Dermatology

A recent study published in the British Journal of Dermatology reported a spike in the risk of depression among women afflicted with psoriasis.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved azelaic acid (Finacea Foam/Bayer) 15% for the treatment of inflammatory papules and pustules of mild-to-moderate rosacea.

Among dermatologic conditions, necrotizing fasciitis (NF)-a potentially life-threatening infection of the skin and fascia-is notorious and nefarious. While it is not common in developed countries, NF has a high prevalence in undeveloped countries. Immediate treatment is essential, and thus, so is immediate and accurate diagnosis.

Calling dermatology the study of the skin only begins to scratch the surface of the field. While environmental factors have been thoroughly looked at, advancements in technology are allowing doctors and researchers to look for deeper issues affecting their patients.

Study shows that adalimumab led to sustained clinical and functional responses in nearly one-third of treatment-refractory patients who completed 10 years of treatment. Patients with shorter disease duration achieved better outcomes, highlighting the need for early treatment.

An increasing number of patients worldwide with severe pemphigus vulgaris (PV) are showing little or no response with conventional steroid treatment; however, a new treatment may become an option.

The skin disease scabies is like the television show Grey's Anatomy: It's been around forever, and you may, every now and again, find yourself wondering, "Is that thing still around?" In both cases, unfortunately, the answer is a definitive "yes."

A recent review looked at the immunopathogenesis of psoriasis, identified key mediators of psoriatic plaques that are being targeted by new and emerging biologic therapies, and highlighted the latest efficacy and safety data from trials of these new agents.

Compared with the general population, patients with atopic dermatitis are significantly more susceptible to Staphyloccocus aureus colonization and skin infections.

With obesity on the rise, bringing with it an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions, food labels may soon get a facelift.

The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved sonidegib (Odomzo/Novartis) to treat patients suffering from locally advanced basal cell carcinoma – the most common form of advanced skin cancer – that had recurred post surgery or radiation therapy.

Rosacea affects approximately 16 million people in the United States, and patients often present with a variety of symptoms and need an individualized treatment plan.

When women present clinically with acne, hirsutism, and androgenetic alopecia, the likelihood is that the causative hormone is androgen. Collectively, these symptoms signal cutaneous hyperandrogenism.

Researchers recently reviewed a number of new systemic therapies-including combination therapies-for treatment of melanoma brain metastases, including kinase inhibitors that have been shown to effectively target BRAF-mutated melanoma cells.

The new minimally invasive procedure, Cellfina System, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help clear the appearance of cellulite for at least a one-year period.

Patients afflicted with moderate-to- severe eczema have been successfully treated with rheumatoid arthritis drug, tofacitinib citrate.

A review in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology strongly reinforces the idea that diet can play a particularly large role in acne prevalence and severity, alongside other factors such as hormones, stress, sleep levels, good skin care, and geography.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved once-daily, topical antibiotic-free adapalene and benzoyl peroxide (Epiduo Forte Gel/ Galderma Laboratories) for the treatment of acne vulgaris.

Skin-picking disorder (SPD) is a serious and poorly understood condition similar to hair-pulling disorder and severe nail biting, among other body-focused repetitive behaviors, in which a patient causes harm to themselves or their appearance. SPD is much more than a cosmetic problem, as repetitively touching, rubbing, scratching, or picking at the skin can lead to severe tissue damage, disfigurement, and even significant infection in some cases.

Using nanotechnology to routinely release nitric oxide could potentially be an effective treatment method for acne.

Collaboration between dermatologists and oncologists is crucial.

Allopurinol's overall impact on the risk of mortality has been studied but is not yet well-understood. Now, a study has shown that the benefits from this treatment likely outweigh the risk of serious side effects.

Intestinal and multivisceral transplantation-and any organ transplant actually-increases risk for infection since immunosuppressants are critical post-surgery. Fungal infections ranging from mild skin rashes to deadly fungal pneumonia can be a problem, and may lead to increased morbidity and mortality in these patients.

Anacor Pharmaceuticals recently announced favorable results from two phase 3 pivotal studies for Crisaborole Topical Ointment, 2% (previously AN2728), a non-steroidal topical anti-inflammatory PDE-4 inhibitor for treating children and adults suffering from mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis.

Researchers are learning more about the safety and efficacy of anti-interleukin-17 and anti-interleukin-23 (IL-23) therapy, although there are several agents currently under investigation. Anti-TNF agents and IL agents target psoriatic inflammation through different pathways.

Although tattoo removal has come a long way since the days of amputation and dermabrasion, there are some stubborn ink stains that just won't come clean. A recent study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology looked at the safety and efficacy of the 1064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and found a relatively high clearance rate after multiple treatments for most patients.

Successful preliminary trials revealed that treatment with a novel anti–interleukin-23 monoclonal antibody, guselkumab, (CNTO 1959/Janssen) was more effective at reducing the symptoms of plaque psoriasis than adalimumab.

Inflammatory chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriasis bring many treatment challenges. Among them is the fact that biologic therapies for these diseases-particularly anti-TNF agents-while effective, can themselves bring reactivation of a latent tuberculosis infection.

Pain and itching may be controlled by cells on the spinal cord, according to research published in Neuron.

Researchers announced a phase 3 trial assessing secukinumab for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis met its primary endpoint (ACR 20 at week 24), possibly putting the drug on the fast track to approval.