Author Interviews, Dermatology, Lifestyle & Health / 18.11.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Luigi Naldi, MD Director Centro Studi GISED Department of Dermatology Azienda Ospedaliera papa Giovanni XXIII Bergamo Italy MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: The study was the natural continuation of a previous case-control study focusing on risk factors for moderate to severe acne in adolescents. In that study, we documented the role of a westernized diet to influence acne severity, with a low weekly intake of fruits or vegetables, a low consumption of fresh fish and a high consumption of milk especially skim milk, being risk factors for moderate to severe acne. Not surprisingly, also a family history of acne was associated with acne severity. After completion of our study in adolescents, we realized that very little was known about acne in adults. Hence, we started a new case-control study focusing on risk factors for adult female acne. Besides the role of a family history, we documented that lifestyle factors could play an important role in adult acne. More specifically, being an office worker, and having a high level of reported psychological stress were associated with acne in adult women. In addition, similarly to acne in adolescents, low weekly intake of fruits or vegetables and a low consumption of fresh fish were documented as risk factors. It is important to find the reason for your acne. But it is also important to know that there is pretty much always a solution to dealing with this. It is understandable that many people find it hard to deal with, but it is something that you shouldn't let ruin your life. If you are someone who suffers with acne and are not sure on what the next steps are to help manage this effectively, it might be in your best interest to look into something like a cbd pure review from companies such as HerbMighty. You might be able to find the answers that you have been looking for when it comes to your acne.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Melanoma, Surgical Research / 14.11.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Timothy Patton, DO Department of Dermatology Falk Medical Center University of Pittsburgh Medical Center MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: As dermatologists we are confronted daily with how to manage lesions that are biopsied and diagnosed as dysplastic nevi. These lesions are considered by some to be potential melanoma precursors and by others as benign lesions with little to no malignant potential. Often, particularly for lesions with severe atypia these lesions are re excised. There are no prospective studies or consistent guidelines as to how to manage these lesions. We decided to retrospectively look at the outcome of 451 patients with dysplastic nevi with severe atypia, many of whom had not had their lesions re-excised, who had at least 5 years of follow up to determine if any developed melanoma at the site of the biopsied dysplastic nevus or distantly. We found no cases of metastatic melanoma in patients who did not already have a diagnosis of melanoma. We found two cases of thin melanoma in patients who had their lesions re-excised. Both of those patients were treated with reexcision and did not develop subsequent melanoma metastasis or recurrence.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Pain Research / 06.11.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_21019" align="alignleft" width="200"]Alexander Egeberg, MD PhD National Allergy Research Centre, Departments of Dermato-Allergology and Cardiology Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, University of Copenhagen Hellerup, Denmark Dr. Alexander Egeberg[/caption] Alexander Egeberg, MD PhD Gentofte Hospital Department of Dermatology and Allergy Hellerup Denmark MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Patients with rosacea frequently report symptoms of migraine, and this link has been discussed for many years. However, very little research has actually been performed in this area, and the prevalence varies greatly between studies. We examined the prevalence of migraine in patients with rosacea, nationwide, as well as the risk of new-onset migraine in patients with manifest rosacea. We found a markedly increased prevalence of migraine among patients with rosacea. The risk of new-onset migraine was also higher among patients with rosacea, but only among women. Perhaps most notably was the observation that risk of new-onset migraine was highest among patients older than 50 years. This was surprising, since new-onset migraine in older individuals is often considered a "red flag".
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Immunotherapy / 04.11.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_29402" align="alignleft" width="133"]Brett A. King, MD, PhD Assistant Professoro Department of Dermatology School of Medicine Yale University New Haven, CT 06520 Dr. Brett King[/caption] Brett A. King, MD, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Dermatology School of Medicine Yale University New Haven, CT 06520 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Recent advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA) have yielded Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors as a promising therapy. Short-term treatment with the JAK inhibitor, tofacitinib, has shown efficacy for severe AA, alopecia totalis (AT), and alopecia universalis (AU), but long-term data are lacking. In this retrospective series of patients aged 18 years or older treated with tofacitinib, of 65 potential responders to therapy, defined as those with AT or AU with duration of current episode of disease of 10 years or less or AA, 77% achieved at least some hair regrowth, with 58% of patients achieving greater than 50% change in SALT score and 20% of patients achieving complete scalp hair regrowth over 4 to 18 months of treatment. Tofacitinib was well tolerated, and there were no serious adverse events.
