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Background: No standardized, evidence-based surveillance practices exist to guide and optimize recurrence detection in patients with cutaneous melanoma., Objective: To determine the most high-yield positive review of systems for signaling recurrence in patients with cutaneous melanoma., Methods: This retrospective cohort study assessed patients with a history of cutaneous melanoma and compared demographic and clinical characteristics, including a comprehensive review of systems, among those who experienced recurrence and those who did not., Results: A high-yield positive review of systems associated with cutaneous melanoma recurrence can be remembered using the mnemonic "ATLAS": Appetite change, Tiredness, Lymph node enlargement, Abdominal pain, and Shortness of breath LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design, limited sample size, and variability in follow-up time between recurrent and nonrecurrent cohorts., Conclusion: Any treating physician using this model may have a greater opportunity to detect recurrent cutaneous melanoma and improve outcomes while limiting cost and morbidity., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None disclosed., (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background/objectives: Diagnostic criteria for atopic dermatitis (AD) are limited in their performance and/or usability. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) consensus criteria include hierarchical categories of disease features to improve these metrics but have not been validated. Our objective was to create and validate a checkbox form of the AAD consensus criteria in the pediatric population., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 100 pediatric patients with AD (n = 58) and diseases in the differential diagnosis of AD (n = 42)., Results: Having three or more "Essential," ≥2 "Important," ≥1 "Associated" features of the AAD criteria was optimal for the diagnosis of AD in children. This combination was 91.4% (95% CI, 84.2%-98.6%) sensitive and 95.2% (88.8%-100%) specific. The UK working party criteria and the Hanifin-Rajka criteria had sensitivities of 96.6% (95% CI 91.9%-100%) and 98.3% (95% CI 94.9%-100%) and specificities of 83.3% (95% CI 72.1%-94.6%) and 71.4% (95% CI 57.8%-85.1%), respectively. The AAD criteria had significantly greater specificity than the Hanifin-Rajka criteria (p = .002)., Conclusions: This study represents an important step in validating the AAD consensus criteria and formulating a useable checkbox form for diagnosing AD in the pediatric population., (© 2023 The Authors. Pediatric Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Acne vulgaris varies in clinical severity, from minimal comedonal disease to severe hemorrhagic and ulcerative lesions with scarring. While a family history confers a higher risk for developing acne, the correlation between heritability and clinical severity remains unclear., Objective: To examine the natural history and heritability of severe acne with scarring in patients undergoing isotretinoin therapy., Methods: A total of 101 subjects with severe acne with scarring and its variants, including acne conglobata and acne fulminans, were enrolled. All subjects and adult family members underwent an interview regarding their acne, and a corresponding "historical" Investigator's Global Assessment (hIGA) score (0 = clear, 1 = almost clear, 2 = mild, 3 = moderate, 4 = severe, 5 = very severe) was assigned. Study assessors performed an "examination" Investigator's Global Assessment (eIGA) based on the clinical examination of each subject (0 = clear, 1 = almost clear, 2 = mild, 3 = moderate, 4 = severe, 5 = very severe). A detailed family history and pedigree were documented., Results: Most subjects were Caucasian (44.5%) and male (79.2%) who had previously used doxycycline and/or minocycline (86.1%). The mean eIGA and hIGA scores were 2.7 and 4.4, respectively. 37.2% of subjects had one first-degree relative with a history of moderate or severe acne with scarring; of note, of the patients with hemorrhagic disease, 30% had at least one parent with moderate or severe acne., Conclusions: Severe forms of acne often "cluster" in families, underscoring the heritable nature of acne and the prognostic value of a family history of moderate or severe disease., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background/objectives: The pathogenesis of preadolescent acne has not been well studied, and it is uncertain if Cutibacterium acnes is a predominant organism in the microbiome in this age group. The aim of this study was to analyze the microbiome of preadolescent females and to assess whether benzoyl peroxide impacts the microbiome., Methods: The study enrolled girls, aged 7-12 years, with evidence of at least six acne lesions who had not been previously treated. Participants' skin surface of forehead, cheeks, nose, chin, left retroauricular crease, and extruded contents of a comedonal lesion were sampled at baseline. Participants used benzoyl peroxide 4% wash for 6-8 weeks and returned for skin surface sampling and extraction collection. Microbiome analysis was performed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing on all swab and lesional extraction samples., Results: Fifty-one participants were enrolled with a median IGA score of 2 (mild). Changes in microbiome diversity were associated with increasing age and number of acne lesions (P = 0.001). C. acnes had higher abundances on forehead and nose, as opposed to cheeks and chin (P = 0.009). Bacterial diversity (alpha diversity) of the skin microbiome was comparable between preadolescent at baseline and after treatment with benzoyl peroxide., Conclusion: This is the first large assessment characterizing female acne microbiome in early and late preadolescence. Results show that preadolescent acne can vary in its microbial profile, reflecting surrounding changes associated with the onset of puberty. Although benzoyl peroxide use was associated with decreased acne counts, its effect on microbial diversity was not demonstrated in our study., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) used to be considered a rarity in children, but recently has been estimated to effect 4.4 million children in the USA alone, with a notable rise in investigative research in the field of pediatric ACD. Researchers have shown that patch testing is safe and effective in afflicted children and that those with atopic dermatitis (AD) have similar sensitization rates, although they have a higher sensitization to certain allergens, thought to be related to the inflammatory (IL-4) milieu. Patch testing assessment guidelines in children include five key considerations: if a patient's dermatitis worsens, changes distribution, fails to improve with topical therapy, or immediately rebounds after removal of topical treatments; if a patient has a particular distribution of dermatitis; if a working patient has hand eczema that fails to improve with therapy; if the patient has AD that started in adolescence or adulthood with definitely no history of childhood eczema; and importantly, if a patient has severe or widespread atopic dermatitis that will require immunosuppressive systemic medication.

