Dermatology

15 Jun

Posted at 16:08h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Pediatrics, Pharmaceutical Companies, Regeneron
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54575" align="alignleft" width="200"]Amy S Paller, MD Chair, Department of Dermatology Director, Skin Biology and Diseases Resource-Based Center Walter J. Hamlin Professor of Dermatology Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics (Dermatology) Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University Dr. Paller[/caption] Amy S Paller, MD Chair, Department of Dermatology Director, Skin Biology and Diseases Resource-Based Center Walter J. Hamlin Professor of Dermatology Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics (Dermatology) Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University  Dr. Paller discusses the FDA approval of Dupixent® (dupilumab) for children aged 6 to 11 years with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (eczema), whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable.  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this announcement? Would you briefly discuss what is meant by atopic dermatitis and how it affects children? Response: “Atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema, is a chronic inflammatory disease that often appears as a rash on the skin. Moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis is characterized by rashes that can potentially cover much of the body and can include intense, persistent itching, skin lesions and skin dryness, cracking, redness or darkness, crusting and oozing. Itch is one of the most burdensome symptoms for patients and can be debilitating. This recent FDA approval expands the use of Dupilumab in the U.S. to include children aged 6 to 11 years with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, making it the only biologic medicine approved for this use in this population. Dupilumab is also approved in the U.S. to treat patients aged 12 years and older with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis can place a particularly substantial burden on young children aged 6 to 11 years and their families. Limited treatment options leave many of these children to cope with intense, unrelenting itch and skin lesions. Families of these children can spend countless hours helping them to manage their disease.”

12 Jun

Posted at 01:18h in Author Interviews, Dermatology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54528" align="alignleft" width="150"]David Granville PhD, FAHA Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC Associate Director, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, VGH-UBC Associate Director, BC Professional Firefighters Burn & Wound Healing Group, Department of Surgery, UBC Principal Investigator, iCORD and UBC Centre for Heart Lung Innovation Dr. Granville[/caption] David Granville PhD, FAHA Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC Associate Director, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, VGH-UBC Associate Director, BC Professional Firefighters Burn & Wound Healing Group, Department of Surgery, UBC Principal Investigator, iCORD and UBC Centre for Heart Lung Innovation MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Atopic dermatitis (aka. eczema) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by patches of dry, red, itchy skin. These patches can come and go - a process often referred to as 'flare ups'. Often when these flare ups occur, people avoid going out, or to work, resulting in lost productivity and reduced quality of life. While the cause of these flare-ups is not completely understood, a loss of the skin's protective barrier function is believed to be a triggering event. This is because the outer layer of skin (epidermis) acts as a barrier to allergens and other foreign entities from getting into the skin. When this outer barrier is lost, allergens are able to cross and penetrate the deeper layers of skin. This triggers an inflammatory response. The inflammatory response, in turn, can release factors that cause further disruption of the barrier thereby exacerbating the flare up. The outer skin barrier can be thought of in terms of a brick wall in which the 'bricks', or skin cells in this case, are held together by a molecular 'grout' known as adhesion proteins. If these adhesion proteins, which tightly anchor the skin cells together, are lost, the skin becomes more permeable to the outer environment, allowing foreign antigens to enter in, and conversely, moisture to escape out resulting in skin dryness and shedding

01 Jun

Posted at 22:45h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Stem Cells, Surgical Research
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54363" align="alignleft" width="200"]Charles-de-SáM.D., Ph.D. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Dr. Charles-de-Sá[/caption] Charles-de-SáM.D., Ph.D. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Our clinical trial was based on our clinical skin observations in areas submitted to a lipotransfer previously, an ordinary practice in plastic surgery. These clinical observations lead us to investigate what will be the key element played in these findings. Our scientific support investigation addressed the Dardick1and Zuk, P2 studies, that demonstrated fibroblastic-like cells in adipose tissue with regenerative ability. Our clinical trial proposal is to investigate the adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) role in the photoaged skin. The direct endpoint of the study was to assess the histological benefits provided by the subdermal ADSC injection. Mesenchymal stem cells were obtained from lipoaspirates, expanded in vitro, and introduced into the facial skin of 20 patients submitted after three to four months to a face-lifting surgery. In the retrieved skin, immunocytochemical and ultrastructural analysis quantified elastic matrix components, cathepsin-K, metalloprotease MMP-12, and the macrophage M2 markers: CD68, CD206 and heme-oxygenase-1.An overview of the trial steps is described in the infographic. 

