Assessment of diagnostic delay, morbidity, and mortality outcomes in 302 calciphylaxis patients over a 17-year period: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Calciphylaxis patients historically have experienced diagnostic challenges and high morbidity, however limited data is available examining these characteristics over time. OBJECTIVE: The primary goals were to a) investigate factors associated with diagnostic delay of calciphylaxis and b) assess morbidity outcomes. The secondary goal was to provide updated mortality rates. METHODS: A retrospective review of 302 adult patients diagnosed with calciphylaxis between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2022 was conducted. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS: Non-nephrogenic calciphylaxis (p=0.0004) and involvement of the fingers (p=0.0001) were significantly associated with an increased diagnostic delay, whereas involvement of the arms (p=0.01) and genitalia (p=0.022) resulted in fewer days to diagnosis. Almost all patients with genitalia, finger, or toe involvement had nephrogenic disease. The number of complications per patient decreased with time, especially for wound infections (p=0.028), increase in lesion number (p=0.012), and recurrent hospitalizations (p=0.020). Updated 1-year mortality rates were 36.70% and 30.77% for nephrogenic and non-nephrogenic calciphylaxis, respectively. LIMITATIONS: Limitations include the retrospective nature and data from a single institution. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic delay, particularly in non-nephrogenic calciphylaxis, and complications per patient decreased with time, highlighting the importance of continued awareness to expedite diagnosis. Mortality rates have continued to improve in recent years.

Geomapping of pediatric dermatologists: A tool to promote diversity and equity in dermatology.

There is a lack of racial and ethnic diversity across the field of dermatology, including the subspecialty of pediatric dermatology. Residency programs are improving recruitment and mentorship of medical students who identify with racial or ethnic minority communities (underrepresented in medicine [URiM]) to dermatology overall, a goal similarly held by our subspecialty. The objectives of this study were to create an online mapping tool to visually centralize the list of 142 dermatology residency programs, 105 with practicing pediatric dermatologists on faculty and 51 that offer financial scholarships for URiM visiting medical students completing away rotations. With this tool, we hope that prospective students may not only identify potential pediatric dermatology mentors for virtual and in-person activities, but that they may also build connections with and increase their chance of matching at prospective residency programs with demonstrable commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Improved erythema and decreased blister formation in dominant dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa following treatment with pulsed dye laser.

Dominant dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DDEB), an inherited disorder due to type VII collagen mutations, is characterized by blisters and erosions that heal with scarring, atrophy, and milia. There is no established role for laser in the management of patients with DDEB. Pulsed dye laser (PDL) is most often used to target vascular skin lesions. We describe a patient with DDEB with marked improvement in erythema as well as fewer and less symptomatic episodes of blistering following treatment with PDL.

Pediatric allergic contact dermatitis. Part I: Clinical features and common contact allergens in children.

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), a delayed hypersensitivity skin reaction to environmental allergens, has a prevalence that is similar in children and adults. However, diagnostic testing for ACD in pediatric populations accounts for less than one tenth of all patch tests. The relative infrequency of pediatric patch testing may be attributed to the difficulty in testing in this population, which includes a smaller surface area for patch test placement and maintaining cooperation during patch testing, especially in younger children. Diagnosis can be difficult in children because the appearance of ACD can mimic other common pediatric skin conditions, particularly atopic dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis. Comprehensive history taking, guided by patient presentation, age group, and location of dermatitis, helps build clinical suspicion. Such clinical suspicion is one of the major reasons behind patch testing, with additional indications being recalcitrant dermatitis and dermatitis with atypical distribution. US pediatric data have shown the top allergens to be metals, fragrances, topical antibiotics, preservatives, and emollients. These trends are important to recognize to guide management and accurate diagnosis, because ACD tends to persist if the allergen is not identified and can affect patients' quality of life.

Pediatric allergic contact dermatitis. Part 2: Patch testing series, procedure, and unique scenarios.

Patch testing is the criterion standard for diagnosing allergic contact dermatitis. Causative allergens differ between children and adults, necessitating the development of pediatric-specific patch test series. The Pediatric Baseline Series was developed in 2018 through expert consensus and includes relevant pediatric allergens that dermatologists can use in practice. Obstacles in patch testing, such as the need for multiple office visits, length of patch application, and avoidance of sweat and water on the testing area, are particularly challenging for the pediatric population, and several strategies are proposed. Aside from formal patch testing, alternatives like the repeat open application test and empiric allergen avoidance can be helpful in children. The key to management of allergic contact dermatitis is allergen avoidance, with emphasis on the need to properly identify causative allergens. Continued data collection through registries allows for a better understanding of the diagnosis and management of pediatric allergic contact dermatitis.

