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Indian Journal of Dermatology 2024Gluten, a polypeptide hapten, found in many cereals such as barley, wheat, rye, oats, and others, has been recently implicated in a range of cutaneous disorders ranging... (Review)
Review
Gluten, a polypeptide hapten, found in many cereals such as barley, wheat, rye, oats, and others, has been recently implicated in a range of cutaneous disorders ranging from chronic plaque psoriasis through psoriatic arthritis, urticaria (chronic as well as paediatric onset), and angioedema to lichen planus, vitiligo, and rosacea. The evidence for them is still not well reviewed. To generate evidence for the causal role of gluten in various dermatological disorders. The Pubmed, MedLine, and EMBASE databases were searched using the keywords "Gluten" and one of the dermatoses, namely, "Atopic Dermatitis", "Vasculitis", "Psoriasis", "Psoriatic Arthritis", "Acne", "Alopecia Areata", and "Immunobullous disorders". All articles published in English for which free full text was available were taken into consideration. The search strategy returned in a total of 1487 articles which were screened for relevance and elimination of duplicates. Ultimately, around 114 articles were deemed suitable. The data were extracted and presented in the narrative review format. A simple and cost-effective solution to many of these chronic and lifelong conditions is to restrict gluten in the diet. However, the dermatologist would do well to remember that in the vast majority of dermatological disorders including the ones listed here, gluten restriction is not warranted and can even lead to nutritional deficiencies. The evidence varied from Grade I for some disorders like psoriatic arthritis to Grade IV to most disorders like acne, vitiligo, vasculitis, and atopic dermatitis. Herein, we review the evidence for each of these conditions and make practical recommendations for gluten restriction in them.
PubMed: 38841247
DOI: 10.4103/ijd.ijd_815_22 -
Indian Journal of Dermatology 2024Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Over the years, various treatment modalities have been explored to...
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Over the years, various treatment modalities have been explored to alleviate the symptoms and improve the quality of life for patients with psoriasis. Among these treatment options, lasers and lights have emerged as promising non-invasive approaches with significant efficacy. This review aims to provide an overview of the current understanding and clinical applications of lasers and lights in the management of psoriasis. We have discussed the mechanisms of action behind different laser and light therapies and their impact on psoriatic plaques. Additionally, we discuss the various types of lasers and lights utilized, including excimer lasers, pulsed dye lasers, and narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy, highlighting their unique properties and clinical outcomes. Moreover, we have addressed important considerations related to patient selection, treatment protocols, and potential side effects associated with lasers and lights. We emphasize the need for proper evaluation, monitoring, and customization of treatment plans to ensure optimal outcomes and minimize adverse events.
PubMed: 38841222
DOI: 10.4103/ijd.ijd_423_23 -
Australian Journal of General Practice Jun 2024General practitioners manage a significant proportion of inflammatory and neoplastic skin conditions on a daily basis. Various surgical techniques can be employed to aid...
BACKGROUND
General practitioners manage a significant proportion of inflammatory and neoplastic skin conditions on a daily basis. Various surgical techniques can be employed to aid in diagnosis, including punch biopsies, shave biopsy, shave excision, incisional biopsy, curettage and formal excision with closure. Requiring minimal equipment, shave procedures are quick to perform, produce good cosmetic outcomes and minimise costs.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim is to discuss shave procedures in detail and highlight the difference between shave biopsies and shave excisions, as well as the role they each have in diagnosing an array of benign, inflammatory and malignant skin conditions, including melanocytic lesions.
DISCUSSION
Shave procedures performed on suitable lesions by trained practitioners can be used for sampling or removing suspect lesions. Where the intent is complete removal, margin involvement is rare given good lesion selection and technique.
Topics: Humans; General Practice; Biopsy; Skin Diseases
PubMed: 38840380
DOI: 10.31128/AJGP-06-23-6872 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has seen a steady increase in incidence rates worldwide, posing a significant challenge to dermatologists. Early detection...
Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has seen a steady increase in incidence rates worldwide, posing a significant challenge to dermatologists. Early detection is crucial for improving patient survival rates. However, performing total body screening (TBS), i.e., identifying suspicious lesions or ugly ducklings (UDs) by visual inspection, can be challenging and often requires sound expertise in pigmented lesions. To assist users of varying expertise levels, an artificial intelligence (AI) decision support tool was developed. Our solution identifies and characterizes UDs from real-world wide-field patient images. It employs a state-of-the-art object detection algorithm to locate and isolate all skin lesions present in a patient's total body images. These lesions are then sorted based on their level of suspiciousness using a self-supervised AI approach, tailored to the specific context of the patient under examination. A clinical validation study was conducted to evaluate the tool's performance. The results demonstrated an average sensitivity of 95% for the top-10 AI-identified UDs on skin lesions selected by the majority of experts in pigmented skin lesions. The study also found that the tool increased dermatologists' confidence when formulating a diagnosis, and the average majority agreement with the top-10 AI-identified UDs reached 100% when assisted by our tool. With the development of this AI-based decision support tool, we aim to address the shortage of specialists, enable faster consultation times for patients, and demonstrate the impact and usability of AI-assisted screening. Future developments will include expanding the dataset to include histologically confirmed melanoma and validating the tool for additional body regions.
