The socio-economic burden of H1-antihistamine-refractory chronic spontaneous urticaria in Germany.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM: Data from the AWARE study (A Worldwide Antihistamine-Refractory chronic urticaria patient Evaluation) illustrate a substantial disease burden in German patients with H1-antihistamine (-H1-AH)-refractory chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Detrimental effects on patients' quality of life, poor disease control and impairment in the ability to work and perform other daily activities are reported. Based on these findings, this study aims to quantify the epidemiological and socio-economic burden of H1-AH-refractory CSU in Germany. METHODS: To determine the epidemiological burden of H1-AH-refractory CSU, the age- and gender-specific prevalence of CSU and the proportion of H1-AH-refractory patients in Germany anonymized data from the InGef research database have been used. In a second step, the socio-economic burden in terms of lost numbers of hours in paid and unpaid work was calculated by extrapolating the age- and gender-specific work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI) observed in AWARE to the H1-AH-refractory CSU population in Germany. Finally, productivity losses in paid and unpaid work were monetized using the human capital and the friction cost approach respectively. Moreover, socio-economic burden was calculated depending on symptom control of the patients (measured by urticaria control test [UCT]). RESULTS: In Germany, over 203,000 patients (20 years or older) had H1-AH-refractory CSU in 2018. The avoided lost paid and unpaid work hours attributable to H1-AH-refractory CSU summed up to over 100 million. Overall, the socio-economic burden of H1-AH-refractory CSU in monetary terms was evaluated at € 2.2 billion and the majority of this was due to unpaid work loss. Patients with poor disease control, as indicated by UCT score < 12, were more likely to suffer from high impairment than patients with controlled disease, resulting in a higher socio-economic burden. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our analyses picture the substantial socio-economic burden of H1-AH-refractory CSU and therefore the tremendous impact it has on daily lives of individuals and society overall.

Modelling of patient journey in chronic spontaneous urticaria: Increasing awareness and education by shorten patients' disease journey in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is both physically and emotionally stressful, and guideline recommendations are often not optimally implemented in clinical practice. The objective of this study was to provide an overview on the patient journey in CSU and to develop a mathematical model based on solid data. METHODS: The journey of CSU patients in Germany was traced through literature review and expert meetings that included medical experts, pharmacists and representatives of patient organizations. The current situation's main challenges in the patient journey (education, collaboration and disease management) were discussed in depth. Then, a probabilistic model was developed in a co-creation approach to simulate the impact of three potential improvement strategies: (1) patient education campaign, (2) medical professional education programme and (3) implementation of a disease management programme (DMP). RESULTS: Chronic spontaneous urticaria patients are severely burdened by delays in diagnosis and optimal medical care. Our simulation indicates that in Germany, it takes on average of 3.8 years for patients to achieve disease control in Germany. Modelling all three optimization strategies resulted in a reduction to 2.5 years until CSU symptom control. On a population level, the proportion of CSU patients with disease control increased from 44.2% to 58.1%. CONCLUSIONS: In principle, effective CSU medications and a disease-specific guideline are available. However, implementation of recommendations is lagging in practice. The approach of quantitative modelling of the patient journey validates obstacles and shows a clear effect of multiple interventions on the patient journey. The data generated by our simulation can be used to identify strategies for improving patient care. Our approach might helping in understanding and improving the management of patients beyond CSU.

Diagnostic delay in Hidradenitis suppurativa investigated using data from social media and from statutory health insurances.

