Improvement Of Skin Symptoms Research Articles

Impact of comprehensive nursing on hand-foot syndrome caused by oral capecitabine in breast cancer patients.

This study examines the effects of comprehensive nursing care on hand-foot syndrome (HFS) in breast cancer patients treated with capecitabine. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 71 patients, divided into a study group receiving comprehensive care and a control group receiving conventional care. Results showed that the study group experienced significant improvements in skin symptoms, self-efficacy, quality of life, and lower anxiety and depression levels compared to the control group. Additionally, patients who were compliant with medications were notably better in the study group. Comprehensive care effectively alleviates the symptoms of hand-foot syndrome in breast cancer patients treated with capecitabine and enhances patient well-being.

Efficacy and feasibility analysis of compound fluocinolone acetonide cream combined with guaiazulene in the treatment of neurodermatitis.

To evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of combined treatment with compound fluocinolone acetonide cream and guaiazulene in patients with neurodermatitis. A prospective study was conducted on 92 outpatient patients diagnosed with neurodermatitis at our dermatology department from January 2022 to December 2023. Using a random number table, these patients were evenly divided into a control group and an experimental group, with 46 individuals in each group. The control group received treatment with compound fluocinolone acetonide alone, while the experimental group additionally received oral guaiazulene tablets. Clinical symptom and sign scores, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, skin lesion itching scores, comprehensive efficacy, treatment onset time, adverse reactions, and quality of life were monitored, recorded, and compared. In the 2-week treatment period, patients in the experimental group showed significant improvement in skin symptoms and signs, with scores significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, VAS and skin lesion itching scores in the experimental group were significantly reduced (P < 0.05), demonstrating a more pronounced therapeutic advantage compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Although the effective rate in the experimental group was as high as 86.96%, there was no significant advantage compared to the control group, and the difference in treatment efficacy was not significant (P > 0.05). The treatment onset time in the experimental group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and the incidence of adverse reactions was lower (P < 0.05). The quality of life in the experimental group improved significantly after treatment, with DLQI scores lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Combined treatment with compound fluocinolone acetonide cream and guaiazulene demonstrates excellent efficacy and feasibility in the management of neurodermatitis. Compared to standard treatment alone, it yields superior clinical outcomes.

An exploratory study of the efficacy and safety of amenamevir for the treatment of herpes zoster in patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs.

Amenamevir is an oral once-daily antiherpesvirus drug that can be administered without dose adjustment in patients with impaired renal function. There are currently no clinical data on immunocompromised patients with herpes zoster treated with amenamevir. Therefore, an exploratory study of the efficacy and safety of amenamevir against herpes zoster in patients with immunosuppression was conducted. Inclusion criteria included patients with acute herpes zoster receiving immunosuppressive drugs or those with malignant tumors or autoimmune diseases. Twenty-four patients were included and received amenamevir (400 mg once daily after meals) for up to 14 days. The primary end point of overall improvement in skin symptoms 7 days after treatment initiation (day 7) was 58.3% for "markedly improved" and 20.8% for "improved." The combined improvement rate was 79.2% (95% confidence interval, 57.8-92.9), and 20.8% of patients experienced "worsened" symptoms. The secondary end points of overall improvement in skin symptoms on day 14 and day 28 were 95.7% and 100%, respectively. The skin symptoms progressed during treatment, peaking on day 7, and then began to heal. By Kaplan-Meier estimation, the median periods to complete crusting and healing were both day 14. There were five adverse events with a possible causal relationship to amenamevir (bacterial skin infection, anemia, hyponatremia, headache, and abnormal liver function) in one of the 24 patients. Although the bacterial skin infection was severe, all events in this patient were reported to be either recovered or recovering. These findings indicate that amenamevir can be effective and safe in immunocompromised patients with herpes zoster. However, as worsening can happen around day 7, it is necessary to carefully monitor such patients and switch to other therapies such as intravenous acyclovir if necessary. Clinical trial identifier: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials jRCTs031190208.

