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Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) in the elderly has been poorly investigated, although its incidence is gradually increasing mainly in industrialized countries. Age-specific factors in older patients must be considered when selecting treatment options. Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of dupilumab in treating elderly patients with severe AD. Methods: This was a retrospective, multicenter study involving 26 elderly patients (age, ≥65 years) with severe AD who were treated with dupilumab for at least 16 weeks. Absolute and percentage frequencies were used to evaluate qualitative variables and mean and SD for quantitative ones. For Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), Pruritus Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), the median was also calculated. Wilcoxon test was used to evaluate the variations in EASI, Pruritus NRS, and DLQI observed between the 2 examinations. Results: After 4 months of therapy, the majority of patients showed a significant improvement in EASI (64.4%), Pruritus NRS (58.2%), and DLQI (44.9%). Only 11% of patients reported mild or moderate conjunctivitis. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study concerning the use of dupilumab in the elderly with severe AD. Our data show the effectiveness of dupilumab in this particular population with a lower percentage of conjunctivitis than observed in studies on adults and also excellent control of itching. Only larger, controlled case studies will be able to clarify whether the dosage or frequency of administration of dupilumab in these patients should be different from the protocol used for adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the presence of this erythema and although the lesions did not respond to treatment, all patients continued with their dupilumab treatment with spontaneous remission of erythema within two to three months. 1 and Table 1) with severe AD treated with dupilumab and with paradoxical head and neck erythema that appeared 8-20 weeks after the start of biological treatment while eczema on other body parts had greatly improved. Dear Editor, Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory dermatological disease with multifactorial etiology. [Extracted from the article]

The clinical presentation associated with RCM and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of Morbihan syndrome rosacea associated. Morbihan syndrome is a rare dermatological condition characterized by chronic persistent erythema and firm edema of the face accompanied by telangiectasia, papules, or pustules.1-3 It is considered a complication of acne or rosacea. 5 Kutlay S, Ozdemir EC, Pala Z, Ozen S, Sanli H. Complete decongestive therapy is an option for the treatment of rosacea lymphedema (Morbihan Disease): two cases. [Extracted from the article]

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a complex disease and can often be a clinical challenge for dermatologists. When standard immunosuppressive therapies fail, extracorporeal phototherapy (ECP) can be considered as a therapeutic option. In recent years, better understanding of the pathogenesis of AD allowed to improve treatment strategies with many emerging therapeutic options. Currently, Dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody that selectively inhibits IL‐4 and IL‐13, is the only biological drug authorized for the treatment of severe adult atopic dermatitis, refractory to traditional firstline and secondline therapies. ECP, compared to biological therapy, is associated with some disadvantages: it is costly and time‐consuming for patients and personnel to administer. Moreover, it should be noted that the completion of the entire procedure takes about 3 hr and must be done in a hospital, while the administration of Dupilumab can be carried out by patients themselves at home. For these reasons and on the basis of our experience, it would be necessary to evaluate whether all patients with refractory atopic dermatitis in treatment with ECP with unsatisfactory clinical response should be switched to recent available target therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to provide a perspective on economic growth by relying on the influence and use of the stock market as an economic lever. Two methods will be used: a quantitative one, determined by a multiple linear regression model, and a qualitative one that encumbers a sustainable vector model for generating economic growth. The data panel covers 36 states, for a period of 21 years. The paper manages to identify the main control functions that the stock exchange has over the macroeconomic context, through the quantitative and qualitative method, and to highlight the most important positive and negative attributes of using qualitative methods, in contrast to quantitative ones. The results show a predominant probabilistic characteristic of quantitative methods, in contrast to the flexibility and complexity of the qualitative method, which has been used. Additionally, the quantitative method offers a strictly cartesian perspective for determining future scenarios, while the sustainable vector model, based on a fractalized vision of reality, manages to capture a plurality of perspectives, as well as the interrelationships between the determining parameters, thus being a complex system of simple equations, as opposed to the quantitative method which is defined as a simple system of complex equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is a lymphangioproliferative tumour. Therapy of KS depends on the characteristics of the disease, especially area and growth rate of lesions, and patient condition. Currently symptomatic resectable lesions are excised, whereas more advanced disease and unresectable lesions are treated with radiotherapy. If a large area or internal organs are affected or other treatments fail, chemotherapy is used. Recently some authors have reported their encouraging experience in the use of thalidomide in patients with AIDS-related KS. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of thalidomide in 3 patients with non-AIDS-related KS. Methods: Two patients with classic widespread cutaneous and 1 with iatrogenic cutaneous and visceral KS were treated with thalidomide (100 mg/day) for 12 months. Results: In all 3 patients partial remission was evident after 4 months of thalidomide therapy; in 2 out of 3 complete remission was achieved after 12 months of treatment. Conclusions: Our results seem to confirm the utility of thalidomide in the treatment of non-AIDS-related KS. Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The histopathological pattern of psoriasis is characterized by dermal inflammatory reaction and hyperproliferation of the epidermis. The mechanism of the epidermal hyperproliferation is not completely understood, but it is probably modulated by the basal lamina (BL), the alterations of which have not been described. We performed the present study to evaluate the expression of the α1, α2, β1 and γ1 laminin chains and collagen IV in the BL of active psoriasis vulgaris before and after cyclosporin treatment administered until the psoriasis was in remission. The results showed that the α2 chain is weak and irregular in the lesions, while the α1, β1 and γ1 chains and collagen IV are normal, with intense and continuous reaction. In the same subjects, this alteration was absent in skin that was clinically unaffected. After treatment with cyclosporin, the altered expression of the α2 chain returned to normal in the healing lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented regarding the case of a 59-year-old woman who suffered from irritation and foreign body sensation in the left eye, and was diagnosed with fixed drug eruption (FDE) triggered by nimesulide powder.