BACKGROUND: The chronic inflammatory skin disease hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) leads to severe pain and reduced quality of life. Nonetheless, it often takes years until a correct diagnosis is made. In this analysis, disease-related experiences and pathways of patients with HS were investigated and compared with the physicians' perspective. METHODS: Public posts on forums and social media as well as results of a survey conducted among dermatologists and their patients on the actual medical care reality of HS in Germany were analysed. Furthermore, claims data from German health insurance companies were evaluated. RESULTS: Patients with HS suffer from a 43.3% reduction in working ability. Dermatology (26.5%) was the most frequently consulted specialty, with HS diagnosed predominantly in the inpatient setting (43.8%). Abscesses were described as the most frequent alternative diagnosis in HS patients (53.2%). Patient-reported changes of physicians in dermatology (34.1%) and surgery (42.4%) occurred predominantly within the specialty. Dermatology received most referrals from general practitioners (67.1%), but only 12.1% from surgeons. CONCLUSION: There is an urgent need to reduce the delay in diagnosis and the prolonged burden of disease in patients with HS. Therefore, awareness of the disease, its detection and treatment which goes beyond dermatology should be promoted, if possible as part of medical studies.

S2k guideline for the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa / acne inversa - Short version.

The S2k guideline on hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa (HS/AI) aims to provide an accepted decision aid for the selection/implementation of appropriate/sufficient therapy. HS/AI is a chronic recurrent, inflammatory, potentially mutilating skin disease of the terminal hair follicle-glandular apparatus, with painful, inflammatory lesions in the apocrine gland-rich regions of the body. Its point prevalence in Germany is 0.3%, it is diagnosed with a delay of 10.0 ± 9.6 years. Abnormal differentiation of the keratinocytes of the hair follicle-gland apparatus and accompanying inflammation form the central pathogenetic basis. Primary HS/AI lesions are inflammatory nodules, abscesses and draining tunnels. Recurrences in the last 6 months with at least 2 lesions at the predilection sites point to HS/AI with a 97% accuracy. HS/AI patients suffer from a significant reduction in quality of life. For correct treatment decisions, classification and activity assessment should be done with a validated tool, such as the International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Scoring System (IHS4). HS/AI is classified into two forms according to the degree of detectable inflammation: active, inflammatory (mild, moderate, and severe according to IHS4) and predominantly inactive, non-inflammatory (Hurley grade I, II and III) HS/AI. Oral tetracyclines or 5-day intravenous therapy with clindamycin are equal to the effectiveness of clindamycin/rifampicin. Subcutaneously administered adalimumab, secukinumab and bimekizumab are approved for the therapy of HS/AI. Various surgical procedures are available for the predominantly non-inflammatory disease form. Drug/surgical combinations are considered a holistic therapy method.

Photodynamic therapy with a 5-ALA patch does not increase the risk of conversion of actinic keratoses into squamous cell carcinoma: Results of a multicentre non-interventional study.

BACKGROUND: It is important to collect data about the risk of transformation of an actinic keratosis (AK) lesion into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) after a single photodynamic therapy (PDT) with 5-ALA patch for a longer follow-up period under daily routine. QUESTIONS ADDRESSED: The purpose of this non-interventional study (NIS) was to collect data on the frequency of occurrence of SCCs in the treated area during an interval of 2 years after a single 5-ALA patch-PDT. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: This prospective observational case-only study included patients with mild AK lesions on the head and face treated with 5-ALA patch-PDT according to the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). RESULTS: In 370 patients, the risk of transformation of their treated AK lesion into SCC was 0.073% with its exact 95% confidence interval using the Poisson distribution of [0.009%, 0.262%]. The rate of complete clinical clearance on lesion basis after 3 months was 84.3%. CONCLUSION: The efficacy and the safety results show no observation of an increased risk for conversion of an AK into a SCC 2 years after a single 5-ALA patch-PDT. Additionally, the high clinical complete remission rate under routine conditions is comparable to the rates observed in the approval trials.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria - a management pathway for patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a common and challenging disease, especially with respect to healthcare provision in the context of the German statutory health insurance system. If treatment with second-generation antihistamines is unsuccessful, current guidelines recommend further therapeutic options. However, most of these are off-label. This discrepancy between treatment according to guidelines and the ability to prescribe drugs at the expense of the statutory health insurance (reimbursability) often leads to uncertainties in everyday clinical practice. In addition, physicians prescribing certain drugs are faced with the difficulty of measuring and documenting therapeutic success/outcome. Respective outcome measurement methods have not yet been established in daily practice. Using a consensus process, a working group composed of dermatologists in private practice and specialized urticaria centers has defined a practical pathway for the implementation of current treatment recommendations based on the 2013 S3 guidelines for urticaria. Here, we present a diagnostic and therapeutic management pathway for CSU. Further, we discuss prescription issues in daily practice, including updosing of antihistamines, with regard to cost-effectiveness and drug approval on the basis of published studies and current legislation. Constituting the highest treatment level, the use of cyclosporine A, montelukast, and omalizumab, which has recently become available as therapeutic option, is reviewed. The urticaria control test (UCT) is presented as a valid outcome measure in routine practice. Our objective was to provide physicians in private practice with a practical guideline-based therapeutic decision tool, taking into account the requirements imposed by the statutory health insurance system. It is not meant to replace individualized history taking or treatment of this heterogeneous disease. Rather, we would like to suggest reference points for clinical diagnosis and treatment of CSU.

