Validation of IGA*BSA in Assessing Disease Severity and Response in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study in China.

Background: Accurate evaluation of atopic dermatitis (AD) severity is crucial to determine and adjust treatment options. Previous studies have found the product of Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) and affected body surface area (BSA) to be a simple tool, which requires further verification. Objective: To determine the validity of IGA*BSA in assessing the severity of AD across all age, sex, BMI and disease severity groups. Method: We performed a retrospective study of AD using data from a national cohort (China Type II Inflammatory Skin Disease Clinical Research and Standardized Diagnosis and Treatment Project). Results: Overall, 3051 participants were included in the final analysis. IGA*BSA correlated better with objective measures than with subjective measures. IGA*BSA significantly correlated with Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) (r = 0.81), which was stronger than either IGA or BSA alone with EASI, regardless of age, sex, Body Mass Index (BMI), and disease severity groups. Besides, IGA*BSA mild, moderate, and severe groups were associated with significantly higher scores of other assessments and had moderate to fair concordance with other assessments severity strata. At follow-up, the concordance of improvement between IGA*BSA 50/75/90 and EASI 50/75/90 was observed (ĸ = 0.65, 0.62, 0.58, respectively). Conclusion: IGA*BSA appears to be a valid objective assessment of AD severity and improvement over time across all age, sex, BMI, and disease severity subgroups in the clinical practice.

Association of NID2 SNPs with Glioma Risk and Prognosis in the Chinese Population.

Glioma is the most common primary intracranial tumor with high mortality and poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate how single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the NID2 gene affect glioma risk and prognosis. Four candidate SNPs of NID2 in 529 glioma patients and 478 healthy controls were successfully genotyped by Agena MassARRAY mass spectrometer. Logistic regression was utilized to assess the associations between NID2 SNPs and glioma risk under different genetic models. Furthermore, the relationship between risk-related SNPs in NID2 and the prognosis of glioma patients was explored through Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival curve and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. The results showed that rs11846847 (OR 1.24, p = 0.017) and rs1874569 (OR 1.22, p = 0.026) were significantly associated with an increased risk of glioma, and rs11846847 also had a risk-increasing effect on glioma in participants ≤ 40 years old. The interaction model of rs11846847 and rs1874569 could be more suitable for forecasting glioma risk. We also discovered a significant association between rs1874569 and poor prognosis in glioma patients (HR 1.32, p = 0.039) and especially CC genotype was relevant to shorter overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with high-grade glioma. Additionally, the study demonstrated that gross total resection or chemotherapy improve glioma prognosis in the Chinese Han population. This study is the first to provide evidence for the association of NID2 SNPs with glioma risk and prognosis, suggesting that NID2 variants might be potential factors for glioma.

Associations of demographics, aggravating factors, comorbidities, and treatments with atopic dermatitis severity in China: A national cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder impacting populations worldwide, although its clinical characteristics and patient demographics remain uncharacterized in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the demographics, comorbidities, aggravating factors, and treatments in AD patients across different age groups in China. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included Chinese AD patients from 205 hospitals spanning 30 provinces. Patients completed dermatologist-led surveys of general medical history, comorbidities, AD-related aggravating factors, and medications. Two-level mixed-ordered logistic regression was used to evaluate aggravating factors. RESULTS: Overall, 16,838 respondents were included in the final analysis (age 30.9 ± 24.1 years). The proportion of severe AD was the highest in patients with AD onset at ≥60 years (26.73%). Allergic rhinitis and hypertension were the most common atopic and metabolism-related non-atopic comorbidities, respectively. AD severity was significantly associated with chronic urticaria, food allergies, and diabetes. Aggravating factors including foods, seasonal changes, and psychological factors were also linked to AD severity. The cross-sectional survey implied that severe AD may be related to the undertreatment of effective systemic or topical interventions. CONCLUSION: To enhance the management of AD, it is crucial to consider both aggravating factors and the increased utilization of systemic immunotherapy. REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05316805, CORNERSTONE.

