Assessment of Effects of Low-Level Light Therapy on Scalp Condition and Hair Growth.

Background: The appearance of the scalp and hair is very important aesthetically regardless of age or sex. Although there are many drugs and treatment methods for scalp problems and hair loss, the treatment response is still insufficient. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of low-level light therapy in a helmet-like device. Materials and Methods: This study was designed as a 24-week trial with 50 participants. All participants used a helmet-shaped device emitting 630-690, 820-880, and 910-970 nm light wavelengths, for 20 minutes, daily for 24 weeks. A phototrichogram for hair density and thickness, Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale score, erythema index, and sebum secretions of the scalp were evaluated at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks. Results: After 24 weeks of treatment, hair density and hair thickness were found to have significantly increased (P <.01 and P =0.013, respectively) and sebum secretion of vertex area had decreased significantly (P <.01). Of 49 participants, 73.47% of the participants showed improvement in the overall appearance of the scalp (n = 36). Conclusion: A helmet-like low-level light therapy device can improve the appearance of the hair, with thickening and increase in the density of the hair, and can improve scalp condition by decreasing sebum secretion.

Serious infections and tuberculosis in psoriasis patients receiving systemic therapy in Korea: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis itself, as well as its immunomodulatory drugs, may alter the immune system, increasing the risk of infections. Recent research has indicated that patients with psoriasis are at an increased risk of developing severe infections including tuberculosis. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and compare the incidence of serious infectious diseases in Korea between patients with psoriasis and participants without psoriasis regarding each treatment modality. MATERIALS & METHODS: This nationwide cohort study utilized claims data based on the National Health Insurance Service between January 2005 and December 2018. RESULTS: In total, 293,073 patients with psoriasis enrolled for the analysis of serious infection and 272,400 patients enrolled for the analysis of tuberculosis. Participants without psoriasis matched by age and sex (1:1 ratio) were also enrolled. For serious infection overall, the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) were 1.21 (1.20-1.23), 1.23 (1.17-1.28), and 1.33 (1.09-1.63) for the non-systemic, non-biologic systemic, and biologic groups, respectively. For tuberculosis overall, the aHRs were 1.15 (1.10-1.20), 1.32 (1.10-1.57), and 6.72 (4.28-10.56) for the non-systemic, non-biologic systemic, and biologic groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that the risk of serious infection and tuberculosis in patients with psoriasis was significantly higher than in participants without psoriasis. Moreover, patients with psoriasis who received systemic therapy other than phototherapy had a higher risk of these infections compared to those without psoriasis. Also, biologics appeared to increase the risk of tuberculosis in patients with psoriasis. Dermatologists should consider these potential risks when selecting treatment modalities for psoriasis.

Hair loss after drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS): A multicentric retrospective case series.

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a severe cutaneous drug adverse reaction characterized by various cutaneous and systemic manifestations. However, reports on the various patterns of alopecia after DRESS are lacking. Thus, we aimed to describe cases of alopecia after DRESS and review the literature. This multicentric retrospective study reviewed the records of 182 patients diagnosed with DRESS from 2009 to 2021; of these, 10 who had alopecia after DRESS were included. Patients were diagnosed with permanent alopecia (n = 4), telogen effluvium (n = 5), and alopecia areata (n = 1), and were treated with topical minoxidil or alfatradiol (6; 60%), topical corticosteroids (3; 30%), dietary supplements (6; 60%), systemic corticosteroids (1; 10%), and intralesional corticosteroid injection (2; 20%). Although patients with permanent alopecia did not show hair regrowth after 6 months, those with telogen effluvium and alopecia areata experienced marked clinical improvement within 6 months. Various types of alopecia can persist over an extended period, even after the resolution of an acute episode of DRESS.

Risk of malignancy in patients with psoriasis according to treatment modalities in Korea: a nationwide cohort study.

Intrinsic immunologic disparity of psoriasis itself, along with chronic inflammation and immunomodulatory anti-psoriatic treatments could be associated with increased risk of malignancy. We aimed to estimate the risk of malignancy in patients with psoriasis by treatment modality compared with that in individuals without psoriasis in Korea. We conducted a nationwide cohort study using the claims database of the National Health Insurance Service from January 2005 to December 2018. A total of 255,471 patients with psoriasis, and age- and sex-matched non-psoriasis participants (1:1 ratio) were enrolled. The adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] for malignancy without nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) were 1.10 [1.08-1.12] in patients with psoriasis, 1.13 [1.00-1.27], 1.05 [0.97-1.13], and 1.24 [0.84-1.83] in phototherapy, non-biologic systemics, and biologics cohort, respectively. Among the non-biologic systemics cohort, patients treated with cyclosporin showed higher risk of malignancy without NMSC (aHR [95% CI], 1.20 [1.04-1.39]). The risk of malignancy without NMSC in patients with psoriasis was higher than that in individuals without psoriasis. Phototherapy and biologics were not associated with significant increase of risk; however, cyclosporin appeared to increase its risk. Dermatologists should be vigilant about this potential risk while managing patients with psoriasis.

Real-World Experience with Etanercept Therapy and the Switching Pattern among Korean Patients with Psoriasis after Withdrawal of Etanercept.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of etanercept in the treatment of psoriasis has been proven, and the drug was approved for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. However, there have been few studies that have presented real-world data focused on concomitant treatment during etanercept treatment, and the switching pattern after discontinuation of etanercept. OBJECTIVE: To reveal the real-world treatment pattern of etanercept-based psoriasis treatment and to investigate the switching pattern after withdrawal of etanercept. METHODS: We enrolled 66 patients with psoriasis who were treated with etanercept. We collected data regarding the demographic characteristics of the patients, etanercept treatment schedules, and other treatments administered during the etanercept treatment period. We also investigated the treatment pattern after the discontinuation of etanercept with emphasis on the drug-free interval and the administered treatment modalities. RESULTS: The mean treatment duration was 22.7±26.1 months and the mean number of etanercept injections was 21.5±27.9. Thirty-six patients were administered concomitant systemic medication or phototherapy. After discontinuation of etanercept, 54 patients were followed up and 34 of these patients were administered other systemic medication or phototherapy; phototherapy and cyclosporine was the most commonly administered treatment modality and 27.4% of treatments used biologics. CONCLUSION: The treatment schedule for etanercept was modified according to the severity of psoriasis and concomitant treatment was administered to improve the effectiveness of treatment in the patients enrolled in the study. We also found that most patients required other treatment modalities to control psoriasis during the period of etanercept treatment.