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This article explores the impact of patient knowledge and provider specialty on shared decision making (SDM) in eczema care settings. The study conducted a web-based survey of adult patients and caregivers of children with atopic dermatitis (AD) to assess their SDM experience and confidence to engage in SDM. The results showed that patients who felt well-informed about eczema had higher SDM scores and greater confidence to engage in SDM, regardless of whether they were seeing a specialist or non-specialist. The study highlights the importance of patient education in improving SDM and calls for comprehensive patient education across AD care settings. [Extracted from the article]

Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have low treatment satisfaction. In this study, we evaluated the humanistic burden, treatment satisfaction, and treatment expectations in patients with AD in the United States. Adults with AD recruited through the National Eczema Association and clinical sites completed a web-based survey comprising the Patient-Oriented SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (PO-SCORAD), Dermatology Life Quality Index; Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire-Atopic Dermatitis; Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM); and answered questions on healthcare provider (HCP) visits, treatment history, and treatment goals. Descriptive analyses were performed to compare participants by severity. Among 186 participants (mean [standard deviation] age 39.7 [15.3] years, 79.6% female), 26.9%, 44.6%, and 26.3% of the participants had mild, moderate, or severe AD, respectively, based on PO-SCORAD. Greater disease severity was associated with a greater impact on work and daily life, decreased TSQM scores, and increased HCP visits. Corticosteroid topical cream or ointment (53.8%) and oral antihistamines (31.2%) were most commonly used for the treatment of AD. Participants reported declining/stopping/changing AD treatment due to the potential for side effects or lack of efficacy. 'Leading normal lives' (28.0%) and 'being itch-free' (33.9%) were important treatment goals. Individuals with AD, especially severe disease, face a considerable humanistic burden even while using treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the need for improved eczema therapies and a rapid increase in available eczema clinical trials, participation remains low. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with clinical trial awareness, interest, and barriers to enrolment and participation. An online survey, administered 1 May to 6 June 2020 to adults (≥18 years) with eczema in the USA, was analysed. Among 800 patients included, mean age was 49.4 years, most respondents were female (78.1%), White (75.4%), non-Hispanic (91.4%), and geographically living in an urban/suburban area (Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC) 1–3, 90.8%). Only 9.7% of respondents reported previous participation in clinical trials, while 57.1% had considered participation and 33.2% never considered participation. Higher satisfaction with current eczema therapy, clinical trial literacy, and confidence in finding eczema trial information were all associated with clinical trial awareness, interest, and successful participation. Younger age and having atopic dermatitis were associated with increased awareness, while female gender was a barrier to interest and successful participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest Dr Brandling-Bennett has served as principal investigator for Lilly. Dr Arkin has received consulting fees from AbbVie, Regeneron, and Verrica. Dr Hebert has received research grants (paid to UTHealth McGovern Medical School) from LEO Pharma, Mayne Pharma, UCB, GSK, Ortho Dermatolgics, Amgen, Arcutis, AbbVie, and Pfizer; has received honoraria from Pfizer, Arcutis, UCB, Verrica, LEO Pharma, Novan, Incyte, Janssen, Mayne Pharma, and Castle Creek Bioscience; and has served on drug safety monitoring boards for Ortho Dermatologics, GSK, and Sanofi Regeneron. Dr Cordoro has served as a member of a scientific steering committee for Celgene. Dr Curran has served as an advisory board member for Novartis, receiving honoraria. Dr Dalrymple has served as an advisory board member for Novartis. Dr Flohr is chief investigator of the UK National Institute for Health Research-funded TREAT (ISRCTN15837754, EudraCT 2,015-002,013-29) and SOFTER (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03270566) trials as well as the UK-Irish Atopic Eczema Systemic Therapy Register (A-STAR; ISRCTN11210918) and a principal investigator in the European Union (EU) Horizon 2020-funded BIOMAP Consortium (http://www.biomap-imi.eu/). He also leads the EU Trans-Foods Consortium. His department has received funding from Sanofi-Genzyme and Pfizer for host-microbiome research. Dr Gordon has received personal fees from AbbVie, Almirall, Amgen, BMS, Dermavant, Dermira, Lilly, Janssen, Kyowa Hakko Kirin, LEO Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Sun Pharma, and UCB and grants from BMS, Lilly, and UCB. Dr Irvine has received person fees from AbbVie, LEO Pharma, Lilly, Novartis, and Sanofi/Regeneron, and has received a grant from the UK National Institute for Health Research (research arm of the UK Department of Health) as