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Linked Article: Calabrese et al. Br J Dermatol 2022; 186:925–941. The interleukin‐1 (IL‐1) family are a group of chemicals called cytokines that form part of our immune system. Unfortunately, the body may start to use these cytokines inappropriately (dysregulation), and they may stimulate certain white blood cells (neutrophils) to increase in number causing inflammation without an infectious trigger. In this paper, the authors from Italy and Germany review the role of the different members of the IL‐1 family in inflammatory skin disorders and the progress being made to develop antibody treatments aiming to reverse their effects. Interleukin‐1 antagonists such as anakinra and canakinumab have already proved useful in the treatment of disorders directly related to neutrophil proliferation, but there is evidence that this group of drugs may also be beneficial in commoner disorders such as psoriasis and atopic eczema. Sometimes a drug that blocks a single cytokine molecule may have limited effect. Laboratory studies suggest that agents that block receptors on the cell surface membrane may be more effective at reducing skin inflammation caused by several IL‐1 subsets. One promising target is IL‐1 receptor accessory protein (IL‐1R3). The authors stress the need for drugs that target the harmful effects of the IL‐1 family at several levels. Linked Article: Calabrese et al. Br J Dermatol 2022; 186:925–941. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19-related dermatosis in November 2019: could this case be Italy's patient zero? We analysed skin biopsies of patients from Milan with dermatoses and positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swabs for SARS-CoV-2 at different stages of infection.1,2 The results were compared with skin biopsies of 20 patients with dermatoses who had not been diagnosed with COVID-19, but were at high risk of infection. We were not able to detect viral RNA with RT-PCR technology because the viral load was probably too low or degraded by RNA enzymes released after exogenous or cellular destruction.3 By April 2020, the patient had recovered from the dermatosis. [Extracted from the article]