Top Ten Research Priorities for Psoriasis, Atopic Dermatitis and Hidradenitis Suppurativa: The SkIN Canada Priority Setting Initiative.

BACKGROUND: The Skin Investigation Network of Canada (SkIN Canada) is a new national skin research network. To shape the research landscape and ensure its value to patient care, research priorities that are important to patients, caregivers, and health care providers must be identified. OBJECTIVES: To identify the Top Ten research priorities for 9 key skin conditions. METHODS: We first surveyed health care providers and researchers to select the top skin conditions for future research within the categories of inflammatory skin disease, skin cancers (other than melanoma), and wound healing. For those selected skin conditions, we conducted scoping reviews to identify previous priority setting exercises. We combined the results of those scoping reviews with a survey of patients, health care providers, and researchers to generate lists of knowledge gaps for each condition. We then surveyed patients and health care providers to create preliminary rankings to prioritize those knowledge gaps. Finally, we conducted workshops of patients and health care providers to create the final Top Ten lists of research priorities for each condition. RESULTS: Overall, 538 patients, health care providers, and researchers participated in at least one survey or workshop. Psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and hidradenitis suppurativa (inflammatory skin disease); chronic wounds, burns and scars (wound healing); and basal cell, squamous cell and Merkel cell carcinoma (skin cancer) were selected as priority skin conditions. Top Ten lists of knowledge gaps for inflammatory skin conditions encompassed a range of issues relevant to patient care, including questions on pathogenesis, prevention, non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic management. CONCLUSIONS: Research priorities derived from patients and health care providers should be used to guide multidisciplinary research networks, funders, and policymakers in Canada and internationally.

Meniscus-Targeted Injections for Chronic Knee Pain Due to Meniscal Tears or Degenerative Fraying: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: Meniscal tears caused by acute trauma or degenerative fraying affect a wide array of individuals. An effective, long-lasting treatment has widely been sought after. Intra-articular corticosteroid injections have been among the methods of controlling pain for more than 60 years. However, such injections tend to produce short-lasting results, with profound effects lasting an average of up to 4 weeks. The purpose of this study was to determine the average duration and magnitude of pain relief after meniscal-targeted injections. METHODS: The electronic medical records of 135 patients were accessed for this retrospective chart review. Patients who had meniscal tears or degenerative fraying and were treated with meniscal-targeted injections were selected. Patients' visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores (before and after treatment) were recorded, along with the percentage of pain relief and duration of pain relief. RESULTS: Ultrasound-guided meniscus-targeted corticosteroid injections for meniscal tears or degenerative fraying produced 5.68 (SD, 5.28) weeks of pain relief on average, with a decrease in pain from initial to follow-up visits of 2.14 (P < .0001) as per the visual analog scale score, and an Integral of Pain Relief score of 3.98. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate a substantial benefit from 20- or 40-mg meniscus-targeted triamcinolone injections, granted the limitations of chart review research and no control group comparison. Results highlight the need for future prospective research comparing meniscus-targeted injections with intra-articular injections to identify a better modality for treating patients with chronic knee pain caused by meniscal tears or degenerative fraying.