co-principal investigator of a clinical trial comparing MTX with cyclosporine in children with severe atopic dermatitis. Dr Kirkorian has received honoraria from Verrica. Dr Lara-Corrales has served as an advisory board member for Ipsen, LEO Pharma, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, and Sanofi Genzyme; as a consultant for AbbVie, Avicanna, Janssen, Johnson & Johnson, Loreal, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Sanofi Genzyme, and Valeant; as a speaker for AbbVie, Amgen, Novartis, and Sanofi Genzyme; and has served as a site investigator for AbbVie, Clementia Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, Lilly, and, Mayne Pharma. Dr Jill Lindstrom has received consulting fees from AbbVie, AnaptysBio, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Aristea, Incyte, and Priovant. Dr Amy S. Paller has served as an investigator for AbbVie, Applied Pharma Research, Dermavant, Eli Lilly, Incyte, Janssen, Krystal, Regeneron, and UCB; Consultant for Aegerion Pharma, Azitra, BioCryst, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Castle Creek, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Krystal, LEO Pharma, Novartis, Regeneron, Sanofi/Genzyme, Seanergy, TWI Biotechnology, and UCB, and on the data safety monitoring board for AbbVie, Abeona, Catawba, Galderma, and InMed. Author Begolka has served as an advisory board member for Incyte and Pfizer, and has received a grant from Pfizer. Dr Tom has served as a site investigator for clinical trials for Janssen, Regeneron, Incyte, Pfizer, Dermira, Eli Lilly, and AbbVie, and has been on data safety committees for LEO Pharma. Dr Voorhees has received research grants from AbbVie, Celgene, and Lilly; has served as an advisory board member for BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, Novartis, and UCB; and had received consulting fees from Amgen. Dr Vleugels has received consulting fees from AbbVie, Pfizer, and Priovant. Dr Lee has received consulting fees from AbbVie and Krystal Biotech; served as an investigator for AbbVie, Amryt, Arcutis, BMS, Castle Creek Biosciences, Celgene, Galderma, Incyte, Janssen, Kiniksa, Lilly, Mayne Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi Genzyme, Target Pharma, Trevi Therapeutics, and UCB; and has served as an advisory board member for Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, and Regeneron. Dr Davies has received a fellow stipend from Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA). Dr Siegfried has received consulting fees from AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Incyte, LEO Pharma, Novan, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi Genzyme, UCB, and Verrica; has received honoraria from Regeneron, Sanofi Genzyme, and Verrica; has served on data safety monitoring boards for LEO Pharma, Novan, Pfizer, and UCB; participated in contracted research for AI Therapeutics; served as principal investigator for Janssen, and her institution has received fees related to clinical trials from Janssen, Lilly, Pierre Fabre, Regeneron, and Verrica and in support of a 2020-2021 pediatric dermatology fellowship from Pfizer. Dr Chiu, Dr Callen, Dr Castello-Soccio, Dr Co, Author Hanna, Dr Kim, and Dr Reyes have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Importance: The use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) potentially holds promise as an opportunity to improve outcomes and quality of care for patients with skin disease, but the routine use of PROMs remains limited. While the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) has several strengths and domains relevant to those with chronic skin disease, it is not clear which are most useful., Objective: To determine which PROMIS domains are most meaningful to those with chronic skin disease to develop a PROMIS profile that effectively captures the experience of living with these skin diseases., Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study was based on data gathered from an internet survey that was administered to a sample of adult respondents in the US on the Prolific Platform and ResearchMatch and through the National Psoriasis Foundation. A list of PROMIS domains relevant to chronic skin disease was developed through literature review. These domains were included in a best-worst scaling exercise, in which participants were shown 12 sets of 4 domains and asked to choose which domain in each set was the most important and least important to their experience. Participants completed the survey between December 2022 and June 2023. Data were analyzed in June 2023., Main Outcomes and Measures: Ratio-scaled preference score for each of the domains., Results: Of 939 total participants, 559 (59.5%) were female, 20 (2.1%) gender nonconforming, 7 (0.7%) transgender men, and 1 (0.1%) transgender women; there were 4 American Indian/Alaska Native (0.4%), 50 Asian (5.3%), 63 Black (6.7%), 66 Hispanic or Latino/a/x (7.0%), 2 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (0.2%), 749 White (79.8%), and 42 multiracial individuals (4.5%). The survey was completed by 200 participants with acne, 316 with psoriasis, 199 with atopic dermatitis, and 224 with various chronic skin diseases. For those with acne, the highest-scored domains were body image (15.66), appearance (14.96), life satisfaction (11.29), depression (9.25), and anxiety (9.18). For those with