Search

Marina Talamonti,1 Filomena Russo,2 Giovanna Malara,3,4 Katharina Hansel,5 Manuela Papini,6 Angelo Cattaneo,7 Aurora Parodi,8 Andrea Chiricozzi,9,10 Piergiorgio Malagoli,11 Federico Bardazzi,12 Valeria Brazzelli,13 Paolo Dapavo,14 Paolo Gisondi,15 Cristina Zane,16 Concetta Potenza,17 Franca Cantoresi,18 Maria Concetta Fargnoli,19 Sara Trevisini,20 Pina Brianti,21 Leonardo Pescitelli,22 Giovanni Gigante,23 Marta Bartezaghi,23 Luisa Caputo,23 Elisabetta Aloisi,23 Antonio Costanzo24,25 On behalf of the SUPREME Study Group1Dermatology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; 2Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Science, Dermatology Section, University of Siena, S. Maria alle Scotte Hospital, Siena, Italy; 3Dermatology Unit, Hospital “Bianchi Melacrino Morelli”, Reggio, Calabria, Italy; 4Department of Dermatology, Papardo Hospital, Messina, Italy; 5Section of Dermatology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy; 6Dermatologic Clinic of Terni, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy; 7U.O. Dermatologia, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy; 8Di.S.Sal. Section of Dermatology, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, University of Genova, Genova GE, 16132, Italy; 9UOC di Dermatologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli - IRCCS, Rome, Italy; 10Dermatologia, Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; 11Psocare Unit, I.R.C.C.S Policlinico San Donato, Milano, Italy; 12Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy; 13Dermatology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo and University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; 14Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology, Second Dermatologic Clinic, University of Torino, Torino, Italy; 15Section of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; 16Dermatology Department, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; 17Dermatology Unit “Daniele Innocenzi”, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome – Polo Pontino, Latina, Italy; 18Dermatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Roma, Roma, Italy; 19Dermatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy; 20Department of Dermatology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; 21Dermatology and Cosmetology Unit - San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy; 22Department of Health Sciences, Dermatology Clinic, University of Firenze, Firenze, Italy; 23Novartis Farma SpA, Origgio, Italy; 24Unit of Dermatology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milano, Italy; 25Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milano, ItalyCorrespondence: Marina Talamonti, Dermatology-Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, PTV – Policlinico Tor Vergata, V.le Oxford 81, Rome, 00133, Italy, Tel +39 0620902743, Fax +39 0620902742, Email talamonti.marina@gmail.comPurpose: Secukinumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits interleukin (IL)-17A approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults and children. We compared the efficacy and safety of secukinumab in patients aged < 65 years (adult patients) versus patients aged ≥ 65 years (elderly patients) in a post-hoc analysis of the SUPREME study.Patients and Methods: Patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis received subcutaneous secukinumab 300 mg per week for the first 5 weeks, then 300 mg per month. We compared the following outcomes in patients aged ≥ 65 years vs < 65 years: baseline characteristics; PASI50/75/90/100 response rates (improvements ≥ 50%/75%/90%/100% in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) from baseline); changes in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI); Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD-A, HAD-D) score changes; treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs).Results: Secukinumab was slightly less effective in elderly patients than in adult patients (response rates at week 16: PASI90, 69.4% vs 80.9%, p = 0.4528; PASI100, 44.4% vs 56.7%, p = 0.8973). Elderly and adult patients showed a similar time course of changes in absolute PASI scores. Patients aged ≥ 65 years had a statistically significantly lower improvement in quality of life (mean DLQI reduction) than patients aged < 65 years at week 16 [− 5.4 (± 4.3) vs − 8.8 (± 6.9), p = 0.0065] and at week 24 [− 5.3 (± 4.4) vs − 9.2 (± 7.1), p = 0.0038]. Secukinumab treatment resulted in comparable mean reductions in anxiety and depression scores in both cohorts at 24 weeks [HAD-A, − 1.3 (± 3.3) vs − 2.1 (± 3.8), p = 0.9004; HAD-D, − 1.0 (± 3.3) vs − 1.5 (± 3.1), p = 0.4598]. The frequency of TEAEs in the two cohorts was similar (16.7% vs 14.6%, p = 0.7391).Conclusion: Secukinumab is a valid option for the management of moderate to severe psoriasis in elderly patients.Keywords: psoriasis, biologics, interleukin-17A, secukinumab, elderly