Topics: Humans; Skin Neoplasms; Melanoma; Early Detection of Cancer; Supervised Machine Learning; Artificial Intelligence; Algorithms; Male; Female; Skin
PubMed: 38830890
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61681-4 -
The Nigerian Postgraduate Medical... Apr 2024This study reviewed the current knowledge on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentations, diagnosis, treatment, quality-of-life assessment and recent... (Review)
Review
This study reviewed the current knowledge on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentations, diagnosis, treatment, quality-of-life assessment and recent trends in androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Relevant articles on AGA from PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline and Scopus from 1950 to 2024 were obtained and scrutinized.. Key search words included each term like 'androgenetic alopecia', 'androgenic alopecia', 'pattern baldness' and 'pattern hair loss' AND each term like 'epidemiology', 'pathophysiology', 'genetics', 'hormones', 'micronutrient', 'stress and inflammation', 'growth factors', 'clinical features', 'staging', 'cardiovascular associations', 'diagnosis' and 'management' were used in the search. AGA is a non-scarring hair loss that is exemplified by a progressive decline of hair follicles, or non-functional or dead hair follicles in the scalp in a defined pattern. It is the most common hair loss, more common in men but can also present in younger age as premature AGA. Hormones, genetics, micronutrient deficiency, microinflammation and stress have been implicated, while psychosocial distress and cutaneous correlate of cardiovascular diseases have become sources of relentless research. AGA is a patterned hair loss that is more prevalent in Men. It results from the interactions between hormonal, genetic and other factors which determine the extent of hair loss and associated disorders (psychosocial and cardiovascular). As results of more research become available, the extent of AGA, its comorbidities as well as the full spectrum of their manifestations will continue to be sources of health education and more holistic examination by dermatologists and patients.
Topics: Humans; Alopecia; Quality of Life; Male; Female
PubMed: 38826011
DOI: 10.4103/npmj.npmj_47_24 -
Annals of Dermatology Jun 2024With the increasing demand for surgical procedures in dermatology, resident education in surgical dermatology has become important for delivering high-quality treatment....
BACKGROUND
With the increasing demand for surgical procedures in dermatology, resident education in surgical dermatology has become important for delivering high-quality treatment. However, it remains unclear if a sufficient number of residency programs with quality standards exist, as there has been little research on this subject in South Korea.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the status of surgical dermatology education among residents and assess dermatologists' perceptions of the subject.
METHODS
A 35-question survey was developed and distributed to all resident training hospitals and local clinics listed by the Korean Society of Dermatologic Surgery. Only third- and fourth-year residents were included and board-certified specialists from training hospitals and local clinics responded to the surveys.
RESULTS
Survey participants included 88 residents and 120 specialists of whom one-quarter of the residents attended regular monthly educational sessions. Most residents (93%) participated in cosmetic procedures, and many performed laser therapy. However, the opportunity for toxin or filler injection was rare, with only 12% of the residents having experience with filler injections. In response, 49% of residents and 32% of specialists said that more cosmetic training was required, whereas 28% of residents and 50% of specialists said that more training for both cosmetic and conventional surgeries was necessary.
CONCLUSION
The survey demonstrated a need for more training programs in surgical dermatology during residency and a perception gap between residents and specialists. Therefore, developing educational residency programs that focus on basic dermatologic surgery principles and their applications in cosmetic procedures is essential.
PubMed: 38816978
DOI: 10.5021/ad.23.130 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2024Fewer than 26 case reports describe hypertrophic lichen planus (HLP) misdiagnosed as cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). It can be difficult to distinguish between...