Calcipotriol/Betamethasone Dipropionate for the Treatment of Psoriasis: Mechanism of Action and Evidence of Efficacy and Safety versus Topical Corticosteroids.

The combined treatment with calcipotriol (Cal) and betamethasone dipropionate (BDP) has emerged as the leading anti-psoriatic topical treatment. Fixed-dose Cal/BDP is available in different formulations, including ointment, gel, foam, and cream. This review examines the mechanism of action of Cal/BDP underlying its therapeutic effect and compiles the evidence regarding its efficacy and safety compared to monotherapy with topical corticosteroids. The dual-action of Cal/BDP targets the inflammatory pathways and abnormal keratinocyte proliferation, both of them fundamental mechanisms of psoriasis pathogenesis. A large number of randomized, double-blind studies support Cal/BDP superiority over topical corticosteroids, demonstrating its broad efficacy across several degrees of psoriasis severity and its capability to provide early significant clinical improvements. This increased efficacy is achieved without negative effects on the safety profile, since the incidence of adverse effects reported with Cal/BDP is usually similar to that of BDP and even lower than that of Cal alone. The combination therapy rapid onset of action, coupled with a simplified dosing regimen, has been identified as crucial for improving long-term adherence and patient outcomes. In conclusion, Cal/BDP is confirmed as a versatile, effective, and convenient option for the patient in psoriasis management.

Real-world use, perception, satisfaction, and adherence of calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate PAD-cream in patients with plaque psoriasis in Spain and Germany: results from a cross-sectional, online survey.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis significantly impacts patients' quality of life (QoL). Dissatisfaction and non-adherence are major barriers associated with topical treatments. A cream based on the polyaphron dispersion (PAD) Technology containing a fixed-dose of calcipotriol (CAL) and betamethasone dipropionate (BDP) was designed for a patient-friendly psoriasis management. The CAL/BDP PAD-cream demonstrated efficacy, convenience, and safety/tolerability in clinical trials. OBJECTIVES: This research assesses the real-world use, perception, satisfaction, and adherence of CAL/BDP PAD-cream among plaque psoriasis patients. METHODS: Between September-November 2023, psoriasis patients from Spain and Germany using or having used CAL/BDP PAD-cream for >2 weeks were recruited via Wefight network to complete a 30-questions online survey. Anonymized results were pooled for descriptive statistical analysis. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 129 patients (mean age: 43 years; 66% females; mean psoriasis duration: 12 years). Most patients (93%) were satisfied with CAL/BDP PAD-cream. The 66% reported high adherence (visual analogue scale 80-100) and 91% preferred CAL/BDP PAD-cream to their previous topical(s). Patients highlighted its ease/convenience of application, tolerability, and lack of itching/burning. CONCLUSIONS: Psoriasis patients treated with CAL/BDP PAD-cream in a real-world setting show high satisfaction, good adherence, and a positive perception of the product, suggesting that favorable outcomes observed in clinical trials translate to real clinical practice.

