Interactions between eosinophils and IL-5Rα-positive mast cells in nonadvanced systemic mastocytosis.

BACKGROUND: Bidirectional interactions between eosinophils and mast cells (MCs) have been reported in various allergic diseases. Bone marrow (BM) eosinophilia, and to a lesser extent blood eosinophilia, is common in systemic mastocytosis (SM), but its significance remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: We described blood and BM eosinophil characteristics in SM. METHODS: A large collection of BM biopsy samples was analyzed using immunohistochemical staining and whole-slide imaging. Eosinophil and extracellular granules were detected by eosinophil peroxidase (EPX) staining and MCs by KIT staining. Complementary analyses were conducted using flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Eosinophil infiltrates and large areas of eosinophil degranulation were observed within or around BM MC infiltrates in SM. EPX staining surface, highlighting intact eosinophils and eosinophil degranulation, was higher in nonadvanced SM (n = 37 BM biopsy samples) compared with both controls (n = 8, P = .0003) and advanced SM (n = 24, P = .014). In nonadvanced SM, positive correlations were observed between serum tryptase levels and percentages of eosinophil counts in BM aspirations (Spearman r coefficient r = 0.38, P = .038), eosinophils count in BM biopsy samples (r = 0.45, P = .007), EPX staining (r = 0.37, P = .035), and eosinophil degranulation (r = 0.39, P = .023). Eosinophil counts in BM biopsy samples also correlated with MC counts (r = 0.47, P = .006) and KIT staining surface (r = 0.49, P = .003). BM MCs expressed IL-5 receptor and other usual eosinophil cytokine/chemokine receptors, and blood eosinophils displayed several increased surface markers compared with controls, suggesting an activated state. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest possible cross talk between MCs and eosinophils, supporting MC tryptase release and MC activation-related symptoms. This suggests a rationale for targeting eosinophils in nonadvanced SM not fully controlled by other therapies.

Characterization of omalizumab updosing patterns and predictive factors in chronic spontaneous urticaria: A prospective multicentric observational study.

BACKGROUND: Limited information is available on the use of omalizumab (OMA) updosing since its introduction as a second-line therapy in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) in 2014. Practical guidelines from health authorities are lacking, and the specific characteristics of patients requiring higher doses remain unknown. Our objectives were to characterize the patterns of OMA updosing (defined as changes in dose and/or injection intervals), to identify the predictive factors associated with updosing, and to improve CSU management. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, multicentric, real-life observational study, including patients diagnosed with CSU and starting OMA. The data were collected at 0, 3, 6, and 9 months. The primary endpoint was the frequency of OMA updosing at 3 months. The secondary endpoints included an analysis of updosed patients' profile, and an assessment of OMA efficacy and safety. RESULTS: We included 153 patients. Twenty percent of patients were updosed at 3 months, and 27% in total during the 9-month follow-up. Practitioners mainly chose to increase the frequency of injections (66%). At baseline, the updosed patients were more likely to have more severe CSU (UCT < 4, p < 0.030), a lower lymphocyte count (<2000/mm3, p = 0.037), and low IgE levels (<70 UI/mL, p = 0.024). The side effects of OMA were not more frequent after updosing. CONCLUSION: One in five patient underwent updosing within just 3 months. OMA updosing is frequent in particular in cases of severe disease and low IgE blood levels.

Multicenter prospective observational study of dupilumab-induced ocular events in atopic dermatitis patients.

