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Atopic dermatitis (AD) or atopic eczema (AE) is a complex chronic inflammatory skin disease with a high prevalence and disease burden.1 The nomenclature for this condition has long been the subject of controversial debate within the medical community and even among global experts.2, 3 However, the terminology used not only affects experts, daily clinical practice, and research but especially patients and the general public in terms of their understanding and access to disease-related information.2-5 Given the potential of crowdsourced internet data,6 this study aimed to investigate the use of ‘atopic dermatitis’, ‘atopic eczema’, and their lay terms in internet searches and the content of these searches across 21 European countries in their respective main language.

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways and one of the most important non-communicable diseases worldwide. Analyzing crowdsourced data can help understand public interest and unmet needs as well as potential factors influencing search behavior. Objective: The study aimed to investigate asthma-related web search data in Europe to identify possible regional and seasonal variations and to assess public interest. Methods: Google Ads Keyword Planner was used to measure search volume for search terms related to asthma, allergic asthma, and bronchial asthma in 21 European countries between January 2018 and December 2021. The top 10 keywords of each country were categorized qualitatively. Search volume per 100 000 inhabitants was descriptively assessed in terms of regional and seasonal trends. Spearman correlations between search volume and pollen concentration as well as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases were investigated. Results: The median search volume per 100 000 inhabitants for asthma and allergic asthma was highest in Northern and Western Europe, while the highest search volume for bronchial asthma was observed in Western and Eastern regions. A seasonal trend was identified for all search terms and in all regions. Correlations were found between search frequency and pollen load and search behavior and COVID-19 cases. Overall, Europeans were most interested in the diseases in general, their treatment options, and symptoms. Conclusion: These results highlighted the need for reliable and region-specific information about the disease and for public campaigns to improve asthma control. The study also emphasizes the importance of using crowdsourced data for a more encompassing overview beyond conventional healthcare data.

BACKGROUND: According to their parents, some children with aluminium contact allergy and vaccination granulomas may react to aluminium-containing foods by developing dermatitis, granuloma itch and subjective symptoms.OBJECTIVES: To determine whether oral intake of aluminium-containing pancakes can cause adverse events and/or systemic contact dermatitis (SCD) in children with vaccination granulomas and aluminium contact allergy.PATIENTS/METHODS: A total of 15 children aged 3-9 years (mean age, 5 years) with vaccination granulomas and positive patch-test results to aluminium chloride hexahydrate 2%/10% pet. completed a 3-week blinded randomized controlled crossover oral aluminium/placebo provocation study with pancakes. Granuloma itch and other subjective symptoms were evaluated daily on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Dermatitis was evaluated by the primary investigator, and sleep patterns were tracked with an electronic device. Aluminium bioavailability was assessed by measuring aluminium excretion in the urine. The children served as their own controls with the placebo provocations.RESULTS: All 15 children completed the study. The mean VAS scores were slightly higher during aluminium provocations compared to placebo for granuloma itch (mean VAS, 1.5 vs 1.4, P = 0.6) but identical for other subjective symptoms (0.6 vs 0.6, P = 1). There were no differences in sleep patterns and no significant correlation between urinary aluminium excretion and symptom severity. Three children developed a symmetrical rash on the face or buttocks on day 4 of the aluminium provocations, but not during placebo provocations.CONCLUSIONS: No difference was found between oral aluminium intake and the occurrence of subjective symptoms and granuloma itch, but on a case-basis oral aluminium may be associated with the development of systemic contact dermatitis.