01 Jun

Posted at 20:30h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Genetic Research
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54401" align="alignleft" width="130"]Sarah E. Millar, Ph.D. Director, Black Family Stem Cell Institute Professor, Departments of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology and Dermatology Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY Dr. Millar[/caption] Sarah E. Millar, Ph.D. Director, Black Family Stem Cell Institute Professor, Departments of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology and Dermatology Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: One of the major roles of the skin is to serve as a protective barrier, both preventing external insults, such as toxins and pathogens, from entering the body, and helping to retain moisture. The mechanisms required for appropriate skin barrier formation remain incompletely understood. Elucidating these processes is important for understanding and developing improved treatments for dermatological diseases in which the skin barrier is dysfunctional, such as eczema and psoriasis. Understanding epigenetic regulators, proteins that modify the structure of genetic material, is an area of scientific interest, as many new drugs target these proteins. Importantly, multiple epigenetic regulators have been shown to be important in skin development. My lab has focused on one group of epigenetic regulators, histone deacetylases (HDACs), because HDAC inhibitors show promise for treating several different cancers and other disorders in which cell proliferation is poorly controlled. We previously showed that HDACs 1 and 2 are required for normal skin development. In the current study, we investigated whether the related protein HDAC3 is also important in establishing the skin barrier. 

21 May

Posted at 11:26h in Author Interviews, Dermatology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54295" align="alignleft" width="138"]Dr. Melanie D. Palm, MD, MBA Board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon San Diego, CA Clinical investigator in the Restylane Kysse phase 3 Galaderma trial Dr. Palm[/caption] Dr. Melanie D. Palm, MD, MBA Board-certified dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon San Diego, CA Clinical investigator in the Restylane Kysse phase 3 Galaderma trial Dr. Palm discusses the recent announcement that the FDA has approved Restylane® Kysse for lip augmentation and the correction of upper perioral rhytids (wrinkles)  in adults over the age of 21.   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this announcement?
    • Restylane® Kysse has been approved and used in Europe and Canada for several years. It is now the first FDA-approved hyaluronic acid (HA) lip filler in the U.S. formulated with XpresHAn Technology™ (pronounced ex-'spre-shan’) for smooth, natural-looking results.
    • It is FDA-approved for use not only in the lip but for improvement of upper lip lines.
    • Restylane Kysse is the third product (following Restylane Defyne and Restylane Refyne) in the Restylane family of fillers to use XpresHAn Technology™ which allows for a gel that integrates into the skin for natural expression in motion

13 May

Posted at 10:38h in Author Interviews, Dermatology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54196" align="alignleft" width="145"]Brian S. Kim, MD, MTR, FAAD Associate Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) Co-Director, Center for the Study of Itch and Sensory Disorders Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO Dr. Kim[/caption] Brian S. Kim, MD, MTR, FAAD Associate Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) Co-Director, Center for the Study of Itch and Sensory Disorders Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Itch is the central and most debilitating symptom of atopic dermatitis. However, surprisingly, measuring itch or quality of life in clinical trials is not often a primary endpoint. Therefore, this study focuses in very detailed fashion on how ruxolitinib cream improves pruritus in a clinically meaningful way and its ultimate impact on quality of life. What patients want to know at the end of the day is how much will this drug change my life?  Not, whether it statistically beat out a placebo group. Indeed, what this study shows is that ruxolitinib cream has a major impact on itch in a meaningful way that is also tied to improvements in quality of life.