Luca Stingeni,1 Giovanna Malara,2,3 Andrea Conti,4 Luisa Di Costanzo,5 Carlo Giovanni Carrera,6 Martina Burlando,7 Piergiorgio Malagoli,8 Maria Letizia Musumeci,9 Federico Bardazzi,10 Valeria Brazzelli,11 Paolo Amerio,12 Clara De Simone,13,14 Sara Trevisini,15 Anna Balato,16 Matteo Megna,17 Francesco Loconsole,18 Catia De Felice,19 Marta Bartezaghi,20 Alice Rausa,20 Elisabetta Aloisi,20 Roberto Orsenigo,20 Antonio Costanzo21,22 On behalf of the SUPREME Study Group1Dermatology Section, Medical and Surgical Department, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy; 2Dermatology Unit, Hospital “Bianchi Melacrino Morelli”, Reggio Calabria, Italy; 3Department of Dermatology, Papardo Hospital, Messina, Italy; 4Dermatologic Unit, Department of Surgery, Infermi Hospital, AUSL Romagna, Rimini, Italy; 5Department of Dermatology, “Gaetano Rummo” Hospital, Benevento UOC Dermatologia, AO G. Rummo, Benevento, Italy; 6U.O. Dermatologia, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda - Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy; 7IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Di.S.Sal. Section of Dermatology, Genoa, Italy; 8Dermatology Unit IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy; 9Dermatology Clinic, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; 10Division of Dermatology, University Hospital Policlinico “S. Orsola-Malpighi”, Bologna, Italy; 11Institute of Dermatology, Foundation IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo and University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; 12Dermatologic Clinic, G. D’Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy; 13Istituto di Dermatologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; 14Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli – IRCCS, Rome, Italy; 15Dermatology Department, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; 16Dermatology Unit, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples, Italy; 17Section of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy; 18Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy; 19Department of Clinical Dermatology, Centre for the Study and Treatment of Psoriasis, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute, IRCCS, Rome, Italy; 20Novartis Farma SpA, Origgio, Italy; 21Unit of Dermatology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy; 22Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, ItalyCorrespondence: Luca Stingeni, Dermatology Section, Medical and Surgical Department, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy, Tel +39075-5783881, Email luca.stingeni@unipg.itPurpose: Psoriasis, a common systemic inflammatory disorder, presents with gender-related differences in the quality of life (QoL) and treatment outcomes. This post hoc analysis from the Phase 3b SUPREME study explored gender-related differences in patient characteristics and efficacy of secukinumab 300 mg on Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 75/90/100 and impact on QoL using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis through week 24.Patients and Methods: The proportion of patients achieving PASI 75/90/100 was computed using a nonresponder imputation approach. Differences between cohorts were analyzed using a logistic regression model. The mean change from baseline in DLQI was computed using the Wilcoxon test.Results: Among the 433 patients (males: 71.6%), females had a higher DLQI than males at baseline (13.1 vs 9.5; P< 0.0001). Males had a slightly higher response for PASI 90 than females at week 16 (80.7% vs 78.1%; P=0.0779) and 24 (83.2% vs 79.7%; P=0.0319). No differences were observed between genders in PASI 100/75 responses at week 24. Both genders showed an improvement in DLQI with secukinumab at week 24 (− 10.9 vs − 8.1, respectively, in females vs males; P=0.0004).Conclusion: In summary, secukinumab was effective in the treatment of psoriasis, irrespective of gender.Keywords: plaque psoriasis, PASI, patient-reported outcomes, Dermatology Quality of Life Index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