BACKGROUND: Although ocular adverse events are frequent in AD patients treated with dupilumab, their characterization remains limited due to a lack of prospective studies with a systematic ophthalmological examination. OBJECTIVE: To examine the incidence, characteristics and risk factors of dupilumab-induced ocular adverse events. METHODS: A prospective, multicenter, and real-life study in adult AD patients treated with dupilumab. RESULTS: At baseline, 27 out of 181 patients (14.9%) had conjunctivitis. At week 16 (W16), 25 out of 27 had improved their conjunctivitis and 2 remained stable and 34 out of 181 patients (18.7%) had dupilumab-induced blepharoconjunctivitis: either de novo (n = 32) or worsening of underlying blepharoconjunctivitis (n = 2). Most events (27/34; 79.4%) were moderate. A multivariate analysis showed that head and neck AD (OR = 7.254; 95%CI [1.938-30.07]; p = 0.004), erythroderma (OR = 5.635; 95%CI [1.635-21.50]; p = 0.007) and the presence of dry eye syndrome at baseline (OR = 3.51; 95%CI [3.158-13.90]; p = 0.031) were independent factors associated with dupilumab-induced blepharoconjunctivitis. LIMITATIONS: Our follow-up period was 16 weeks and some late-onset time effects may still occur. CONCLUSION: This study showed that most dupilumab-induced blepharoconjunctivitis cases are de novo. AD severity and conjunctivitis at baseline were not found to be associated risk factors in this study.

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum, a difficult diagnostic in patient with dark skin.

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum is a genetic metabolic disease which leads to ectopic mineralisation in the elastic tissues of the skin, eyes and blood vessels. The clinical signs are small yellow or normal skin-coloured papules on the nape of the neck and lateral sides of the neck, as well as in flexural areas and periumbilical region. The skin becomes loose and wrinkled. The diagnosis on dark skin is particularly difficult. The dermatologist evokes the diagnosis and refers the patient to specialists in order to detect complications. We propose here a practical case study.

Real-life use of apremilast for the treatment of psoriasis in patients with oncological comorbidities: a retrospective descriptive multicentre study in France.

BACKGROUND: Systemic treatment options for psoriasis are limited for patients with recent neoplasia. OBJECTIVES: We report the real-life use of apremilast (APR) in patients with psoriasis and recent cancer. MATERIALS & METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, multicentre study in five hospitals and among 120 private dermatologists in the north of France from January 2015 to May 2021. We included patients treated with APR for psoriasis and suffering from an active cancer or who had been diagnosed with a cancer or treated for a cancer within the last five years. RESULTS: We included 23 patients diagnosed with a cancer, on average 2.6 years before the introduction of APR for psoriasis. In most patients, APR was specifically chosen due to oncological history. At 16±8 weeks, 55% (n=11/20) of patients had achieved PASI 50 score, 30% (n=6/20) PASI 75, 5% (n=3/20) PASI 90 and 37.5% (n=3/8) of them had a significant improvement in quality of life. Non-serious adverse events were observed in 65.2% (n=15/23) of patients (diarrhoea in 39%), resulting in discontinuation of treatment for 27.8%. The average duration of treatment was 303.8±252.4 days. For four patients, a recurrence or a progression of cancer was recorded during APR treatment. CONCLUSION: In our patients with both psoriasis and cancer, APR improved quality of life, with a good safety profile. A larger study, matched for type, stage and treatment of underlying cancer, would be necessary to draw further conclusions about the oncological safety of APR.

Omalizumab Drug Survival in Chronic Urticaria: A Retrospective Multicentric French Study.

BACKGROUND: Omalizumab (OMA) dramatically improves disease control and quality of life in patients with chronic urticaria (CU). OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the discontinuation patterns of OMA and their determinants in a cohort of French patients with CU. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multicenter study in 9 French tertiary referral hospitals. All patients diagnosed with either spontaneous (CSU) and/or inducible (CIndU) CU who received at least 1 injection of OMA between 2009 and 2021 were included. We analyzed OMA drug survival and investigated possible determinants using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. RESULTS: A total of 878 patients were included in this study; 48.8% had CSU, 10.1% CIndU, and 41.1% a combination of both. OMA was discontinued in 408 patients, but the drug was later reintroduced in 50% of them. The main reason for discontinuing treatment was the achievement of a well-controlled disease in 50% of patients. Half of the patients were still being treated with OMA 2.4 years after the initiation of treatment. Drug survival was shorter in patients with CIndU and in those with an autoimmune background. In atopic patients, OMA was discontinued earlier in patients achieving a well-controlled disease. A longer OMA drug survival was observed in patients with a longer disease duration at initiation. CONCLUSION: In French patients with CU, the drug survival of OMA appears to be longer than that observed in previous studies conducted elsewhere, highlighting discrepancies in prescription and reimbursement possibilities. Further studies are warranted to develop customized OMA treatment schemes based on individual patterns.

