Dermatology

While Lyme disease cases tend to peak during the summer months, the threat is not over once the weather cools down. But as recently discovered, a single test may not be enough for an accurate diagnosis.

A study in BMC Dermatology suggested that adherence to pharmacological treatment and adjuvant therapies are both key factors for improvement in cases of mild to moderate acne vulgaris.

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have identified a protein marker, Bim, which can help effectively predict patients' responses to PD-1 blockade immunotherapy for melanoma.

Chronic paronychia is probably a form of hand dermatitis associated with prolonged wet work, suggests a study in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology. It is among a series of recent studies that have determined that chronic paronchia is not an infection resulting from Candida, a genus of yeasts that is the most common cause of fungal infections. The distinction is important, because it may make a difference in how the condition is treated.

Last night's Republican primary debate provided further evidence that many people still believe that autism is caused by vaccines.

California's "End of Life Option Act" faces stiff opposition from the American College of Physicians. The bill will become state law unless California's Gov. Jerry Brown vetoes it.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recently released new recommendations encouraging physicians to thoroughly inform patients of their options when it comes to dermatologic medications and procedures.

Massive weight loss (MWL) provides obvious health benefits, including reducing morbidity and mortality risks, but it brings some medical and psychological challenges as well. MWL patients are often left with excessive amounts of sagging skin, particularly in the thighs, under the arms, around the abdomen, and around the face.

Study results show that health care practitioners who treat psoriasis patients often miss important opportunities to communicate the cardiovascular risks those patients are likely to face.

Men searching for breast reduction procedures should stick to fat freezing, or cryolipolysis – the safe and effective non-invasive alternative to fat reduction that doesn't damage surrounding tissue.

Melanoma and other types of skin cancer are among the many types of cancer poised to benefit greatly from genomic research that identifies susceptibilities and potential targets for genetic-based therapy. A recent paper in Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research suggests, however, that an entire category of genetic mutations – one that could be incredibly fruitful in terms of diagnosis and treatment – is largely being ignored.

A study in Drug Design, Development, and Therapy provides further evidence that omalizumab is safe and effective for treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Omalizumab is currently used to treat adult and pediatric patients with asthma and is FDA-approved for use in patients with CSU refractory to antihistamines. These results further outline the effectiveness of the drug in treating CSU and suggest a bump for omalizumab in the typical treatment protocol for CSU.

As summer comes to a close and many have already sent their children off to a new year of school, a study in PLOS One suggests that children who have asthma or eczema may face significant challenges fitting in with their peers.

A pilot study found very promising results for treating actinic keratosis with an off-label usage of topical 5- fluorouracil (5-FU).

Phototherapy is significantly underutilized, in part because it isn't adequately taught during core dermatology training.

Study results suggest that closely studying skin's dynamic behavior, including its changing characteristics over time, could yield significant clinical benefits for both dermatologists and surgeons.

A review article recently examined the evidence (or lack thereof) supporting the use of textiles, vitamin supplements, climatotherapy, probiotics, bleach baths, and other forms of complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

Voriconazole, used to treat fungal infections in lung transplant recipients, has been reported to increase their risk of skin cancer and mortality.

A study in JAMA Dermatology provides evidence that the use of two tests to assess cutaneous sarcoidosis disease severity should be expanded. The research has applications for dermatologists, rheumatologists, and pulmonologists, all of whom have a role in treating sarcoidosis.

A study in Postᶒpy adds to the growing evidence of a link between insulin and carbohydrate metabolism in the etiology and severity of acne vulgaris. While the clinical evidence on this connection is still disputed, the majority of recent studies has pointed to a significant connection between the condition and insulin levels.

A new study in BMC Public Health finds that neglect of skin wounds is an independent and strong risk factor for becoming a carrier of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), a dangerous pathogen that can cause infections and lead to life-threatening infectious diseases.

A long-term study of alemtuzumab for treatment of Behçet disease (BD) yields promising evidence that the monoclonal antibody can successfully treat refractory and relapsing courses of the disease.

Patients suffering from psoriasis have a higher risk of developing arrhythmia – even after controlling for other risk factors, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

A recent review in Chronic Wound Care Management and Research suggests that wound pruritus is not well understood and is often poorly treated, despite nearly a century of clinical investigation. Irritations of the skin can be as distressing for patients as pain, the authors noted; yet, there is no established treatment protocol for wound pruritus.

A retrospective review in Clinical, Cosmetic & Investigational Dermatology tried to answer the difficult question of why African Americans (AA), who have a much lower incidence of melanoma than Caucasians do, have a five-year survival rate that is drastically lower than it is for Caucasian patients. This is what's known as the "minority melanoma paradox," and the reasons for it are not well-understood.

Medical researchers know there is a connection between psoriasis and cardiovascular diseases, but a new Iranian study in Clinical, Cosmetic & Investigational Dermatology further verifies lipid abnormalities linked to psoriasis and suggests a serum lipid profile and blood pressure check for all of those patients.

A systematic review of alopecia areata (AA) in Clinical, Cosmetic & Investigational Dermatology highlighted the unpredictability and lack of treatment options for the condition. But it also pointed to a larger problem: more than half of patients with AA experience poor health-related quality of life (QOL). Patients with AA are at risk for depression and anxiety, atopy, vitiligo, thyroid disease, and other autoimmune conditions.

Safe and effective tattoo removal has a sketchy history, but a new study in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine suggests that a new technique can clear unwanted ink more rapidly than conventional methods. The technique involves a combination approach to a well-known and widely accepted technique – removal with Q-switched lasers – with a perfluorodecalin (PFD)-infused silicone patch.

Half of the patients with psoriatic arthritis enrolled in a trial of etanercept continued responding to the medication and complying with treatment guidelines for more than 5 years.

Researchers have developed a new rinse-off, hypertolerant shampoo specifically designed for the hypersensitive and problematic scalp.