article: Two rare diseases in the same patient: neurofibromatosis type 1 and Madelung’s disease - Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2020 December;155(6):798-9 - Minerva Medica - Journals

This corrects the article DOI: 10.23736/S0392-0488.18.06082-0.

article: A small blackberry-like nodule on the nipple in a pregnant affected by tuberous sclerosis complex - Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2020 December;155(6):799-800 - Minerva Medica - Journals

Inflammatory response in the skin is important for host defense against a broad spectrum of insults including microorganisms, chemicals, radiation and physical trauma. When the inflammatory process becomes prolonged and self-perpetuating, illness occurs. In this review, we discuss recent findings regarding the complex inflammatory mechanisms in allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.

The prevalence of adult atopic dermatitis (AD) in general population range from 2.6% to 8% according to objective diagnosis in selected groups of people. The adult-onset AD is the clinical form arising de novo in adulthood. The aim of this study was to detect retrospectively the prevalence of AD in Italian general population, examining a sample of young Italian males affected by AD, which was representative of people of same sex and age, and to point out the clinical and allergological differences between the persistent and adult-onset form. 198,730 potential male conscripts were visited in Italian Navy and Air Force Recruitment's Centers in Taranto to evaluate their fitness to recruitment. All the young men who showed eczema were referred to Italian Navy Hospital. The diagnosis of AD was stated according to Hanifin and Rajka's criteria. All the patients were patch and prick tested. One hundred twenty-four cases of AD were diagnosed, with a prevalence of 6.2 cases for 10,000 subjects (95% CI: 5.2-7.4). The subjects with the persistent form were 68 (75.6%; 95% CI: 66.7-84.4) vs. 26 patients with the adult-onset form (21.0%; 95% CI: 13.8-28.1). No statistical difference in clinical and allergological variables was showed between the persistent and adult-onset AD. The prevalence of adult AD in a large sample of young males - representative of the general population of same age and sex - is appreciably lower than the rates previously reported. No clinical feature or allergological variable discriminate between persistent vs. adult-onset varieties.

article: Reticulated erythema of the breast: a case of intravascular histiocytosis with hemophagocytosis - Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2020 December;155(6):796-8 - Minerva Medica - Journals

Healthcare workers are at risk for occupational chronic hand eczema (CHE) because of frequent handwashing and prolonged use of occlusive gloves. Prevention programs based on skin care education have been shown to be beneficial. We developed and assessed the efficacy of a skin care educational intervention for healthcare workers of our hospital. The intervention consisted of two sessions, one week apart, each divided in a theoretical and a practical part, focusing on the skin barrier, types of eczema, risk factors for CHE, hand hygiene measures respectful of the skin, proper use of protective gloves and emollient creams. Its efficacy was assessed by a questionnaire, administered before and after the intervention, investigating the participants' knowledge of risk factors for CHE and risk behaviors. Twenty-three subjects, mostly (65.2%) nurses, took part in the intervention; 60.9% had a self-reported atopic background and 65.2% participants reported a history of CHE. The intervention improved significantly the participants' knowledge on CHE risk factors, i.e. frequent handwashing (P=0.023), surgical scrubbing (P=0.016) and prolonged glove wearing (P=0.022). The frequency of hand washing was significantly reduced (P=0.022). The participants gave a positive unanimous feedback. Our intervention was effective, by significantly improving the participants' knowledge and by inducing significant behavioral changes. Improving the formulation of alcoholic hand rubs may be a key factor to encourage their use. Coexisting nonoccupational risk behaviors are just as important in the prevention of CHE.

The most common therapeutic approach to acne is a combined treatment of retinoid and benzoyl peroxide, with oral antibiotics recommended for moderate-to-severe cases. These kinds of therapies often lead to adverse reactions, leading to the request for new therapeutic options. Recently, the combined use of three salicylic acid-based products for the topical treatment of acne has been related to a significant improvement in acne lesions. A multicenter prospective observational study was carried out on patients with a diagnosis of mild comedonal-papular facial acne to provide new evidence on the clinical effectiveness, tolerability and acceptability of three salicylic acid-based products for the topical treatment of acne in the daily clinical practice. Clinical effectiveness on lesions improvement, the evaluation of personal discomfort related to acne and the assessment of overall clinical outcome were the primary endpoints. Treatment acceptability and tolerability were also evaluated. The treatment with the three salicylic acid-based products has been related to a significant improvement on acne lesions over 8 weeks of treatment, along with a reduction of personal discomfort related to acne and an improvement on lesions appearance. The products have also shown good acceptability and tolerability. The results of this observational study support the effective and well-tolerated use of a combined treatment with three salicylic acid-based products for the topical treatment of acne.