Facial Rosacea and Psoriasis
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54803" align="alignleft" width="160"]
Dr. Harper[/caption]
Julie C. Harper, MD
Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology
University of Alabama-Birmingham
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
How common is rosacea?
What are the clinical manifestations of facial rosacea or psoriasis?
-
- In 2018, the initial Beyond the Visible report provided new insights into rosacea and the psychosocial burden associated with invisible symptoms. These insights further highlighted how little is really known of the burden faced by those suffering from facial skin diseases. In this new 2020 report, Beyond the Visible: rosacea and psoriasis of the face, we explored new dimensions of the burden faced by both rosacea and psoriasis of the face patients to learn from patients’ experiences and behaviors to better inform treatment based on the comparisons and contrasts. The survey spanned six countries, 300 rosacea patients and 318 psoriasis of the face patients to answer three questions:
- What is the burden faced by patients with psoriasis of the face and of rosacea?
- How does the burden faced by rosacea patients differ from patients with psoriasis of the face?
- What can we learn to help both patients and doctors to achieve the best possible outcomes for their patients?
- Rosacea is more common than people might initially assume. There are an estimated 16 million Americans with rosacea, building up to 415 million rosacea sufferers worldwide.
- Rosacea is commonly characterized by persistent redness and facial flushing, inflammatory lesions which may resemble acne-like bumps, visible blood vessels, and skin thickening. However, it’s important to note that rosacea symptoms vary person to person. Psoriasis of the face symptoms present themselves as red, scaly lesions that are usually along the forehead, hairline and ears. Moreover, psoriasis is known to be associated with itching, while rosacea sufferers have reported burning and stinging.
- In 2018, the initial Beyond the Visible report provided new insights into rosacea and the psychosocial burden associated with invisible symptoms. These insights further highlighted how little is really known of the burden faced by those suffering from facial skin diseases. In this new 2020 report, Beyond the Visible: rosacea and psoriasis of the face, we explored new dimensions of the burden faced by both rosacea and psoriasis of the face patients to learn from patients’ experiences and behaviors to better inform treatment based on the comparisons and contrasts. The survey spanned six countries, 300 rosacea patients and 318 psoriasis of the face patients to answer three questions:
![MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr Herman Anne Service de Dermatologie Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc Avenue Hippocrate, 10 1200 Bruxelle MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, several cases of acro-located lesions (on foot or hands) suggestive of chilblains have been reported and were possibly related to COVID-19. We wanted to determine if chilblains, observed in many patients recently referred to our department, are indicative of COVID-19. MedicalResearch.com: Would you briefly explain what is meant by chilblains? Response: Chilblains are frequent cold induced inflammatory lesions. Chilblains are typically seen in winter and occur after repeated exposure to cold temperatures. Clinical presentation includes erythema and swelling on toes and/or digits followed by red-purple macules or patches. However, given the large number of patients affected, and the exceptionally high outdoor temperatures for the spring season over the past month and at the time of case-observation, cold-exposure seemed unlikely. These lesions were, therefore, suspected to be associated with COVID-19. However, to date, no study has proven a pathological link between these lesions and COVID-19. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Response: In our series of 31 patients who recently developed chilblains, negative nasopharyngeal swabs and the absence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 blood immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgG antibodies in all patients included in your study suggested that these patients had not been infected with COVID-19. These lesions appeared not to be directly related to COVID-19. MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report? Response: One hypothesis points to an indirect consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic due to imposed community containment and lockdown measures. Indeed, all patients in this study had either been working from home or were home-schooled since the beginning of containment measures in Belgium (March 11, 2020) or were temporarily unemployed. As a result of containment measures, the majority (64.5%) of patients reported a decrease in their physical activity and significantly more time spent in sedentary positions in front of screens. Most of the patients declared that they remained barefoot or in socks most of the day. All these lifestyle changes can be considered as risk factors for developing chilblains. Therefore, it seems plausible that containment, through its collateral effects, may induce chilblains. Interestingly also, the mean BMI of the patients included was relatively low, suggesting that thin people may be more at risk of developing chilblains. MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work? Response: During the current pandemic, several reports have suggested a possible link between cutaneous manifestations including aural lesions such as chilblains, and COVID-19, however, only few patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR and no serologic tests were performed. Therefore, reliable testings (RT-PCR and serologic testing) are essential to confirm a potential association with COVID-19. Citation: Herman A, Peeters C, Verroken A, et al. Evaluation of Chilblains as a Manifestation of the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Dermatol. Published online June 25, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2020.2368 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2767774 [subscribe] Last Modified: [last-modified] The information on MedicalResearch.com is provided for educational purposes only, and is in no way intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any medical or other condition. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health and ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. In addition to all other limitations and disclaimers in this agreement, service provider and its third party providers disclaim any liability or loss in connection with the content provided on this website.](https://medicalresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/chilblain-example-dermnet-nz.jpg)
26 Jun COVID-19 and Chilblains – What’s the Connection?
Posted at 14:05h
in Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, Dermatology, Environmental Risks, JAMA
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr Herman Anne MD
Service de Dermatologie
Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
[caption id="attachment_54718" align="alignleft" width="200"] Example of ChilblainsDermnet NZ[/caption]Response: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, several cases of acro-located lesions (on foot or hands) suggestive of chilblains have been reported and were possibly related to COVID-19. We wanted to determine if chilblains, observed in many patients recently referred to our department, are indicative of COVID-19. MedicalResearch.com: Would you briefly explain what is meant by chilblains? Response: Chilblains are frequent cold induced inflammatory lesions. Chilblains are typically seen in winter and occur after repeated exposure to cold temperatures. Clinical presentation includes erythema and swelling on toes and/or digits followed by red-purple macules or patches. However, given the large number of patients affected, and the exceptionally high outdoor temperatures for the spring season over the past month and at the time of case-observation, cold-exposure seemed unlikely. These lesions were, therefore, suspected to be associated with COVID-19. However, to date, no study has proven a pathological link between these lesions and COVID-19.