Efficacy of Topical Application of a Skin Moisturizer Containing Pseudo-Ceramide and a Eucalyptus Leaf Extract on Atopic Dermatitis: A Review.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with pruritus, an impaired cutaneous barrier function and a disrupted water holding capacity. Levels of ceramides, which are major components of intercellular lipids and are crucial for their functions, are decreased in the stratum corneum of patients with AD. Treatments to increase ceramide levels are effective for AD care. Synthetic pseudo-ceramide (cetyl PG hydroxyethyl palmitamide (SLE66)), which has a structure developed via molecular designs, and a eucalyptus leaf extract (ELE) enhance ceramide synthesis in the epidermis. The topical application of a skin moisturizer containing SLE66 and ELE improves the barrier functions and water holding capacity of AD skin accompanied by an improvement in skin symptoms. This is a multifaceted review that summarizes the efficacy of the topical application of a skin moisturizer containing SLE66 and ELE on atopic dermatitis.

Psoriasis patient preferences for the use of biologics during the coronavirus era.

Understanding patient preferences concerning the use of biologics for psoriasis treatment can support proper treatment selection to satisfy their needs. In Japan, limited studies have reported psoriasis patients' preferences for the use of biologics, and many of those focused on the improvement of skin symptoms. The present study was conducted as a web-based questionnaire survey using the discrete choice experiment approach to investigate the preferences of psoriasis patients for the use of biologics, as well as to describe social and clinical factors that influence these preferences. The following attributes were selected for the discrete choice experiment: efficacy at 1year, risk of serious infections requiring hospitalization, incidence of injection site reactions, administration route and visits, co-payment, indications, and efficacy on skin symptoms and other manifestations (the last two have not been evaluated in previous studies). Data were collected from October 4 to October 8, 2021. An analysis of data from 357 psoriasis patients indicated that the most preferred attributes for biologics selection were administration route and visits, followed by the risk of serious infections requiring hospitalization. Some differences were observed among specific subgroups. This study demonstrated that patients with psoriasis prefer biologics with a less frequent administration route and visit schedule and a lower risk of serious infections requiring hospitalization, which contrasts with the results obtained in previous studies where the highest importance was placed on drug effectiveness. These results may reflect the personal and social impact of the coronavirus disease outbreak at the time of the survey. The results of this study might help physicians properly select biologics that satisfy psoriasis patients' needs, leading to better treatment adherence.

A Nano-Emulsion Containing Ceramide-like Lipo-Amino Acid Cholesteryl Derivatives Improves Skin Symptoms in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis by Ameliorating the Water-Holding Function.

Because ceramide-like lipo-amino acid cholesteryl derivatives can exert a bound water-holding function due to their lamellae-forming properties, in this study, we determined if topical application of those derivatives to atopic dry skin would elicit an ameliorative effect on skin symptoms, at least on its water-holding function. In this clinical study, daily treatment with a nano-emulsion containing 10% phytosteryl/octyldodecyl lauroyl glutamate (POLG) significantly (p &lt; 0.0001) improved skin symptoms, including dryness/scaling, itchiness and stimulus sensations, in the non-lesional skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) at 3 and at 6 weeks compared with week 0. Those significant improvements in skin symptoms were accompanied by a significantly enhanced water content (conductance) and a significant improvement of roughness (SESC) and smoothness (SESM) values measured using a Visioscan at 3 and 6 weeks. Those effects appeared concomitant with a significantly increased corneocyte size, a significantly down-regulated degree of thick abrasions, and a significant impairment of the corneocyte lipid envelope at 6 weeks. Thus, our clinical study suggests, for the first time, that topical application of the POLG nano-emulsion has the distinct potential to ameliorate atopic dry skin symptoms, particularly scaling and itchiness, in the skin of patients with AD. Those effects result from alleviation of the disrupted water-holding function probably due to the increased supply of lamellae structures into the stratum corneum despite the failure to improve barrier function.