Herpes Zoster Following a Nucleoside-Modified Messenger RNA COVID-19 Vaccine.

Herpes zoster (HZ) was suspected as a predictive cutaneous manifestation of COVID-19, with a debated prognostic significance. We report a series of 5 cases of HZ occurring after vaccination with a nucleoside-modified messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty, Pfizer-BioNTech). These new cases do not prove causality between COVID-19 vaccination and HZ. The pathophysiologic mechanism remains elusive, but local vaccine-induced immunomodulation may be involved. The occurrence of HZ does not justify avoiding the second injection of vaccine due to the benefit of vaccination.

Self-reported Impact of the Early 2020 COVID-19 Crisis on the Healthcare Pathway During and After Lockdown in Patients With Chronic Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases: A Practical Survey.

Introduction: Global lockdown in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an unprecedented experience. We report here the results of an anonymous questionnaire-based survey on the healthcare and control of chronic IMIDs (chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases) within the IMMINENT network during the French lockdown (March 17, 2020-May 11, 2020) and the 2-month period following the end of the lockdown (July 11, 2020). Methods: Two anonymous questionnaires were sent by email to 4500 patients who were followed in a university hospital for an IMID in the departments of gastroenterology, rheumatology, dermatology, pneumology, neurology, and internal medicine. Results: A total of 921/4500 (20.46%) responded to the first survey (impact of the lockdown), and 553/4500 (12.28%) to the second (impact at 2-months post-lockdown). Concerning the impact of the lockdown, 420/915 (45.9%) reported affected follow-up. Similarly, after the lockdown, 248/544 (45.6%) declared a negative impact on their follow-up. The repartition by departments of patients' perception of an altered follow-up during (P = .72) and at the end of the lockdown (P = .77) was not statistically different. Our study highlighted the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the restriction measures implemented on the self-reported impact felt by patients on the follow-up of their chronic IMIDs without significant differences among all departments. Conclusion: Our study is original by showing that patients, whatever the type of IMID, shared this same negative perception. This transdisciplinary study demonstrated the importance of a collaborative network among all departments.

Skin Testing and Drug Provocation Tests in Epidermal Necrolysis: A French Experience.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on the use of skin testing, other than patch testing, and challenges in the evaluation of epidermal necrolysis (EN), including Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. OBJECTIVE: To report a French multicenter experience in skin testing and challenges in EN, and investigate the factors associated with tests' positivity. METHODS: All patients who were evaluated by patch tests (PTs), skin prick tests, intradermal tests (IDTs), or drug provocation tests (DPTs) for EN between 2010 and 2020 were retrospectively included through 2 French drug reaction networks. RESULTS: In total, 113 patients were included from 8 centers. Median (interquartile range) time from EN to hypersensitivity workup was 7.9 months (5.1-15 months). All patients had PTs, 17 (15%) had skin prick tests or IDTs with delayed readings and 32 (28.3%) had DPTs. One mild reaction occurred after a DPT. Overall, 22 patients (19.5%) had positive PTs, and the only factors associated with positivity were Algorithm of Drug Causality for Epidermal Necrolysis (ALDEN) score and drug class. Only 1 IDT was positive but considered irrelevant. The DPTs were never performed to prove responsibility of a highly suspected drug but were used to confirm current tolerance of needed medications. CONCLUSIONS: Allergological workup in EN, performed by specialists involved in EN, seems safe. Skin tests, although of limited sensitivity, can be helpful for considering the reintroduction of essential drugs according to a benefit-to-risk decision. We propose an algorithm for approaching hypersensitivity testing in patients with EN, to be adapted to each patient.

Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS): Series of 49 French Pediatric Cases.

BACKGROUND: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a rare and potentially fatal adverse reaction. It can be difficult to diagnose, even more so among children, because symptoms may mimic other commonly encountered pediatric conditions. OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical and laboratory features of DRESS syndrome in the pediatric population (age ≤18 years) and establish causative agents and treatment modalities. METHODS: This was a multicenter retrospective study of probable and definite DRESS cases (Registry of Sever Cutaneous Adverse Reaction score ≥ 4) in children hospitalized in 15 French university hospitals between 2000 and 2020. RESULTS: We included 49 cases. All children had fever and rash, 69.4% had lymphadenopathy, and 65.3% had facial edema. The most common organ affected was the liver (83.7%). Treatment consisted of topical corticosteroid in only 30.6% and systemic corticosteroid in 55.1%; 12.2% received intravenous immunoglobulin. Among probable and likely culprit drugs, 65% were antibiotics and 27.5% were antiepileptics, median time to DRESS symptom onset after initiation of 15 days (13 days with antibiotics and 21 days with antiepileptics). Twenty-seven children had allergy assessment for causative agents, 65.4% of whom had positive tests. CONCLUSIONS: Culprit drugs are frequently antibiotics and antiepileptic drugs, and onset is often less than 2 weeks after treatment starts, especially with antibiotics. Treatment with topical corticosteroids appears to be sufficient in the least severe cases. Treatment by systemic corticosteroid therapy remains the reference treatment in case of severe organ damage.

Discrepancies in the management of acquired cold contact urticaria: Results of a French-speaking urticaria experts questionnaire survey.

Acquired cold contact urticaria (ACU) is a putatively serious condition, because of the risk of anaphylactic shock whenever patients are massively exposed to cold atmosphere/water, raising the question of the prescription of an "emergency kit" with oral antihistamines and epinephrine auto-injector. We performed an online survey to evaluate how French-speaking urticaria experts manage ACU. According to the 2016 consensus recommendations on chronic inducible urticarias, all the participants perform at least 1 of the available provocation tests and 84.2%, 77.8%, and 88.9% prescribe on-label use of second generation anti-H1 antihistamines (2GAH1) as a first line treatment, updosed 2GAH1 as a second line treatment, and omalizumab as a third line treatment, respectively. Interestingly, 44.4% of the practitioners always prescribe a continuous background treatment, versus 11.1% prescribing only on-demand therapy. Also, 11.7% of participants always prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector, 70.6% sometimes do, and 17.6% never do. Finally, 89.5% authorize swimming under strict conditions but 36.8% and 68.4% contra-indicate other water sports and occupational cold exposure, respectively.

Severe blistering eruptions induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors: a multicentre international study of 32 cases.

Among dermatologic adverse events induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), bullous life-threatening reactions are rare. To better define the clinical and histological features, treatment, and prognosis of ICI-related severe blistering cutaneous eruptions. This retrospective case series was conducted between 2014/05/15 and 2021/04/15 by the dermatology departments of four international registries involved in drug reactions. Inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years old, skin eruption with blisters with detachment covering ≥1% body surface area and at least one mucous membrane involved, available pictures, and ICI as suspect drug. Autoimmune bullous disorders were excluded. Each participant medical team gave his own diagnosis conclusion: epidermal necrolysis (EN), severe lichenoid dermatosis (LD), or unclassified dermatosis (UD). After a standardized review of pictures, cases were reclassified by four experts in EN or LD/UD. Skin biopsies were blindly reviewed. Thirty-two patients were included. Median time to onset was 52 days (3-420 days). Cases were originally diagnosed as EN in 21 cases and LD/UD in 11 cases. After review by experts, 10/21 EN were reclassified as LD/UD. The following manifestations were more frequent or severe in EN: fever, purpuric macules, blisters, ocular involvement, and maximal detachment. Most patients were treated with topical with or without systemic corticosteroids. Eight patients (25%) died in the acute phase. The culprit ICI was not resumed in 92% of cases. In three patients, another ICI was given with a good tolerance. Histology did not reveal significant differences between groups. Severe blistering cutaneous drug reactions induced by ICI are often overdiagnosed as EN. Consensus for management is pending.