psoriasis, the highest-scored domains were life satisfaction (11.31), appearance (11.05), itch (10.98), pain (9.97), and body image (8.75). For those with atopic dermatitis, the highest-scored domains were itch (12.60), life satisfaction (11.65), appearance (11.40), body image (11.25), and pain (10.03)., Conclusion and Relevance: The results of this study suggest that body image, appearance, life satisfaction, itch, pain, anxiety, and depression were highly rated across the surveys. By identifying the PROMIS domains most important to individuals with chronic skin disease, clinicians can choose the domains that are most relevant to patients. In addition, this may guide the construction of a PROMIS profile that effectively captures the experience of living with these skin diseases and can serve as a patient-reported measure of disease severity and treatment effectiveness.

Methotrexate (MTX) is a readily accessible drug, first used in 1948 and employed for a wide variety of indications since then. However, despite widespread off-label use, FDA labeling does not include approved indications for the use of MTX for many inflammatory skin diseases in pediatric patients, including morphea, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and alopecia areata, among others. Without published treatment guidelines, some clinicians may be hesitant to use MTX off-label, or uncomfortable prescribing MTX in this population. To address this unmet need, an expert consensus committee was convened to develop evidence- and consensus-based guidelines for use of MTX to treat pediatric inflammatory skin disease. Clinicians with experience and expertise in clinical research, drug development, and treating inflammatory skin disease in pediatric patients with MTX were recruited. Five committees were created based on major topic areas: (1) indications and contraindications, (2) dosing, (3) interactions with immunizations and medications, (4) adverse effects (potential for and management of), and (5) monitoring needs. Pertinent questions were generated and addressed by the relevant committee. The entire group participated in a modified Delphi process to establish agreement on recommendations for each question. The committee developed 46 evidence- and consensus-based recommendations, each with >70% agreement among members, across all five topics. These are presented in tables and text, along with a discussion of supporting literature, and level of evidence. These evidence- and consensus-based recommendations will support safe and effective use of MTX for the underserved population of pediatric patients who may benefit from this valuable, time-honored medication., (© 2023 The Authors. Pediatric Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Emerging digital measures and clinical outcome assessments (COAs) leveraging digital health technologies (DHTs) could address the need for objective, quantitative measures of symptoms of atopic dermatitis (AD), such as nocturnal scratching. Development of such measures needs to be supported by evidence reflecting meaningfulness to patients., Objectives: To assess nocturnal scratching as a concept of interest associated with meaningful aspects of health of patients with AD (adults and children); and to explore patient-centred considerations for novel COAs measuring nocturnal scratch using DHTs., Methods: Phase 1 evaluated disease impacts on everyday life and the lived experience with nocturnal scratching through qualitative interviews of AD patients and caregivers. Phase 2 deployed a quantitative survey to a sample of AD patients as well as caregivers., Results: Four cohorts with various AD severity levels participated in Phase 1: (1) adults with AD ( n  = 15), (2) their caregivers/spouses/partners ( n  = 6), (3) children with AD ( n  = 14), and (4) their adult caregivers ( n  = 14). Findings were used to develop a conceptual model for nocturnal scratching as a potential concept of interest. The Phase 2 survey was completed by 1349 of 27640 invited adults with AD and caregivers of children with AD. The most burdensome aspects of AD reported were itchy skin and scratching. Overall, ∼65% of participants reported nocturnal scratching ≥1 day/week, resulting in ∼1-1.4 h of sleep lost per night. In all, 85%-91% of respondents considered it at least somewhat valuable that a treatment reduces night-time scratching. About 50% reported willingness to use technology to this end and ∼25% were unsure., Conclusion: Our results represented by the conceptual model confirm that nocturnal scratch is a concept of interest related to meaningful aspects of health for patients with AD and therefore is worth being captured as a distinct outcome for clinical and research purposes. DHTs are suitable tools presenting an important measurement opportunity to assess and evaluate occurrence, frequency, and other parameters of nocturnal scratching as a disease biomarker or COA of treatment efficacy., Competing Interests: Lucia Cesnakova and Jennifer C. Goldsack are employees of the Digital Medicine Society, the sponsor of this study. The other authors are employees of their respective organizations. Carrie A. Northcott, Doina Sirbu and Jérémy Lambert are shareholders of their respective organizations., (© 2023 Digital Medicine Society (DiME). Skin Health and Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists.)