Homo- and heterotypic cell-cell contacts in Merkel cells and Merkel cell carcinomas: heterogeneity and indications for cadherin switching.

AIMS: Merkel cell carcinomas (MCCs) are rare but aggressive tumours associated recently with Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV). As development and progression of several types of carcinomas can be promoted by changes in cell adhesion proteins, the aim of this study was to examine homo- and heterotypic cell contacts of Merkel cells and MCCs. METHODS AND RESULTS: Merkel cells of healthy glabrous epidermis and 52 MCCs were analysed by double-label immunostaining, immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. Merkel cells were connected to keratinocytes by E- and P-cadherin, desmoglein 2 and desmocollin 2. In contrast, the vast majority of MCCs (90%) contained N-cadherin, but only 67% and 65% contained E- and P-cadherin, respectively. Interestingly, P-cadherin was absent significantly more frequently in lymph node metastases than in primary tumours and by trend in more advanced clinical stages. Moreover, major subsets of MCCs synthesized desmoglein 2 and, surprisingly, tight junction proteins. No significant differences were observed upon stratification for MCV DNA, detected in 84% of tumours by real-time polymerase chain reaction. CONCLUSIONS: Assuming that MCCs originate from Merkel cells, our data indicate a switch from E- and P-cadherin to N-cadherin during tumorigenesis. Whether the unexpected heterogeneity of junctional proteins can be exploited for prognostic and therapeutic purposes will need to be examined.

The cholinergic system in guttate psoriasis with special reference to mast cells.

Patients with guttate psoriasis have been reported to respond to anticholinergic treatment. We wanted to know how the cholinergic system could be involved in this process. Mast cells are characteristic components of the inflammatory infiltrate of guttate psoriasis. We therefore studied the cholinergic system in both epidermis and mast cells of 10 patients with guttate psoriasis in involved and uninvolved skin on protein level using immunofluorescence and in a mast cell line (HMC-1) using PCR. Both in vivo and in vitro, mast cells lacked expression of cholinacetyl transferase, vesicular acetylcholine transporter and choline transporter-1 but contained high levels of acetylcholinesterase and different nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR). In lesional epidermis, both acetylcholine production and AChR expression was mostly shifted from the basal to the suprabasal layers. In vitro, acetylcholine, choline and nicotine, but not muscarine, induced mast cell degranulation but not LTB-4 or TNF-alpha secretion. This process could be inhibited by low doses of different nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists.

Long-term use of fumaric acid esters for the treatment of psoriasis in daily practice.

BACKGROUND: Fumaric acid ester (FAE) is the most commonly prescribed first-line systemic therapy for the treatment of psoriasis in Germany. Although developed in the 1990s, only limited long-term data are available. METHODS: Data of 200 adult psoriatic patients from 10 study centers were collected in a noninterventional, multicenter, retrospective analysis. The inclusion criteria was treatment with FAE in 2015. RESULTS: Eighty-two percent of the patients were naive to systemic treatment. Ten percent of all patients had FAE-treatment for 10 years or longer with an average drug survival of 4.32 years. The maintenance dose was ranging from 1-4 120 mg tablets for 87.5% of the patients. In our population, 14% of the patients stopped therapy during the first six month mainly due to gastro-intestinal side effects. No serious side effects were reported. Seventy-eight percent of the patients responded to FAE therapy with improvement of their psoriasis to mild (61%) or clear (17%). The PASI 75 response was achieved in 44% of the patient during long-term treatment without remarkable differences between moderate or severe plaque psoriasis. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms FAE therapy as a long-term, first-line treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Nicotinic receptors on rat alveolar macrophages dampen ATP-induced increase in cytosolic calcium concentration.