Fewer than 26 case reports describe hypertrophic lichen planus (HLP) misdiagnosed as cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). It can be difficult to distinguish between HLP and cSCC, as these two conditions share many clinical and histopathological characteristics. Patients who are misdiagnosed with cSCC often undergo unnecessary medical and/or surgical interventions before receiving a diagnosis of HLP and improving on HLP-directed therapy. This case series highlights the course of three female patients, referred to a single tertiary institution between 2018 and 2022, who were initially misdiagnosed with cSCC before receiving a diagnosis of HLP. We have emphasized the clinical and histopathological distinguishing features between HLP and cSCC, the pathogenesis of HLP, and current and new HLP-directed therapy. We hope that this case series serves as a reminder to dermatologists, dermatologic surgeons, and dermatopathologists to be aware of this diagnostic challenge.
PubMed: 38813374
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1342501 -
Clinical Kidney Journal May 2024hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) diuretics were correlated with an increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and melanoma in the general population. Information is a...
BACKGROUND
hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) diuretics were correlated with an increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and melanoma in the general population. Information is a scarce regarding this effect in kidney transplant recipients who are at increased risk of skin malignancies under immunosuppression.
METHODS
Single-center retrospective analysis of adult kidney transplant recipients between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2015. The primary outcome of the study was the first diagnosis of skin cancer that was removed and pathologically analyzed. Exposure to thiazides was defined as HCTZ use daily for at least one year at a dose of 12.5 mg.
RESULTS
Among 520 kidney transplant recipients, 50 (9.4%) were treated with HCTZ. During a median follow-up of 9.8 years, 67 patients underwent surgical removal and pathological analysis of at least one skin cancer. Exposure to HCTZ during the 3 years following transplantation was associated with an increased risk of skin cancer ( = 0.004). In a multivariate model, there was a significant association between HCTZ exposure and NMSC (HR 2.54, 95%CI 1.26-5.15, = 0.007). There was a higher rate of basal cell carcinoma with HCTZ exposure, according to both univariate and multivariate analyses (HR 2.61, 95%CI 1.06-6.43, = 0.037) and (HR 3.03, 95%CI 1.22-7.55, = 0.017, respectively). However, no significant association was observed between HCTZ exposure and squamous cell carcinoma.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest a benefit of increased frequency of dermatologist inspection in kidney transplant recipients receiving HCTZ especially in increased ultraviolet exposure area.
PubMed: 38812910
DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sfae126 -
Melanoma Management 2024Cutaneous melanocytic neoplasms with diagnostic and/or clinical ambiguity pose patient management challenges. Six randomized case scenarios with diagnostic/clinical...
Cutaneous melanocytic neoplasms with diagnostic and/or clinical ambiguity pose patient management challenges. Six randomized case scenarios with diagnostic/clinical uncertainty were described with/without a benign or malignant diagnostic gene expression profile (GEP) result. Clinical impact was assessed by reporting the mean increase/decrease of management changes normalized to baseline (n = 32 dermatologists). Benign GEP results prompted clinicians to decrease surgical margins (84.2%). Malignant GEP results escalated surgical excision recommendations (100%). A majority (72.2%) reduced and nearly all (98.9%) increased follow-up frequency for benign or malignant GEP results, respectively. There was an overall increase in management plan confidence with GEP results. Diagnostic GEP tests help guide clinical decision-making in a variety of diagnostically ambiguous or clinicopathologically discordant scenarios.
PubMed: 38812731
DOI: 10.2217/mmt-2023-0002 -
Dermatology and Therapy Jun 2024Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a highly heterogeneous chronic inflammatory skin disorder that is frequently associated with a plethora of comorbidities. AD is, therefore,... (Review)
Review
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a highly heterogeneous chronic inflammatory skin disorder that is frequently associated with a plethora of comorbidities. AD is, therefore, considered a systemic disease impacted by a considerable burden and leading to poor quality of life, especially in patients with moderate-to-severe disease. Since atopic and non-atopic comorbidities can further worsen the disease course, accurate establishment of the patient's individual intrinsic risk profile and needs is crucial and may help in guiding the selection of the best treatment option. Better quality of care for patients with AD can be delivered through a multidisciplinary team led by a dermatologist, for comprehensive patient management. The implementation of a multidisciplinary approach for AD could enhance the delivery of optimised and safe treatments, improve the standard of care and patient outcomes in the short and long term, and prevent or delay the lifelong impact of uncontrolled AD. Understanding the unmet needs, assessing correctly the patient risk profile and enhancing the shared patient-physician decision-making process can lead to disease control and quality-of-life improvement, especially in the context of the introduction of newer treatment for AD. This narrative review is a call for more data to establish standardised patient profiles and multidisciplinary strategies in AD management. In view on the fast-evolving treatments for AD, this review aims at highlighting the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to a comprehensive assessment and holistic care in patients with moderate-to-severe AD.
PubMed: 38811470
DOI: 10.1007/s13555-024-01185-1