33006 Long-term improvement of patient-reported outcomes in adult patients with atopic dermatitis treated with baricitinib in the US and Canada

Objective: To evaluate long-term patient-reported outcome (PRO) improvements in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) treated with baricitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK)1/JAK2 inhibitor. Methods: Data were derived from 2 phase 3 studies: double-blind placebo-controlled BREEZE-AD5 (NCT03435081) and long-term open-label extension BREEZE-AD6 (NCT03559270) through 52 weeks of treatment. Low-potency topical corticosteroids were permitted after Week 16 in BREEZE-AD5 and throughout BREEZE-AD6. PROs [Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS-anxiety and HADS-depression)] were assessed to Week 52 using descriptive statistics with missing data imputed by last observation carried forward. Results: In 146 patients receiving baricitinib 2 mg, the quality of life measure DLQI (mean ± standard deviation at baseline 15.0 ± 7.6) showed a mean change from baseline of −7.0 ± 8.2 at Weeks 48-52. Patient-reported improvements in skin symptoms as measured by POEM were −7.3 ± 8.8 at Weeks 48-52 from mean baseline value of 21.7 ± 5.4. By Weeks 48-52, 68.9% and 57.6% of patients had achieved a clinically meaningful ≥4-point improvement in DLQI and POEM, respectively. HADS-anxiety and HADS-depression scores were 7.0 ± 4.4 and 5.2 ± 4.3 at baseline, respectively, with patients reporting a change from baseline of −1.9 ± 3.7 and −1.8 ± 3.3 at Weeks 48-52. Conclusion: Patients with moderate to severe AD treated with baricitinib 2 mg experienced clinically meaningful PRO improvements in skin symptoms, quality of life, and anxiety and depression over 52 weeks.

Could Modifying the Skin Microbiome, Diet, and Lifestyle Help with the Adverse Skin Effects after Stopping Long-Term Topical Steroid Use?

We set up this preliminary study to begin to evaluate one main question: could strengthening the microbiome have potential benefits for the skin condition of patients suffering with adverse effects after stopping long-term topical steroid use? We aim to turn it into a much larger study if the results show the interventions might help. After commonly being prescribed for eczema, cessation of topical steroid use, especially after long periods of inappropriate use, can leave lasting adverse effects on the body and skin, known by some as topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). This preliminary study involved seven human participants suffering with skin problems associated with TSW who approached Dr. Anja Gijsberts-Veens of their own volition because they were interested in more natural recovery methods. Five completed the study in full. Progress in skin condition was tracked by self-assessed symptom severity questionnaires filled out at the beginning and end of the five-month study. The skin microbiome was addressed by using a 100% natural product shown in previous work to significantly increase skin microbiome biodiversity. Three participants implemented dietary changes and supplementation in response to guidance after fecal sample analysis, with the aim of improving gut microbiome health. The average improvement in skin symptoms for all participants was 40%, and average symptom improvement ranged from 14% for Patient 5 to 92% for Patient 1. On average, the participants saw an improvement in 85% of their symptoms and stagnation or regression in 11% and 4%, respectively. Our results suggest that the interventions used might improve the skin condition of TSW patients, but the small sample size and the lack of a control group mean that more definitive conclusions should be reserved for our follow-up work, which addresses these issues. We also aim to swab the skin of participants to assess the effect on the skin microbiome from skin and gut treatments, as well as including a more in-depth analysis of skin and gut microbiomes.

Janus Kinase Inhibitors Ameliorated Gastrointestinal Amyloidosis and Hypoalbuminemia in Persistent Dermatitis Mouse Model.

Malnutrition is not only regarded as a complication of rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease but also that of inflammatory skin disease; however, the mechanisms and efficacy of its treatment have not been elucidated. Using a mouse model of dermatitis, we investigated the pathophysiology of malnutrition in inflammatory skin conditions and efficacy of its treatment. We employed spontaneous skin inflammation mice models overexpressing human caspase-1 in the epidermal keratinocytes. Body weight, nutrition level, and α1-antitrypsin fecal concentration were measured. The gastrointestinal tract was histologically and functionally investigated. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran was forcibly fed on an empty stomach, and plasma FITC-dextran was measured. The treatment efficacy of antibodies against tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-α/β as well as Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors was investigated. Compared with wild-type littermates, the inflammatory skin mice models showed a lowered body weight, reduction of serum albumin level, amyloid deposition in the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, and increased α1-antitrypsin fecal concentration. However, the plasma FITC-dextran was unchanged between the dermatitis models and wild-type littermates. The over-produced serum amyloid A1 in the liver was detected in the plasma in the dermatitis model. Antibodies against TNF-α and IL-α/β showed partial effects on amyloid deposition; however, JAK inhibitors improved gastrointestinal amyloidosis with the improvement of skin symptoms. Chronic dermatitis is closely related to secondary amyloidosis in the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in hypoalbuminemia. Therefore, active control of skin inflammation is essential for preventing gastrointestinal complications.