BACKGROUND: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) have been identified on a variety of cells of the immune system and are generally considered to trigger anti-inflammatory events. In the present study, we determine the nAChR inventory of rat alveolar macrophages (AM), and investigate the cellular events evoked by stimulation with nicotine. METHODS: Rat AM were isolated freshly by bronchoalveolar lavage. The expression of nAChR subunits was analyzed by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting. To evaluate function of nAChR subunits, electrophysiological recordings and measurements of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) were conducted. RESULTS: Positive RT-PCR results were obtained for nAChR subunits α3, α5, α9, α10, ß1, and ß2, with most stable expression being noted for subunits α9, α10, ß1, and ß2. Notably, mRNA coding for subunit α7 which is proposed to convey the nicotinic anti-inflammatory response of macrophages from other sources than the lung was not detected. RT-PCR data were supported by immunohistochemistry on AM isolated by lavage, as well as in lung tissue sections and by Western blotting. Neither whole-cell patch clamp recordings nor measurements of [Ca2+]i revealed changes in membrane current in response to ACh and in [Ca2+]i in response to nicotine, respectively. However, nicotine (100 µM), given 2 min prior to ATP, significantly reduced the ATP-induced rise in [Ca2+]i by 30%. This effect was blocked by α-bungarotoxin and did not depend on the presence of extracellular calcium. CONCLUSIONS: Rat AM are equipped with modulatory nAChR with properties distinct from ionotropic nAChR mediating synaptic transmission in the nervous system. Their stimulation with nicotine dampens ATP-induced Ca2+-release from intracellular stores. Thus, the present study identifies the first acute receptor-mediated nicotinic effect on AM with anti-inflammatory potential.

Ex vivo expanded haematopoietic progenitor cells improve dermal wound healing by paracrine mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: Although dermal wounds are common, treatment remains limited and largely ineffective. Recent studies suggest that therapeutic application of progenitor cells is useful for tissue regeneration. OBJECTIVE: We here investigated the effects exerted by the recently characterized immortalized haematopoietic progenitor cell line DKmix and their conditioned medium in a murine wound healing model. METHODS AND RESULTS: Injection of both DKmix cells and their conditioned medium accelerated wound repair between days 3 and 10 compared with PBS-injected control mice (n = 8, P < 0.01 DKmix cells vs control, P < 0.01 conditioned medium vs control at day 6). The treated groups exhibited more CD31(+)-capillaries at day 6 after injury compared with the control group (n = 4, P < 0.01 DKmix cells vs control, P < 0.001 conditioned medium vs control), whereas there was no change in infiltrated CD68(+) macrophages. Conditioned medium of DKmix cells induced tube formation of human endothelial cells in Matrigel assays (n = 4-6, P < 0.05 conditioned medium vs control) as well as migration (n = 4, P < 0.01 conditioned medium vs control) and proliferation of murine 3T3 fibroblasts (n = 5, P < 0.05 conditioned medium vs control). Abundant levels of matrix metalloproteinase -2 and -9 in the supernatants were detected. Protein arrays of the supernatants revealed a strong secretion of cytokines and growth factors, such as monocyte chemoatractant protein-1 and GM-CSF from DKmix cells. CONCLUSION: DKmix cells improve skin-substitute wound healing by promoting angiogenesis as well as migration and proliferation of fibroblasts. These data suggest that immortalized haematopoietic progenitor cells significantly improve dermal wound healing by paracrine effects.

Secondary prevention of hidradenitis suppurativa.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a multifactorial disease with many facets of uncertain importance for optimal treatment and prevention. In order to explore options for secondary prevention in HS, we randomly and retrospectively selected 40 patients with HS that were analyzed on the basis of supposed trigger factors and proposed prevention measures. 67% of our HS patients were current smokers. They had started smoking on average 8 years prior to abscess formation. 35% complained of digestive problems and had tried different sorts of diet. We identified 2 cases of gluten-sensitive enteropathy, in which HS improved after introduction of gluten-free diet. In 7 further patients, introduction of low dairy/low carbohydrate diet considerably improved HS. 77.5% had never used any skin care in the intertriginous areas. Implementing secondary prevention by reducing irritation, avoiding shaving, improving skin care, performing laser epilation or applying fusidic acid/betamethasone cream led to an improvement in 62.5% of patients. We suggest a structured approach in daily practice in order to identify individual trigger factors. The crucial point for secondary prevention is the improvement of patient education.

