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Drugs in Context 2020Despite growing interest in cutaneous adverse events (CAEs) and their management in patients with cancer, they are often underreported and there are no extensive data on...
BACKGROUND
Despite growing interest in cutaneous adverse events (CAEs) and their management in patients with cancer, they are often underreported and there are no extensive data on their impact on quality of life (QoL). Healthcare professionals should consider this issue in order to minimize its negative impact on QoL and improve patient outcomes. This study evaluates the impact of CAEs on QoL in outpatients receiving anticancer drugs and aims to determine the differences in QoL between conventional chemotherapy targeted therapies.
METHODS
A total of 114 cancer patients with CAEs were included in this observational, cross-sectional study. Patient-reported outcomes instruments (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General, Dermatology Life Quality Index, and Skindex-16) were used.
RESULTS
Mean scores in QoL indices were 65.3±13.4, 8.4±5, and 30.8±16.9 in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General, Dermatology Life Quality Index, and Skindex-16, respectively. The CAEs that had the greatest impact on dermatologic-related QoL were hand-foot skin reaction, rash, palmo-plantar erythrodysesthesia, and papulopustular eruption. No significant differences in QoL indices according to the type of treatment (conventional chemotherapy targeted therapy) were observed.
CONCLUSIONS
CAEs, and particularly hand-foot toxicities, rashes, and papulopustular eruptions, can have an impact on QoL in outpatients receiving anticancer drugs as evaluated with three different patient-reported outcomes instruments. No differences in QoL related to CAEs were observed between conventional chemotherapy and targeted therapy.
PubMed: 32821263
DOI: 10.7573/dic.2020-6-6 -
Dermatology Reports Jun 2023Rapid and proper diagnosis of mucocutaneous presentations of COVID-19 which in many cases are representing internal organ damage is a key way to better approach these...
Mucocutaneous presentations of consultant critical and non-critical cases of admitted COVID-19 patients, outpatients, and vaccine-associated dermatoses: a clinical atlas and a large original study of two general COVID-19 centers from Iran.
Rapid and proper diagnosis of mucocutaneous presentations of COVID-19 which in many cases are representing internal organ damage is a key way to better approach these patients, and it could be even lifesaving. In this original study, we reported consultant critical and non-critical cases of admitted COVID-19 patients and some interesting outpatient cases for 14 months, and some newly encountered vaccine-associated dermatoses. We presented 121 cases divided into 12 categories; all had full multi-aspects photographs attached as an atlas to a . These categories were:1- Generalized papulopustular eruptions (3 patients), 2- Erythroderma (4 patients), 3- Maculopapular lesions(16 patients), 4- Mucosal lesions (8 patients), 5- Urticarial lesions and angioedema (16 patients), 6- Vascular injuries (22 patients), 7- Vesiculobullous lesions (12 patients), 8- The specific new onset of mucocutaneous presentations or aggravation of any especial previous dermatoses (9 patients), 9- Nail changes (3 patients), 10- Hair loss (2 patients), 11- Non-specific mucocutaneous problems (16 patients) and 12-Vaccine-associated dermatoses (10 patients).In the pandemic, if we countered with extensive mucocutaneous lesions with vascular components or vesiculobullous erosive lesions in association with any cutaneous rash that could be an alarming sign of a probable life-threatening systemic event, we would need to approach them as soon as possible.
PubMed: 37426367
DOI: 10.4081/dr.2023.9473 -
Journal of Patient-reported Outcomes Jul 2020Papulopustular rash is a common class effect of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRI) that can affect patients' health-related quality of life and cause...
A prospective study to validate the functional assessment of cancer therapy (FACT) for epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor (EGFRI)-induced dermatologic toxicities FACT-EGFRI 18 questionnaire: SWOG S1013.
BACKGROUND
Papulopustular rash is a common class effect of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRI) that can affect patients' health-related quality of life and cause disruptions to treatment. SWOG S1013 (NCT01416688) is a multi-center study designed to validate the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy EGFRI 18 (FACT-EGFRI 18) using 7-items from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0 to assess EGFRI-induced skin-related toxicities and their impact on functional status.
METHODS
Patients with a diagnosis of colorectal or lung cancer to receive EGFRI therapies for at least 6 weeks were enrolled. Patient self-assessments using the FACT-EGFRI 18 were completed prior to undergoing CTCAE assessment by trained clinicians at baseline, weekly × 6, and then monthly × 3. The psychometric properties of the FACT-EGFRI 14 (skin toxicity items only) and 18 (plus 2 nail and 2 hair items) were established based on criterion validity, known groups validity, internal consistency reliability, and responsiveness to change.
