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Quality of life impairment in dermatology patients and severity of psoriasis are quantified by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), respectively. The aim of this study is to compare the correlation between PASI and DLQI in patients from different geographical areas and to identify predictors of high DLQI across geographical regions. Correlations between PASI and DLQI were evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation tests and quantile regression. The study included 1,158 patients with psoriasis, with a median (interquartile range) PASI and DLQI of 6.0 (3.0–12.0) and 8.0 (4.0–15.0), respectively. Correlations were demonstrated between PASI and DLQI, both overall and stratified by geographical region. Quantile (median) regression yielded coefficients of 0.75 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.62, 0.88) for Switzerland, 0.50 (95% CI 0.42, 0.58) for Latin America, 0.34 (95% CI 0.16, 0.51) for Asia, and 0.31 (95% CI 0.08, 0.53) for the USA. Current age, age at diagnosis, sex, body mass index, and psoriasis arthritis affected DLQI in Latin America, while education had an impact among patients treated in Switzerland. Few countries were included within each continent; hence, more data from different countries are necessary for generalizability. The study showed correlations between PASI and DLQI among patients in all included geographical regions. The patients’ characteristics affecting DLQI vary worldwide.

Quality of life impairment in dermatology patients and severity of psoriasis are quantified by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), respectively. The aim of this study is to compare the correlation between PASI and DLQI in patients from different geographical areas and to identify predictors of high DLQI across geographical regions. Correlations between PASI and DLQI were evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation tests and quantile regression. The study included 1,158 patients with psoriasis, with a median (interquartile range) PASI and DLQI of 6.0 (3.0–12.0) and 8.0 (4.0–15.0), respectively. Correlations were demonstrated between PASI and DLQI, both overall and stratified by geographical region. Quantile (median) regression yielded coefficients of 0.75 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.62, 0.88) for Switzerland, 0.50 (95% CI 0.42, 0.58) for Latin America, 0.34 (95% CI 0.16, 0.51) for Asia, and 0.31 (95% CI 0.08, 0.53) for the USA. Current age, age at diagnosis, sex, body mass index, and psoriasis arthritis affected DLQI in Latin America, while education had an impact among patients treated in Switzerland. Few countries were included within each continent; hence, more data from different countries are necessary for generalizability. The study showed correlations between PASI and DLQI among patients in all included geographical regions. The patients’ characteristics affecting DLQI vary worldwide.

Malassezia form the dominant eukaryotic microbial community on the human skin. The Malassezia genus possesses a repertoire of secretory hydrolytic enzymes involved in protein and lipid metabolism which alter the external cutaneous environment. The exact role of most Malassezia secreted enzymes, including those in interaction with the epithelial surface, is not well characterized. In this study, we compared the expression level of secreted proteases, lipases, phospholipases, and sphingomyelinases of Malassezia globosa in healthy subjects and seborrheic dermatitis or atopic dermatitis patients. We observed upregulated gene expression of the previously characterized secretory aspartyl protease MGSAP1 in both diseased groups, in lesional and non-lesional skin sites, as compared to healthy subjects. To explore the functional roles of MGSAP1 in skin disease, we generated a knockout mutant of the homologous protease MFSAP1 in the genetically tractable Malassezia furfur. We observed the loss of MFSAP1 resulted in dramatic changes in the cell adhesion and dispersal in both culture and a human 3D reconstituted epidermis model. In a murine model of Malassezia colonization, we further demonstrated Mfsap1 contributes to inflammation as observed by reduced edema and inflammatory cell infiltration with the knockout mutant versus wildtype. Taken together, we show that this dominant secretory Malassezia aspartyl protease has an important role in enabling a planktonic cellular state that can potentially aid in colonization and additionally as a virulence factor in barrier-compromised skin, further highlighting the importance of considering the contextual relevance when evaluating the functions of secreted microbial enzymes.