Adamantiades-Behçet disease (ABD) is a systemic disease with vasculitis, characterized by recurrent oral aphthosis and ocular, cutaneous, articular, vascular, cardiopulmonary manifestations and it is mainly found in the territories of the antique "silk road". ABD pathogenesis remains unknown although genetic, infectious and environmental factors seem to be implicated in the development of the disease, which is considered an auto-inflammatory condition. COVID-19 infection can present some symptoms, in particular at the level of oral and pulmonary mucosa, which require a differential diagnosis with ABD. Furthermore, the immunological alterations of this disease, and the drugs used for its treatment could influence the infection by COVID-19, and its clinical evolution. Nevertheless, vaccination anti-COVID-19 is recommended in ABD patients. The most commonly used diagnostic criteria for ABD are those established in 2014 by the International Team for the Revision of the International Criteria for BD (ITR-ICBD). Furthermore, criteria for disease severity according to the Overall Damage Index of Behçet's Syndrome (BODI) have recently been proposed in order to quantify the severity of the disease as well as the evolution during follow-up. In ABD patients it is mandatory to investigate on the presence of active/latent tuberculosis, because of the common organ involvement, such as eyes and bowel. ABD has a high morbidity and low mortality, sometimes linked to the rupture of an arterial aneurysm and/or neurological complications. This article is based on a general review on ABD ranging from the history of ABD to possible causes and clinical manifestations. A specific section has been dedicated to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adamantiades-Behçet's disease (ABD) is a chronic, idiopathic, relapsing immune-mediate disease that may involve multiple organs. It is characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers, skin lesions, ocular, gastrointestinal, vascular, neurological and joint involvement. It can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Due to its heterogeneity in clinical findings and physiopathology, its treatment can be various as ABD manifestations in different organs may differently respond to the same drug. The cornerstone of therapy for inducing remission is systemic corticosteroid, whereas immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive agents such as colchicine, azathioprine, cyclosporine-A, interferon-alpha, and cyclophosphamide are used as steroid-sparing agents and to prevent relapses. For aggressive, refractory or frequently relapsing cases, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha inhibitors (infliximab, adalimumab, etanercept) have been reported beneficial. Herein, we describe our experience of 7 patients treated with TNF-alpha inhibitors with recommendations regarding treatment choice during the COVID-19 era., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Borreliae of the relapsing fever group (RFG) are heterogenous and can be divided mainly into three groups according to vectors, namely the soft-tick-borne relapsing fever (STBRF) Borreliae , the hard-tick-borne relapsing fever (HTBRF) Borreliae , the louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF) Borreliae , and the avian relapsing fever ones. With respect to the geographical distribution, the STBRF Borreliae are further subdivided into Old World and New World strains. Except for the Avian relapsing fever group Borreliae , which cause avian spirochetosis, all the others share infectivity in humans. They are indeed the etiological agent of both endemic and epidemic forms of relapsing fever, causing high spirochaetemia and fever. Vectors are primarily soft ticks of Ornithodoros spp. in the STBRF group; hard ticks, notably Ixodes sp., Amblyomma sp., Dermacentor sp., and Rhipicephalus sp., in the HTBRF group; and the louse pediculus humanus humanus in the TBRF one. A recent hypothesis was supported for a common ancestor of RFG Borreliae , transmitted at the beginning by hard-body ticks. Accordingly, STBRF Borreliae switched to use soft-bodied ticks as a vector, which was followed by the use of lice by Borrelia recurrentis . There are also new candidate species of Borreliae , at present unclassified, which are also described in this review.

Secukinumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody, neutralizes interleukin-17A, a cornerstone cytokine driving the multiple manifestations of psoriasis. This post-hoc analysis of the SUPREME study was performed to determine the sustainability of response to secukinumab in terms of Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90 in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Based on PASI 90 response at week 16, patients were stratified as PASI 90 responders (PASI90R, n = 337) or non-responders (PASI90NR, n = 72). At week 20, 94.2% (n = 295/313) achieved PASI 90/100 response in PASI90R, with response maintained through week 48 (89.6%, n = 189/211). An increased proportion of patients achieved PASI 90/100 response in PASI90NR (week 20: 29.9%, n = 20/67; week 48: 57.1%, n = 20/35). Overall, 64.4% patients achieved absolute PASI score = 0 at week 24 with response sustained to week 48 (66.9%). Secukinumab showed sustained and stable efficacy in maintaining PASI 90 response in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis up to week 48.

Borreliae are divided into three groups, namely the Lyme group (LG), the Echidna-Reptile group (REPG) and the Relapsing Fever group (RFG). Currently, only Borrelia of the Lyme and RF groups (not all) cause infection in humans. Borreliae of the Echidna-Reptile group represent a new monophyletic group of spirochaetes, which infect amphibians and reptiles. In addition to a general description of the phylum Spirochaetales, including a brief historical digression on spirochaetosis, in the present review Borreliae of Lyme and Echidna-Reptile groups are described, discussing the ecology with vectors and hosts as well as microbiological features and molecular characterization. Furthermore, differences between LG and RFG are discussed with respect to the clinical manifestations. In humans, LG Borreliae are organotropic and cause erythema migrans in the early phase of the disease, while RFG Borreliae give high spirochaetemia with fever, without the development of erythema migrans. With respect of LG Borreliae, recently Borrelia mayonii , with intermediate characteristics between LG and RFG, has been identified. As part of the LG, it gives erythema migrans but also high spirochaetemia with fever. Hard ticks are vectors for both LG and REPG groups, but in LG they are mostly Ixodes sp. ticks, while in REPG vectors do not belong to that genus.

