Search

Management of patients affected by mastocytoma ( MS) includes avoiding triggering factors of mast cell degranulation, and administration of symptomatic treatment. We evaluated topical steroid treatment efficiency on the clinical course of MS in a group of patients, comparing the results with another untreated group.We retrospectively evaluated clinical data of 176 patients under 15 years of age, affected by MS and referred to our Dermatological Pediatric Service from 1996 to 2010. Ninety-one of 176 children were treated with topical steroids. Follow-up was possible in 130 of 176 patients and lasted for 56.3 months on average. We compared 62 treated and 68 untreated patients. There was not statistic difference between the two groups: (i) in the number of healed or partially improved cases; and (ii) in the time of partial regression, although it is quicker with therapy. The time of healing is 16.4 months (on average) with treatment, and 34.7 months (on average, p = 0.001) without any treatment. The resolution of MS is independent of therapy administration, but the time of healing is statistically faster using the local steroids. An appropriate treatment with them is effective and safe, considering the long time needed for spontaneous resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which investigated the prevalence of psoriasis in melanoma patients who are undergoing clinical follow up from June 2004 to June 2014, at the University of Bologna's Melanoma Center. The study found that psoriasis in patients with a positive history for melanoma is significantly uncommon. Study authors also discussed the role of IFN-gamma in melanocytes proliferations.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common variety of non‐melanoma skin cancer and its incidence is increasing worldwide. The centrofacial sites (area H) are considered a high‐risk factor for BCC local recurrence. Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a technique that allows intraoperative microscopic control of the surgical margins and is a good treatment option when tissue conservation is required for esthetic or functional reasons or for high‐risk lesions. The present study aimed to evaluate the recurrence rate of head and neck high‐risk BCCs comparing MMS vs conventional surgical excision. Clinical data of patients diagnosed from September 2014 to March 2017, referring to the Dermatology Unit of the Policlinico Sant'Orsola‐Malpighi, University of Bologna, were retrospectively evaluated (285 treated with MMS and 378 treated with traditional surgery). Of the 285 patients treated with MMS, 9 experienced a recurrence (3.1%). Of the 378 patients treated with traditional surgery, 53 relapsed (14%), 13 of whom presented residual tumor on the deep or lateral margins of the main surgical specimen. Our study confirms the trend reported in the literature that MMS represents the best treatment option for high‐risk BCCs arising in the head and neck region or presenting as a recurrence (P <.00001). Many more MMS centers and more trained dermatologists are needed worldwide in order to deal with the increasing number of BCC diagnosed every year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the prevention of erlotinib-induced folliculitis in patients affected by non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Topics discussed include use of antibiotic doxycycline for the treatment of infections caused by bacteria and protozoa; monotherapy for advanced NSCLC in patients such as oral epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib; and side effects such as skin toxicity, xerosis and hair growth.

Retronychia is an inflammatory disorder typical of the great toes characterized by arrested nail growth, ingrowth of the nail plate into the proximal nail fold and paronychia. There is no standardized treatment for retronychia, and its management should be weighed based on the severity stage, treatment modality, and clinical outcome. In this paper, a systematic review of the literature was performed to assess all published data regarding the treatment of retronychia. A total of 231 patients from 24 studies were included in the analysis. Conservative management was adopted in mild‐intermediate forms, consisting of medical (topical or intralesional high‐potency corticosteroids) and podiatric treatment (taping, clipping back the onycholytic plate, orthosis), leading to a global cure rate of 41.2%, with no reported side effects. Non‐conservative management, that is, chemical or surgical avulsion of the nail plate, proved resolutive in 71.2% of cases. Surgical avulsion of the nail plate produced the highest cure rate (78.2%), but was burdened by 9.6% of long‐term sequelae, mainly nail dystrophies. A decision‐making algorithm was designed to give clinicians treatment indications based on the severity stage of retronychia, treatment invasiveness, and possible clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis affecting 2%–3% of the general population. The link between psoriasis and renal dysfunction has been investigated, demonstrating a common pro‐inflammatory pathogenesis. This study is aimed at evaluating renal function in patients with moderate‐to‐severe chronic plaque psoriasis treated with biological therapy. We analyzed 92 patients, correlating PASI and serum creatinine levels at baseline, after 6 months and after 1 year of continuous treatment with biological therapy. Data were analyzed using paired t‐test and the linear mixed model for PASI and serum creatinine levels correlation, whereas the analysis of variances (ANOVA) was used for creatinine levels assessment between the baseline, the 6‐months and, 1‐year later evaluation. We observed a significant mean decrease in comparing serum creatinine levels after 1 year of biological therapy (p < 0.001). Interestingly, PASI reduction is correlated with creatinine decrease, and the renal function improvement is greater when complete psoriasis remission is attained. Our data suggest that a drop in systemic inflammation, secondary to biological therapy administration, might improve renal function. Future research is needed to confirm and expand our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of biotechnological therapies for moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis is ever‐expanding and it is becoming increasingly more frequent to encounter different unforeseen events during their use, such as fertile patients becoming pregnant and breastfeeding, development of infections due to personal habits like tuberculosis, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, or HIV, scheduling of surgical procedures, need of vaccinations, development of malignancy, and evaluation of dose tapering. As any clinician may experience at least one of these unexpected events, it should be good practice to know how to manage them. Thus, a practical analysis has been proposed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How infodemic during the COVID-19 outbreak influenced common clinical practice in an Outpatient Service of Severe Psoriasis Dear Editor, We conducted a prospective study on adult psoriatic patients referring to the Outpatient Service of Severe Psoriasis after the end of the lockdown due to COVID-19 emergency in Italy (https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/gu/2020/04/27/108/sg/pdf). After the end of the lockdown, hospital activities resumed but, to comply with social distancing and environmental sanitation rules, the number of patients per day was reduced to an average flow of 45 patients per week, instead of 50 per week as in common practice.1 A total of 178 patients were seen, of which 11 (6%) discontinued their therapy during the lockdown. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on the influence of chronic immunosuppressive therapy on the developing active tuberculosis. It discusses the cytokines involved in the dissemination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis working like biological agents, performance of QTF-IT before the start of immunosuppressive therapy.

The article discusses the treatment of the autoimmune mucocutaneous blistering disease named Pemphigus with chimeric monoclonal CD20 antibody rituximab. It discusses the review of pemphigus patients undergoing second-line therapy to analyse the difference between dosing protocols namely rheumatoid arthritis protocol.