Author Interviews, Compliance, Dermatology, JAMA / 27.10.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_29122" align="alignleft" width="142"]Adewole S. Adamson, MD, MPP Department of Dermatology The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Dr.Adewole S. Adamson[/caption] Adewole S. Adamson, MD, MPP Department of Dermatology The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: As the United States has moved to increasing levels of electronic medical record keeping, electronic prescribing has become an important part of improving the quality of care and patient experience. E-prescribing increases co-ordination between pharmacist and physician and decreases prescription errors. However, it is less certain whether e-prescribing affects patient primary adherence to medications, meaning whether or not a patient will fill and pick up their medication at the pharmacy. Although it may seem intuitive that primary adherence would increase by removing the patient from the prescription-to-pharmacy routing process, there have been few studies directly comparing primary adherence of patients given traditional paper prescriptions versus e-prescriptions.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, JAMA / 26.10.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Aaron S. Farberg, MD Department of Dermatology Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Regular sunscreen use is a critical component of sun protection and has been shown to reduce skin cancer risk. However, there have often been conflicting sunscreen messages (sometimes without scientific support) that have led to confusion by the public. Controversy has also emerged surrounding the safety and possibility of adverse effects from various sunscreen ingredients. The purpose of this study was to determine US dermatologists’ actual sunscreen perceptions, potential safety concerns as well as their recommendations and personal usage. Some people are so affected by the sun that they require a brand of Custom Sunscreens to help protect them from the sun. Our study found that dermatologists have an overall positive view of sunscreen. 97% of dermatologists agree that regular sunscreen use helps lower skin cancer risk, 100% agree that it reduces subsequent photoaging, and 99% recommend their family/friends use sunscreen. Nearly all (96%) consider FDA approved sunscreens currently available in the US to be safe and (99%) believe their patients generally under-apply sunscreen.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Genetic Research, Nature / 13.10.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28848" align="alignleft" width="200"]Richard Spritz, Director of the Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program at the University of Colorado School Medicine, led a recent study that explored the genetic links between eye color and serious skin conditions like vitiligo and melanoma. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel) Dr. Richard Spritz,[/caption] Richard A. Spritz, M.D. Professor and Director, Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program University of Colorado School of Medicine. Aurora, CO 80045 USA MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease in which depigmented skin results from destruction of skin melanocytes, with strong epidemiologic association with several other autoimmune diseases that include autoimmune thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, pernicious anemia, systemic lupus erythematosus, and Addison’s disease. In previous genetic linkage and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of vitiligo patients of European-derived white ancestry (EUR), we identified 27 vitiligo susceptibility loci. In the present study, we carried out a third GWAS of vitiligo in EUR subjects. The combined analysis, with almost 5,000 vitiligo cases and 40,000 non-vitiligo controls, identified a total 23 new confirmed vitiligo loci, as well as seven with suggestive significance.
Author Interviews, Dermatology / 13.10.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_21019" align="alignleft" width="200"]Alexander Egeberg, MD PhD National Allergy Research Centre, Departments of Dermato-Allergology and Cardiology Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, University of Copenhagen Hellerup, Denmark Dr. Alexander Egeberg[/caption] Alexander Egeberg, MD PhD Gentofte Hospital Department of Dermatology and Allergy Hellerup Denmark MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: In recent years, numerous studies have examined the impact of psoriasis and associated comorbidities, and found a reduced lifespan in particular among patients with severe disease. However, little is known about the impact and burden of adults with atopic dermatitis. We looked at the 10-year survival among patients hospitalized for atopic dermatitis, and compared these with patients hospitalized for psoriasis, as well as with subjects from the general population. Our main finding was that, although the mortality risk was higher for atopic dermatitis compared with general population control subjects, the risk was significantly lower compared with psoriasis patients.