08 May

Posted at 00:11h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Melanoma
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Neelam A. Vashi, MD Associate Professor of Dermatology Director, Boston University Center for Ethnic Skin Director, Cosmetic and Laser Center Boston University School of Medicine and Daniela P.Sanchez BS Boston Medical Center Boston, MA 02118 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Although melanoma most commonly affects Caucasians, Hispanics are disproportionately affected by greater morbidity and mortality rates when diagnosed. Poor prognosis in Hispanic patients is likely multifactorial, and may be secondary to lack of knowledge or misconceptions about melanoma risk, atypical presentation, impaired access to care, and language barriers, ultimately resulting in a delay in diagnosis.

28 Apr

Posted at 14:08h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Neurology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54040" align="alignleft" width="200"]Santosh K. Mishra M.Tech., PhD Assistant Professor of Neuroscience Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences NC State Veterinary Medicine Raleigh, NC 2760 Dr. Mishra[/caption] Santosh K. Mishra M.Tech., PhD Assistant Professor of Neuroscience Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences NC State Veterinary Medicine Raleigh, NC 2760 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you briefly explain what is meant by atopic dermatitis? Response: Chronic allergic itch is a worldwide problem that leads to substantial health expenses,but what causes this universal urge to scratch remains elusive in chronic allergic itch. Atopic dermatitis is a common allergic skin disease that often associated with extremely itchy and inflamed skin. In our study, we showed, for the first time, a molecular pathway that is involved in chronic allergic itch as we identified an endogenous mediator (periostin) and a new role for its sensory neuron receptor, the integrin αVβ3, which drives the excitability and transmission of itch signal to the spinal cord. 

04 Apr

Posted at 15:20h in Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, Dermatology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53780" align="alignleft" width="164"]Amit Gefen PhD Professor of Biomedical Engineering The Herbert J. Berman Chair in Vascular Bioengineering Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel Dr. Gefen[/caption] Amit Gefen PhD Professor of Biomedical Engineering The Herbert J. Berman Chair in Vascular Bioengineering Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Although we are witnessing continuous progress in medical technologies, the design of many of the most commonly used medical devices e.g. oxygen masks or cervical collars has changed very little over a period of decades. Not surprisingly, these devices are also the ones which are frequently associated with device-related pressure ulcers (DRPUs). These DRPUs are frequently a hospital-acquired injury which involves risk of infections (including e.g. sepsis and antibiotic-resistant bacteria), scarring with serious psychological consequences, additional and significant healthcare costs and a basis for liability suits and litigation. The problem is massive in Europe and the US and is most frequently encountered in clinical environments where devices are used intensively, such as in operation theatres, intensive care units and emergency care settings (in both adult and pediatric medicine), but also, in elderly care facilities where patients often have fragile skin. With the current pandemic spread of the coronavirus, facilities worldwide are experiencing a considerable rise in usage of emergency and intensive care equipment, which will very likely considerably escalate the incidence of DRPUs. Early in 2019, a committee of global experts which I have chaired, has met for two days of intensive deliberation in London UK, to start developing the first-ever international consensus document on device-related pressure ulcers . After a rigorous review process by an international review committee of other experts, this consensus report has been published as a Special Edition of the Journal of Wound Care in February 2019 (https://doi.org/10.12968/jowc.2020.29.Sup2a.S1), under the name "Device-related pressure ulcers: SECURE prevention". The publisher has kindly made this publication freely downloadable and thereby accessible and available to anyone, including all professionals who may need guidance in this regard, including clinicians, industry, regulators and academic researches.

03 Apr

Posted at 16:27h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Technology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53761" align="alignleft" width="168"]Jung-Im Na, MD PhD Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology Seoul National University Bundang Hospital  Korea Dr. Jung Im Na[/caption] Jung-Im Na, MD PhD Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology Seoul National University Bundang Hospital Korea  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you briefly explain what is meant by a convolutional neural network? Response: When a very young child looks at a picture, she can easily identify cats and dogs, however, even the most advanced computers had struggled at this task until recently. Computers began to “see” with the recent advancement of Deep Learning techniques. Deep Learning is a machine learning technique that teaches computers to learn from raw data. Most deep learning methods use artificial neural network architectures, imitating human brain, and convolutional neural networks (CNN) is a particular type of deep learning architecture, imitating the visual cortex. CNN is especially powerful for recognizing images. CNN exploit the information contained in image datasets to automatically learn features and patterns.

