Reactive Lobular Panniculitis in the Setting of Mpox (Monkeypox) Infection.

ABSTRACT: Mpox, previously referred to as monkeypox, was recently deemed a public health emergency in 2022. Our understanding of potential secondary cutaneous manifestations in the setting of this infection is still evolving. We report a rare case of a man who presented with erythematous, painful subcutaneous nodules on his extremities in the setting of recent mpox infection. Biopsy of a lesion from the lower legs revealed a lobular panniculitis with lupus panniculitis-like features on pathology. He was ultimately diagnosed with a unique case of reactive panniculitis secondary to mpox.

Successful Treatment of Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars With Systemic and Intralesional Dupilumab.

Keloids and hypertrophic scars negatively impact the quality of life for millions of people in the world. Unfortunately, though many thera-peutic approaches are used to treat scars, they are often limited in efficacy with high rates of recurrence. Lately, a better understanding of the immune dysregulation of several dermatologic conditions has led to the emergence of multiple cytokine-targeted therapies for numerous conditions. Several studies have implicated T helper 2 (Th2) immune dysregulation in the development of scars and keloids, with interleukins (IL)-4 and -13 identified as pro-fibrotic mediators. Dupilumab is an IL-4 receptor alpha antagonist that inhibits the ex-pression of both IL-4 and -13. Herein, we describe a 44-year-old woman who developed numerous disfiguring hypertrophic scars and keloids after suffering from a severe herpes zoster infection. Given the number of scars, intralesional corticosteroid injections were not feasible. Therefore, treatment with systemic dupilumab was initiated. Many scars flattened, several even developing a cigarette-paper-like texture due to rapid involution. The largest and most recalcitrant keloid was further treated with intralesional dupliumab injec-tions every 2 weeks with an even more dramatic improvement noted in 2 months. To our knowledge, this is the first report of treating multiple keloids and hypertrophic scars with both systemic and intralesional dupilumab. Dermatologists may want to consider treating keloids that cover a large area with systemic dupilumab, a therapy with an established, reassuring safety profile. The most recalcitrant areas may further benefit from concentrating dupilumab by intralesional delivery. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(12):1220-1222.  doi:10.36849/JDD.6385.

OnabotulinumtoxinA for Systemic Sclerosis-associated Raynaud's Phenomenon: A Multi-Institutional Study on Accessibility and Effectiveness.

Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP), a common presenting symptom of systemic sclerosis (SSc), is a painful and debilitating condition of the digits caused by increased vascular reactivity.1,2.

Granuloma annulare skin profile shows activation of T-helper cell type 1, T-helper cell type 2, and Janus kinase pathways.

BACKGROUND: Granuloma annulare (GA) is an inflammatory skin disorder. Localized GA is often self-resolving, but generalized GA is often recalcitrant to treatments. There are no targeted treatments for GA, largely due to lack of mechanistic understanding. Recently, tumor necrosis factor antagonism showed promise in GA, suggesting an underlying immune pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the immune pathogenesis and identify potential therapeutic targets for GA. METHODS: Lesional and nonlesional skin biopsy samples were obtained from patients with GA and evaluated for a large array of inflammatory markers compared with inflammatory markers from normal skin of healthy individuals. RESULTS: We found differential expression of many inflammatory genes compared with normal skin. These genes were associated with T-helper (Th) cell type 1/innate immunity (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin [IL]-1ß, IL-12/23p40, signal transducer and activator of transcription 1, chemokine [C-X-C motif] ligand 9/10), Janus kinase signaling, and Th2 (IL-4, IL-31, chemokine (C-C motif) ligands 17 and 18; P < .05). Unexpectedly, IL-4 showed significant upregulation in GA lesional skin vs control skin (15,600-fold change). LIMITATIONS: Limited sample size. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings shed light on the inflammatory pathways of GA, supporting the notion that immune mechanisms could be driving disease, as suggested by the promising data of tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors in GA. The significant Janus kinase and particularly Th2 signaling in GA advocates for the investigation of specific Janus kinase- and Th2- targeted drug therapy.

