Happiness across the borders-A cross-sectional study among patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis in Europe.

BACKGROUND: Dermatological research has traditionally concentrated on evaluating mental comorbidities, neglecting positive concepts like happiness. Initial studies indicate that psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (AD) impair the happiness of those affected. Considering global happiness variations, this study aimed to explore the disease- and country-specific differences in disease-related quality of life and happiness, and potential influential factors on heuristic happiness among psoriasis and AD patients in Europe. METHODS: A cross-sectional multicentre study was conducted in dermatology departments of university-affiliated hospitals in eight European countries (Austria, Germany, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Ukraine) between October 2021 and February 2023. Adult psoriasis and AD patients completed a standardized questionnaire in their native languages, providing data on demographics, disease-related characteristics, disease-related quality of life (Dermatology Life Quality Index, DLQI), heuristic happiness, positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA) and satisfaction with life (SWL). Descriptive analysis and quantile regression were performed. RESULTS: Between psoriasis (n = 723) and AD (n = 316) patients almost no differences were observed in happiness, SWL and NA, except for DLQI and small differences in PA, with AD patients reporting greater impact than psoriasis patients. Country-wise variation emerged in DLQI, heuristic happiness, PA, NA and SWL with Austrian patients displaying the highest levels of happiness, satisfaction and positivity, coupled with higher treatment care and lower disease severity. Quantile regression revealed varying coefficients for predictor variables across quantiles, indicating, for example positive effects on heuristic happiness associated with current or previous receipt of systemic therapies at different quantiles. CONCLUSION: This study shows notable happiness differences across European countries and significant disease-related variations, particularly with AD patients being more impaired than psoriasis patients. The findings highlight the need for equality in treatment access and support the development of targeted positive psychological interventions to enhance happiness considering country-specific distinctions in future research and health policies for psoriasis and AD patients.

EuroGuiderm guideline on lichen sclerosus-introduction into lichen sclerosus.

INTRODUCTION: Lichen sclerosus (LS) is an inflammatory skin disease affecting all ages. LS typically involves the anogenital site where it causes itching and soreness. It may lead to sexual and urinary dysfunction in females and males; however, it may be asymptomatic. First signs of LS are redness and oedema, typically followed by whitening of the genital skin; sometimes fissuring, scarring, shrinkage and fusion of structures may follow in its course. LS is associated with an increased risk of genital cancer. LS has a huge impact on the quality of life of affected patients, and it is important to raise more awareness of this not uncommon disease in order to diagnose and treat it early. OBJECTIVES: The guideline intends to provide guidance on the diagnostic of LS, highlight important aspects in the care of LS patients (part 1), generate recommendations and treatment algorithms (part 2) on topical, interventional and surgical therapy, based on the latest evidence, provide guidance in the management of LS patients during pregnancy, provide guidance for the follow-up of patients with LS and inform about new developments and potential research aspects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The guideline was developed in accordance with the EuroGuiDerm Methods Manual v1.3 https://www.edf.one/de/home/Guidelines/EDF-EuroGuiDerm.html. The wording of the recommendations was standardized (as suggested by the GRADE Working Group). The guideline development group is comprised of 34 experts from 16 countries, including 5 patient representatives. RESULTS: Ultrapotent or potent topical corticosteroids in females and males, adults and children remain gold standard of care for genital LS; co-treatment with emollients is recommended. If standard treatment fails in males, a surgical intervention is recommended, complete circumcision may cure LS in males. UV light treatment is recommended for extragenital LS; however, there is limited scientific evidence. Topical calcineurin inhibitors are second line treatment. Laser treatment, using various wave lengths, is under investigation, and it can currently not be recommended for the treatment of LS. Treatment with biologics is only reported in single cases. CONCLUSIONS: LS has to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible in order to minimize sequelae like scarring and cancer development. Topical potent and ultrapotent corticosteroids are the gold standard of care; genital LS is often a lifelong disease and needs to be treated long-term.

EuroGuiderm guideline on lichen sclerosus-Treatment of lichen sclerosus.

