Optimizing pediatric periprocedural pain management part I-Evolving ethics and topical anesthetics.

Pediatric procedure-related pain management is often incompletely understood, inadequately addressed, and critical in influencing a child's lifelong relationship with the larger health care community. We highlight the evolution of ethics and expectations around optimizing periprocedural pain management as a fundamental human right. We investigate the state-of-the-art of topical anesthetics, reviewing their mechanisms of action and providing comparisons of their relative safety and efficacy data to help guide clinical selection. In total, this two-part review offers a combination of conventional approaches and innovative techniques that should be used multimodally-in series and in parallel-to help optimize pain management and provide alternatives to sedation medication and general anesthesia.

Underrepresented Groups and Perceived Educational Barriers for Residency and Fellowship Success.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to compare barriers perceived by medical students and resident physicians identifying as of underrepresented groups in medicine (UIM) and/or as sexual and gender minorities (SGM) to individuals not identifying with these groups, especially for trainees with an interest in dermatology. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of medical students and resident physicians based in the United States from February 2021 to July 2021, with subgroup analysis of trainees with interest in dermatology. FINDINGS: Among trainees interested in dermatology, the most notable barriers for the UIM group were 1) lack of home program in specialty/fellowship of interest (4.71±1.73); 2) lack of connections/networking opportunities (4.14±1.29); 3) lack of opportunity to obtain AOA membership (4.00±1.96); 4) obtaining mentorship (4.00±1.47); and lack of diversity in specialty/fellowship of interest (3.93±1.14). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Increasing focused mentorship programs and fostering environments that embrace diversity are key to reducing perceived barriers for minority candidates. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(12):1210-1215. doi:10.36849/JDD.7528R1.

Virtual reality and noise canceling headphone distraction during pediatric dermatologic procedures.

Pain and anxiety related to medical procedures have long been recognized as a significant healthcare concern. If a patient's procedural pain and anxiety are not addressed, long-term physical and psychological sequelae including increased perceived pain, anxiety, disruptive behavior, trauma reactions, or refusal of future procedures can occur. The objective of our study was to assess the utility of a virtual reality (VR) headset or noise-canceling headphones (HP) compared to treatment as usual (TAU) in reducing pain and anxiety during pediatric dermatology procedures. Results indicated a significant difference between pre- versus post-procedure anxiety in the VR and HP groups but not the TAU group suggesting non-pharmacologic technology-based interventions such as VR and headphones may reduce patients' anxiety during pediatric dermatology procedures.

Characteristics and treatment pathways in pediatric and adult hidradenitis suppurativa: An examination using real world data.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, debilitating, inflammatory disease. Contemporaneous real-world data can be used to elucidate the clinical treatment of pediatric patients and how treatment strategies compare with adult hidradenitis suppurativa patients. Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate clinical and treatment characteristics of pediatric and adult HS patients. Methods: HS adult and pediatric patients were identified in 3 the United States administrative claims databases during the study period between 2016 to 2021. Patients were required to have 2 diagnostic codes for HS and have at least 365 days of prior observation time to the first HS diagnosis. Results: Pediatric and adult HS treatments were similar. The proportions of subjects treated with topical and oral antibiotic or oral antibiotic alone or topical medication alone or surgery alone covered 90% of the treated pediatric subjects and 91% of treated adult subjects. The remaining proportion of subjects received other treatment combinations. Limitations: The databases represent subjects with commercial or government insurance coverage and thus do not necessarily represent the broader US population. The databases do not capture information about medications obtained without insurance. Conclusions: Although subtle differences exist, this study confirms that topical and systemic therapeutic treatment of HS in adults and adolescents is very similar.