20 Mar

Posted at 17:57h in Allergies, Author Interviews, Dermatology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53601" align="alignleft" width="144"]Gil Yosipovitch, MD, Professor Miami Itch Center Lennar Medical Foundation South Miami Clinic in Coral Gables University of Miami Health System 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? How does Dupilumab (Dupixent) differ from other medications for atopic dermatitis/eczema? Response: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is characterized by intense itch (pruritus) that is one of the most burdensome symptoms; therefore, rapid and sustained improvement in itch is an important marker of treatment benefit. Dupixent® (dupilumab) is approved in the U.S. for adults and adolescents with inadequately-controlled moderate-to-severe Atopic Dermatitis. Dupilumab remains the first and only biologic medicine for uncontrolled moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Dupilumab is the first and only fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the signaling of the interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) proteins. Data from dupilumab clinical trials have shown that IL-4 and IL-13 are key drivers of the type 2 inflammation that plays a major role in atopic dermatitis, asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. 

18 Mar

Posted at 00:04h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Pediatrics
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53554" align="alignleft" width="150"]Adawiyah Jamil, AdvMDerm Associate Professor at Department of Medicine University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Adawiyah Jami[/caption] Adawiyah Jamil, AdvMDerm Associate Professor at Department of Medicine University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: We commonly observed poor dietary pattern and multiple food restrictions imposed on atopic dermatitis (AD) children by their parents in our daily clinical practice. Food allergy is often associated with AD, however excessive and medically unsubstantiated restriction may lead to various health issues. AD is a chronic skin disease, like any other chronic diseases it affects an individual’s general health. Growth and development are key measures of health in children. We embarked on this study as we were very worried of the consequences of medically unsupervised food restriction, especially those with severe disease.  We were concerned about how our atopic dermatitis children are eating and how to help them.

10 Mar

Posted at 17:48h in Allergies, Asthma, Author Interviews, Dermatology, Pediatrics
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53396" align="alignleft" width="121"]Marcella Aquino, M.D. Hasbro Children's Hospital Department of Pediatrics Division of Allergy & Immunology Associate Professor of Pediatrics Dr. Aquino[/caption] Marcella Aquino, M.D. Hasbro Children's Hospital Department of Pediatrics Division of Allergy & Immunology Associate Professor of Pediatrics   [caption id="attachment_53397" align="alignleft" width="107"]Daphne Koinis-Mitchell PhD                                    Professor (Research) in the Departments of Psychiatry and                                    Human Behavior and Pediatrics Dr. Koinis-Mitchell[/caption] Daphne Koinis-Mitchell PhD Professor (Research) in the Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Pediatrics Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University Providence, Rhode Island 02903   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Urban minority children with asthma are at increased risk for sleep loss and poorer sleep quality secondary to socio-contextual stressors (poverty, stressors of urban living) and the underlying challenges related to following possibly complex asthma treatment regimens. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is very frequently seen in children with asthma and increases the risk for poor quality sleep, for example difficulty falling asleep, awakenings during the night, difficulty awakening in the morning, and/or daytime sleepiness. 

27 Feb

Posted at 22:51h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Immunotherapy, Science
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53319" align="alignleft" width="145"]Brian S. Kim, MD, MTR, FAAD Associate Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) Co-Director, Center for the Study of Itch and Sensory Disorders Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO 63110  Dr. Kim[/caption] Brian S. Kim, MD, MTR, FAAD Associate Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) Co-Director, Center for the Study of Itch and Sensory Disorders Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO 63110 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: It has been known well for decades that a specific part of your immune system called the “type 2 immune response” is overactive in atopic disease. Indeed, that is what new drugs like dupilumab block so effectively and thus revolutionized the treatment of atopic disorders just in the last few years. In fact, our lab focuses predominantly on this part of the immune system. However, increasingly it is becoming recognized that the immune system is not just about whether it is “on or off” but rather a balance like yin and yang. Along these lines, we noticed that a cell that could theoretically counterbalance atopic inflammation was significantly deficient in many patients with eczema. This cell is the natural killer (NK) cell.