Competing Interests: None disclosed.

Importance: Patient values and preferences can inform atopic dermatitis (AD) care. Systematic summaries of evidence addressing patient values and preferences have not previously been available., Objective: To inform American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)/American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters AD guideline development, patient and caregiver values and preferences in the management of AD were systematically synthesized., Evidence Review: Paired reviewers independently screened MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases from inception until March 20, 2022, for studies of patients with AD or their caregivers, eliciting values and preferences about treatment, rated risk of bias, and extracted data. Thematic and inductive content analysis to qualitatively synthesize the findings was used. Patients, caregivers, and clinical experts provided triangulation. The GRADE-CERQual (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation-Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research) informed rating of the quality of evidence., Findings: A total of 7780 studies were identified, of which 62 proved eligible (n = 19 442; median age across studies [range], 15 years [3-44]; 59% female participants). High certainty evidence showed that patients and caregivers preferred to start with nonmedical treatments and to step up therapy with increasing AD severity. Moderate certainty evidence showed that adverse effects from treatment were a substantial concern. Low certainty evidence showed that patients and caregivers preferred odorless treatments that are not visible and have a minimal effect on daily life. Patients valued treatments capable of relieving itching and burning skin and preferred to apply topical corticosteroids sparingly. Patients valued a strong patient-clinician relationship. Some studies presented varied perspectives and 18 were at high risk for industry sponsorship bias., Conclusions and Relevance: In the first systematic review to address patient values and preferences in management of AD to our knowledge, 6 key themes that may inform optimal clinical care, practice guidelines, and future research have been identified.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with elevated financial costs, including out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses. Yet, the full burden of OOP expenses in children with AD is poorly understood., Objectives: We sought to characterise categories, impact, and associations of caregiver-reported OOP AD healthcare expenses for US children., Methods: An online survey was administered to National Eczema Association members ( N  = 113 502). Inclusion criteria (US resident; respondent age ≥18; self or caregiver report of AD diagnosis) was met by 77.3% (1118/1447) of those who completed the questionnaire., Results: Caregivers of children (<18 years) with AD reported increased healthcare provider (HCP) visits, comorbid food allergy, cutaneous infections, and topical antimicrobial use ( p  < 0.005 for all), and increased OOP expenses for hospitalisation, emergency room visits, emollients, hygiene/bathing products, childcare, and specialised cleaning products, and clothing/bedding ( p  < 0.05 for all) compared to adults with AD. Children with AD had increased median total yearly OOP expenditures ($860 vs. $500, p  = 0.002) and were more likely to spend ≥$1000 OOP per year (48.9% vs. 40.0%, p  = 0.03). In children, yearly OOP expenses ≥$1000 were associated with increased AD severity, flares, HCP visits, prescription polypharmacy, and step-up therapy use ( p  < 0.005 for all) compared with adults. Predictors of harmful financial impact among children included black race (adjusted OR [95% confidence interval]: 3.86 [1.66-8.98] p  = 0.002) and ≥$1000 annual OOP expenditures (6.98 [3.46-14.08], p  < 0.0001)., Conclusion: Children with AD have unique and increased OOP expenses that are associated with significant disease burden. Strategies are needed to reduce OOP costs and improve clinical outcomes in children with AD., Competing Interests: Raj Chovatiya has served as an advisory board member, consultant, and/or investigator for AbbVie, Arcutis, Arena, Beiersdorf, Bristol Myers Squibb, Dermavant, Eli Lilly and Company, EPI Health, Incyte, L'Oréal, National Eczema Association, Pfizer Inc., Regeneron, Sanofi, and UCB, and speaker for AbbVie, Dermavant, Eli Lilly and Company, Incyte, Pfizer Inc., Regeneron, Sanofi, and UCB. Wendy Smith Begolka has served as an advisory board member and/or investigator for Incyte and Pfizer. Jonathan Silverberg reports personal fees from Abbvie, Afyx, Arena, Asana, BioMX, Bluefin, Bodewell, Boehringer‐Ingelheim, Celgene, Dermavant, Dermira, Eli Lilly, Galderma, GlaxoSmithKline, Incyte, Kiniksa, Leo, Luna, Menlo, Novartis, Pfizer, RAPT, Regeneron, Sanofi‐Genzyme; institution received grants from Galderma. Isabelle Thibau declares no competing interests., (© 2022 The Authors. Skin Health and Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists.)