Classification of lower extremity venous malformations and risk of knee involvement: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Venous malformation (VM) is the most common vascular anomaly in the lower extremity. VMs can be classified as focal, multifocal, or diffuse types. Intraarticular VM (IA-VM) of the knee portends morbidity. Association of the lower extremity VM type with IA-VM is not well defined. OBJECTIVE: To classify a large cohort of lower extremity, nonsyndromic VMs by type and determine associations with IA-VM. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: We assessed 156 patients with nonsyndromic, lower extremity VM; 71 (46%) were focal and 85 (54%) were diffuse type VM, and 97 (62%) were IA-VM. Of diffuse VMs, 26 (31%) were Bockenheimer and 59 (69%) were localized subtypes. Pure VM had a significantly elevated risk of IA-VM (relative risk [RR], 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.42-3.89). IA-VM was more common in diffuse (73%) versus focal (49%) types. Risk of IA-VM in diffuse type VM was significantly elevated (RR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.13-1.94). One hundred percent of diffuse Bockenheimer type VM had IA-VM, and this subtype had the highest risk (RR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.56-2.14) of IA-VM. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective, single-institution study. CONCLUSIONS: Intraarticular involvement of the knee should be considered in all lower extremity VMs. Pure VM and the Bockenheimer diffuse VM subtype had the highest risk of IA-VM.

Penile calciphylaxis: A retrospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Calciphylaxis is a rare disorder characterized by skin necrosis caused by calcium deposition within vessels, thrombosis, and subsequent tissue ischemia. Penile involvement may rarely occur. OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors, diagnosis, management, and mortality of patients with penile calciphylaxis. METHODS: A retrospective medical record review was conducted of 16 patients with penile calciphylaxis treated at 2 large urban tertiary care centers between January 2001 and December 2019. A control group of 44 male patients with nonpenile calciphylaxis at the same institution was included. RESULTS: The median survival of patients with penile calciphylaxis was 3.8 months (interquartile range, 27.0 months). Mortality was 50% at 3 months and 62.5% at 6 months for penile calciphylaxis, and 13.6% at 3 months and 29.5% at 6 months for controls (P = .008). Patients with penile calciphylaxis were less likely to be obese (P = .04) but more likely to have hyperparathyroidism (P = .0003) and end-stage renal disease (P = .049). LIMITATIONS: Retrospective study design and small sample size. CONCLUSIONS: This study further defines the disease course of penile calciphylaxis, which has high mortality. Imaging may be used to aid diagnosis. Risk factors include end-stage renal disease, hyperparathyroidism, and normal body mass index.

Clinical mimickers of calciphylaxis: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Calciphylaxis is an ischemic vasculopathy with high morbidity and mortality. Early and accurate diagnosis is critical to management of calciphylaxis. Clinical mimickers may contribute to delayed or misdiagnosis. OBJECTIVE: To assess the rate and risk factors for misdiagnosis and to identify clinical mimickers of calciphylaxis. METHODS: A retrospective medical record review was conducted of patients with calciphylaxis at a large urban tertiary care hospital between 2006 and 2018. RESULTS: Of 119 patients diagnosed with calciphylaxis, 73.1% were initially misdiagnosed. Of patients not initially misdiagnosed, median time to diagnosis from initial presentation was 4.5 days (interquartile range, 1.0-23.3), compared to 33 days (interquartile range, 13.0-68.8) in patients who were initially misdiagnosed (P = .0002). The most common misdiagnoses were cellulitis (31.0%), unspecified skin infection (8.0%), and peripheral vascular disease (6.9%). Patients who were misdiagnosed frequently received at least 1 course of antibiotics. Patients with end-stage renal disease were less likely to be misdiagnosed than those without this disease (P = .001). LIMITATIONS: Single-center, retrospective study. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the risk factors for misdiagnosis of calciphylaxis is an opportunity for further education concerning this rare disease.

Assessment of outcomes of calciphylaxis.

BACKGROUND: Calciphylaxis is a rare thrombotic vasculopathy characterized by high morbidity and mortality. There is a paucity of studies examining longitudinal outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To assess mortality, days spent in the hospital, and amputations in patients with calciphylaxis. METHODS: A retrospective medical record review was conducted in 145 patients diagnosed with calciphylaxis at an urban tertiary care hospital from January 2006 to December 2018. RESULTS: Six-month mortality was 37.2%, and 1-year mortality was 44.1%. Patients with nephrogenic calciphylaxis had worse survival than those with nonnephrogenic calciphylaxis (P = .007). This difference in survival disappeared when limiting mortality to deaths due to calciphylaxis. Age (P = .003) and end-stage renal disease (P = .01) were risk factors associated with 1-year mortality. Diabetes mellitus was associated with greater total hospitalization days (coefficient, 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.4); bedside debridement was associated with fewer hospitalization days (coefficient, 0.8; 95% confidence interval, 0.7-0.9). Amputations were not associated with any of the examined risk factors. The use of warfarin followed by a transition to nonwarfarin anticoagulation was associated with decreased hazard of death (P = .01). LIMITATIONS: Retrospective nature. CONCLUSIONS: Calciphylaxis remains a complex, heterogeneous disease. Mortality is lower in patients with nonnephrogenic disease. These findings may be incorporated during discussions regarding the goals of care to facilitate informed shared decision making.