Recruitment to the local tissue and alerted phenotype are the hallmarks of basophils in chronic urticaria (CU). Chemokine receptors such as chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 4 (CCR4) or CCR8 have been studied in skin diseases, e.g., atopic dermatitis, but not in CU. In this study, we aimed to define CU's basophil homing potential and receptor profile and the effect of Omalizumab treatment on these. Unstimulated and activated (anti-IgE, fMLP, C5a, and Substance P) whole blood basophils from 11 Omalizumab-treated CU patients and 10 healthy subjects were investigated with flow cytometry. Unstimulated basophils in CU showed higher expression of the skin-associated (CCR8) and scavenger (CCX-CKR) receptors and lower expression of the lung-associated (CCR3) receptor in contrast to healthy ones. IgE-mediated activation increased the percentage of CCR8 and CCX-CKR in CU compared to healthy group and elevated the expression of the lung-associated chemokine receptor, XCR1, in all groups. A trend of augmented expression of the coagulation cascade (CD87) and fMLP (FPR1) receptors was seen on basophils in CU, while a tendency of reduced expression was seen for itch (IL-31RA) and immunotolerance (CD109) receptors. fMLP and C5a increased the expression of CCR4, CCR8, CCX-CKR, and CD87 and decreased CCR2 and CCR3, though no changes between the groups were found. In conclusion, CU basophils exhibit skin-homing potential amplified by IgE-mediated stimulation.

Background Evaluation of effectiveness and safety of new systemic treatments for atopic dermatitis (AD) after approval is important. There are few published data exceeding 52-week therapy with dupilumab. Objectives To examine the safety, effectiveness and drug survival of dupilumab in a Danish nationwide cohort with moderate-to-severe AD up to 104 weeks exposure. Methods We included 347 adult patients with AD who were treated with dupilumab and registered in the SCRATCH registry during 2017–2022. Results At all visits, we observed improvement in AD severity measured by Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) [median (IQR)]. EASI score at baseline was 18.0 (10.6–25.2), at week 4: 6.5 (3.5–11.6), at week 16: 3.7 (1.2–6.2), at week 52: 2.0 (0.8–3.6), at week 104: 1.7 (0.8–3.8). While drug survival was high (week 52: 90%; week 104: 86%), AD in the head-and-neck area remained present in most patients at high levels; proportion with head-and-neck AD at baseline was 76% and 68% at week 104. 35% of patients reported any AE. Conjunctivitis was the most frequent (25% of all patients) and median time to first registration of conjunctivitis was 201 days. Conclusions While 2-year drug survival was 86%, dupilumab was unable to effectively treat AD in the head-and-neck area, and conjunctivitis was found in 25% of patients.

Background. Itch can be transmitted by two parallel pathways, histaminergic and nonhistaminergic. Histaminergic itch is transmitted by a subgroup of mechano-insensitive C-fibers, while nonhistaminergic itch by a subgroup of polymodal C-fibers. Experimental models are used to study pruritus: histamine for the histaminergic itch by antagonizing the histamine H1-receptors, and BAM8-22 and cowhage for the nonhistaminergic by activating Mas-related G protein-coupled receptors and protease-activated receptors, respectively. This study aims to evaluate the antipruritic effects of topical doxepin (H1-receptor antagonistic effect) on histaminergic and nonhistaminergic itch induced by histamine, BAM8-22, and cowhage. Methods. This study was conducted on 22 healthy subjects. Histamine, BAM8-22, cowhage, and vehicle were applied to 4 areas on the forearms. After 7 days, the same substances were applied after hour-pretreatment with doxepin. After the application of pruritogens, itch and pain intensities were assessed for 9 minutes, followed by the measurement of superficial blood perfusion (SBP), mechanical and thermal sensitivities. Results. Application of histamine, BAM8-22, and cowhage all induced itch as compared to a vehicle. The pretreatment with doxepin almost abolished the histamine-induced itch and modestly reduced BAM8-22- and cowhage-induced itch. Histamine induced a higher SBP compared to the other conditions. Doxepin reduced SBP induced by each pruritogen, even though SBP of histamine remains the highest. Conclusion. Doxepin cream abolished histaminergic itch by antagonizing the peripheral H1-histamine receptors. Moreover, doxepin reduced nonhistaminergic itch and related neurogenic inflammation. Further studies are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying this peripheral modulation of nonhistaminergic itch by a topically applied H1-antagonist. This trial is registered with NCT04588532.