Effects of Ninjurin 2 polymorphisms on susceptibility to coronary heart disease.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of Ninjurin 2 (NINJ2) polymorphisms on susceptibility to coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: We conducted a case-control study with 499 CHD cases and 505 age and gender-matched controls. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in NINJ2 (rs118050317, rs75750647, rs7307242, rs10849390, and rs11610368) were genotyped by the Agena MassARRAY platform. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression analysis to assess the association of NINJ2 polymorphisms and CHD risk-adjusted for age and gender. What's more, risk genes and molecular functions were screened via protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and functional enrichment analysis. RESULTS: Rs118050317 in NINJ2 significantly increased CHD risk in people aged more than 60 years and women. Rs118050317 and rs7307242 had strong relationships with hypertension risk in CHD patients. Additionally, rs75750647 exceedingly raised diabetes risk in cases under multiple models, whereas rs10849390 could protect CHD patients from diabetes in allele, homozygote, and additive models. We also observed two blocks in NINJ2. Further interaction network and enrichment analysis showed that NINJ2 played a greater role in the pathogenesis and progression of CHD. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that NINJ2 polymorphisms are associated with CHD risk.

Comorbidities of Chronic Prurigo: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic prurigo (CPG) is an inflammatory skin disease. Comorbidities including dermatological, cardiovascular, and psychiatric diseases have been reported in patients with CPG; however, the evidence has not been systematically evaluated. We aim to summarize the comorbidities, discuss underlying pathogenesis, and highlight the evaluation of CPG patients. METHODS: We performed a systematic search using PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases for all articles reporting possible associated diseases with CPG. Pooled random-effects odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CI were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 17 studies were included in this systematic review. Statistically significant association (p <0.05) with CPG has been demonstrated with atopic diseases: atopic dermatitis (pooled OR, 10.91; 95% CI, 3.65-32.67), allergic rhinitis (2.66; 1.12-6.27), asthma (3.23; 1.55-6.74); infectious diseases: hepatitis B (pooled OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.11-4.14); endocrine diseases: diabetes (pooled OR, 4.93; 95% CI, 1.13-21.56), type 1 diabetes (2.46; 2.16-2.81), type 2 diabetes (1.89; 1.34-2.68), hyperlipoproteinemia (2.90; 1.61-5.22); cardiovascular diseases: heart failure (pooled OR, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.15-14.91), hypertension (3.17; 1.56-6.45); respiratory system diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (pooled OR, 3.19; 95% CI, 1.42-7.16); urinary system diseases: chronic kidney disease (pooled OR, 4.16; 95% CI, 1.79-9.66); digestive system disease: inflammatory bowel disease (pooled OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.26-3.36); and others: osteoporosis (pooled OR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.70-5.59), thyroid disease (1.70; 1.17-2.47). CONCLUSION: CPG is associated with various systemic disorders. Recognition of comorbidities is critical to the appropriate management of affected patients.

Association Between Nasal Colonization of Staphylococcus aureus and Eczema of Multiple Body Sites.

PURPOSE: Staphylococcus aureus is the critical pathogenic bacterium of eczema. The relationship between nasal colonization by S. aureus and eczema has not been well studied. We aimed to evaluate the associations between nasal colonization by S. aureus and eczema of multiple body sites, including persistent and ever-reported eczema. We further examined the associations between eczema and different subtypes of S. aureus, that is, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA). METHODS: The real-world data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. The associations were calculated using survey-weighted multinomial logistic regression models and further calculated in subgroups stratified by demographic factors. RESULTS: In total, 2,941 adults were included. The prevalence rate of S. aureus nasal carriage was significantly higher in adults with persistent hand eczema (51.0%) than in those with ever-reported hand eczema (23.3%) and never eczema (26.9%). S. aureus nasal colonization was associated with an approximately two-fold increased risk of persistent hand eczema (odds ratios ranges in different models: 2.86-3.06) without significant heterogeneity in the association by demographic factors. No significant associations between S. aureus nasal colonization and persistent eczema of other body sites or ever-reported eczema of multiple body sites (including hands) were observed. Furthermore, similar significant association between nasal colonization of MSSA and persistent hand eczema was seen; the association was much stronger (odds ratios ranges in different models: 4.64-6.54) for MRSA, although with borderline significant. CONCLUSIONS: Nasal colonization of S. aureus was associated with increased risk of persistent hand eczema. Our findings imply that preventive measures targeting S. aureus for the anterior nares should be considered in preventing and treating eczema.