Dear Editor, Adamantiades-Behçet's disease (ABD) is an inflammatory disease classified as vasculitis, which was originally diagnosed in patients with aphthous stomatitis, genital ulcerations, and ocular manifestations. However, any organ or system may be involved, particularly the central and peripheral nervous systems, joints, as well as the gastrointestinal tract. The etiology of ABD is still not fully understood, but some evidence indicates that an autoimmune process could be triggered by an infectious or environmental agent specific for the geographic region (1). Although BD can occur worldwide, it is most prevalent in the region along the ancient commercial route called the "Silk Road". In Italy, studies on the precise prevalence of ABD are lacking (2). As there are no specific diagnostic laboratory tests or histopathologic findings which confirm the preliminary diagnosis, the final diagnosis should be based on clinical criteria (3). Skin and mucosae are the target organs of this disease, and therefore their involvement has been considered in the numerous diagnostic criteria developed over the years (4). The first most important and popular criteria were created in 1990 by the International Study Group (ISG) (5). Because of their low sensitivity, the new International Criteria for Behçet's Disease (ICBD) were established, and were presented at the International Conference of Behçet's Disease in Lisbon in 2006 (6,7). In 2014, the International Team for the Revision of the International Criteria for BD submitted new criteria assigning 2 points to ocular lesions, oral aphthosis, and genital aphthosis, and 1 point to skin lesions, central nervous system involvement, and vascular manifestations. The pathergy test, when used, was assigned 1 point. A patient scoring ≥4 points is classified as having BD (8). We performed a single center, case-control study on a cohort of patients of Friuli Venezia Giulia, enrolled from January 2010 to September 2015 in the Dermatology Unit of the University of Trieste. The aim was to analyze the clinical features and compare the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the three diagnostic criteria for ABD presented above in patients born in this particular region which is located at the very start of the "Silk Route". We enrolled 153 consecutive patients (74 cases and 79 controls) in the study. The characteristics and clinical features of patients and controls are summarized in Table 1. The most common diagnoses in the control group were recurrent oral aphtosis, lichen planus, mucous-membrane pemphigoid, and lupus erythematosus. The inclusion criterion was the presence of at least one principal clinical feature of ABD (oral aphtosis, genital aphtosis, skin lesions, ocular involvement) properly recorded in clinical records. Patient recruitment was done in a consecutive manner. Exclusion criteria were incomplete clinical records and absence of follow-up data. The diagnosis of ABD was established by expert dermatologists, without the use of any particular diagnostic criterion. For ABD, diagnosis agreement among dermatologists was required. The study was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki protocols. Possible associations between categorical variables were detected by the use of Fisher's exact test or Pearson χ2 test, depending on the sample size. Logistic regression was performed in order to identify which symptoms are of higher impact in the diagnosis of ABD. A comparison in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy among the three diagnostic criteria (ISG 1990, ITR 2006, and ITR 2014) was performed. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was obtained for each diagnostic criterion. Data were produced with a 95% confidence interval; P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Statistical analysis was done using Stata SE12 software (Stata Corporation, Tx, USA). According to our data, patients with ABD had a significantly lower age at diagnosis compared with controls (P=0.0001); this was confirmed for both men (P=0.0006) and women (P=0.004). The presence of oral aphtosis was not necessarily pathognomonic of ABD (P=0.005) as it was found in 97.3% of patients with ABD and in 83.5% of controls. Genital aphtosis was directly associated with ABD diagnosis (P<0.001), as it was present in 79.7% of patients with ABD, but in only 8.9% of controls. Furthermore, even skin manifestations and ocular lesions were observed at different rates in patients with ABD and controls (P<0.001 and P=0.003, respectively). The presence of pseudofolliculitis was significantly more frequent in patients than in controls (P<0.001), whereas erythema nodosum and skin aphtosis did not differ considerably between ABD and controls. Joint manifestations were as common in patients with ABD as in controls (P=0.6): arthralgia and arthritis alone do not indicate a diagnosis of ABD. Neurological symptoms as well as vascular involvement, if present, can be suggestive of ABD, but their absence does not exclude an ABD diagnosis (P=0.06 and P=0.04). Positive pathergy tests and positive HLA B51 tests were significantly more frequent in patients than in controls (P=0.007 and P=0.009, respectively), although if negative they did not exclude a diagnosis of ABD. Logistic regression showed that genital aphtosis (odds ratio (OR)=12948, P<0.001), neurological manifestations (OR=819.263, P=0.001), vascular manifestations (OR=240.2573, P=0.001), cutaneous manifestations (OR=104.5625, P=0.002), oral aphtosis (OR=145.3229, P=0.004), and younger age at diagnosis (OR=0.8950334, P=0.000) were associated with ABD diagnosis (Table 2). There was no single pathognomonic symptom of ABD. We found that the ITR criteria -both from 2006 and 2014 - had a higher sensitivity (98.7% and 100%, respectively), specificity (94.9% and 97.9%, respectively), and accuracy (96.7% and 98.7%, respectively) compared with the ISG 1990 criterion, which scored 66% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 83.7% accuracy. Area Under Roc Curve (AUC) was significantly different between ISG 1990 and ITR 2006 and between ISG 1990 and ITR 2014 (Figure 1). Even though no statistically significant difference was found between the ITR 2014 and ITR 2006 criteria, the former had a better performance according to our records. The clinical features reported in our retrospective case-control study are comparable to data found in the literature from European and international reports. A recent study (8) found a similar organ involvement percentage to our study, although we found a higher prevalence of HLA B51 positive patients and a lower percentage of ocular manifestations in our records. The results of the logistic regression performed based on our records indicate genital aphtosis, oral aphtosis, ocular involvement, neurological signs, and vascular features are more strongly linked to the diagnosis of ABD. According to our data, the presence of oral aphtosis is not paramount for the diagnosis of ABD, which fits well with the intent of the ITR 2006 and 2014 diagnostic criteria. The new ITR 2014 criteria added neurological signs to the diagnostic symptoms of ABD, emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to patients suspected to have ABD.