Background: Parents report that children with aluminium contact allergy and vaccination granulomas may react to aluminium-containing sunscreen following application. Objectives: To evaluate whether contact dermatitis develops following repeated application of aluminium-containing sunscreens in children with aluminium sensitization and vaccination granulomas. Methods: Sixteen children aged 2-9 years (mean age 5 years) with vaccination granulomas and a positive patch test reaction to aluminium chloride hexahydrate 2%/10% petrolatum completed a blinded repeated open application test (ROAT) with two daily applications of two sunscreens for 14 days. One cream contained aluminium and the other did not. The children served as their own controls. Results: Sixteen children completed the study. Only one child (6%) had a positive skin reaction during ROAT on day 2 to the sunscreen with aluminium. None reacted to the sunscreen without aluminium. Conclusions: Use of aluminium-containing sunscreens may on a case basis lead to allergic contact dermatitis in aluminium allergic children.

Linear IgA/IgG bullous dermatosis (LAGBD) is a rare, autoimmune blistering skin disease. We report a case of LAGBD in a 70-year-old woman. All common treatments were discontinued due to side effects or lack of treatment response. The patient was successfully treated with omalizumab which cleared her lesions after three months.

Data from real-world use of new systemic treatments in atopic dermatitis (AD) is important for assessing safety and efficacy. The aim of this study is to describe the baseline characteristics of adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD enrolled in the Danish nationwide Severe and ChRonic Atopic dermatitis Treatment CoHort (SCRATCH) database, between October 2017 and August 2021. A total of 282 adult patients were includ-ed. Most (62%) were men, the median age at baseline was 43 years (interquartile range (IQR) 29–54 years), and median age at onset of AD was 1 year (IQR 0–6 years). The median Eczema Area and Severity Index at treatment initiation was 19.1 (IQR 11.9–25.7); median Patient Oriented Eczema Measure 21.0 (IQR 16.0–25.0); median Dermatology Life Quality Index 13.0 (IQR 7.0–19.0); and median itch and sleep nu-merical rating scale scores 8.0 (IQR 6.0–9.0) and 6.0 (IQR 4.0–8.0). Differences were found between the sexes. This registry will provide a source for future efficacy and safety studies.

Chronic itch is a socioeconomic burden with limited management options. Non-histaminergic itch, involved in problematic pathological itch conditions, is transmitted by a subgroup of polymodal C-fibres. Cowhage is traditionally used for studying experimentally induced non-histaminergic itch in humans but encounters some limitations. The present study, therefore, aims to design a new human, experimental model of non-histaminergic itch based on the application of bovine adrenal medulla (BAM)8–22, an endogenous peptide that activates the MrgprX1 receptor. Twenty-two healthy subjects were recruited. Different concentrations (0.5, 1 and 2 mg/ml) of BAM8-22 solution and vehicle, applied by a single skin prick test (SPT), were tested in the first session. In the second session, the BAM8-22 solution (1 mg/ml) was applied by different number of SPTs (1, 5 and 25) and by heat-inactivated cowhage spicules coated with BAM8-22. Provoked itch and pain intensities were monitored for 9 min, followed by the measurement of superficial blood perfusion (SBP) and mechanical and thermal sensitivities. BAM8-22 induced itch at the concentration of 1, 2 mg/ml (p < 0.05) and with the significantly highest intensity when applied through BAM8-22 spicules (p < 0.001). No concomitant pain sensation or increased SBP was observed. SBP increased only in the 25 SPTs area probably due to microtrauma from the multiple skin penetrations. Mechanical and thermal sensitivities were not affected by any of the applications. BAM8-22 applied through heat-inactivated spicules was the most efficient method to induce itch (without pain or changes in SBP and mechanical and thermal sensitivities) suggesting BAM8-22 as a novel non-histaminergic, human, experimental itch model.