Assessing pain catastrophizing and functional disability in pediatric epidermolysis bullosa patients.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to assess pain catastrophizing and functional disability in pediatric patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) and their parents/guardians. Secondary objectives included examining relationships between pain catastrophizing, functional disability, and correlations with other factors (e.g., age, disease severity, and percent of body surface area (BSA) involved). METHODS: Patients with EB ages 8-16 and their parents/guardians who were English or Spanish speaking completed a one-time online survey. Parent measures included: demographics questionnaire, Pain Catastrophizing Scale-Parent (PCS), and Parent Functional Disability Inventory (FDI). Child measures included: PCS child and child FDI. Higher scores on both scales indicate higher levels of catastrophizing and functional disability. RESULTS: Of 31 children, the mean age was 11.47 years and the majority (70.97%) had dystrophic EB. Mean scores were: 35.84 = PCS parent; 34.58 = PCS child; 30.87 = parent FDI; 29.77 = child FDI. Total scores for PCS parent, parent FDI, and child FDI increased significantly with disease severity and percentage of involved BSA (p < .01 for all). Total scores for PCS child increased significantly with percent of EB skin involvement (p = .04) but not disease severity. Older children reported more functional disability than their parents and younger children (p = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate significant positive correlations between negative thoughts related to pain and the experience of functional difficulties in patients with EB and their caregivers. Psychological, psychiatric, and/or behavioral interventions to help managing chronic pain may be effective for patients with EB.

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy in a pediatric patient.

We report the case of a 13-year-old female who presented with punctate, erythematous macules coalescing into patches on the upper extremities and left thigh. A skin biopsy demonstrated dilated capillary-sized blood vessels in the papillary dermis consistent with a diagnosis of cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy (CCV). To our knowledge, this is the youngest patient to present with CCV and will represent the third pediatric case in the literature.

Ichthyosis, petechiae, and arthrogryposis in a neonate.

Gaucher disease is a rare lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency in glucocerebrosidase. This enzyme deficiency leads to the accumulation of toxic metabolites in various organs. Multiple subtypes of this disease have been described; however, the perinatal-lethal form is extremely rare and challenging to diagnose. We present a case of a newborn girl with ichthyosis, petechiae, and arthrogryposis, later found to be homozygous for a pathogenic variant of the glucocerebrosidase gene. This case highlights the potential role of dermatologists in the recognition of this rare disease.

A case of multiple, bilateral Becker's Nevi of the trunk and lower extremities in a young girl: A case report.

A Becker's nevus typically appears as a single unilateral, well-demarcated, hyperpigmented patch over the upper trunk during adolescence. It uncommonly presents as multiple and bilateral patches and rarely involves a lower extremity. We describe the unusual case of a child with multiple, bilateral Becker's nevi of the trunk and lower extremities present since birth.

Caregiver Preferences and Barriers Toward Accessing Pediatric Dermatology Care for Childhood Atopic Dermatitis.

INTRODUCTION: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic childhood illness. It is often treated by primary care providers (PCPs) though it may require referral to a dermatology specialist. METHOD: We administered an exploratory survey to 50 caregivers of children aged 0-17 years with AD to assess their preferences and barriers toward accessing dermatology specialty care for their child's AD. RESULTS: Caregivers felt PCPs and specialists equally listened to their child's AD concerns. However, many felt there was a difference in the care provided and control of the AD and preferred to see a specialist for ongoing management. DISCUSSION: Caregivers may benefit from their children being referred to dermatology specialists earlier and more often for their AD. Further work must be done to characterize preferences and barriers toward AD care across race and ethnicity.