25 Jun Atopic Dermatitis: Study Finds Monoclonal Antibody Tralokinumab + Topical Steroids Effective for Moderate to Severe Disease
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_24142" align="alignleft" width="128"] Dr. Jonathan Silverberg[/caption]
Dr. Jonathan L. Silverberg MD PhD MPH
Assistant Professor in Dermatology
Medical Social Sciences and Preventive Medicine
Northwestern, Chicago, Illinois
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Topical anti-inflammatory therapy is often inadequate to achieve disease control in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), and systemic therapy is often warranted. Tralokinumab is a fully human immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to the IL-13 cytokine with high affinity and inhibits downstream IL-13 pro-inflammatory signaling.
Tralokinumab was previously studied as a monotherapy in moderate-severe AD in the ECZTRA1 and ECZTRA2 studies. In this Phase 3 randomized controlled study, ECZTRA3, tralokinumab was studies in combination with topical corticosteroids compared to placebo with topical corticosteroids. The use of topical anti-inflammatory therapy is more akin to the way in which systemic and biologic therapies are typically used in the real-world.
23 Jun Atopic Dermatitis – Eczema: Dupilumab plus Topical Corticosteroids Improved Symptoms and Quality of Life in Children with Severe Disease
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54684" align="alignleft" width="125"]
Dr. Shumel[/caption]
Brad Shumel, MD
Senior Director of Medical Affairs, Immunology
Regeneron
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory disease and one of the most common skin disorders in children. Severe atopic dermatitis is characterized by skin lesions that often cover a large body surface area and can include intense, persistent itch. Uncontrolled moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis can have a physical, emotional and psychosocial impact on children, resulting in sleep deprivation, activity restriction, poor school performance, depression and anxiety that can have a greater impact on quality-of-life.
The standard of care for this pediatric population has been topical corticosteroids. Children with severe atopic dermatitis who remain uncontrolled with topical therapies have limited treatment options.
This Phase 3 trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of dupilumab plus topical corticosteroids (TCS) compared with TCS alone in children with uncontrolled severe atopic dermatitis across two treatment arms – every four weeks and every two weeks (Q4W and Q2W).
23 Jun Skin Cancer Recognition Enhanced By Human-Computer Collaboration
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54678" align="alignleft" width="127"] Prof. Kittler[/caption]
Professor Harald Kittler, MD
ViDIR Group, Department of Dermatology
Medical University of Vienna
Vienna, Austria
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What types of skin cancers were assessed? (melanoma, SCC, Merkel etc).
Response: Some researchers believe that AI will make human intelligence dispensable. It is, however, still a matter of debate how exactly AI will influence diagnostic medicine in the future.
The current narrative is focused on a competition between human and artificial intelligence. We sought to shift the direction of this narrative more towards human/AI collaboration. To this end we studied the use-case of skin cancer diagnosis including the most common types of skin cancer such as melanoma, basal cell- and squamous cell carcinoma. The initial idea was to explore the effects of varied representations of AI support across different levels of clinical expertise and to address the question of how humans and machines work together as a team.
23 Jun Gladskin Treats Atopic Dermatitis – Eczema – by Repairing Skin Microbiome
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:Skyler Stein, MBA
President of Gladskin USA
Mr. Stein discusses Gladskin , a new category of non-prescription eczema treatment, utilizing “Micreobalance™ is a smart protein that defends against flare-causing bacteria and creates a healthy environment for good bacteria to thrive”.
22 Jun Study Finds Novel Difelikefalin (Korsuva) Stops the Itch of Chronic Kidney Disease
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53601" align="alignleft" width="144"]
Dr. Yosipovitch[/caption]
Gil Yosipovitch, MD, Professor
Miami Itch Center
Lennar Medical Foundation
South Miami Clinic in Coral Gables
University of Miami Health System
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Chronic Pruritus is a common and burdensome condition in patients with end stage chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is Present at all stages of CKD, not only in patients undergoing hemodialysis (including stage 3-5 CKD). There are no approved treatments for this condition in US and Europe. CKD pruritus has significant impact on quality of life of patients with higher mortality rates due to its effect on sleep.
Studies in the last 2 decades have shown that in patients with CKD pruritus there is an imbalance between endogenous mu opioids that are over expressed to Kappa Opioids that are down regulated.
Difelikefalin (DFK) is a novel peripherally selective kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonist. Study of IV DFK administration in hemodialysis patients has recently been published and showed significant anti Pruritic effect ( NEJM Fishbane et al. 382: 289-290, 2020).
17 Jun Melanoma: Bioresorbable Skin Patch Developed to Deliver Prolonged Local Chemotherapy
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54605" align="alignleft" width="144"] Dr. Chi Hwan Lee[/caption]
Chi Hwan Lee PhD
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering,
and by Courtesy, of Materials Engineering, and Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences
Purdue University
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Conventional melanoma therapies, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, suffer from the toxicity and side effects of repeated treatments due to the aggressive and recurrent nature of melanoma cells. Less-invasive topical chemotherapies by utilizing miniaturized polymeric microneedles are emerged as an alternative, but the sustained, long-lasting release of drug cargos remains challenged due to the rapidly dissolving behavior of polymers (typically, within 15 min-2 hrs). In addition, the size of the microneedles is still large for small, curvilinear and sensitive areas of tissues such as cornea (for ocular melanoma).