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with substantial financial cost, including increased out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses. Associations and impact of OOP costs are poorly understood., Objective: The aim of the study was to characterize the impact and associations of OOP health care expenses for AD., Methods: A 25-question online survey was administered to National Eczema Association members (N = 113,502). Inclusion criteria (US residents aged ≥18 years; self-reported AD or primary caregiver of individual with AD) were met by 77.3% (1118 of 1447)., Results: Respondents with monthly OOP expenses greater than $200 were more likely to have increased AD severity, flares, health care provider visits, prescription polypharmacy, use of step-up therapy, frequent skin infections, and poorer disease control ( P < 0.005 for all). Respondents with OOP yearly expenditures greater than $1000 had similar associations and additionally increased rates of comorbid asthma, allergic rhinitis, and anxiety/depression ( P < 0.005 for all). A total of 64.6% (n = 624) reported harmful household financial impact of OOP expenses. Predictors of harmful impact included severe AD (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 2.62 [1.11-6.19], P = 0.04), comorbid asthma (1.42 [1.07-1.87], P = 0.03), 5 health care provider visits or more in a year (2.80 [1.62-4.82], P = 0.0007), greater than $200 OOP monthly expenditures (2.16 [1.45-3.22], 0.0006), and $1000 annual OOP expenditures or more (4.56 [3.31-6.27], P < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Out-of-pocket expenses for AD significantly impact household finances. Clinical interventions are needed to minimize OOP expenses while optimizing care outcomes.Capsule Summary:• Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with significant financial cost, including increased out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses, although the impact and associations of OOP health care expenses for AD management are not well understood.• The OOP health care expenses related to AD are associated with increased disease severity and health care utilization and significantly impact the household finances of patients and caregivers.• Health care providers should be mindful of the OOP financial burden related to AD management and engage in shared decision making to create a treatment plan that is practical and effective and minimizes household financial impact., Competing Interests: R.C. reports personal fees from AbbVie and Regeneron­Sanofi. J.I.S. reports personal fees from AbbVie, Anaptysbio, Asana, EliLilly, Galderma, GlaxoSmithKline, Kiniksa, Leo, Menlo, Pfizer, Realm, Regeneron­Sanofi, and Roivant and grants from GlaxoSmithKline, Regeneron­Sanofi, and Galderma. The other authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Contact Dermatitis Society.)