A case of neonatal pemphigus vulgaris with co-existing BP180 autoantibodies.

A male neonate was born with blisters on the trunk to a 37-year-old primigravid woman with a past medical history of recurrent, painful, topical steroid-responsive oral blisters. The diagnosis of neonatal pemphigus was made after the neonate and mother were found to have elevated desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) antibodies in conjunction with histopathologic features of pemphigus vulgaris. Interestingly, both neonate and mother also had elevated levels of BP180 antibodies, classically seen in bullous pemphigoid. This case is unique in that it portrays neonatal pemphigus, an already rare condition, complicated by the presence of BP180 antibodies.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma localized to the left breast years after radiotherapy for breast cancer.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that can involve the skin primarily or secondarily. Our case describes an unusual presentation of eruptive tumors localized to the leftbreast region several years following breast cancer surgery and radiation for carcinoma of the breast. This report highlights the challenges in reachingthe diagnosis of an aggressive systemic lymphoma presenting on the skin.

Concerns for Bleeding in the Elderly with the Use of Direct Oral Anticoagulants.

Since Food and Drug Administration approval of dabigatran in 2010, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been alternatives to warfarin for patients who are at risk for cardioembolic complications of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Unfortunately, there are limited safety data available on the use of these newer agents in older adults, particularly risks of gastrointestinal, intracranial, and major bleeding (as defined by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis) in those 75 years of age and older. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide a review of available literature regarding the risk of bleeding in older adults for each DOAC based on available retrospective cohort, secondary, and subgroup analyses, and to highlight the need for additional safety information in this population.

A fly model for the CCUG-repeat expansion of myotonic dystrophy type 2 reveals a novel interaction with MBNL1.

Expanded non-coding RNA repeats of CUG and CCUG are the underlying genetic causes for myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2), respectively. A gain-of-function of these pathogenic repeat expansions is mediated at least in part by their abnormal interactions with RNA-binding proteins such as MBNL1 and resultant loss of activity of these proteins. To study pathogenic mechanisms of CCUG-repeat expansions in an animal model, we created a fly model of DM2 that expresses pure, uninterrupted CCUG-repeat expansions ranging from 16 to 720 repeats in length. We show that this fly model for DM2 recapitulates key features of human DM2 including RNA repeat-induced toxicity, ribonuclear foci formation and changes in alternative splicing. Interestingly, expression of two isoforms of MBNL1, MBNL135 and MBNL140, leads to cleavage and concurrent upregulation of the levels of the RNA-repeat transcripts, with MBNL140 having more significant effects than MBNL135. This property is shared with a fly CUG-repeat expansion model. Our results suggest a novel mechanism for interaction between the pathogenic RNA repeat expansions of myotonic dystrophy and MBNL1.

Treatment of recalcitrant granuloma annulare (GA) with adalimumab: A single-center, observational study.

BACKGROUND: Generalized or disseminated granuloma annulare (GA) is therapeutically challenging. Adalimumab, a tumor necrosis factor-α antagonist, has recently been used to treat GA. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate adalimumab's efficacy in treating GA. METHODS: We identified 7 patients with physician-verified GA who were treated with adalimumab. Primary endpoints were improvements in GA Investigator Global Assessment score and body surface area. Secondary end points included erythema and induration improvement. RESULTS: Seven adults, ages 51 to 77 years, were included. All patients' GA Investigator Global Assessment scores improved by 2 or greater. We found significant improvements in body surface area, erythema, and induration (average improvements by 87%, 88%, and 95%, respectively). Two patients required increases in adalimumab frequency. Two others noted GA recurrence; 1 restarted adalimumab and cleared again. Adverse events were minimal. LIMITATIONS: Conclusions are limited because of small sample size and observational nature of the study. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that adalimumab could be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for GA. It is a particularly attractive therapy for patients who have generalized or disseminated GA.