Hand-foot-skin reaction is a distinct clinical condition arising in association with the use of multikinase inhibitors, including sorafenib. Because multikinase inhibitors are increasingly being used in children with cancer, recognition of this previously unfamiliar condition is of importance to pediatric dermatologists. We describe the diagnosis and successful treatment of a case of hand-foot-skin reaction in a child taking sorafenib for an unresectable desmoid tumor., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Idiopathic facial aseptic granuloma is a distinct, benign lesion that presents in very young children and is characterized by a painless facial nodule that usually appears on the cheek. It is typically characterized by a prolonged course but heals spontaneously or in response to antibiotic treatment. The challenge is to diagnose this entity correctly, ideally based on clinical acumen, to avoid surgical intervention with facial sutures and the resultant scarring and unnecessary treatment interventions. In this article, we discuss three cases of idiopathic facial aseptic granuloma to raise awareness and highlight the diagnostic challenges and possible link to childhood rosacea., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Crisaborole and dupilumab represent the first 2 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapies for atopic dermatitis (AD) in more than 15 years, and there are many promising drugs currently in development. This new wave of therapeutics capitalizes on the large body of work clarifying the pathogenesis of AD over the last several decades. In particular, type 2 cytokine-driven inflammation and skin barrier dysfunction are key processes underlying AD pathogenesis., (©2017 Frontline Medical Communications.)

The majority of atopic dermatitis (AD) patients respond satisfactorily to gentle bathing, frequent moisturizing, and topical medications. Second-line therapies for AD should be used in recalcitrant cases or in patients with uncontrolled disease despite compliance with first-line measures and avoidance of allergens. Recommended advanced therapies include phototherapy, especially narrowband ultraviolet B, systemic immunosuppressants, and a new biologic agent. Few studies have compared head-to-head efficacy of the different immunosuppressant therapies such as cyclosporine, methotrexate, azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil. Therefore, the agent used is based on provider and patient preferences and can be decided on a case-by-case basis., (©2017 Frontline Medical Communications.)