Validation of remote atopic dermatitis severity assessment with the Eczema Area and Severity Ondex in children using caregiver-provided photos and videos.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: We sought to quantify the reliability and validity of remote atopic dermatitis (AD) severity assessment using the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) applied to caregiver-provided photos (p-EASI) and videos (v-EASI). METHODS: Children (0-17 years) with a physician diagnosis of AD were recruited. Caregivers took photos and a video of their child's skin. A clinician scored in-person EASI on the same day, then p-EASI and v-EASI for each participant 10 days or more between ratings. Two additional clinicians scored p-EASI and v-EASI. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) was employed to assess criterion validity using in-person EASI as the gold standard. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess interrater reliability of p-EASI and v-EASI. RESULTS: Fifty racially and ethnically diverse children (age [mean ± SD]: 4.3 ± 4.4 years; 42% female) with a range of AD severity (EASI: 6.3 ± 6.4) and Fitzpatrick skin types (1-2: 9%; 3-4: 60%; 5-6: 31%) were enrolled and received in-person EASI assessment. Fifty had p-EASI and 49 had v-EASI by the same in-person rater, and by two additional raters. The CCC and ICC for p-EASI were 0.89, 95% CI [0.83, 0.95] and 0.81, 95% CI [0.71, 0.89], respectively. The CCC and ICC for v-EASI were 0.75, 95% CI [0.63, 0.88] and 0.69, 95% CI [0.51, 0.81], respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this diverse population with a range of skin tones, p-EASI showed good criterion validity and good interrater reliability. v-EASI showed moderate to good criterion validity and moderate interrater reliability. Both may be reliable and valid options for remote AD severity assessment.

Reducing anxiety and preventing trauma in pediatric epidermolysis bullosa.

Although dermatologists are well-trained in the medical management of complex skin disease, psychosocial care often exceeds a dermatologist's skillset. We aim to elucidate major factors to consider in the comprehensive management of pediatric epidermolysis bullosa (EB) and provide care recommendations. There are many types of trauma a child with EB may experience, from social to psychological to medical. We include information on trauma-informed care and advice for the dermatologist and multidisciplinary team regarding patient-centered and family-centered approaches to recognizing and reducing anxiety and trauma in EB patients.

Surgical deroofing in pediatric patients with hidradenitis suppurativa.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory follicular disorder that most commonly involves the intertriginous areas. It is characterized by recurrent nodules that may progress into deeper abscesses and sinus tracts. Treatment is challenging and often involves a combination of lifestyle modifications, medical therapies, and procedures to control symptoms. Deroofing is a tissue-saving surgical technique that has been well studied in adults and in our clinical experience is an important adjunct therapy in pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe HS. We describe the step-by-step process of deroofing, including surgical clinical pearls specific to the pediatric population.

Pediatric BehÒ«et disease: Update in diagnosis and management.

BehÒ«et disease is a multisystem inflammatory disease and variable vessel vasculitis involving primarily the oral and genital mucosa, skin, and eyes. Diagnosis is challenging due to the lack of a specific diagnostic test and overlap with other autoinflammatory diseases. Treatment of pediatric BehÒ«et disease aims to reduce inflammation and prevent future flares. The goal of this review is to provide guidance on the diagnostic workup and multidisciplinary approach of pediatric BehÒ«et disease and review evidence-based treatment strategies for patients with refractory mucocutaneous manifestations.

A case of prolidase deficiency in a male patient.

Prolidase deficiency is an extremely rare, autosomal recessive disorder resulting in defective collagen formation. We report a case of prolidase deficiency in a male child, highlighting the dermatologic features. Early diagnosis is important as these patients encounter significant multisystem comorbidities requiring multispecialty care.

Superimposed linear atopic dermatitis treated with dupilumab.

Common polygenic skin disorders, such as atopic dermatitis, may rarely present in a segmental or linear distribution due to cutaneous mosaicism. Only seven cases of superimposed linear atopic dermatitis have been reported to date. Here, we present a child with severe superimposed linear atopic dermatitis and highlight the first successful use of dupilumab in its treatment.

Caring for Pediatric Hidradenitis Suppurativa Patients in the Emergency Department.

ABSTRACT: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory skin condition resulting in the formation of nodules, sinus tracts, and abscesses in intertriginous areas. We provide recommendations for the management of children presenting to the emergency department with acute HS flares, based on a review of literature and insights from our own clinical experience. The purpose of the recommendations is to educate clinicians on specific considerations that should be made when caring for children with HS.