Identification of interactions among host and bacterial proteins and evaluation of their role early during Shigella flexneri infection.

Shigella species cause diarrhoea by invading and spreading through the epithelial layer of the human colon. The infection triggers innate immune responses in the host that the bacterium combats by translocating into the host cell cytosol via a type 3 secretion system bacterial effector proteins that interfere with host processes. We previously demonstrated that interaction of the Shigella type 3 secreted effector protein IcsB with the host protein Toca-1 inhibits the innate immune response microtubule-associated protein light-chain 3 (LC3)-associated phagocytosis, and that IcsB interaction with Toca-1 is required for inhibition of this host response. Here, we show that Toca-1 in vitro precipitated not only IcsB, but also the type 3 secreted proteins OspC3, IpgD and IpaB. OspC3 and IpgD precipitation with Toca-1 was dependent on IcsB. Early during infection, most of these proteins localized near intracellular Shigella. We examined whether interactions among these proteins restrict innate host cell responses other than LC3-associated phagocytosis. In infected cells, OspC3 blocks production and secretion of the mature pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-18; however, we found that interaction of OspC3 with IcsB, either directly or indirectly via Toca-1, was not required for OspC3-mediated restriction of IL-18 production. These results indicate that interactions of the host protein Toca-1 with a subset of type 3 effector proteins contribute to the established function of some, but not all involved, effector proteins.

Location of skin lesions in Henoch-Schönlein purpura and its association with significant renal involvement.

BACKGROUND: Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a small vessel IgA-predominant vasculitis. OBJECTIVE: To describe adult patients with HSP and determine if the distribution of skin lesions (ie, purpura above the waist or purpura below the waist only), is a predictor of significant renal involvement at the time of the skin biopsy and the months following. METHODS: A retrospective study on renal function from 72 adult patients with skin-biopsy proven HSP. Longitudinal renal data were analyzed after HSP diagnosis by using baseline renal function for comparison. RESULTS: Statistical analysis adjusted for sex, age, and baseline creatinine revealed a trend between HSP lesions only on the upper and lower extremities and long-term renal involvement (4.767, P = .067). Moreover, in another analysis adjusted for age and baseline creatinine, lesions located only on the upper and lower extremities significantly increased the odds of having long-term significant renal involvement (6.55, P = .049) in men. LIMITATIONS: This retrospective study used patient information that was subject to selection bias. CONCLUSION: In patients with HSP, skin lesion distribution on the extremities might be predictive of significant long-term renal involvement and might be critical for risk stratification and development of personalized diagnostics and therapeutics.

Low-dose Methotrexate for Vitiligo.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of vitiligo is aimed at repigmentation and often consists of multiple modalities, none of which are universally or rapidly successful. Extensive cases are most often treated with ultraviolet light therapy, which can be both costly and time-consuming. Though vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, there is no current data to support systemic immunosuppressive monotherapy.

CASE SUMMARY: Here we present a case series of 3 patients with vitiligo treated for 11-16 months with low-dose methotrexate (12.5-25 mg per week) with folic acid supplementation with clinically significant skin repigmentation, with response within 6 months in one case. There were no severe adverse effects reported.

CONCLUSION: These cases demonstrate an unexplored effective and steroid-sparing therapeutic alternative in patients with vitiligo for whom topical therapy has failed and phototherapy is cost-prohibitive or ineffective.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(7):705-706.

Review of treatment for discoid lupus erythematosus.

Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is a chronic cutaneous disease characterized by inflammatory plaques that, in the absence of prompt diagnosis and treatment, may lead to disfiguring scarring and skin atrophy. However, there is limited evidence for which treatments are most effective. Currently, no medications have been approved specifically for the treatment of DLE. Many of the drugs described in the literature were developed for use in other immune disorders. This review will summarize current therapeutic options for DLE and their supporting evidence with discussion of prevention, topical measures, physical modalities, and systemic therapies, including newer potential therapies.

Risk Factors Predicting Cellulitis Diagnosis in a Prospective Cohort Undergoing Dermatology Consultation in the Emergency Department.

Cellulitis is an infection of the skin and skin-associated structures with many clinical mimickers known collectively as pseudocellulitis. Dermatology or infectious disease consultation is considered the gold standard for diagnosis. We evaluated a prospective cohort of adult patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with concern for lower extremity cellulitis who received dermatology consultation with conferral of a final diagnosis. Possible risk factors independently associated with cellulitis diagnosis (P<.1) were included in a logistic regression model for prediction of cellulitis diagnosis. Factors having odds ratios with a confidence interval excluding 1 were identified as significant independent predictors. The study identified factors that should be considered in evaluation of patients with suspected uncomplicated lower extremity cellulitis.