Ichthyosiform Erythroderma, a Multifaceted Syndromic Entity.

Ichthyosiform Erythroderma, a Multifaceted Syndromic Entity.

26590 Design and rationale of Effisayil 1, a Phase II, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of spesolimab in patients with generalized pustular psoriasis with an acute flare

Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare, potentially life-threatening disease characterized by recurrent flares of widespread skin eruptions of neutrophilic aseptic pustules that occur with or without systemic inflammation. Therapeutic intervention is a major challenge; globally, there are no approved treatments for acute GPP flares and there is a lack of robust clinical evidence to guide GPP treatment. Rapid improvements in skin symptoms with a single intravenous dose of spesolimab, an anti-IL-36 receptor antibody, was shown in a prior Phase I study.

Interleukin-8 Levels in the Stratum Corneum as a Biomarker for Monitoring Therapeutic Effect in Atopic Dermatitis Patients

Introduction: The stratum corneum contains several growth factors and cytokines that are synthesized in keratinocytes. We previously reported that the amount of interleukin-8 in the stratum corneum (scIL-8) is related to the severity of local skin inflammation in atopic dermatitis (AD). However, it is unknown whether scIL-8 levels reflect pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention in AD patients. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate whether the improvement of dermatitis in AD is correlated with scIL-8 levels before and after topical corticosteroid treatment. Methods: Stratum corneum samples were collected from 22 AD patients using the noninvasive tape-stripping method before treatment, 2 weeks after topical treatment, and 4–6 weeks after treatment. Results: scIL-8 levels on the forearm reduced significantly from 790 ± 348 pg/mg before treatment to 163 ± 68 pg/mg 2 weeks after treatment and 100 ± 37 pg/mg 4–6 weeks after corticosteroid treatment. scIL-8 levels on the abdomen also reduced significantly from 902 ± 391 to 142 ± 38 pg/mg at the end of study. The reduction in scIL-8 levels was associated with the improvement in local skin severity in AD. We also found that scIL-8 levels, along with blood biomarker levels (serum thymus and activation-regulated chemokine, lactate dehydrogenase, and %eosinophil), decreased significantly after the treatment. Conclusion: The scIL-8 concentration decreases with improvements in skin symptoms in AD patients after topical corticosteroid treatment; thus, it may be a suitable biomarker for monitoring therapeutic effects in AD patients.

Effectiveness of netakimab in real clinical practice in patients with severe forms of psoriasis

Psoriasis refers to genetically deterministic chronic inflammatory dermatoses, which are characterized by systemic immuno-mediated inflammatory response with preferential activation of the IL -23/-17 axis, growth deviation and keratinocyte differentiation.Material and methods. There were 21 patients under supervision with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Nine (42.8 %) patients did not receive previous systemic therapy; 3 (14.2 %) patients received apremilast at a dose of 30 mg twice a day during a year, 4 (19.0 %) patients were prescribed methotrexate at a dose of 15 mg subcutaneously weekly, for at least a year; 5 (23.8 %) patients received secukinumab at 300 mg subcutaneously once every 4 weeks for a year. All patients had a lost of effect or had developed side effects, which determined a change in therapeutic tactics.Results. Among the patients who were earlier not receiving treatment treatment after therapy with netakimab was started, the PASI index made 3.5 ± 1.1 (decrease by 94.4 %), the PASI index at the patients who were earlier receiving sekukinumab was 4.5 ± 1.1 (decrease by 81.9 %), among the patients who were earlier receiving the methotrexate the PASI index was 8.5 ± 1.3 (decrease by 89.9 %), at the patients who were earlier receiving apremilast the PASI index was 9.5 ± 2.1 (decrease by 86.3 %).Conclusions. Improvement in skin symptoms was accompanied by improvement of patients’ quality of life. Thus, the DLQI decreased by 77.9 % in the group of patients who had not previously received systemic therapy, by 77.4 % and 76.4 % in patients who had previously received sekukinumab and methotrexate therapy, respectively, and by 85.2 % in the group of patients who had previously received apremilast.