RESULTS
Of the 146 registered patients, 124 were evaluable. High Cronbach's alpha (> 0.70) for both FACT-EGFRI 14 and FACT-EGFRI 18 scores across assessment times were observed. Although agreement (i.e. criterion validity) between individual and summary scales of the FACT-EGFRI 18 for assessing skin toxicity was good, agreement with the clinician-reported CTCAE was only fair. The minimal important difference was determined to be 3 points. The results also demonstrated responsiveness to symptom change.
DISCUSSION
Based on the results of this multi-center validation study, the FACT-EGFRI 18 patient-reported outcome instrument provided data from the patient's perspective yielding unique information as well as complementing clinician-rated CTCAE grades, especially for the symptoms of pain, pruritus, and paronychia.
CONCLUSIONS
Good to excellent psychometric properties for the FACT-EGFRI 18 were demonstrated, supporting further use of this patient-reported outcomes measure. Additional validation with a more diverse group of patients should be conducted.
PubMed: 32642992
DOI: 10.1186/s41687-020-00220-x -
Arthritis-Dermatitis Syndrome: a Case of Disseminated Gonococcal Infection with Petechial Skin Rash.Journal of General Internal Medicine Sep 2021A previously healthy 36-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with vaginal discharge, bilateral ankle pain, and a lower extremity skin rash, all of which developed...
A previously healthy 36-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with vaginal discharge, bilateral ankle pain, and a lower extremity skin rash, all of which developed after unprotected vaginal intercourse with a new male partner. On examination, there was a petechial and purpuric rash involving the lower extremities and bilateral tenosynovitis of the ankle dorsiflexor tendons. Urine NAAT was positive for Neisseria gonorrhea, confirming disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). The patient was initially treated with oral azithromycin and intravenous ceftriaxone, but as a result of psychosocial circumstances, she was prematurely discharged on an oral cephalosporin agent. She represented with treatment-failure DGI and was treated with a 7-day course of intramuscular ceftriaxone. Repeat urine NAAT was negative for gonorrhea and the patient remained asymptomatic. This case features an atypical cutaneous manifestation of DGI, characterized by a painless petechial and purpuric skin rash rather than the tender papulo-pustular lesions that are typically seen. Additionally, it highlights the importance of DGI treatment with a 7-day parenteral cephalosporin therapy when antibiotic susceptibility is not available.
Topics: Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Arthritis; Dermatitis; Exanthema; Female; Gonorrhea; Humans; Male; Neisseria gonorrhoeae
PubMed: 34013475
DOI: 10.1007/s11606-021-06923-1 -
Case Reports in Oncology 2019The most common side effect for cancer patients using epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRI) is the development of an itchy papulopustular rash. In severe...
The most common side effect for cancer patients using epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRI) is the development of an itchy papulopustular rash. In severe cases, the patients are forced to stop taking the medications, hence affecting treatment outcomes. We herein report a case of a 50-year-old patient who developed a papulopustular rash after starting erlotinib. He treated himself with leaves which is a plant well known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties in the middle east. We hypothesize that the anti-inflammatory, soothing, and antibacterial activity of the tree might actually represent a possible better treatment of the rash than available treatments, particularly in patients on EGFR blockers, and hence improve treatment outcomes.
PubMed: 31911777
DOI: 10.1159/000504696 -
Indian Journal of Dermatology,... 2022
Topics: Humans; Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis; Behcet Syndrome; Exanthema; Anti-Bacterial Agents
PubMed: 35962496
DOI: 10.25259/IJDVL_1044_2021 -
IDCases 2020We present a case of Disseminated Herpes Zoster in a 73 year old man who had been taking Glatiramer acetate for 8 years as treatment for Multiple Sclerosis. He...
We present a case of Disseminated Herpes Zoster in a 73 year old man who had been taking Glatiramer acetate for 8 years as treatment for Multiple Sclerosis. He presented to the emergency room with complaints of a painful skin lesions on his buttocks and was found to have a generalized papulo-pustular rash. He was treated with IV Acyclovir and concurrent Piperacillin-Tazobactam plus Vancomycin for disseminated herpes zoster with a necrotic bacterial superinfection on his buttocks. Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic immune mediated disease of the CNS and is treated with immunomodulators and immunosuppressive medications. With more than 2 decades of Glatiramer acetate use, it is regarded as the safest immunomodulator without any associated reported infections. This is the first case of Disseminated Herpes Zoster associated with Glatiramer.
PubMed: 32637319
DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2020.e00873 -
JAAD Case Reports Oct 2019
PubMed: 31681830
DOI: 10.1016/j.jdcr.2019.06.038