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin condition affecting children and adults, with a significant negative impact on patient and caregiver quality of life (QOL). Although effective treatments for AD are available, outcomes are often limited by poor adherence to treatment plans. Effective patient and caregiver education about the disease and its management is a necessary and important component of AD care. Therapeutic patient education (TPE) is a patient-centered process that aims to transfer information and skills necessary to manage and cope with a disease from health care professionals to patients and caregivers. Shared decision making between the health care provider and the patient/caregiver is an integral component of the TPE process and recognizes the importance of both the medical provider's clinical expertise, as well as the patient/caregiver's preferences and experiences regarding their own medical condition and its treatment. TPE programs for patients with AD and their caregivers are typically provided by multidisciplinary teams and utilize a number of different methods and tools to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills through both individual care and group-based educational sessions. TPE has been demonstrated to improve outcomes such as AD disease severity, treatment adherence, QOL, and coping with itch. It is important to consider strategies to reduce barriers to cost-effective accessible AD education and treatment., (©2017 Frontline Medical Communications.)

Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) is a cyclic AMP degrading enzyme in leukocytes. Several decades ago, increased PDE activity was demonstrated in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Currently, several PDE4 inhibitors in both topical and oral formulation have been developed to target the inflammatory cascade of AD. This review shows the pathogenic rationale behind these inhibitors, and discusses multiple PDE4 inhibitors that are under evaluation or in the market. PDE4 inhibitors may be considered as favorable agents in the repertoire of current interventions for AD.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) pathogenesis is strongly influenced by Type 2 innate lymphoid cell and T-helper cell type 2 lymphocyte-driven inflammation and skin barrier dysfunction. AD therapies attempt to correct this pathology, and guidelines suggest suggest basics of AD therapy, which include repair of the skin barrier through bathing practices and moisturizers, infection control, and further lifestyle modifications to avoid and reduce AD triggers.While some patients' AD may be controlled using these measures, inflammatory eczema including acute flares and maintenance therapy in more severe patients are treated with topical pharmacologic agents such as topical corticosteroids, topical calcineurin inhibitors, and, more recently, topical PDE-4 inhibitors. This model of basic skin therapy and, as needed, topical pharmacologic agents may be used to treat the vast majority of patients with AD and remains the staple of AD therapy., (©2017 Frontline Medical Communications.)

The pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) involves epidermal barrier dysfunction and T helper cell type 2 (T h 2) lymphocyte-driven inflammation. Cytokines, such as interleukin 4 (IL-4) and IL-13, are important in this reaction. They stimulate B cells to produce immunoglobulin E, causing atopic disease. This process has been well characterized, and new therapies for AD, such as phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE-4) inhibitors, T h 2-expressed chemoattractant receptor-homologous molecule antagonists, and Janus kinase inhibitors, work by antagonizing this cellular pathway. Recently, there have been many advances in treatment strategies and novel therapies for AD. This review summarizes the clinical evidence supporting the use of current and emerging topical treatments for AD, as well as their safety and efficacy profiles. Crisaborole, a novel PDE-4 inhibitor, is of particular note because phase III clinical trials were recently completed, as summarized here. It is prudent for dermatologists to be current with updates in the field because therapies are constantly changing. In addition to the academic interest, this results in improvement of patient care and advancement of the field., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic pruritic inflammatory disease that commonly presents in the pediatric population. Although definitions and diagnosis of AD have largely been agreed upon, allergists and dermatologists have similar and divergent approaches to the management of AD. This review facilitated integration of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology/American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Joint Task Force 2012 AD Practice Parameter and the 2014 American Academy of Dermatology guidelines to highlight the basic principles of AD management and discuss therapies and management of AD from the distinct perspectives of the allergist and dermatologist., (Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 34-year-old woman was diagnosed with Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS), most likelyrelated to a reaction to allopurinol.The patient presented with a 2-week history of a painful pruritic rash that started on her back and progressed to the rest of her body over a five-day period. The eruption started after several new drugs were started, including allopurinol for hyperuricemia. On physical examination, the patient had a diffuse morbilliform eruption and geometric intact bullae limited to the boundaries of tattoos.Most presentations of DRESS include a morbilliform eruption.  However, DRESS does not commonly present with bullae. There have been no known reported cases of bullae forming in the area of tattoos in cases of DRESS. This unique presentation suggests that a component of the tattoo or tattooing process alters the cutaneous immune response, creating an immunocompromiseddistrict. This alteration may promote a greater localized reaction in the setting of widespread skin involvement in DRESS.