Evaluation of Symptom and Side Effect Bother in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma Patients Treated with Mogamulizumab or Vorinostat

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether individual items on patient-reported outcome measures show significant differences over the course of treatment for patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).METHODS: A large, open-label, multi-center, randomized, Phase 3 study compared mogamulizumab, an anti-C-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CCR4)-targeted antibody, versus vorinostat in 372 CTCL patients who had failed ≥ 1 prior systemic therapy. Clinical quality of life (QoL) measurements included Skindex-29, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), and two measures of pruritus (a Likert Scale and ItchyQoL). Analyses on identified individual symptom items of Skindex-29 and toxicity items of FACT-G were conducted using longitudinal generalized estimation equations (GEE) of the post-baseline, treated period assessments (through Cycles 5 or 6, depending on collection schedule) for these items. The proportion of patients experiencing a 1-grade improvement is presented in terms of frequency and percentage by treatment arm. Forest plots of odds ratios (OR) and associated confidence intervals (CI) from the GEE analyses were generated to characterize the likelihood of a 1-grade categorical improvement (eg, improvement by 1 category on the verbal response scale) on individual items for patients treated with mogamulizumab compared to vorinostat during the first 6 cycles of therapy.RESULTS: The likelihood of patients experiencing a 1-grade improvement in skin symptoms, side effect bother, and lack of energy was higher for patients treated with mogamulizumab compared to vorinostat (OR > 1.0). Patients treated with mogamulizumab were more likely to observe a 1-grade improvement in painful skin (OR=1.74, CI=1.180-2.572), irritated skin (OR=1.34, CI=0.909-1.978), lack of energy (OR=2.20, CI=1.461-3.309), side effect bother (OR=1.28, CI=0.810-2.020), and general cancer pain (OR=1.38, CI=0.922-2.063) within 6 cycles of therapy (Figure). The single item descriptive and proportion analysis of 1+ grade improvement at cycle 5 from baseline is presented (Table).CONCLUSIONS: These data provide detailed information on the cumulative probability of categorical improvement of individual items on the skin symptoms of Skindex-29 and the toxicity bother, energy, and pain items of FACT-G. These results support symptom benefit of mogamulizumab over the course of treatment compared to vorinostat. [Display omitted] DisclosuresPorcu:Innate Pharma: Consultancy. Leoni:Kyowa Kirin: Employment. Duvic:Oncoceuticals: Research Funding; Precision Oncology, LLC: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; MiRagen Therapeutics: Consultancy; UT MD Anderson Cancer Center: Employment; Aclaris Therapeutics Int'l Ltd.: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Defined Health: Consultancy; Jonathan Wood & Associates: Other: Speaker; Allos: Research Funding; Array Biopharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Cell Medica Inc.: Consultancy, Honoraria; Concert Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Consultancy; Guidepoint Global: Consultancy; American Council on Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ACE): Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Shape: Research Funding; Medscape: Other: Speaker/Preceptor; Huya Bioscience Int'l: Consultancy; Eisai: Research Funding; Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (A.K.A. Promius Pharma): Consultancy; Forty Seven, Inc.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Clinical Care Options: Consultancy; Huron Consulting Group: Consultancy; Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Soligenix, Inc.: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; The Lynx Group: Consultancy; Celgene Corp: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Mallinckrddt Pharmaceuticals (formerly Therakos): Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin, Co: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; MEDACorp: Consultancy; Medivir AB: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Taiwan Liposome Company LTD: Consultancy; Evidera, Inc.: Consultancy; Rhizen Pharma: Research Funding; Spatz Foundation: Research Funding; Tetralogics: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding.