19 Feb

Posted at 16:34h in Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Dermatology, JAMA
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53222" align="alignleft" width="133"]Nikolai Dyrberg Loft MD, Ph.D.-fellow Department of Dermatology and Allergy Gentofte Hospital Hellerup Dr. Dyrberg[/caption] Nikolai Dyrberg Loft MD, Ph.D.-fellow Department of Dermatology and Allergy Gentofte Hospital Hellerup MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Epidemiological studies examining the association between psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis and cancer have reported conflicting results. Some studies report an increased risk of cancer in individuals with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis and others do not. Whether individuals with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis have an increased risk of cancer is important as this might help guiding in clinical practice. In order to determine if there is an increased risk of cancer and the magnitude of this risk, a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis is needed. 

13 Feb

Posted at 20:48h in Author Interviews, BMJ, Dermatology, Technology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53101" align="alignleft" width="200"]Professor Jon Deeks PhD, CStat Institute of Applied Health Research Professor of Biostatistics College of Medical and Dental Sciences University of Birmingham, UK Prof. Deeks[/caption] Professor Jon Deeks PhD, CStat Institute of Applied Health Research Professor of Biostatistics College of Medical and Dental Sciences University of Birmingham, UK MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, and the incidence is increasing. In 2003, the World Health Organization estimated that between two and three million skin cancers occur globally each year, 80% of which are basal cell carcinoma, 16% cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, and 4% melanoma. The potential for melanoma to metastasise to other parts of the body means that it is responsible for up to 75% of skin cancer deaths. Five year survival can be as high as 91-95% for melanoma if it is identified early, which makes early detection and treatment key to improving survival. Early detection of melanoma is reliant on people with new or changing moles seeking early advice from medical professionals. Skin cancer smartphone applications (“apps”) provide a technological approach to assist people with suspicious lesions to decide whether they should seek further medical attention. Of increasing interest are smartphone apps that use inbuilt algorithms (or “artificial intelligence”) that catalogue and classify images of lesions into high or low risk for skin cancer (usually melanoma). Apps with inbuilt algorithms that make a medical claim are now classified as medical devices that require regulatory approval. These apps could be harmful if recommendations are erroneous, particularly if false reassurance leads to delays in people obtaining medical assessment.  CE (Conformit Europenne) marking has been applied to allow distribution of two algorithm based apps in Europe (SkinScan and SkinVision), one of which is also available in Australia and New Zealand. However, no apps currently have United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to allow their distribution in the US and Canada. We have completed a systematic review of studies that examine the accuracy of all apps that use inbuilt algorithms to identify skin cancer in users of smartphones.  We report on the scope, findings, and validity of the evidence.

12 Feb

Posted at 23:27h in Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Dermatology, Gender Differences, JAMA, Melanoma
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53151" align="alignleft" width="142"]Arash Mostaghimi, MD, MPA, MPH Director, Inpatient Dermatology , Brigham and Women's Hospital Instructor, Harvard Medical School Department of Dermatology Brigham and Women's Hospital Dr. Mostaghimi[/caption] Arash Mostaghimi, MD, MPA, MPH Director, Inpatient Dermatology , Brigham and Women's Hospital Instructor, Harvard Medical School Department of Dermatology Brigham and Women's Hospital MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?  Response: Smaller studies have demonstrated increased risk for skin cancer among gay men.  Prior to this study this data had not been confirmed in a nationally representative database.