Frontiers in sebaceous gland biology and pathology.

The development of experimental models for the in vitro study of human sebaceous gland turned down the theory of a phylogenetic relict and led to the identification of several, unknown or disregarded functions of this organ. Such functions are the production of foetal vernix caseosa, the influence of three-dimensional organization of the skin surface lipids and the integrity of skin barrier and the influence on follicular differentiation. In addition, the sebaceous gland contributes to the transport of fat-soluble antioxidants from and to the skin surface, the natural photoprotection, the pro- and antiinflammatory skin properties and to the innate antimicrobial activity of the skin. It is mainly responsible for skin's independent endocrine function, the hormonally induced skin ageing process, the steroidogenic function of the skin as well as its thermoregulatory and repelling properties and for selective control of the hormonal and xenobiotical actions of the skin. Interestingly, sebocytes, at least in vitro, preserve characteristics of stem-like cells despite their programming for terminal differentiation. This review reports on various sebaceous gland functions, which are currently under investigation, including its role on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-like axis of the skin, the impact of acetylcholine on sebocyte biology, the activity of ectopeptidases as new targets to regulate sebocyte function, the effects of vitamin D on human sebocytes, the expression of retinoid metabolizing cytochrome P450 enzymes and the possible role of sebum as vehicle of fragrances. These multiple homeostatic functions award the sebaceous gland the role 'brain of the skin' and the most important cutaneous endocrine gland.

Imatinib as a treatment option for systemic non-Langerhans cell histiocytoses.

BACKGROUND: Systemic non-Langerhans cell histiocytoses are disorders characterized by the accumulation of histiocytes that do not meet the criteria for Langerhans cells in various organs. So far, no causative treatment is known. OBSERVATIONS: Herein, we report the case of a 41-year-old man with Rosai-Dorfman disease, a form of systemic non-Langerhans cell histiocytoses, with histiocytic infiltrations in the skin, bone marrow, liver, and spleen. Histiocytes were positive for the imatinib target proteins platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta and KIT. The disease completely responded to treatment with 400 to 600 mg daily of imatinib for more than 7 months. CONCLUSION: This case shows that imatinib is a powerful treatment option for patients with non-Langerhans cell histiocytoses.

Functional significance of non-neuronal acetylcholine in skin epithelia.

In recent years, the physiological role of non-neuronal acetylcholine (ACh) and its receptors (AChR) in epidermal physiology has been under intense investigation. However, little is known about the role of the non-neuronal cholinergic system in inflammatory skin diseases. We chose the clinically nicotine-dependent skin disease hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) as model to study the influence of long term nicotine ingestion on epidermal morphology and AChR expression. HS is a chronic inflammatory, disabling disease of unknown pathogenesis emerging from the pilosebaceous unit of the intertriginous areas. In order to correlate our findings to specific nicotine effects, we used the organotypical coculture system (OTC) and raised artificial epidermis in the presence of nicotine. After 12 days in culture control OTC showed a mature epithelium, while nicotine treated OTCs were significantly thicker. Using immunofluorescence analysis, nicotine treated OTCs produced significantly stronger immunoreactivity (IR) for the alpha3, M(3) and M(5) AChR antisera than control. In contrast, the alpha7 nAChR antiserum showed a slightly reduced IR in the granular layer and the alpha9 nAChR IR retracted to the lower suprabasal layers. In HS epidermis we found the strongest IR for all AChR around the follicular infundibulum while in the sinus epithelia it was only weak. In contrast to the nicotine treated OTC, the alpha7 nAChR IR in the hyperplastic HS epidermis was clearly extended to all living layers. Altogether we provide first hints for a causative role of the non-neuronal cholinergic system in the pathogenesis of HS by promoting infundibular epithelial hyperplasia and thus follicular plugging.