Dear Editor, Grover's disease, also known as transient acantholytic dermatosis, is an idiopathic and acquired pruritic eruption of small vesicles and erythematous papules, classically on the central chest. The pathogenesis is not clearly defined, although heat sweating and occlusion have been interpreted as predisposing factors. We describe a case of monolateral acantholytic eruption with blaschkoid distribution in a patient treated with an orthopedic bandage for a shoulder injury. A 53-years-old man was referred to the dermatologic department because of an acute eruption of pruritic, discrete, pinkish grey papulovesicles, developed on the right side of the trunk 14 days after the positioning of an orthopedic bandage for a shoulder injury. This skin eruption followed a multilinear distribution along Blaschko lines (Figure 1, a, b). The medical history was unremarkable. The patient's family history was negative for similar dermatosis. Histopathological analysis showed acantholytic dyskeratosis with suprabasal cleft. A basket weave epidermic pattern with hyperkeratosis was observed, with a perivascular lymphocytic infiltration in the upper dermis (Figure 1, c, d). Given the clinical and histopathological features, a diagnosis of monolateral Grover's disease was established. The patient was treated with topical mometasone furoate 0.1% cream for 3 weeks with clinical improvement. Monolateral blaschkoid distribution in Grover's disease is extremely rare, with only 1 case reported in the literature (1). Two cases of zosteriform distribution have been described (2,3). The exact pathogenesis and the differential diagnosis with linear Darier's disease were the main topics of discussion, while the pathogenesis is still in debate. In our case, it appears that a shoulder bandage can cause an occlusive environment that can elicit the disease (4). Similar conditions were present in a previously described cases of bedridden patients (1). Some authors have postulated that such conditions may act as precipitating factors on a genetically predisposed epidermis (1). In monolateral and localized cases, postzygotic somatic mutations along Blasckho's lines or in dermatomes could be present. It is also important to distinguish this monolateral and blasckhoid Grover's disease from other acantholytic dermatoses. In this case, the differential diagnosis with an eruptive linear Darier's disease is very difficult (5). Histopathological analysis is not useful. Both monolateral and ordinary variants of Darier's disease can be elicited by environmental factors such as heat, sweating, or occlusion. The diagnosis of monolateral blaschkoid Grover's disease was preferred due to the patient's anamnesis (late-onset and no familiar history of similar dermatosis) and the clinical features (sparing of the head, extremities, and flexures). Since only additional genetic analysis could definitively resolve this question, it was performed. No mutation in genes coding the Ca2+ pump using genomic DNA from the patient's white blood cells or from a skin biopsy was found. A clinical anamnestic and genetic correlation is always crucial in these rare and unique acantholytic dermatoses.

