Hospital Venereal and Skin Diseases Thessaloniki

Real-world data in patients with moderate psoriasis treated with apremilast is limited. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of apremilast in bio-naïve patients with moderate psoriasis in real-world clinical settings. This was a 52-week multicenter, observational, prospective study of adult outpatients with moderate psoriasis {[10% < body surface area < 20% or 10 < psoriasis area severity index (PASI) < 20] and 10 < dermatology quality of life index (DLQI) < 20} initiated on apremilast ≤7 days before enrollment. Missing data were imputed using the last observation carried forward method. A total of 287 eligible patients (median age: 54.2 years; median psoriasis duration: 9.8 years) were consecutively enrolled. At baseline, the median DLQI and PASI scores were 12.0 and 11.8, respectively. The 52-week DLQI ≤ 5 and PASI75 response rates were 68.3% and 61.0%. At 52 weeks, 70.8% and 72.7% of the patients shifted from moderate/severe/very severe to clear/minimal scalp and palmoplantar psoriasis involvement, respectively; the pruritus severity state improved in 67.2%. The 52-week Kaplan-Meier estimated drug continuation rate was 85.3%. The adverse drug reaction rate was 19.9%. Apremilast is a safe and effective treatment for bio-naïve patients with moderate psoriasis and specific psoriasis manifestations.

Introduction/AimsHands‐on supervised training is essential for learning diagnostic ultrasound. Unfortunately, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic led to suspension of in‐person training courses. As a result, many hands‐on training courses were converted into virtual courses during the pandemic. Several reports regarding virtual ultrasound courses exist, but none has addressed virtual neuromuscular ultrasound courses, their design, or participants' views of this form of training. Therefore, the aims of this study were: (1) to determine the feasibility of conducting virtual neuromuscular ultrasound courses during the COVID‐19 pandemic; and (2) to report the positive and negative aspects of the courses through the analyses of the responses of post‐course surveys.MethodsTwo virtual neuromuscular ultrasound courses, basic and intermediate level, were conducted by the Egyptian Neuromuscular Ultrasound society during August 2020. Post‐course, the attendees were directed to an electronic survey that consisted of eight questions. Ninety‐three responses (23.8%) were obtained from the survey of the basic course and 156 responses (44.4%) were obtained from the survey of the intermediate course.ResultsNinety‐eight percent of the respondents to basic course surveys, and 100% of the respondents to the intermediate course survey found the courses useful or very useful.DiscussionThis report demonstrates the utility of virtual neuromuscular ultrasound courses for those participants willing to respond to a survey and describes a proposed design for such courses. Although hands‐on supervised ultrasound training is ideal, virtual courses can be useful alternatives to in‐person training when in‐person interaction is restricted.

Though androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is one of the most common diseases affecting both sexes and all races, its pathogenesis is not completely clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the four major prostaglandins (PGs) (PGE2 , PGD2 , PGF2α , and PI2 or prostacyclin) in the pathogenesis of AGA in males and females. Human scalp biopsies were obtained from 30 adults (17 males and 13 females) suffering from AGA and from 30 healthy adults (18 males and 12 females). In each subject, two skin biopsies were performed, one from the frontal bald area and another one from the occipital area with normal hair growth. In the healthy group, biopsies were taken from both areas too. In each sample, all four PGs were measured. In the patient group, PGD2 and prostacyclin or PGI2 levels were increased in bald compared to haired scalp. On the contrary, measurements of PGE2 and PGF2α showed that they were diminished in bald areas compared to haired areas. PG levels in healthy samples were comparable to the haired areas. These results support that there is a fine balance between these four proteins in scalp hair follicles, and its maintenance may be crucial for hair growth. Furthermore, their receptors could be potential targets for treatment of AGA.

Pemphigus encompasses a group of life-threatening autoimmune bullous diseases characterized by blisters and erosions of the mucous membranes and skin. Before the era of immunosuppressive treatment, pemphigus was almost always fatal. Due to its rarity, only few randomized controlled therapeutic trials are available. Recently, rituximab has been approved as first-line treatment for moderate and severe pemphigus vulgaris in Europe and the United States. The Autoimmune blistering diseases Task Force of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) has initiated a throughout update of the guideline for the management of patients with pemphigus. The guidelines for the management of pemphigus were updated, and the degree of consent among all task force members was included. The final version of the guideline was consented by the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) and several patient organizations.

Since their first description by Sophie Spitz, Spitz nevi have been a subject of controversy among clinicians for many decades, and remain a clinical conundrum until today as their etiology, morphology, biological behavior and natural evolution is still not totally clear. This is because their clinical, dermoscopic and histopathologic features sometimes overlap with those of melanoma, rendering the management of spitzoid lesions particularly difficult. In addition, cases of histopatologically equivocal lesions do exist and their classification might sometimes be very challenging. Among several terms that have been used to describe these morphologically "intermediate" lesions, atypical Spitz tumor (AST) is the most widely used. The aim of this review paper was to describe the dermoscopic patterns and structures seen in Spitz/Reed nevi, spitzoid melanoma and AST. Finally, this article provides an evidence-based update on the available options for the management of spitzoid lesions, before and after histopathologic diagnosis.

Primary cutaneous lymphomas are a heterogeneous group that includes 2 main groups of primary T- and B-cell lymphomas, which can involve the skin with distinct variability in clinical presentation, histopathology, immunophenotypes, molecular signature, and prognosis. The authors describe the most frequent clinical forms of cutaneous lymphomas and their dermoscopic features. Even if the diagnosis of these entities is still based on a cellular level and the literature on dermoscopy in cutaneous lymphomas is limited and, for several entities it is based only on single case reports/case series, we think that know how they appear also in dermoscopy can be useful for helping in the clinical diagnosis.

Few dermatologic problems carry as much emotional overtones as the complaint of hair loss. The best way to alleviate the distress related to hair loss is to effectively treat it. In fact, one of the oldest medical professions is the Egyptian physician who specialized on diseases of the head. And yet, from ancient Egypt down to modern times, human hair has been the object of superstition and mystery. Remarkably and despite the genuine advances in effective medical treatments, hair cosmetics, and surgical procedures, phony hair loss solutions continue to be marketed with an amazing success. In 1860, a quasi-scientific interest in hair loss and hair care originated in a London barbershop and became known as trichology, with the Institute of Trichologists being founded. Other corporations successively followed internationally, but it was only in 2010 that the term dermatotrichologist was proposed for board-certified dermatologists dealing with the scientific study of the hair and scalp, in contrast to the trichologist who is rather associated with laity and cosmetics than with medical professionalism, or – worse – offers opportunities to possible imposters with a primary commercial interest. The new term “trichiatrist” is proposed, literally meaning the “medical treatment of the hair,” to designate the strictly medical professional dealing with the hair and scalp in health and disease. Trichiatrists differ from trichologists by virtue of being physicians. The quality and stringency of their graduate medical training is identical to that of other physicians.