Effectiveness of Dupilumab for Chronic Prurigo in Chinese Patients: A Real-World Case Series Study.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of chronic prurigo (CPG) is challenging. As an antagonist of IL-4R, dupilumab has shown effectiveness in treating CPG in several clinical studies. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved dupilumab for the treatment of prurigo nodularis (PN). OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of dupilumab in Chinese patients with CPG, and to analyze the difference in response between subtypes of CPG. METHODS: This retrospective study included 18 patients with CPG who were treated with dupilumab for at least 16 weeks from March 2022 to October 2022. Disease severity and patient self-assessment questionnaires were assessed at baseline and each visit, including the peak Pruritus Visual Analogue Scale (PP-VAS), Prurigo Activity and Severity Score (PAS), Investigator Global Assessment (IGA), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Itchy-specific Quality of Life questionnaire (ItchyQoL). RESULTS: After 2 weeks of dupilumab treatment, pruritus scores were significantly reduced as measured by PP-VAS scores. Prurigo Activity and Severity scores decreased significantly at Week 2, whereas IGA improved significantly at Week 8. The DLQI, HADS, and ItchyQoL scores at Week 16 also showed significant improvement from baseline. Patients in all subtypes showed improvement in pruritus and lesion severity. CONCLUSIONS: Dupilumab was effective in improving pruritus and lesions in patients with various subtypes of CPG.

The crucial roles of m6A RNA modifications in cutaneous cancers: Implications in pathogenesis, metastasis, drug resistance, and targeted therapies.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal modification on RNA. It is a dynamical and reversible process, which is regulated by m6A methyltransferase and m6A demethylase. The m6A modified RNA can be specifically recognized by the m6A reader, leading to RNA splicing, maturation, degradation or translation. The abnormality of m6A RNA modification is closely related to a variety of biological processes, especially the occurrence and development of tumors. Recent studies have shown that m6A RNA modification is involved in the pathogenesis of skin cancers. However, the precise molecular mechanisms of m6A-mediated cutaneous tumorigenesis have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, this review will summarize the biological characteristics of m6A modification, its regulatory role and mechanism in skin cancers, and the recent research progress of m6A-related molecular drugs, aiming to provide new ideas for clinical diagnosis and targeted therapy of cutaneous cancers.

HEATR3 involved in the cell proliferation, metastasis and cell cycle development of bladder cancer acts as a tumor suppressor.

The study was designed to detect the expression and clinical significance of the HEATR3 gene in bladder cancer (BCa) and to preliminarily explore whether this gene can affect the occurrence and development of BCa through the AKT/ERK signaling pathway. The expression and prognostic value of HEATR3 were explored based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotypic Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases. Microarray immunohistochemical analysis was performed in 30 BCa cases to investigate the level of HEATR3 protein and to explore the relationship between HEATR3 and the clinicopathological features of BCa. Western Blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect HEATR3 protein and mRNA in BCa cell lines (5637, TCCSUP, SW780) and fallopian tube epithelial cell (SV-HUC-1). CCK8 method was employed to study the proliferation of BCa cells after heat treatment. Transwell assay was conducted to analyze the effect of HEATR3 on cell migration and invasion. And cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. Furthermore, Western Blot assay was used to probe the effects of down-regulation of HEATR3 expression on the expression and phosphorylation levels of AKT and ERK proteins in BCa cells. Bioinformatics analysis showed that HEATR3 was significantly up-regulated in BCa, and high HEATR3 expression was associated with poor prognosis of BCa patients. In vitro experiments demonstrated that HEATR3 expression was up-regulated in BCa tissues compared with that in adjacent tissues. HEATR3 protein was also up-regulated in malignant cell lines. HEATR3 knockdown in BCa cells could inhibit cell proliferation, invasion and migration, block cell cycle and promote cell apoptosis. At the same time, HEATR3 knockdowns reduced the expression levels of p-AKT and p-ERK proteins. HEATR3 knockdown inhibits the development of BCa cells through the AKT/ERK signaling pathway. and it may become one of the most promising molecular targets for BCa treatment.

