Melanoma risk stratification of individuals with a high-risk naevus phenotype - A pilot study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: High a naevus counts and atypical naevi are risk factors for cutaneous melanoma. However, many individuals with a high-risk naevus phenotype do not develop melanoma. In this study, we describe the clinical and dermoscopic attributes of naevi associated with melanoma in a high-risk naevus phenotype population. METHODS: This single-centre, hospital-based case-control study included 54 prospectively enrolled adult patients ≥18 years old with a high-risk naevus phenotype (18 cases with a history of melanoma and 36 age- and gender-matched controls without a history of melanoma). We analysed clinical and dermoscopic images of the 20 largest naevi for each participant. RESULTS: Cases had a higher mean age than controls (48.2 vs. 39.1 years, P = 0.007) but there was no difference in the male-to-female ratio between groups. Nearly, all participants (97%) were Fitzpatrick skin type II or III. Naevi in cases were more likely to be truncal, (72.6% vs. 53.6%, P = 0.01), particularly anterior truncal, (29.2% vs. 14.4%, P < 0.001) and larger than 8 mm (17.4% vs. 7.8%%, P = 0.01) compared to controls. CASH score of naevi did not differ between groups. Naevi in cases were more likely to have a multicomponent dermoscopic pattern than in controls (18.4% vs. 12.6%, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Larger naevi, truncal naevi, and naevi, with a multicomponent dermoscopic pattern may be risk factors for melanoma among individuals with a high-risk naevus phenotype. Further studies are needed to validate these findings.

RIN2 deficiency results in macrocephaly, alopecia, cutis laxa, and scoliosis: MACS syndrome.

Inherited disorders of elastic tissue represent a complex and heterogeneous group of diseases, characterized often by sagging skin and occasionally by life-threatening visceral complications. In the present study, we report on an autosomal-recessive disorder that we have termed MACS syndrome (macrocephaly, alopecia, cutis laxa, and scoliosis). The disorder was mapped to chromosome 20p11.21-p11.23, and a homozygous frameshift mutation in RIN2 was found to segregate with the disease phenotype in a large consanguineous kindred. The mutation identified results in decreased expression of RIN2, a ubiquitously expressed protein that interacts with Rab5 and is involved in the regulation of endocytic trafficking. RIN2 deficiency was found to be associated with paucity of dermal microfibrils and deficiency of fibulin-5, which may underlie the abnormal skin phenotype displayed by the patients.

Cutaneous Malignancies After Kidney and Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplantations.

BACKGROUND: Organ transplant recipients are at increased risk of nonmelanotic skin cancers (NMSC). Scarce data exist regarding secondary malignancies developing post-simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantations. Our aim was to assess long-term risk of skin cancers among kidney alone (KA) and SPK transplantation recipients. METHODS: In this study, 521 patients who underwent KA or SPK transplantation at our medical center were observed up by dedicated nephrologists and dermatologists. SPK transplantation recipients were matched with a control group of KA transplantation recipients based on demographic and clinical data. A multivariate analysis was performed to find independent cancer risk factors. RESULTS: Patients who developed skin cancer were generally older, had a fair skin type, and had a higher incidence of NMSC before transplantation. Older age and fair skin type were independent risk factors on multivariate analysis. SPK transplantation in itself was not an independent risk factor. Cancer recurrence was associated with older age and male sex. Darker skin type and lowered immunosuppressive burden were protective. CONCLUSION: In contrast to previous studies, the use of antithymocytic agents or SPK transplantation were not independently associated with increased skin cancer risk in this multivariate analysis. These findings emphasize the complex interplay between posttransplantation NMSC and various clinical and epidemiologic risk parameters.

Intense focused ultrasound for neck and lower face skin tightening a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Intense focused ultrasound (IFUS) is a Nonablative skin tightening technology with good safety profile, but limited efficacy. Most clinical studies have been performed to evaluate the efficacy of the Ulthera IFUS (Ulthera, Mesa, AZ) in treating redundant skin. OBJECTIVE: To report our experience with Doublo IFUS (Doublo™, HIRONIC Co.) for treating neck and lower face laxity. METHODS: This is a prospective study of 43 patients with neck and lower facial laxity treated using IFUS. Response was assessed by two independent dermatologists and graded on a scale of 0 (exacerbation) to 5 (75%-100% improvement). Patient's level of "sagging" and "volume loss", satisfaction and tolerance were documented. RESULTS: Nine subjects (52.9%) mentioned some improvement. Erythema and edema were acute and transient responses. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound appears to be a safe modality for facial skin tightening in selected patients with minor skin sagging and no volume discrepancy.

Evaluation of subject response following treatment for pigmentation or wrinkles using a diode laser.

BACKGROUND: Pulsed diode array laser systems are utilized extensively for various aesthetic indications such as removal of unwanted hair, treatment of vascular and pigmented lesions, and wrinkle reduction. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to report and assess the experience of using a diode laser system delivering pulsed infrared laser light at the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum at wavelengths of 805 and 1060 nm. METHODS: The study was a retrospective analysis of treatment outcomes in adult subjects treated at the clinic between January 2017 and April 2018 for wrinkles and pigmentation with a noninvasive aesthetic diode laser system. Subjects were treated at nominal wavelengths of 805 nm for pigmentation and 1060 nm for wrinkles reduction. Improvement in pigmentation and wrinkles, adverse events, and patient tolerability to treatment and satisfaction were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 44 subjects with Fitzpatrick skin types II-IV, eight were treated for pigmentation and 36 for wrinkles. For both treatments, subjects reported tolerable pain levels. All immediate responses resolved within 48 hours post-treatment. Evaluation of treatment outcomes by two blinded evaluators demonstrated significant pigmentation clearance mean of 2.50 ± 0.15, (P < .05) in subjects treated for pigmentation, as well as significant improvement mean of 0.46 ± 0.12 (P = .005) in wrinkles in 13 subjects (41%) whose "before" and "after treatment" photographs were correctly identified by both blinded evaluators. Subjects were satisfied with the treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Use of the Diode laser effectively resulted in improvement in pigmentation and wrinkles, while maintaining a high safety profile with limited downtime.

Interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) release test can detect cutaneous adverse effects to statins.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of cutaneous adverse effects are being reported as use of statins becomes more widespread. A study was undertaken to establish the relationship between statin and a cutaneous reaction by the in vitro interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) release test. METHODS: The lymphocytes of 20 patients with suspected drug-induced skin reaction were incubated with and without the drug. The level of INF-gamma from the supernatant was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the increase calculated. RESULTS: Response was positive in 27 (21.43%) of the 126 drugs. Statin was the only drug with a positive response in 80% of those cases. Nine of 20 patients (45.0%) had complete resolution after discontinuation of the drug; 6 (30.0%) who replaced one drug by another statin had partial or no resolution; and 5 (20.0%) had no resolution despite cessation of statins of all kinds. CONCLUSION: A positive INF-gamma release test was found in patients who developed skin reactions while taking statins; the test's reliability was strengthened by prompt improvement following elimination of the suspected drug in the majority of patients.