Clinical Practice Guidelines and Evidence for the Efficacy of Traditional Japanese Herbal Medicine (Kampo) in Treating Geriatric Patients.

Frailty is defined as a state of increased vulnerability to poor resolution of homeostasis following stress, which increases the risk of adverse outcomes such as falls, delirium, and disability in the elderly. Recently in Japan, clinical practice guidelines (CPG) have recommended kampo treatment. We conducted a search for reports on Japanese CPG and kampo medicine in the treatment of symptoms in the elderly. The search was performed using the databases PubMed, Ichushi Web, J-Stage, Japan Medical Publishers Association, Medical Information Network Distribution Service, and CPG containing kampo products in Japan; reports from January 1st, 2012 to October 31st, 2017 were reviewed. Over the past 5 years, nine CPGs have recommended kampo treatment based on the evidence for improvement in skin symptoms, cough, gastro-intestinal dysfunction, urinary dysfunction, and dementia. Treatments with kampo medicine are performed depending on the coexistence of manifestations based on the original kampo concept, i.e., cognitive dysfunction and dementia with sarcopenia showing urinary disorder. Each kampo formula includes multiple crude drugs that have several pharmacological functions; these drugs include alkaloids, glycosides, and polysaccharides. Thus, kampo formula has an effect on multiple organs and coordinates the relationship between the brain, endocrine system, immune system, and skeletal muscles. Kampo treatment can be considered as supporting holistic medicine in elderly individuals with frailty.

IL-23/Th17 targeted therapies in SAPHO syndrome. A case series

SAPHO syndrome is a rare entity with skin and rheumatologic inflammatory presentation. The treatment is not standardized, and in case of inadequate response to anti-inflammatory drugs, the use of anti-TNF or anti-IL-1 biologic treatments has been reported. The IL-23/Th17 axis may be involved in SAPHO syndrome. We report the results of six courses of IL-23 and IL-17 targeted therapies (3 ustekinumab and 3 secukinumab) in patients with SAPHO syndrome unresponsive to previous treatments (csDMARDs and bDMARDs). With a mean treatment duration of 5.5 months, improvement of skin symptoms was noticed in three cases, one improvement with secukinumab and two remissions (one with secukinumab, one with ustekinumab). Regarding the rheumatic symptoms, no major improvement was obvious under any of the six treatment courses. No particular safety concerns were reported, except cases of paradoxical psoriasis flare in one under ustekinumab and the other case under secukinumab.

Characterization of Disease Course and Treatment in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Anti-TNF Induced Psoriasis

Introduction: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists are effective therapies for both IBD and psoriasis, though they can paradoxically induce or worsen psoriasis. We aimed to characterize the natural course, prognosis, and treatment of anti-TNF induced psoriasis at a tertiary IBD center. Methods: The UPMC electronic medical record was searched, from March 24, 1994 to May 1, 2012, resulting in 667 IBD patients who received anti-TNF therapy. Each patient chart was then reviewed to confirm diagnoses of IBD and psoriasis, as well as exposure to an anti-TNF agent. A retrospective chart reviewed extracted demographics, clinical variables, medications, and disease activity at each visit. Results: Thirty-three patients with IBD (24 Crohn’s disease (CD), 9 ulcerative colitis (UC)) and psoriasis (14 primary, 19 anti-TNF related) were identified. Psoriasiform lesions occurred in 2.9% of IBD patients exposed to anti-TNF therapy. CD disease location in patients with anti-TNF psoriasis was 57% ileocecal, 29% colonic, 14% ileal, and 14% had perianal disease. For UC, 55% had left-sided disease and 45% had pancolitis. Most patients were white and female (94% and 85%), and were non-smokers (73%). Anti-TNF induced psoriasis was diagnosed a mean of 8.2 years (range, 1-19) after IBD diagnosis, and the mean time to lesion development after anti-TNF therapy initiation was 12.5 months (5-36 months). Psoriasis phenotype was 58% plaque, 16% palmoplantar, 5% pustular, 5% sebopsoriasis, and 16% unknown. Mean length of follow-up was 32 months (0-141 months). At the time of psoriasis onset, 12 patients were receiving infliximab, 6 adalimumab, and 1 certolizumab. Of the patients 14/19 (74%) were receiving anti-TNF monotherapy vs. 5/19 (26%) receiving combination therapy (2 IM, 3 MTX). Of the patients 8/19 (42%) discontinued anti-TNF therapy with improvement in skin symptoms. Three of these patients (37.5%) relapsed when re-challenged with an alternate anti-TNF, while 3 patients (37.5%) tolerated an alternate anti-TNF. Of the patients, 11/19 (58%) remained on their initial anti-TNF agent and/or had adjunctive therapy added to treat psoriasis: 45% MTX, 45% topical corticosteroids (CS), 18% topical CS + calcipotriene, 9% phototherapy. At last follow-up, 11/19 (58%) were receiving anti-TNF (including 5/11 (45%) combination therapy with MTX), 11% MTX, 21% topical CS, 1 ustekinumab. The majority of patients had a decrease in IBD activity following onset of skin lesions. Conclusion: Anti-TNF induced psoriasiform lesions were rare in our cohort, with 58% able to continue anti-TNF therapy with the addition of adjunctive therapies to treat psoriasis. IBD patients in remission who develop anti-TNF induced psoriasis, should be referred to dermatology for alternate treatment options to control their skin disease, and attempt to maintain their anti-TNF regimen.