Author Interviews, Cost of Health Care, Dermatology, JAMA, NYU / 12.10.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28564" align="alignleft" width="90"]Hao Feng, M.D., M.H.S. Resident, Department of Dermatology NYU Langone Medical Center Dr. Hao Feng[/caption] Hao Feng, M.D., M.H.S. Resident, Department of Dermatology NYU Langone Medical Center MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Recently, there has been an increased scrutiny on industry-physician interactions and emphasis on disclosures of interactions. While we know about the types of interaction between dermatologists and industry, we wanted to understand that relationship more in depth by probing the Open Payment database.
Author Interviews, Dermatology / 11.10.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Kristian Reich Professor of Dermatology at the Georg-August-University Göttingen and inflammation specialist Dermatologikum Hamburg in Germany MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: While there is ongoing research into the causes and triggers of psoriasis, recent studies have identified IL-23 as a main driver of the IL-23/IL-17 pathway which is now thought to be the predominant pathway in the psoriasis inflammatory cascade. Selective Inhibition of IL-23 may present a new targeted strategy for treating patients with the condition. The hope for molecules selectively targeting IL-23, specifically the p19 component of the cytokine, is that newer therapies, like tildrakizumab, can more selectively control the disease allowing more patients to achieve higher and even more durable clinical responses. The two pivotal Phase-3 studies (reSURFACE 1 and 2) evaluated the efficacy and safety of the IL-23 inhibitor tildrakizumab in adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, and results through week 28 were presented for the first time as part of the Late Breaking News Session at EADV. In the reSURFACE 1 and 2 pivotal Phase-3 studies, tildrakizumab, a selective IL-23p19 inhibitor, was evaluated against placebo and etanercept to assess efficacy, safety and tolerability. The co-primary efficacy endpoint of the two placebo-controlled studies was a) the proportion of patients with Psoriasis Area Sensitivity Index 75 (PASI 75) response at week 12 compared to placebo and the proportion of participants with a Physician’s Global Assessment (PGA) score of clear or minimal with at least a 2 grade reduction from baseline at week 12 compared to placebo. The reSURFACE 2 also included an etanercept comparator arm, with a key secondary endpoint comparing tildrakizumab and etanercept on PASI 75 and PGA. Other co-secondary endpoints of both placebo controlled studies included PASI 90 and PASI 100 responses at week 12 and PASI 75, 90 and 100 and PGA responses from baseline at Week 28.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Technology, UCLA / 05.10.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28574" align="alignleft" width="164"]Dr. Andrea M Armani PhD Fluor Early Career Chair and Associate Professor Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California credit to USC Viterbi. Dr. Andrea M Armani[/caption] Dr. Andrea M Armani PhD Fluor Early Career Chair and Associate Professor Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The “Internet of Things” (IoT) has seen an explosion in online sensor technologies, including UV sensors and monitors; for example, those from Apple and Samsung. However, they require connectivity and power, and they are integrated into delicate electronic systems that are not compatible with outdoor, athletic activities such as swimming, which is precisely when you should monitor UV exposure. Therefore, somewhat ironically, the technologies developed to meet the demands of the IoT are not ideal for cumulative UV exposure detection. Our goal was to develop a single use patch – like a smart “band-aid” – for the beach to alert users when they had been in the sun for an hour and needed to re-apply sunscreen or get out of the sun altogether. This application required a rugged system that was waterproof, bendable, and compatible with sunscreen. Additionally, the sensor readout needed to be easy to interpret. These requirements influenced our design and material selection.
Aging, Author Interviews, Dermatology / 05.10.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_18697" align="alignleft" width="112"]Simone Ribero, M.D., Ph.D. University of Turin Department of Medical Sciences Italy &King’s College London Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology St Thomas’ campus London, UK Dr. Simon Ribero[/caption] Simone Ribero, M.D., Ph.D. University of Turin Department of Medical Sciences Turin. Italy & King’s College London Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology St Thomas’ campus London MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: For many years dermatologists have identified that the skin of acne sufferers appears to age more slowly than in those who have not experienced any acne in their lifetime. We have demonstrated in our paper that there is an association between acne and longer telomere length that means that acne patients , with the same anagraphic age , have a younger chronological age.
