A Single-Center, Observational Experience With a Bovine Collagen Wound Dressing for Distal Lower Extremity Surgical Defects.

BACKGROUND: Biologic dressings help treat many dermatologic conditions. Their use in dermatologic surgery continues to expand as new dressings are developed. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the authors' experience with a bovine-derived collagen wound dressing in surgical defects on the distal lower extremity. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Over a 9-month period, 24 surgical defects in 20 patients were treated with a bovine-derived collagen wound dressing. All surgical defects were located below the knee. The average defect was 6.9 cm2 (range 1.0-18.0 cm2). The mean duration until healing completion was 117.3 days (range 63-183). RESULTS: The treated surgical defects demonstrated shortened healing time, improved cosmetic outcome, decreased wound drainage, and decreased pain compared with that traditionally seen in second intention healing. Bovine-derived collagen wound dressings should be considered to facilitate the healing of surgical defects on the distal lower extremity that would otherwise be left to heal by the second intention. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(12):1149-1152. doi:10.36849/JDD.5404.

Treatment of Moderate to Severe Pediatric Psoriasis: A Retrospective Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis has an estimated prevalence of 0.5% to 2.0% in children. There is a paucity of data regarding the management and safety of treatments currently available for children with moderate to severe psoriasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the treatment response and safety of systemic therapies used to manage moderate to severe pediatric psoriasis in a single referral center. Despite a small sample size, it was hypothesized that multiple therapeutics used for adult psoriasis would have a similar side-effect profile and positive disease response when used in a pediatric population. METHODS: A retrospective case series evaluated 51 children with moderate to severe psoriasis treated with systemic therapies for adverse event occurrence and for disease response using a 5-point Physician Global Assessment scale. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients, some of whom used multiple treatment options, produced 80 treatment data points. Adverse events were reported in 29 of these 80 treatments, with most being minor, subjective side effects. Overall, the most commonly reported side effect was fatigue, which was reported in 7.5% of treatments. Because of the small sample size, the data collected are limited and may not represent a comprehensive safety profile, nor do they allow comparison of efficacy between therapies. This case series found that biologic and immunomodulating therapies provide well-tolerated treatments with positive disease response for moderate to severe pediatric psoriasis. CONCLUSION: Although sample size and study design limit the data from this study, the study provides some guidance where little exists and helps to support the use of these treatments in this setting.

The Use of Methotrexate, Alone or in Combination With Other Therapies, for the Treatment of Palmoplantar Psoriasis.

Palmoplantar psoriasis is a chronic debilitating type of psoriasis. Treatment options for this disease are poorly studied. This chart review evaluated the use of methotrexate alone and in combination with 7 other systemic therapies in 48 patients with palmoplantar psoriasis. The findings demonstrate that methotrexate is a relatively well-tolerated and effective treatment for palmoplantar psoriasis, amenable as either monotherapy or in combination with other systemic agents.

Disseminated Lyme disease presenting with nonsexual acute genital ulcers.

IMPORTANCE: Nonsexual acute genital ulceration (NAGU) is a rare vulvar skin condition typically affecting girls and young women, characterized by acute onset of singular or multiple painful vaginal ulcers. The etiology of this ulcerative dermatosis has not been identified, although it has been associated with systemic infections. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an association with Lyme disease. OBSERVATIONS: A case of a woman with early disseminated Lyme disease presenting with NAGU is reported. A thorough workup ruled out other causes of genital ulceration, and the ulcers completely resolved after treatment with topical steroids and oral doxycycline. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Although the etiology of NAGU is unknown, the vulvar ulcers may result from an exuberant immune response to infection. Most patients with NAGU exhibit nonspecific symptoms such as myalgias and fever, suggesting an infectious agent, but the majority have no identifiable pathogen. In addition to previously reported associations with systemic infection, which are reviewed herein, Lyme disease should be considered in women presenting with acute-onset genital ulcers.

Regulator of G protein signaling protein suppression of Galphao protein-mediated alpha2A adrenergic receptor inhibition of mouse hippocampal CA3 epileptiform activity.

Activation of G protein-coupled alpha(2) adrenergic receptors (ARs) inhibits epileptiform activity in the hippocampal CA3 region. The specific mechanism underlying this action is unclear. This study investigated which subtype(s) of alpha(2)ARs and G proteins (Galpha(o) or Galpha(i)) are involved in this response using recordings of mouse hippocampal CA3 epileptiform bursts. Application of epinephrine (EPI) or norepinephrine (NE) reduced the frequency of bursts in a concentration-dependent manner: (-)EPI > (-)NE >>> (+)NE. To identify the alpha(2)AR subtype involved, equilibrium dissociation constants (pK(b)) were determined for the selective alphaAR antagonists atipamezole (8.79), rauwolscine (7.75), 2-(2,6-dimethoxyphenoxyethyl)aminomethyl-1,4-benzodioxane hydrochloride (WB-4101; 6.87), and prazosin (5.71). Calculated pK(b) values correlated best with affinities determined previously for the mouse alpha(2A)AR subtype (r = 0.98, slope = 1.07). Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of EPI were lost in hippocampal slices from alpha(2A)AR-but not alpha(2C)AR-knockout mice. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin also reduced the EPI-mediated inhibition of epileptiform bursts. Finally, using knock-in mice with point mutations that disrupt regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) binding to Galpha subunits to enhance signaling by that G protein, the EPI-mediated inhibition of bursts was significantly more potent in slices from RGS-insensitive Galpha(o)(G184S) heterozygous (Galpha(o)+/GS) mice compared with either Galpha(i2)(G184S) heterozygous (Galpha(i2)+/GS) or control mice (EC(50) = 2.5 versus 19 and 23 nM, respectively). Together, these findings indicate that the inhibitory effect of EPI on hippocampal CA3 epileptiform activity uses an alpha(2A)AR/Galpha(o) protein-mediated pathway under strong inhibitory control by RGS proteins. This suggests a possible role for RGS inhibitors or selective alpha(2A)AR agonists as a novel antiepileptic drug therapy.