22 Jan

Posted at 16:39h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Environmental Risks, JAMA
Comments from the FDA on this JAMA Dermatology study: Effect of Sunscreen Application on Plasma Concentration of Sunscreen Active Ingredients: A Randomized Clinical Trial  Sunscreen CDC Phil imageMedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: A prior pilot study published in JAMA in May 2019 demonstrated the systemic absorption of 4 sunscreen active ingredients; additional studies are needed to determine the systemic absorption of additional active ingredients, and how quickly absorption occurs.  This study assessed the systemic absorption of the 6 active ingredients (avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate and octinoxate) in 4 sunscreen products under single and maximal-use conditions. 

21 Jan

Posted at 20:31h in Author Interviews, Depression, Dermatology, Pediatrics
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_24142" align="alignleft" width="128"]Dr. Jonathan L. Silverberg MD PhD MPH Assistant Professor in Dermatology Medical Social Sciences and Preventive Medicine Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois Dr. Jonathan Silverberg[/caption] Dr. Jonathan L. Silverberg MD PhD MPH Director of Clinical Research and Contact Dermatitis Associate Professor of Dermatology George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences Washington, DC  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: We previously found that children from single parent families, and unsafe or unsupportive neighborhoods are more likely to have atopic dermatitis. Parents in these settings may experience greater psychosocial distress and higher rates of depression in the post-partum period and beyond. As such, we sought to understand the relationship of maternal depression with atopic dermatitis in their children.

15 Jan

Posted at 00:56h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Mental Health Research, Pediatrics
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_52797" align="alignleft" width="123"]Lucia Diaz, M.D.           Dr. Diaz[/caption] Lucia Diaz, M.D., is chief of pediatric dermatology, dermatology residency associate program director and assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at Dell Medical School. She is also co-director of the dermatology-rheumatology combined clinic at Dell Children’s Medical Center. [caption id="attachment_52796" align="alignleft" width="150"]Sasha Jaquez,           Dr. Jaquez[/caption] Sasha Jaquez, Ph.D. is a pediatric psychologist at Dell Children's Medical School/Dell Children's Medical Center and specializes in seeing children with chronic medical illness, including skin disorders.     [caption id="attachment_52791" align="alignleft" width="294"]DermNet-NZ-trichotillomania DermNet-NZ Image Trichotillomania[/caption] MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Trichotillomania (TTM) can be an extremely disabling chronic condition that impacts the psychosocial development of children. It is classified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as an obsessive-compulsive disorder, where a person recurrently pulls out hair from any region of their body resulting in hair loss. Recognizing this disorder and being informed of treatment options allows medical providers to correctly diagnose and intervene early in the disease course. We reviewed the psychosocial impacts of pediatric trichotillomania and the current evidence-based interventions used in the population. 

08 Jan

Posted at 20:41h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Education, Gender Differences, JAMA, Race/Ethnic Diversity
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_52697" align="alignleft" width="70"]Imam Xierali, PhD Associate Professor / UT Southwestern Medical Center Dallas, Texas Dr. Xierali[/caption] Imam Xierali, PhD Associate Professor / UT Southwestern Medical Center Dallas, Texas MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Despite the continued efforts in academic medicine to increase the representation of women and minorities underrepresented in medicine (URM), there is a lack of information on trends in dermatology department faculty diversity and how they compare with those in other clinical departments.

08 Jan

Posted at 20:16h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, HPV, Infections, JAMA, OBGYNE
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Niklas Worm Andersson, MD Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen NV, Denmark MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What is Podophyllotoxin used for? Response: Podophyllotoxin is an antimitotic agent primarily used in the local treatment of anogenital warts, which are among the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. Most women affected by anogenital warts are of childbearing age and during pregnancy, they may become symptomatic, enlarge, or multiply. While podophyllotoxin is part of first-line treatment of anogenital warts for the non-pregnant population, it is contraindicated during pregnancy. Fetal safety data are limited and to our knowledge, no previous human data exist to help inform on this issue.