MeiQi May Liau,1 Hazel H Oon2 1Division of Dermatology, University Medicine Cluster, National University Hospital, Singapore; 2National Skin Centre, Singapore Abstract: Biologics are an important component of the armamentarium of drugs in the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. There is increasing evidence that therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) encompassing the measurement of trough concentrations and anti-drug antibodies (ADA), together with clinical response is emerging as a valuable tool for clinical decision making. It aids in targeted dose adjustments in patients with low drug concentrations, monitoring of adherence and assessment of patients who lose response to biologics or do not respond at all. The high prevalence of psoriasis, its impact on patients’ lives and costs spent on therapy motivate an evidence-based and cost-effective utility of biologics. We performed a literature review on the TDM of TNF alpha antagonists (adalimumab, infliximab, etanercept), IL12/23 antagonists (ustekinumab, guselkumab, tildrakizumab), IL17A inhibitors (secukinumab, ixekizumab) and biosimilars used in the treatment of psoriasis. Although establishing target therapeutic ranges for biologics is ideal, this has only been explored in adalimumab. We also propose a treatment algorithm for the practical application of TDM depending on drug trough concentrations, presence/absence of anti-drug antibodies and clinical response of patients. The practice of TDM is recommended in routine clinical practice where possible. Keywords: psoriasis, biologics, therapeutic drug monitoring

Shi Yu Derek Lim,1 Hazel H Oon21Internal Medicine Residency, National Healthcare Group, Singapore, Singapore; 2Department of Dermatology, National Skin Centre, Singapore, SingaporeBackground: Greater understanding of the roles of tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, IL-10, and the IL-23/T-helper (Th) 17 and IL-12/Th1 pathways in immune dysregulation in moderate/severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) has helped in developing new regimens. We aim to review the use of different immunomodulatory therapies used to manage HS.Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted on the PubMed and Clinicaltrials.gov databases from 1 January 1947 to 31 December 2018. Only clinical trials, case reports, case series and retrospective analyses published in the English language were included.Results: Our search yielded 107 articles and 35 clinical trials, of which 15 are still ongoing. The tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors adalimumab and infliximab were the most comprehensively studied agents. Published data from clinical trials support the efficacy of adalimumab, infliximab, anakinra, ustekinumab, bermekimab and apremilast but not etanercept and MEDI8968. Clinical trials for CJM112 have been completed, with results awaiting publication. Trials are underway for secukinumab, IFX-1, INCB054707 and bimekizumab. Biologics used in smaller cohorts include canakinumab, golimumab and rituximab. Most agents are well tolerated and demonstrate a good safety profile, with the most commonly reported adverse event being infections.Discussion and conclusions: To date, adalimumab is the only biologic which has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for HS. However, other agents also show promise, with further trials underway to evaluate their efficacy, tolerability and safety profiles. Different clinical measurement scores and endpoints used to make direct comparison difficult. Longitudinal surveillance and pooled registry data are paramount to

Prominent skin involvement is a defining characteristic of autoinflammatory disorders caused by abnormal IL-1 signaling. However, the pathways and cell types that drive cutaneous autoinflammatory features remain poorly understood. We sought to address this issue by investigating the pathogenesis of pustular psoriasis, a model of autoinflammatory disorders with predominant cutaneous manifestations. We specifically characterized the impact of mutations affecting AP1S3, a disease gene previously identified by our group and validated here in a newly ascertained patient resource. We first showed that AP1S3 expression is distinctively elevated in keratinocytes. Because AP1S3 encodes a protein implicated in autophagosome formation, we next investigated the effects of gene silencing on this pathway. We found that AP1S3 knockout disrupts keratinocyte autophagy, causing abnormal accumulation of p62, an adaptor protein mediating NF-kappa B activation. We showed that as a consequence, AP1S3-deficient cells up-regulate IL-1 signaling and overexpress IL-36 alpha, a cytokine that is emerging as an important mediator of skin inflammation. These abnormal immune profiles were recapitulated by pharmacological inhibition of autophagy and verified in patient keratinocytes, where they were reversed by IL-36 blockade. These findings show that keratinocytes play a key role in skin autoinflammation and identify autophagy modulation of IL-36 signaling as a therapeutic target.