Black race is associated with increased atopic dermatitis (AD) severity and healthcare resource utilization. However, the burden of out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses among black individuals with AD is not well understood. We sought to characterize the categories and impact of OOP healthcare expenses associated with AD management among black individuals. A 25-question voluntary online survey was administered to National Eczema Association members (N = 113,502). Inclusion criteria (US residents age ≥ 18 years; self-report of AD or primary caregivers of individuals with AD) was met by 77.3% (1118/1447) of respondents. Black individuals with AD were younger, had lower household income, Medicaid, urban residence, poor AD control and frequent skin infections (P ≤ 0.02). Blacks vs. non-blacks reported more OOP costs for prescription medications covered (74.2% vs. 63.6%, P = 0.04) and not covered (65.1% vs. 46.5%, P = 0.0004) by insurance, emergency room visits (22.1% vs. 11.8%, P = 0.005), and outpatient laboratory testing (33.3% vs. 21.8%, P = 0.01). Black race was associated with increased household financial impact from OOP expenses (P = 0.0009), and predictors of financial impact included minimally controlled AD (adjusted OR [95% CI] 13.88 [1.63-117.96], P = 0.02), systemic therapy (4.34 [1.63-11.54], 0.003), > $200 monthly OOP expenses (14.28 [3.42-59.60], P = 0.0003), and Medicaid (4.02 [1.15-14.07], P = 0.03). Blacks with Medicaid had higher odds of harmful financial impact (3.32 [1.77-6.24], P = 0.0002) than those of black race (1.81 [1.04-3.15], P = 0.04) or with Medicaid (1.39 [1.02-1.88], P = 0.04) alone. Black race is associated with increased OOP costs for AD and significant household financial impact. Targeted interventions are needed to address financial disparities in AD., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Atopic dermatitis is a pruritic chronic condition associated with significant sleep disturbance, inattention, and sometimes behavioral problems. Enhancing resiliency in children with atopic dermatitis may promote coping strategies to improve quality of life. Positive psychology is one strategy that can be used to strengthen resiliency., Objective: Our objective was to identify positive psychology concepts mentioned by children with atopic dermatitis and their parent to inform strategies to strengthen resiliency in children with atopic dermatitis., Methods: A total of 20 patient-parent dyads were interviewed to share their experience with atopic dermatitis to help develop a novel psychologic intervention for atopic dermatitis. Patients were 8 to 17 years old and diagnosed with atopic dermatitis. Trained coders analyzed transcripts using a coding dictionary developed based on Seligman's PERMA (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment) model of positive psychology. The frequency of unprompted mentions of PERMA themes and relevant quotations was captured. Transcripts were also separately coded for resiliency, which is the ultimate goal of PERMA., Results: Positive psychology concepts were mentioned by 100% (20/20) of children and 95% (19/20) of parents. Engagement and relationships, both negative and positive aspects, were the most common unprompted PERMA themes mentioned by children (14/20, 70%) and parents (13/20, 65%). Emotion elicited the most negative comments from children (19/20, 95%) and parents (17/20, 85%). When analyzed for resiliency, 8 participants were identified with at least one resiliency code. On average, participants with a resiliency code mentioned PERMA concepts 9.1 (SD 4.7) times compared to those who mentioned none (mean 5.9, SD 4.6) (P=.14). When participants were stratified by disease severity, on average, more positive psychology concepts were mentioned by patients with mild atopic dermatitis (mean 13, SD 3.0) than those with moderate symptoms (mean 6.2, SD 4.9) or severe symptoms (mean 6.1, SD 4.0) (P=.03)., Conclusions: Among PERMA themes, engagement and relationships are the two most commonly mentioned categories for children with atopic dermatitis. Strategies targeting PERMA such as affirmations and positive reframing may improve psychosocial well-being and resiliency in pediatric atopic dermatitis. Future directions will look at incorporating "positive medicine" into atopic dermatitis treatment to not only relieve symptoms but also strengthen positive aspects of life., (©Terry M Lou, Kenneth L Zhang, Noël C Slesinger, Michelle Taddeo, Eloisa Serrano, Wendy Smith Begolka, Korey Capozza, Amy S Paller, James W Griffith, Anna B Fishbein. Originally published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting (https://pediatrics.jmir.org), 14.09.2022.)

DISCLOSURES: No funding contributed to the writing of this commentary. Smith Begolka, Butler, and Guadalupe are salaried employees of the National Eczema Association, which has received grants and sponsorship awards from a variety of industry partners, including AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Incyte, LEO Pharma, Pfizer, Regeneron, and Sanofi. Smith Begolka has received grant funding from Pfizer and advisory board honoraria from Pfizer and Incyte. Butler and Guadalupe have received advisory board honoraria from Incyte.