Vascular skin manifestations in patients with severe COVID-19 in intensive care units: a monocentric prospective study.

Various skin manifestations have been reported during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Among these are acral vascular skin lesions in non-severe patients, but few studies have focused specifically on patients with severe COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) We aimed to assess the frequency of acral vascular skin manifestations (AVSM) in patients admitted to the ICU based on systematic dermatological examination We conducted a clinical, observational and prospective study in the ICU of Lille University Hospital (France). All adult patients with RT-PCR-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection were included on May 5th and 6th, 2020 A total of 39 patients with severe COVID-19 were examined (34 males and five females; median age: 61 [55-59]). We observed AVSM in 11/39 patients (28%) including five with acral necrotic lesions, three with haemorrhagic blisters, one with acral livedoid rash, and one with erosive distal lesions. Chilblain or chilblain-like lesions were not seen, unlike ambulatory or non-severe patients described in the literature. There was no difference regarding the median length of stay in the ICU, initial symptoms of COVID-19 or baseline characteristics, except for a lower BMI in patients with AVSM. All patients had biological coagulation abnormalities (e.g. higher levels of fibrinogen or D-dimers), but there was no difference between patients with and without AVSM AVSM are infrequent and heterogenous and seem to be non-specific to patients with severe SARS-CoV-2, and possibly unrelated to COVID-19. The pathophysiology of AVSM described during the COVID-19 pandemic is not fully elucidated.

DRESS and AGEP Reactions to Iodinated Contrast Media: A French Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Drug reactions with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESSs) and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) are potentially severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical findings and sensitization profiles of DRESS and AGEP patients who had been administered iodinated contrast media (ICM). METHODS: All adult patients in the dermatologist's French Investigators for Skin Adverse Reactions to Drugs (FISARD) network diagnosed with a DRESS or AGEP highly suspected to have been caused by an ICM were included retrospectively. RESULTS: Thirteen DRESS patients and 19 AGEP patients who had been administered ICM were included, and the median delay in DRESS and AGEP occurrence after ICM administration was short, 4 and 1 days, respectively. Five AGEP patients had systemic involvement. A high cosensitization rate (46%) was observed among the DRESS patients, mainly with beta-lactam antibiotics. Overall, 77% of our patients were sensitized to several ICM. Patch tests identified the suspected ICM for 21 cases (72%). The retrospective nature, the limited number of subjects, the absence of a control group of healthy individuals, and the lack of detailed information on previous exposure to sensitizing drugs are limitations of this study. CONCLUSIONS: We report a large series of DRESSs and AGEPs related to ICM administration. Skin tests appear useful for diagnosis and potentially to identify alternative ICM.

Outcome of early stage Merkel carcinoma treated by exclusive radiation: a study of 53 patients.

PURPOSE: Early stage Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive primary skin cancer. The standard of care for MCC is broad excision and adjuvant external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). However, for some patients, anesthesia is contraindicated, while others run the risk of serious aesthetic sequelae. In such cases, exclusive radiotherapy is an interesting alternative to surgery. Though limited data is available, this study evaluates exclusive radiotherapy for MCC, using data from the largest retrospective study to date. METHODS: All patients who were followed in our center between 1989 and 2019 for histologically proven early stage MCC were included in the study. They were treated either by surgery with a 2-cm clear margin followed by adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or by exclusive RT. Survival rates with adjuvant and exclusive EBRT were analyzed using Cox model and Fine and Gray model depending on the type of survival. p value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients treated for MCC were included. Fifty-three of them (63.1%) were treated by exclusive RT, and 31 (36.9%) had surgical excision followed by adjuvant RT. Local relapse rate was 13.7% (95% CI 8.0-43.7) in the RT monotherapy group (group A) and 25.8% (95% CI 10.3-56.2) in the surgery + RT group (group B) (p = 0.42). No statistical difference was found for nodal relapse (p = 0.81), metastatic relapse (p = 0.10), disease free survival (p = 0.83) or overall survival (p = 0.98). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that exclusive radiotherapy for early Merkel cell carcinoma leads to a similar oncological outcome as combined treatment, with fewer aesthetic sequelae. The approach is interesting for elderly patients with comorbidities or patients for whom surgery would cause significant functional or aesthetic sequelae.