INTRODUCTION: Lichen sclerosus (LS) is an inflammatory skin disease affecting all ages. LS typically involves the anogenital site where it causes itching and soreness; it may lead to sexual and urinary dysfunction in females and males; however, it may be asymptomatic. First signs of LS are usually a whitening of the genital skin, sometimes preceded by redness and oedema; fissuring, scarring, shrinkage and fusion of structures may follow in its course. LS is associated with an increased risk of genital cancer. LS has a huge impact on the quality of life of affected patients, and it is important to raise more awareness of this not uncommon disease in order to diagnose and treat it early. OBJECTIVES: The guideline intends to provide guidance on the diagnostic of LS (part 1), highlight important aspects in the care of LS patients, generate recommendations and treatment algorithms (part 2) on topical, interventional and surgical therapy, based on the latest evidence, provide guidance in the management of LS patients during pregnancy, provide guidance for the follow-up of patients with LS and inform about new developments and potential research aspects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The guideline was developed in accordance with the EuroGuiDerm Methods Manual v1.3 https://www.edf.one/de/home/Guidelines/EDF-EuroGuiDerm.html. The wording of the recommendations was standardized (as suggested by the GRADE Working Group). The guideline development group is comprised of 34 experts from 16 countries, including 5 patient representatives. RESULTS: Ultrapotent or potent topical corticosteroids in females and males, adults and children remain gold standard of care for genital LS; co-treatment with emollients is recommended. If standard treatment fails in males, a surgical intervention is recommended, complete circumcision may cure LS in males. UV light treatment is recommended for extragenital LS; however, there is limited scientific evidence. Topical calcineurin inhibitors are second line treatment. Laser treatment, using various wave lengths, is under investigation, and it can currently not be recommended for the treatment of LS. Treatment with biologics is only reported in single cases. CONCLUSIONS: LS has to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible in order to minimize sequelae like scarring and cancer development. Topical potent and ultrapotent corticosteroids are the gold standard of care; genital LS is often a lifelong disease and needs to be treated long-term.

2020 European guideline on the management of genital molluscum contagiosum.

Molluscum contagiosum is a benign viral epidermal infection associated with high risk of transmission. The guideline is focused on the sexually transmitted molluscum contagiosum. The diagnosis is clinical with characteristic individual lesions, termed 'mollusca', seen as dome-shaped, smooth-surfaced, pearly, firm, skin-coloured, pink, yellow or white papules, 2 - 5 mm in diameter with central umbilication. Dermoscopy may facilitate diagnosis. Therapeutic options are numerous, including physical treatments (cautery, curettage and cryotherapy), topical chemical treatments (e.g. podophyllotoxin and imiquimod) or waiting for spontaneous resolution in immunocompetent patients. In pregnancy, it is safe to use physical procedures (e.g. cryotherapy). Immunosuppressed patients develop severe and recalcitrant molluscum lesions that may require treatment with cidofovir, imiquimod or interferon. Patients with molluscum contagiosum infection should be offered to be screened for other sexually transmitted infections.

Creation and pilot test results of the dermatology-specific proxy instrument: the Infants and Toddlers Dermatology Quality of Life.

BACKGROUND: Until now, there was no validated dermatology-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument to be used in youngest patients. OBJECTIVE: To create dermatology-specific proxy instrument for HRQoL assessment in children from birth to 4 years. METHODS: International focus groups, item selection and pilot tests were utilized. In order to avoid the problem of cross-cultural inequivalence, focus group work and pilot tests were planned simultaneously in all national centres of the project. Comprehensibility, clarity, acceptance and internal consistency of new instrument were checked. RESULTS: The title 'Infants and Toddlers Dermatology Quality of Life' was chosen for our new instrument with the proposed acronym 'InToDermQoL'. Focus group work was completed in seven national centres (Croatia, Germany, Greece, Malta, Poland, Romania and Ukraine). A total of 170 families of children with different skin diseases were interviewed, and a pilot version of the instrument was created. Centres from France, Denmark and Spain have joined the project at this stage. Parents of 125 children with skin diseases filled in the pilot versions of the instrument. Good comprehensibility, clarity, acceptance and internal consistency of the InToDermQoL were confirmed. The pilot test results showed that the InToDermQoL questionnaire well differentiates severity-dependent differences. It was also checked and confirmed during the pilot test that no significant information was missed in the questionnaire. Three age-specific versions of the InToDermQoL questionnaire with 10, 12 and 15 items, respectively, were approved for field tests. CONCLUSION: The pilot test results showed that the InToDermQoL questionnaire has good comprehensibility, clarity, acceptance and internal consistency and well differentiates severity-dependent differences. Further validation of the InToDermQoL during international field test will be performed.

European guideline for the management of scabies.