Context: On February 3, 2019, Atlanta, Georgia, hosted Super Bowl LIII, which is classified as a National Special Security Event. The festivities comprising this major sporting event brought approximately half a million people to Atlanta, which posed significant challenges to the local public health community. As the lead local agency for public health planning, preparedness, and response efforts, Fulton County Board of Health (FCBOH) needed to address multiple specific tasks based on core functional areas outlined in the Emergency Support Function (ESF) 8 (eg, bioterrorism preparedness and epidemiological surveillance)., Program: To prepare for the Super Bowl, FCBOH developed a systematic approach to ensure community-wide public health preparedness for mass gatherings. This approach came to be known as the 6 E framework, which consists of (1) engaging stakeholders, (2) examining current capabilities and identifying gaps, (3) establishing roles and responsibilities, (4) executing plans to fill gaps, (5) exercising plans, and (6) evaluating impact., Implementation: We define each step of the 6 E framework and present practical examples of how FCBOH implemented each step when preparing for the Super Bowl. Challenges that FCBOH faced and the lessons learned in the process are illustrated. The 6 E framework provides a systematic approach to community preparedness and allows local health departments to tailor the approach to serve local public health needs., Evaluation: The successful implementation of the 6 E framework allowed for stakeholders at the federal, state, and local levels (including law enforcement) to effectively coordinate an epidemiological investigation and response when 4 staff members reported gastrointestinal symptoms after eating at a feeding station., Discussion: Preparation for the Super Bowl required months of diligent cross-sectoral and cross-jurisdictional partnership building, and the 6 E framework can help other local public health jurisdictions prepare to host major mass gatherings., Competing Interests: The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, pruritic inflammatory dermatosis that affects up to 25% of children and 2% to 3% of adults. This guideline addresses important clinical questions that arise in atopic dermatitis management and care, providing recommendations based on the available evidence. In this third of 4 sections, treatment of atopic dermatitis with phototherapy and systemic immunomodulators, antimicrobials, and antihistamines is reviewed, including indications for use and the risk-benefit profile of each treatment option., (Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Lesbian couples seek to become parents in a heteronormative world and in the context of complex biological, social, and legal challenges that may constrain same-sex parenting. Because of these constraints and challenges, lesbian couples experiencing a reproductive loss may encounter issues that heterosexual couples typically will not. Prior to pregnancy, lesbians may experience loss and grief because they cannot conceive a child together without the assistance of a third party. Same-sex families are marginalized; simply deciding to become parents leaves them open to criticism and negative judgment. If pregnancy is not achieved or does not end in a live birth, lesbian couples face decisions about how, whether, and who to conceive a subsequent pregnancy. Although laws vary by state, the social (nonbiological) mother may not have legal status as the child's parent; therefore, the decision of which partner to become pregnant is especially significant. In the event of a reproductive loss, the grief of the social mother might not be acknowledged. Lesbian couples will benefit from the care of a nurse who understands and is accepting of the complex contexts within which they face the challenges of reproductive loss.

The American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, with the support of other sister societies, conducted the Facial Soft-Tissue Fillers: Assessing the State of the Science conference in December of 2009. The American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons established a panel of leading experts in the field of soft-tissue fillers-from researchers to clinicians-and other stakeholders for the conference to examine and discuss issues of patient safety, efficacy, and effectiveness in relation to the approved and off-label use of soft-tissue fillers, and other factors, including the training and level of experience of individuals administering fillers. This report represents the systematic literature review that examines comprehensively the available evidence and gaps in the evidence related to soft-tissue fillers, to inform and support the work of the state-of-the-science conference panel. This evidence-based medicine review will serve as the foundation for future evidence-based medicine reports in this growing field., (Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. and American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, with the support of other sister societies, conducted the Facial Soft-Tissue Fillers: Assessing the State of the Science conference in December of 2009. The American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons established a panel of leading experts in the field of soft-tissue fillers-from researchers to clinicians-and other stakeholders for the conference to examine and discuss issues of patient safety, efficacy, and effectiveness in relation to the approved and off-label use of soft-tissue fillers, and other factors, including the training and level of experience of individuals administering fillers. This report summarizes the deliberations and key points made by the panel and presenters to the panel, and includes a summary of the panel's near-term and longer term recommendations for next steps to help guide future efforts to address the safety, efficacy, and effectiveness of facial soft-tissue fillers. This report represents the panel's assessment of the medical knowledge available on facial soft-tissue fillers at the time of the conference., (Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. and American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Summary: : The American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Academy of Dermatology, with the support of other sister societies, conducted the Facial Soft-Tissue Fillers: Assessing the State of the Science conference in December of 2009. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Academy of Dermatology established a panel of leading experts in the field of soft-tissue fillers-from researchers to clinicians-and other stakeholders for the conference to examine and discuss issues of patient safety, efficacy, and effectiveness in relation to the approved and off-label use of soft-tissue fillers, and other factors, including the training and level of experience of individuals administering fillers. This report represents the systematic literature review that examines comprehensively the available evidence and gaps in the evidence related to soft-tissue fillers, to inform and support the work of the state-of-the-science conference panel. This evidence-based medicine review will serve as the foundation for future evidence-based medicine reports in this growing field.