Improvement of Skin Symptoms and Mineral Imbalance by Drinking Deep Sea Water in Patients with Atopic Eczema/Dermatitis Syndrome (AEDS)

Deep sea water intake improves skin symptoms and mineral imbalance and decreases serum IgE levels mad IgE-inducing cytokines, IL-4, IL-13 and IL-18 in patients with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (AEDS), while distilled water intake fails to do so.

Alcohol and skin disorders*

AbstractBackground Little is known about skin changes associated with or caused by alcohol intake.Patients and methods In this open study, 65 patients affected with rosacea, rubeosis faciei, pruritus, eczema, non‐healing ulcers and psoriasis were examined for signs of high alcohol intake. Thirty‐two had elevated aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) and/or gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels. These patients were interviewed about their drinking habits. As ASAT and/or GGT had been found elevated, it was suggested that they abstain from alcohol. Of the 32 patients with a confirmed regular alcohol intake eight dropped out. The remaining 24 accepted the suggestion and came back for monthly clinical and laboratory controls. Their laboratory values normalized in 2‐3 months parallel with healing or improvement of skin symptoms. The 32 patients with dermatoses associated with high alcohol intake were found in a series of 900 consecutive new patients, i.e., over 3%.Conclusions Dermatological patients with increase of ASAT and/or GGT of unknown origin should be suspected to have a high alcohol intake. These patients should be persuaded to try total abstinence for at least 2 months before initiating any dermatological treatment.

Aeroallergen contact can exacerbate atopic dermatitis: Patch tests as a diagnostic tool

Previous studies have documented that atopic dermatitis can worsen when patients ingest specific foods to which they are sensitive. In this article we demonstrate that patient contact with specific aeroallergens can cause flares of atopic dermatitis. Marked improvement in skin symptoms was noted when 12 patients (eight males and four females; ages, 1 to 54 years) were removed from their unusual environment. In response to prick tests, these patient had markedly positive, immediate wheel-and-flare reactions to a variety of aeroallergen extracts (tree, grass, and weed pollen; house dust mite; animal protein; and mold spores). The same patients were subsequently patch tested on uninvolved, nonabraded skin with the allergen extracts that had yielded positive prick tests. Patch tests were applied for 48 hours, removed, and interpreted 24 hours later. The patients reacted to specific aeroallergens with an eczematous eruption at 48 and 72 hours. Positive delayed cutaneous reactions correlated strongly with aeroallergens identified in the patient's environment or suspected by the patients as provocateurs of their atopic dermatitis. Delayed cutaneous reactions were negative to allergens not historically relevant. Continued avoidance of aeroallergens that elicited an eczematous reaction at patch test sites resulted in marked improvement or resolution of dermatitis in all patients. We conclude that aeroallergen contact plays an important role in select patients with atopic dermatitis.