Leukemia cutis (LC) is described as cutaneous infiltration by neoplastic leukocytes into the epidermidis, dermis, or subcutis, resulting in clinically various skin lesions. When the infiltrate is characterized by neoplastic granulocytic precursors, LC is defined as granulocytic sarcoma. Multiple, erythematous, and infiltrated papules and nodules localized on the legs, arms, and trunk are the most common clinical presentation. Here we report a case of granulocytic sarcoma in a patient with a previous diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia currently in hematological remission.

We report the occurrence of Staphylococcus lugdunensis cutaneous infection with sporotrichoid distribution of the left lower limb of a 60-year-old man. Recent studies have confirmed that Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a significant pathogen in causing skin and soft tissue infections that usually manifest in abscesses, surgical wound infections, and cellulitis. It used to be considered a skin commensal bacteria, but if unrecognized it can lead to  fulminant endocarditis, meningitis, skin abscesses, peritonitis, and spondylodiscitis.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is perceived as a difficult to manage disease with negative impact on quality of life. The aim of this study was to highlight how to improve the care of people with CSU, using the methodology of narrative medicine. From June 2014 to March 2015, CSU-diagnosed patients and their physicians were asked to record their experiences of the condition in writing. Fourteen healthcare teams participated: 41% considered CSU as a challenge to overcome, while 22% experienced CSU as a big commitment. The number of professional involved was evaluated as insufficient in 11 hospitals. Seventy-five percent of the 190 Italian patients had visited 3 or more physicians before receiving a final diagnosis, with a perceived waste of time and resources. The therapeutic pathways were described as unsatisfactory in 83% of cases. As a result, anger and frustration were life-dominant emotions in 92% of patients. The critical points of the care pathway are related to organizational issues and lack of awareness.

The basal cell carcinoma (BCC) assessment in dermoscopy is based on the recognition of specific characteristics synthesized and described as classical and non-classical criteria, but which may not necessarily present all at the same time. Consequently, a deep knowledge in detecting the aforementioned dermoscopic criteria is crucial in diagnosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate which criteria are more frequently recognized among a group of low-experienced dermoscopists when confronted with the difficult diagnosis of BCC with a diameter lower than 5 mm. We examined 100 BCC finding that data displays a full agreement only for one classical criterion, the lack of pigmented network (Fleiss' κ = 1), while among other classical criteria only arborizing vessels and ulceration exhibit a good agreement among observers (Fleiss' κ > 0.40). Analyzing non-classical criteria, only blue-whitish veil and blue in-focus dots show a good agreement among low-experience observers (Fleiss' κ > 0.40). It is evident that in small size BCC classic dermoscopic criteria are often substituted by non-classical criteria, which represent the neoplasm's early phase. Thus, it is of importance, especially for low-experience dermoscopists, to analyze even the non-classical criteria in order to obtain a diagnosis of early BCC., (© 2016 Japanese Dermatological Association.)

Dermoscopy, in expert hands, increases accuracy, sensitivity and specificity in diagnosis of pigmented skin lesions of a single operator, compared with clinical examination. Simplified algorithmic methods have been developed to help less expert dermoscopists in diagnosis of melanocytic lesions. This study included 125 melanocytic skin lesions divided into melanocytic nevi, dysplastic nevi and thin melanomas (<1 mm). We compared the 3-point checklist and CASH algorithm to analyze different pigmented skin lesions. Based on preliminary results, we proposed a new modified algorithm, called the 4-point checklist, whose accuracy is similar to the CASH algorithm and whose simplicity is similar to the 3-point checklist., (© 2015 Japanese Dermatological Association.)

We describe the case of an elderly woman who acquired a Mycobacterium marinum infection following skin exposure to the bacteria through a small wound on her right ring finger, obtained while preparing fish. The resultant sporotrichoid nodules of the right hand and the distal forearm, refractory to the initial therapy with doxycycline and rifampicin, were successfully treated with oral regimen of clarithromycin.

Malignant melanoma presenting as a giant cutaneous mass is rarely observed in clinical practice. A few patients with giant melanoma have been reported, Herein, we document our experience with a patient with giant cutaneous melanoma of the abdomen and review the features of previously reported individuals.

In the present study, we describe the use of electrochemotherapy as alternative therapy for primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphomas in patients unsuitable for surgery or radiotherapy. Our experience refers to three patients with primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphomas related to Borrelia burgdorferi infection, treated with specific antimicrobial therapy and electrochemotherapy., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)