Author Interviews, Dermatology / 04.10.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28541" align="alignleft" width="135"]Craig Leonardi, MD Adjunct Professor of Dermatology Saint Louis University School of Medicine Saint Louis, Missouri Dr. Craig Leonardi[/caption] Craig Leonardi, MD Adjunct Professor of Dermatology Saint Louis University School of Medicine Saint Louis, Missouri MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: A2304E1 is a multicenter, double-blind and open-label extension study to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of Cosentyx in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Patients who completed 52 weeks of the core SCULPTURE and STATURE studies and re-consented to treatment were eligible for the extension, and continued the same Cosentyx dose and regimen that they were receiving in their core study. Patients did not have to achieve a PASI 75 response at the end of their core study to enroll. A total of 642 patients entered the extension study: 168 continued on Cosentyx 300 mg every 4 weeks, 152 continued on Cosentyx 150 mg every 4 weeks, 172 continued on Cosentyx 300 mg retreatment-as-needed, and 150 continued on Cosentyx 150 mg retreatment-as-needed. At the end of Week 156, the study was open-label and patients could continue their assigned dose and regimen or switch to 300 mg every 4 weeks based on the investigator’s judgment. Results presented at EADV focus on those patients from the SCULPTURE core study who enrolled in the extension study. The primary endpoint of this extension study was overall safety and tolerability. Secondary efficacy measures included the proportion of patients achieving PASI 75, PASI 90 and PASI 100.
Author Interviews, ENT, Surgical Research / 21.09.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with electrolube-surgicalTim Reese, president of Eagle Surgical Products, LLC, Sales and distribution company for Electro Lube® MedicalResearch.com: What is the background of Electro Lube®? Response: Developed in 2004, Electro Lube® is an anti-stick solution for electrosurgery designed to keep instruments clean. The product is a mixture of natural, non-synthetic, non-flammable, non-allergenic biocompatible phospholipids without any known side effects associated with patient use.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Geriatrics, Melanoma / 21.09.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28161" align="alignleft" width="93"]José Antonio Avilés-Izquierdo, PhD Department of Dermatology Hospital Gregorio Marañón Madrid, Spain Dr. José Antonio Avilés-Izquierdo[/caption] José Antonio Avilés-Izquierdo, PhD Department of Dermatology Hospital Gregorio Marañón Madrid, Spain MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Melanoma is responsible for most of skin cancer-related deaths and the cancer with the highest cost per death and the highest lost of productive-life years in Europe. Despite the importance on early diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma, there are few studies analyzing the reasons that lead patients with melanoma to consult. The impact on prognosis in patients with melanoma according to who first detects melanoma have not been established.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Genetic Research, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 11.09.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_27818" align="alignleft" width="200"]Khalaf Kridin, MD Department of Dermatology Rambam Health Care Campus Haifa Israel Dr. Khalaf Kridin[/caption] Khalaf Kridin, MD Department of Dermatology Rambam Health Care Campus Haifa Israel MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Pemphigus shows an uneven geographic and ethnic distribution. A high incidence of pemphigus was observed in some ethnic groups, namely Ashkenazi Jews and those of Mediterranean origin. This observation has been shown to be strongly related to several HLA-class II genes; HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-A*10 which have been more frequently found among Ashkenazi Jewish pemphigus patients. We sought to estimate trends in the incidence of pemphigus in northern Israel in the years 2000-2015, in relation to the major ethnic groups who inhabit the same geographic area and exposed to the same environmental elements. The overall estimated incidence of pemphigus in northern Israel was 7.2 per million inhabitants per year (95% CI, 6.2-8.3). The incidence in the Jewish population was 3-fold higher than that in Arabs; 9.6 vs. 3.2 cases per million per year, respectively, p<0.0001), and higher among women than men; 9 vs. 5.3 cases per million per year, respectively, p<0.0001). Patients of Arab ancestry tend to present with the disease at earlier age, in line with observations from Arab and Mediterranean countries. A declining trend in the incidence of pemphigus throughout the last 16 years in northern Israel was observed.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, JAMA / 25.08.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_27278" align="alignleft" width="80"]Lisa Earnest Ishii, M.D. Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeryJohns Hopkins School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland 21287 Dr. Lisa Ishii[/caption] Lisa Earnest Ishii, M.D. Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeryJohns Hopkins School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland 21287 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Hair transplantation for men suffering from male pattern hair loss is a common procedure to improve their appearance. However, to the best of our knowledge the impact of the procedure for men with hair loss had never been clearly demonstrated. We showed, for the first time, that men who undergo the procedure can have real improvements in attractiveness, age, and the appearance of successfulness as perceived by the casual observer in society.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, JAMA, Melanoma, Stanford / 22.08.