Safety and efficacy of Pimecrolimus in atopic dermatitis among Chinese infants: a sub-group analysis of a five-year open-label study.

INTRODUCTION: Atopic dermatitis (AD) exhibits difference in immune polarization between Caucasians and Asian races due to which an evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Pimecrolimus (PIM) in Asian population is called for. The current study addresses the need via a sub-group analysis of the PETITE study (NCT00120523) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PIM in Chinese infants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with AD (≥3 months-<12 months of age) were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either PIM 1% cream or topical corticosteroids (TCS). The primary endpoint was safety. The secondary endpoint was efficacy. RESULTS: 120 patients were randomized to either PIM 1% or TCS (n = 61 for PIM, n = 59 for TCS). The most often reported adverse events were reported by similar proportions of patients treated with PIM or TCS. There was a progressive increase in overall IGA treatment success in infants treated with PIM (82.9%, p < .05, 95% CI: 70.4, 95.3) after 26 weeks which was comparable to the TCS group (88.5%, p < .05, 95% CI: 79.8, 97.1). CONCLUSION: PIM showed an early and sustained efficacy in the Chinese sub-population with a substantial corticosteroid-sparing effect in patients with AD.

The updates and implications of cutaneous microbiota in acne.

Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that profoundly impacts the quality of life of patients worldwide. While it is predominantly observed in adolescents, it can affect individuals across all age groups. Acne pathogenesis is believed to be a result of various endogenous and exogenous factors, but the precise mechanisms remain elusive. Recent studies suggest that dysbiosis of the skin microbiota significantly contributes to acne development. Specifically, Cutibacterium acnes, the dominant resident bacterial species implicated in acne, plays a critical role in disease progression. Various treatments, including topical benzoyl peroxide, systemic antibiotics, and photodynamic therapy, have demonstrated beneficial effects on the skin microbiota composition in acne patients. Of particular interest is the therapeutic potential of probiotics in acne, given its direct influence on the skin microbiota. This review summarizes the alterations in skin microbiota associated with acne, provides insight into its pathogenic role in acne, and emphasizes the potential of therapeutic interventions aimed at restoring microbial homeostasis for acne management.

Aplasia Cutis Congenita With Cutaneous Meningioma: A Rare Case.

ABSTRACT: Cutaneous meningioma, characterized by ectopic meningothelial cells in the dermis or subcutis, is a rare neoplasm. Generally, the most common location for cutaneous meningioma is the scalp. We report a case of cutaneous meningioma presenting as soft, light red, atrophic, and smooth patches with central blue spots. On histological examination, the tumor consisted largely of epithelioid cells, whorls, nests, and syncytial sheets of meningothelial cells. HMB-45, Melan-A, and S100 were negative; epithelial membrane antigen and somatostatin receptor 2 were positive. Ultimately, histopathologic examination and immunohistochemistry results supported a diagnosis of cutaneous meningioma. In addition, dermal dysplasia was observed above the tumor, manifested by thinning of the dermis and loss of appendages. No abnormalities were found on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Cutaneous meningioma is an extremely rare tumor, and its manifestation as an atrophic patch is even rarer. There have been mainly clinical reports of cutaneous meningioma. This was a rare case of focal aplasia cutis congenita with cutaneous meningioma. For cutaneous meningioma to be diagnosed earlier, there needs to be greater public awareness about the condition.

The Crucial Roles and Research Advances of cGAS-STING Pathway in Cutaneous Disorders.

The cGAS-STING signaling pathway senses the presence of cytosolic DNA, induces strong type I interferon responses, and enhances inflammatory cytokine production, placing it as an important axis in infection, autoimmunity, and tumor immunity. Recent studies have shown that the abnormalities and/or dysfunctions of cGAS-STING signaling are closely related to the pathogenesis of skin diseases and/or cancers. Additionally, a variety of new therapeutics targeting the cGAS-STING signaling are in development for the treatment of skin disorders. However, the precise molecular mechanisms of cGAS-STING-mediated cutaneous disorders have not been fully elucidated. In this review, we will summarize the regulatory roles and mechanisms of cGAS-STING signaling in skin disorders and recent progresses of cGAS-STING-related drugs as well as their potential clinical applications.