05 Jan

Posted at 21:48h in Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Dermatology, Science
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_52636" align="alignleft" width="180"]Dr. D. Branch Moody, MD Principal Investigator Associate Physician, Brigham and Women's Hospital Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Dr. Moody[/caption] Dr. D. Branch Moody, MD Principal Investigator Associate Physician, Brigham and Women's Hospital Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Is the CD1a molecule found on the skin's Langerhans cells? Response: With increasing industrialization worldwide, people apply cosmetics and other consumer products to the skin, leading to contact dermatitis, which is becoming increasingly common. Immunologists know that T cells participate in dermatitis reactions. However, T cells usually recognize and respond to antigens that are peptides rather than the non-peptide antigens that cause contact dermatitis.

20 Dec

Posted at 19:20h in Author Interviews, Dermatology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_52548" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr Kim Kjoeller MD Executive Vice President, Global Research & Development LEO Pharm Dr. Kjoeller[/caption] Dr Kim Kjoeller MD Executive Vice President, Global Research & Development LEO Pharm Discusses the recent announcement from  LEO Pharma A/S that tralokinumab  met all primary and secondary endpoints in its three Phase 3 studies (ECZTRA 1-3) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults. MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you briefly explain what is meant by Atopic Dermatitis? Response: Atopic Dermatitis (AD) – also known as ‘atopic eczema’ – is a chronic, inflammatory, heterogeneous skin disease characterized by intense itch and eczematous lesions is the most common inflammatory skin disease in the world, with limited effective treatment options, especially for moderate-to-severe patients. The primary objective of these studies was to evaluate the efficacy of tralokinumab compared with placebo in treating moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.
  • ECZTRA 1 and 2 evaluated the use of tralokinumab as monotherapy
  • ECZTRA 3 evaluated the use of tralokinumab in combination with a topical corticosteroid (TCS).

11 Dec

Posted at 17:48h in Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Dermatology, JAMA
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Lily Wang Student at University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response:  Impaired skin barrier and aberrant immune function in atopic dermatitis (AD) may impact immune response to malignancy. Conflicting data exist on the risk of cancer in patients with AD. The purpose of our study was to determine the risk of non-cutaneous and cutaneous cancers in patients with atopic dermatitis compared to the general population (i.e. without AD). 

26 Nov

Posted at 23:52h in Aging, Dermatology, JAMA
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_52300" align="alignleft" width="159"]Christian Sell, PhD Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Drexel University College of Medicine Dr. Sell[/caption] Christian Sell, PhD Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Drexel University College of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: In terms of background, the drug rapamycin targets a pathway that scientists know is critical for growth and development but is also a key regulator of lifespan in many model organisms such as worms, flies, and mice. This pathway is known as the mTOR pathway. Rapamycin is already in use clinically, it is given to people who have received organ transplants to prevent rejection and is also in trials to treat some forms of cancer, at very high doses. Many studies in mice have shown that rapamycin delays aging and prevents age-related disorders such as the decline in heart function and cognitive function. Based on this work, there is a strong expectation that these results will translate into humans, but no studies have been done due to concerns regarding potential side effects of rapamycin when the drug is given orally to prevent rejection. Our previous studies have shown that a very low dose of rapamcyin can reduce the aging of human cells and improve cell growth, while the high does used for organ transplant patients actually block cell growth.  We decided to test the impact of low dose rapamycin on aging in the skin because we could treat people safely. Previous studies have shown that the drug does not get into the blood stream when high doses were given topically to people with a rare genetic disorder, so we knew that the low doses used in our study would not get into the bloodstream and would be safe for the patients.

17 Nov

Posted at 13:46h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, Gender Differences, Pediatrics
[caption id="attachment_52186" align="alignleft" width="200"]Markus Boos, MD, PhD Member of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. Attending pediatric dermatologist Seattle Children's Hospital Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics University of Washington School of Medicine Dr. Markus Boos[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Markus Boos, MD, PhD Member of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. Attending pediatric dermatologist Seattle Children's Hospital Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics University of Washington School of Medicine  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Our understanding of the cutaneous health of sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, asexual, intersex, nonbinary, etc.) remains nascent. This dearth of understanding of the unique needs of SGM children is even more pronounced. This 2-part review article provides practical advice on how to best engage with young SGM patients and serve the distinct needs of this minority population, with a specific emphasis on dermatologic conditions.