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_27029" align="alignleft" width="200"]Susan M. Swetter, MD Professor of Dermatology Director, Pigmented Lesion & Melanoma Program Physician Leader, Cancer Care Program in Cutaneous Oncology Stanford University Medical Center and Cancer Institute Dr. Susan Swetter[/caption] Susan M. Swetter, MD Professor of Dermatology Director, Pigmented Lesion & Melanoma Program Physician Leader, Cancer Care Program in Cutaneous Oncology Stanford University Medical Center and Cancer Institute MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Dysplastic nevi (DN) are frequently re-excised following initial biopsy due to concerns for malignant transformation; however, the long-term risk of melanoma developing in mildly or moderately dysplastic nevi with positive histologic margins is unknown. In this cohort study of 590 histologic DN that were followed over 20 years, 6 cases of melanoma (5 in situ) arose in the 304 DN with positive margins that were clinically observed, only 1 of which developed from an excisionally-biopsied dysplastic nevus. One melanoma in situ arose in the 170 cases that underwent complete excision at the outset. The risk of new primary melanoma at other sites of the body was over 9% in both groups.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Pediatrics, Tobacco Research / 19.08.2016

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 Assistant Professor in Dermatology Medical Social Sciences and Preventive Medicine Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Some children with atopic dermatitis may have disease activity persist into adolescence and adulthood, although most children are thought to “grow out of it.” There have been a number of studies with varied results about how commonly atopic dermatitis actually persists later in life. Moreover, the risk factors for persistence of atopic dermatitis are unclear. We sought to systematically analyze the extant literature of research studies to determine the rates and predictors of atopic dermatitis persistence over time.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Pharmacology / 15.08.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Kin F. Chan, PhD Executive Vice President of Research and Technology BioPharmX Corporation MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: There were two studies in this series.  The purpose is to get a better understanding of the blood plasma and skin levels of minocycline in a relevant animal model (minipig) for both the oral form of minocycline (Solodyn) and topical BPX-01, and to elucidate the same for oral minocycline only in a clinical study. The results provided valuable guidance and assurance to our upcoming Clinical Phase 2b dose-ranging study design.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Technology / 11.08.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Alexander Golberg, PhD Senior Lecturer Head of Environmental Bioengineering Laboratory Porter School of Environmental Studies Tel Aviv University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Wound care costs the U.S. healthcare system more than $20 billion each year, and care required to combat skin scarring represents an additional $12 billion burden. Hypertrophic scarring after trauma and burn injury remains a major clinical challenge that leads to physical, aesthetic, functional, psychological, and social stresses in thousands of patients. This is a stubborn clinical problem very difficult to solve. Inspired by previous works that pulsed electric fields kill cells precisely in tissue (procedure called irreversible electroporaiton, developed by UC Berkeley group of Boris Rubinsky and Rafael Davalo) and these ablated tissues regenerate with minimal scarring, we decided to test whether pulsed electric fields can reduce the scar formation if we treat the wound during healing. We found that partial irreversible electroporation using 200 pulses of 250 V and 70 µs duration, delivered at 3 Hz every 20 days during a total of five therapy sessions after the initial burn injury resulted in a 57.9% reduction of the scar area in comparison with untreated scars and structural features approaching those of normal skin. Noteworthy, unlike humans, rats do not develop hypertrophic scars. Therefore, the use of a rat animal model is the limiting factor of this work.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, JAMA / 22.07.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: G. Thomas (Tom) Ray Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente 2000 Broadway Oakland, CA 94612-2304 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? [caption id="attachment_18144" align="alignleft" width="158"]Nirmala Pandeya, PhD Post Doctoral Research Fellow Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health Herston campus The University of Queensland Basal cell skin cancer[/caption] Response: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer in the United States. BCCs tend to develop on sun-exposed areas such as the head and neck and are typically treated with various surgical techniques in an outpatient setting. Although BCCs are rarely fatal, they have been estimated to be among the most costly cancers in the Medicare population due to their high incidence. Yet because these cancers are not tracked by national registries the way, for example, melanoma is, basal cell carcinomas have been difficult to study. Incidence rates in the past have tended to rely on surveys such as those by the National Cancer Institute. And studies using disease codes have, until recently, been difficult because the codes used for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were the same. Since 1997, Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) has had computerized pathology results that allowed us to develop an internal registry of BCC cancers. In addition to having detailed information about basal cell cancer patients, we also had detailed information on the underlying population - KPNC members – which allowed us to determine incidence rates of BCC by age, sex, and most importantly for this study, by geographic location. This is because we know the residential location of all KPNC members at any given time – both those that get basal cell cancer and those who do not. This combination of a validated BCC registry with a well-defined population at-risk gave us the unique ability to investigate the spatial distribution of BCC in Northern California and assess whether there existed geographic clustering of basal cell cancers. Although the investigation of spatial clustering of other cancers is fairly common, no such analyses have been performed for basal cell cancer in the United States.