This study developed and then tested the feasibility, acceptability and initial efficacy of a 3-session, culturally adapted, intervention combining motivational enhancement therapy (MET) and strengths-based case management (SBCM) delivered by promotoras in Spanish to reduce heavy drinking among male, Latino day laborers. A pilot two-group randomized trial (N=29) was conducted to evaluate the initial efficacy of MET/SBCM compared to brief feedback (BF). Alcohol-related measures were assessed at 6, 12 and 18weeks after baseline. Most intervention group participants (12/14) attended all counseling sessions and most participants (25/29) remained in the study at 18weeks. Alcohol related measures improved in both groups over time with no statistically significant differences observed at any of the time points. However the comparative effect size of MET/SBCM on weekly drinking was in the large range at 6-weeks and in the moderate range at 12-weeks. Post hoc analyses identified a statistically significant reduction in number of drinks over time for participants in the intervention group but not for control group participants. Despite the extreme vulnerability of the population, most participants completed all sessions of MET/SBCM and reported high satisfaction with the intervention. We feel our community partnership facilitated these successes. Additional studies of community-partnered and culturally adapted interventions are needed to reduce heavy drinking among the growing population of Latinos in the U.S., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To determine the initial efficacy of a mailed screening and brief intervention to reduce at-risk drinking in persons aged 50 and older., Design: Pilot randomized controlled trial., Setting: University of California at Los Angeles Department of Medicine Community Offices and Primary Care Network., Participants: Individuals aged 50 and older who were identified as at-risk drinkers according to the Comorbidity Alcohol Risk Evaluation Tool (CARET) (N = 86)., Intervention: Participants were assigned randomly to receive personalized mailed feedback outlining their specific risks associated with alcohol use, an educational booklet on alcohol and aging, and the National Institutes of Health Rethinking Drinking: Alcohol and Your Health booklet (intervention group) or nothing (control group)., Measurements: Alcohol-related assessments at baseline and 3 months; CARET-assessed at-risk drinking, number of risks, and types of risks., Results: At 3 months, fewer intervention group participants than controls were at-risk drinkers (66% vs 88%), binge drinking (45% vs 68%), using alcohol with a medical or psychiatric condition (3% vs 17%), or having symptoms of such a condition (29% vs 49%)., Conclusion: A brief mailed intervention may be an effective approach to intervening with at-risk drinkers aged 50 and older., (© 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.)

Objectives: To understand characteristics of older at-risk drinkers and reasons why they decide to change or maintain their alcohol consumption., Design: Secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial to reduce drinking in at-risk drinkers., Setting: Three primary care sites in southern California., Participants: Six hundred thirty-one adults aged 55 and older who were at-risk drinkers at baseline, 521 of whom who completed a 12-month assessment., Measurements: Sociodemographic and alcohol-related characteristics of 12-month assessment completers and noncompleters and among those completing the 12-month assessment by telephone or mail were compared using descriptive statistics. Reasons why respondents maintained or changed average alcohol consumption were asked of those who completed a 12-month assessment by telephone. Factors that might motivate at-risk drinkers to reduce drinking were asked about, and frequencies were calculated for these responses., Results: Participants were primarily male, white, highly educated, and in good health. Those who responded to the 12-month assessment by mail were more likely to be working, to be in the intervention arm, and to drink more. Most who reduced alcohol consumption and heavy drinking did so because they thought it would benefit them. Those who did not thought that drinking was not a problem for them. Both groups cited their environment and circumstances as influencing their drinking. Remaining at-risk drinkers reported that medical evidence that alcohol was harming them would motivate them to reduce drinking., Conclusion: Older adults report that they reduce their drinking when they recognize that their drinking habits may be causing them harm; one's environment can hinder or help one to reduce drinking., (Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.)