17 Nov

Posted at 12:46h in Author Interviews, Dermatology, JAMA, Melanoma
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_52150" align="alignleft" width="143"]Jennifer M. Gardner, MD Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology University of Washington School of Medicine Dr. Gardner[/caption] Jennifer M. Gardner, MD Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology University of Washington School of Medicine  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: This study looked at age-specific differences of melanoma incidence in the United States. It was an observational study looking at population-based registry data extracted from the combined National Program of Cancer Registries-Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results United States Cancer Statistics (NPCR-SEER) database. The overall take home message from this study is that though melanoma incidence has continued to climb in the past decade for both men and women, most of the increase is seen in adults greater than age 40 years of age.  In contrast, melanoma incidence decreased in adolescents (ages 10-19 years of age) and young adults (ages 20-29) after peaking around 2004-2005. Melanoma is more common in males in older individuals (older than 50 years of age) but in younger individuals (<50 years of age), melanoma is more common in females.  According to a recently published JAMA-Otolaryngology paper by Bray and colleagues, there may be a subset of younger individuals where males are at a higher risk than females in regard to head and neck melanoma, and after that study was published we noted this to be true in our numbers, as well (we didn’t publish this in our study), further identifying a possibly “at risk” demographic within the younger age groups in addition to young women.

09 Nov

Posted at 21:19h in Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Cost of Health Care, Dermatology, JAMA, Rheumatology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Emily S. Ruiz, MD, MPH Director, High-Risk Skin Cancer Clinic, Dana Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School, Dermatology Brigham And Women's Faulkner Hospital  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Innovation in oncology has led to increased development and market entry of anticancer drugs. For example, from 2009 to 2013, the US FDA approved 51 oral and systemic anticancer drugs for 63 indications. Prices for anticancer drugs have risen faster than inflation over time, especially for older drugs, and prices in the US have largely been set by market forces rather than novelty or efficacy. Understanding the evolving cancer economic landscape requires consideration of annual and cumulative rates of change for key metrics, such as total spending, drug cost per beneficiary, out-of-pocket cost, and utilization. This study sought to weigh the proportional impacts of rising drug costs and utilization on increased Medicare Part D spending for a cohort of oral anticancer drug utilized from 2013-2017. 

25 Oct

Posted at 14:11h in Author Interviews, Dermatology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_51947" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr. Stephan Weidinger, MD, MaHM Professor of Dermatology Christian-Albrechts-Universit Kiel Dr. Weidinger[/caption] Dr. Stephan Weidinger, MD, MaHM Professor of Dermatology Christian-Albrechts-Universit Kiel  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Relatively little is known about the epidemiology and burden of Atopic Dermatitis (AD) in children, adolescents and adults, however, there is increasing evidence that the disease is highly prevalent also in these age groups. Further, very little is known about the disease severity strata. Severity, however, largely defines treatment needs. The EPI-CARE (EPIdemiology of Children with Atopic dermatitis Reporting on their Experience) study was a cross-sectional web-based study of the prevalence and burden of AD in both children and adolescents. It was performed globally across Europe, North America (US, Canada), Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico), Asia (Japan, Taiwan), the Middle East (Israel, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates) and Russia, and used very stringent definitions of AD and the same methodology across age groups. We first analyzed the adolescent data, and it turned out that the prevalence of active Atopic Dermatitis is higher than expected, ranging from 9.29% in the US and 14.7% in Europe. Of note, almost 50% of the adolescents with current AD reported an overall moderate to severe disease activity, and the majority reported a multidimensional burden that includes not only the skin symptoms associated with AD, but also sleep disturbances, symptoms of anxiety/depression, and reductions in quality‐of‐life and productivity. Adolescents also reported a high burden of coexisting atopic diseases that increased with AD severity – 68.6% of those with moderate AD and 81% of those with severe AD reported at least one coexisting atopic disease. atopic dermatitis substantially affects the life of patients and their families, and this burden is higher with greater AD severity.