Scabies is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis. The disease can be sexually transmitted. Patients' main complaint is nocturnal itch. Disseminated, excoriated, erythematous papules are usually seen on the anterior trunk and limbs. Crusted scabies occurs in immunocompromised hosts and may be associated with reduced or absent pruritus. Recommended treatments are permethrin 5% cream, oral ivermectin and benzyl benzoate 25% lotion. Alternative treatments are malathion 0.5% aqueous lotion, ivermectin 1% lotion and sulphur 6-33% cream, ointment or lotion. Crusted scabies therapy requires a topical scabicide and oral ivermectin. Mass treatment of large populations with endemic disease can be performed with a single dose of ivermectin (200 micrograms/kg of bodyweight). Partner management needs a look-back period of 2 months. Screening for other STI is recommended. Patients and close contacts should avoid sexual contact until completion of treatment and should strictly observe personal hygiene rules when living in crowded spaces. Written information should be provided to suspected cases.

2016 European guideline for the management of vulval conditions.

Vulval conditions may present to a variety of clinicians, such as dermatologists, gynaecologists and general practitioners. Women with these conditions are best managed by a multidisciplinary approach, which includes clear referral pathways between disciplines or access to a specialist multidisciplinary vulval service. Informed consent is a prerequisite for all examinations, investigations and treatments. Consent is particularly important for intimate examinations of the anogenital area, and a chaperone should be offered in all cases. All efforts should be made to maintain a patient's dignity. Depending on symptoms and risk factors, screening for sexually transmitted infections (STI) should be considered. If the patient presents with vulval itch, particularly if also complaining of increased vaginal discharge, vulvaginal candidiasis should be excluded. Sexual dysfunction should be considered in all patients with vulval complaints, either as the cause of the symptoms or secondary to symptoms, and assessed if appropriate. This guideline covers several aspects, such as diagnosis and treatment, of the more common vulval conditions (relatively) often encountered at vulval clinics, i.e. vulval dermatitis (eczema), psoriasis, lichen simplex chronicus, lichen sclerosus, lichen planus, vulvodynia and vulval intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN).

Skin phototypes of a Maltese sample population.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Skin phototyping is a clinical classification system based on a patient's historical reporting of the acute skin response to sunlight. We carried out a simple study to estimate the skin phototypes of the Maltese people in order to acquire more information on the relative risk of the general Maltese population to sun burning and to the more chronic effects of sun exposure, including photoaging and skin cancers. METHOD: A consultant dermatologist and dermatology trainees determined the skin phototype of patients seen with skin infections or skin tags at dermatology outpatients in Malta by carrying out a short interview. RESULTS: Data were collected on 756 patients. The commonest reported skin phototype in both sexes was type III (48.0% overall; 52.4% in males, 43.8% in females); this was followed by type IV in males (30.4%) and type II in females (32.3%). Only 1.2% of the total was of skin type I. CONCLUSION: Approximately one half of the Maltese population is at moderate risk of sun damage; about one quarter is at low risk; and the other quarter is at high risk, the latter group needing more thorough sun avoidance and better surveillance for skin tumours. Social desirability can influence responses to such questionnaires and might have contributed to the difference between males and females noted in our study.

Methotrexate for psoriasis: current European practice. A postal survey.

The aim of this survey was to determine current practice throughout Europe regarding use and monitoring of methotrexate therapy for psoriasis. A structured questionnaire with questions on methotrexate prescribing and monitoring was mailed to 150 dermatologists in 32 European countries in June 2002. Dermatologists' names were chosen at random from the 2001 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology membership directory. A reply was received from 69 dermatologists of whom 59 prescribed methotrexate regularly. In those patients receiving systemic treatment for psoriasis, methotrexate was the most widely used drug (4.4 patients of every 10) followed by acitretin (3.2) and cyclosporin (1.6). Myelosuppression was the commonest reported fatal side-effect of methotrexate (eight of a total of 10 cases). None of the respondents routinely requested a baseline liver biopsy before starting methotrexate treatment and of every 10 of their patients on long-term methotrexate it was estimated that less than two had had a liver biopsy some time during treatment. Serum measurement of the amino-terminal peptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) was used routinely to detect liver fibrosis by 12 (20%) of the 59 respondents who regularly prescribed methotrexate. This survey demonstrates that, despite the advent of new therapies, methotrexate retains a central role in the treatment of severe psoriasis in Europe. The responses demonstrated variation in, among others, the methotrexate dose regimen utilized and the use of folate supplementation, confirming the need for randomized controlled studies to address these issues.

Melanoma-like pigmented cutaneous metastases from breast carcinoma.

We report a case of breast carcinoma that presented with pigmented cutaneous metastases clinically mimicking malignant melanoma. The pigmented nature of the tumour was probably caused by melanin release from the damaged epidermis (following invasion and destruction by tumour cells) and subsequent phagocytosis by melanophages. Clinically visible pigmentation in cutaneous metastases from breast carcinoma has been described previously but is very uncommon. This report is followed by a review of the few such cases published in the literature.