Background: The periventricular subventricular zone (SVZ) contains stem cells and is an area of active neurogenesis and migration. Since inflammation can reduce neurogenesis, we tested whether Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) induces inflammation and reduces neurogenesis in the SVZ., Methods: We performed immmunohistochemistry for the hematopoietic cell marker CD45 throughout the central nervous system and then examined neuroblasts in the SVZ., Results: CD45+ activation (inflammation) occurred early in the forebrain and preceded cerebellar and spinal cord inflammation. Inflammation in the brain was regionally stochastic except for the SVZ and surrounding periventricular regions where it was remarkably pronounced and consistent. In preclinical mice, SVZ neuroblasts emigrated into inflamed periventricular regions. The number of proliferating phoshpohistone3+ cells and Doublecortin+ (Dcx) SVZ neuroblasts was overall unaffected during the periods of greatest inflammation. However the number of Dcx+ and polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM+) SVZ neuroblasts decreased only after periventricular inflammation abated., Conclusion: Our results suggest that after TMEV infection, the SVZ may mount an attempt at neuronal repair via emigration, a process dampened by decreases in neuroblast numbers.

CD4+CD25+ T regulatory (T(R)) cells are an important regulatory component of the adaptive immune system that limit autoreactive T cell responses in various models of autoimmunity. This knowledge was generated by previous studies from our lab and others using T(R) cell supplementation and depletion. Contrary to dogma, we report here that injection of anti-CD25 mAb results in the functional inactivation, not depletion, of T(R) cells, resulting in exacerbated autoimmune disease. Supporting this, mice receiving anti-CD25 mAb treatment display significantly lower numbers of CD4+CD25+ T cells but no change in the number of CD4+FoxP3+ T(R) cells. In addition, anti-CD25 mAb treatment fails to both reduce the number of Thy1.1+ congenic CD4+CD25+ T(R) cells or alter levels of CD25 mRNA expression in treatment recipients. Taken together, these findings have far-reaching implications for the interpretation of all previous studies forming conclusions about CD4+CD25+ T(R) cell depletion in vivo.

The central nervous system (CNS) is an immunologically specialized organ. The blood-brain barrier regulates the passage of molecules and cells into the CNS. Robust immune responses occur in the CNS even though there is normally an absence of MHC molecules, lack of normal lymphatic drainage, and reduced immune surveillance. This review discusses the immunological elements of the healthy CNS and the pattern of responses that evolve during innate and adaptive immunity in this organ. We also discuss the contribution of astrocytes, cerebrovascular endothelial cells, microglia, macrophages, and dendritic cells to the integrity and pathology of the CNS during CD4+ T-cell autoimmune responses directed against neuroantigens.

The immunologic privilege of the central nervous system (CNS) makes it crucial that CNS resident cells be capable of responding rapidly to infection. Astrocytes have been reported to express Toll-like receptors (TLRs), hallmark pattern recognition receptors of the innate immune system, and respond to their ligation with cytokine production. Astrocytes have also been reported to respond to cytokines of the adaptive immune system with the induction of antigen presentation functions. Here we have compared the ability of TLR stimuli and the adaptive immune cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) to induce a variety of immunologic functions of astrocytes. We show that innate signals LPS- and poly I:C lead to stronger upregulation of TLRs and production of the cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha as well as innate immune effector molecules IFN-alpha4, IFN-beta, and iNOS compared with cytokine-stimulated astrocytes. Both innate stimulation and adaptive stimulation induce similar expression of the chemokines CCL2, CCL3, and CCL5, as well as similar enhancement of adhesion molecule ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression by astrocytes. Stimulation with adaptive immune cytokines, however, was unique in its ability to induce upregulation of MHC II and the functional ability of astrocytes to activate CD4(+) T cells. These results indicate potentially important and changing roles for astrocytes during the progression of CNS infection., (Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)