Author Interviews, Dermatology / 22.07.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_26395" align="alignleft" width="133"]AP Commercial Photography C. Pourzand, MSc, MPhil, PhD/DSc Senior lecturer and Associate Professor in Biopharmaceutics Department of Pharmcay and Pharmacology University of Bath Bath, United Kingdom Dr. Charareh Pourzand[/caption] Charareh Pourzand, MSc, MPhil, PhD/DSc Senior lecturer and Associate Professor in Biopharmaceutics Department of Pharmcay and Pharmacology University of Bath Bath United Kingdom MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Exposure of skin cells to Ultraviolet A (UVA) component of sunlight provokes oxidative damage to the vital subcellular organelles, mitochondria, leading to ATP depletion and necrotic cell death. The presence of high level of potentially harmful ‘labile’ iron in mitochondria is thought to make these organelles highly susceptible to oxidative damage caused by UVA. Therefore, we designed a highly specific iron trapping compound that could directly target mitochondria and protect the organelles against UVA-induced iron damage and the ensuing cell death. The results of the study demonstrate an unprecedented level of protection afforded by these compounds against damage caused by high doses of solar UVA radiation, equivalent to up to 140 min sun exposure at sea level.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, JAMA, OBGYNE, Sexual Health, Social Issues, UCSF / 29.06.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_25598" align="alignleft" width="126"]Tami Rowen MD MS Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences UCSF Dr. Tami Rowen[/caption] Tami Rowen MD MS Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences UCSF MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: This study sought to answer the question of which women are engaging in genital grooming and understand their motivations. Prior studies have been limited by geography and age thus our goal was to provide a nationally representative sample of women.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, JAMA, Melanoma / 29.06.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_25595" align="alignleft" width="133"]June K. Robinson, MD Research Professor of Dermatology Northwestern Univ Feinberg School of Medicine Dr. June Robinson[/caption] June K. Robinson, MD Research Professor of Dermatology Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: More than 1 million patients with a history of melanoma live in the US. They are at risk to develop a second melanoma. The risk is elevated for up to 20 years and is 10 times greater than the risk of a first melanoma in the general population. This is the first randomized clinical trial to examine partner- assisted skin self-examination (SSE) . A 30 minute structured training intervention was provided to the melanoma patients and their partners with reinforcement every 4 months . The 494 pairs in the intervention performed significantly more skin self-examination  than those in the control group at 4,12 and 24 months after the education and skills training. The pairs were accurate in finding early melanoma and did not have unnecessary visits to the dermatologists.