"Idiopathic Eosinophilic Vasculitis": Another Side of Hypereosinophilic Syndrome? A Comprehensive Analysis of 117 Cases in Asthma-Free Patients.

BACKGROUND: The absence of asthma may rule out a diagnosis of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis in patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) and features of vasculitis. OBJECTIVE: To describe eosinophilic vasculitis (EoV) as a possible manifestation of HES in asthma-free patients. METHODS: We screened our hospital database and the literature for patients with HES who met the following 4 criteria: (1) histopathological or clinical features of EoV (biopsy-proven vasculitis with predominant eosinophilic infiltration of the vessel wall and/or features of vasculitis with tissue and/or blood hypereosinophilia [absolute eosinophil count >1.5 G/L]); (2) no other obvious causes of reactive eosinophilia, organ damage, and vasculitis; (3) the absence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies; and (4) the absence of current asthma. RESULTS: Ten of our 83 (12%) asthma-free patients with HES and 107 additional cases in the literature met the criteria for EoV. After a critical analysis of the patients' clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcomes, we identified 41 cases of single-organ EoV (coronary arteritis, n = 29; temporal arteritis, n = 8; cerebral vasculitis, n = 4). Of the remaining 76 patients with EoV, the most frequent manifestations (>10%) were cutaneous vasculitis (56%), peripheral neuropathy (24%), thromboangiitis obliterans-like disease (16%), fever (13%), central nervous system involvement (13%), deep venous thrombosis (12%), and nonasthma lung manifestations (12%). Blood hypereosinophilia more than 1.5 G/L was observed in 79% of patients, and necrotizing vasculitis was observed in 44%. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that idiopathic EoV (HES-associated vasculitis) can be classified as an eosinophilic-rich, necrotizing, systemic form of vasculitis that affects vessels of various sizes in asthma-free patients.

Atopic dermatitis in elderly adults.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) in adults over 45 years of age (AD≥45) has been poorly studied. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the AD phenotype varies according to the pattern of AD onset in AD≥45 patients and whether response to cyclosporine A (CsA) is influenced by age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This monocentric retrospective study was performed in a French university department of dermatology. We included 409 AD<45 patients (111 treated with CsA) and 124 AD≥45 patients (26 treated with CsA). Among AD≥45 patients, 20% were categorised into Subgroup 1 (persistence of AD since childhood), 52% into Subgroup 2 (recurrence of AD with a history of classic childhood AD), and 28% into Subgroup 3 (adult-onset AD). RESULTS: Gender, associated atopic comorbidities, a family history of atopy, and AD severity were similar regarding the different patterns of AD onset in AD≥45 patients. Skin lesions predominated on the face and neck in AD≥45 patients with AD since childhood (30% in Subgroups 1 and 2) compared to those with adult-onset AD (14% in Subgroup 3). The efficacy of CsA was similar between groups AD≥45 and AD<45, but 28% of AD≥45 patients versus 20% of AD<45 patients had increased serum creatinine levels under CsA. CONCLUSION: No significant association seems to exist between the onset of AD and demographic or clinical characteristics in AD≥45 patients (except that head and neck involvement is rarer in adult-onset AD). Patient age does not influence response to CsA, but this drug appears to be less well tolerated in older patients.