Aging, Author Interviews, Dermatology / 28.06.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_25605" align="alignleft" width="166"]Dr-Ava-Shamban.jpg Dr. Ava Shamban[/caption] Dr. Ava Shamban MD Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology UCLA-Geffen School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com Editor’s note: Dr. Ava Shamban, a dermatologist frequently featured on CBS’ The Doctors as the skin maven on ABC’s Extreme Makeover discusses the recent announcement of the 20th Global Anniversary of Restylane. MedicalResearch.com: Would you briefly explain what Restylane® is? What are the main indications for the Restylane® portfolio of products? Response: Restylane is a non-animal, stabilized hyaluronic acid (NASHA), a unique patented HA stabilization technology which contains pure hyaluronic. The Restylane family of products can be used to design individualized treatments with natural-looking results and long-lasting effects. With 190 scientific publications and 150 clinical studies, and more than 3,000 patients in clinical studies, the Restylane family of products are safe and effective products that have been FDA approved based on extensive clinical data. Restylane® is one of the world’s most studied wrinkle fillers and has been used in more than 65 countries worldwide in over 28 million treatments. The main indications for the Restylane portfolio products is to improve the overall appearance of the aging face. Whether you’re young or old, whether you have a fine line or wrinkle or a deeper fold there is a product in this portfolio that can improve the appearance of your face and reverse signs of aging.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Infections / 21.06.2016

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 Assistant Professor in Dermatology Medical Social Sciences and Preventive Medicine Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Psoriasis is associated with a number of potential risk factors for developing serious infections, including impaired skin-barrier function, immune dysregulation, use of systemic immunosuppressant and biologic treatments. We hypothesized that adults with psoriasis have higher rates of serious infections. We examined data from the 2002-2012 National Inpatient Sample, which contains a representative 20% sample of all hospitalizations in the United States. We found that psoriasis was associated with multiple serious infections, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, cellulitis, herpes simplex virus infection, infectious arthritis, osteomyelitis, meningitis, encephalitis and tuberculosis. Rates of serious infections increased over all time. Significant predictors of serious infections in patients with psoriasis included non-white race, lower estimated income quartile, and Medicaid, Medicare, or self-pay insurance status. These findings suggest that poor access to adequate dermatologic care may be associated with higher rates of infections.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Heart Disease / 09.06.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_21019" align="alignleft" width="233"]Alexander Egeberg, MD PhD National Allergy Research Centre, Departments of Dermato-Allergology and Cardiology Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, University of Copenhagen Hellerup, Denmark Dr. Alexander Egeberg[/caption] Alexander Egeberg, MD PhD Gentofte Hospital Department of Dermatology and Allergy Denmark MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Egeberg: While psoriasis has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), studies have generally neglected to adjust for family history of CVD which is a well-established cardiovascular risk factor. In a population-based study of young patients with psoriasis, we found an increased risk of CVD only in patients with a positive family history of CVD but not in those patients that did not have a positive family history.
ASCO, Author Interviews, Dermatology, Journal Clinical Oncology, Melanoma, Primary Care, University of Pittsburgh / 07.06.2016

[caption id="attachment_25027" align="alignleft" width="200"]Laura Ferris, M.D., Ph.D. Associate professor, Department of Dermatology University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Member of the Melanoma Program University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Dr. Laura Ferris[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Laura Ferris, M.D., Ph.D. Associate professor, Department of Dermatology University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Member of the Melanoma Program University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Dr. Ferris: Rates of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, are on the rise, and skin cancer screenings are one of the most important steps for early detection and treatment. Typically, patients receive skin checks by setting up an appointment with a dermatologist. UPMC instituted a new screening initiative, which was modeled after a promising German program, the goal being to improve the detection of melanomas by making it easier for patients to get screened during routine office visits with their primary care physicians (PCPs). PCPs completed training on how to recognize melanomas and were asked to offer annual screening during office visits to all patients aged 35 and older. In 2014, during the first year of the program, 15 percent of the 333,788 eligible UPMC patients were screened in this fashion.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Immunotherapy / 01.06.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_24804" align="alignleft" width="181"]Benjamin M. Perry, DO Silver Falls Dermatology Salem, OR 97302 Dr. Benjamin Perry[/caption] Benjamin M. Perry, DO Silver Falls Dermatology Salem, OR 97302 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Dr. Perry: Our interest in this subject developed when a patient came into our clinic with concern of multiple new nevi developing on palmoplantar surfaces following initiation of treatment with Rituximab. We conducted a review of the existing literature and found that this wasn’t a known adverse effect. From that point, we wanted to know the pathogenesis, prognosis, and management for eruptive nevi that developed in the setting of medication use. A collective review had not been previously performed on this subject. In essence, we had questions that were unanswered and set out to find the answers.