Efficacy of a Fractionated 1540-nm Erbium Glass Laser in the Treatment of Dermatofibromas.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of dermatofibromas, beyond surgical excision, has remained inadequate and elusive. Nonsurgical treatment options are desired by both patients and physicians. Erbium glass lasers are known for targeting and remodeling the dermis but have not yet been studied for the treatment of dermatofibromas. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the fractional 1540-nm erbium glass laser for treatment of dermatofibromas. METHODS: Thirty-five patients representing 44 dermatofibromas completed 2 consecutive monthly treatments with a non-ablative, fractional 1540-nm erbium glass laser and were evaluated at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the initial treatment. Dermatofibromas were evaluated using patient surveys given before and after the treatments. RESULTS: By week 4, patients reported improvement in color and texture of the dermatofibromas. These improvements were durable through week 12. No complications were reported. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the fractional 1540-nm erbium glass laser may be used to improve the color and texture of dermatofibromas and achieve positive patient reported outcomes after only 2 treatments. J Drugs Dermatol. 2022;21(11):1201-1205. doi:10.36849/JDD.6287.

Psoriasis Characteristics for the Early Detection of Psoriatic Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Delays in the diagnosis and treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are common. These delays contribute to impairments in quality of life and joint damage. This study aims to calculate the incidence rate of PsA over time and identify clinical features that may be used for PsA prediction in patients with psoriasis (PsO). METHODS: The study population for PsA incidence analysis included 1128 participants enrolled in the Utah Psoriasis Initiative between 2002 and 2014. Clinical evaluation and medical record review were performed to identify new cases of PsA after enrollment. To identify PsO features associated with PsA, the population was restricted to 627 participants who did not have PsA before PsO phenotyping and had been followed up for subsequent PsA diagnosis. We conducted Cox proportional hazard regressions to estimate the HR of PsA associated with PsO characteristics and other health-related features. RESULTS: PsA incidence rate increased for > 60 years following PsO onset (trend P < 0.0001). There was a significant association between PsA and induration severity in untreated lesions (P < 0.001, HR 1.46), history of fingernail involvement (P < 0.001, HR 2.38), pustular PsO (P < 0.001, HR 3.32), fingernail involvement at enrollment (P < 0.001, HR 2.04), and Koebner phenomenon (P < 0.001, HR 1.90). Multivariate analysis yielded a model that included a history of fingernail involvement (P < 0.001, HR 2.16) and untreated induration (P < 0.001, HR 1.41). CONCLUSION: Risk of PsA increases steadily for > 60 years following PsO onset. Patient-reported history of PsO characteristics has greater predictive power than physician-measured features at enrollment visits. The characteristics identified in this study provide guidance for screening for PsA risk in patients with PsO.

Chondrodysplasia punctata and neonatal lupus in an infant with positive anti-RNP and negative anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies, a case report.

Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata is a rare, often fatal disease that shares many clinical dysmorphologic features with the rare often non-lethal chondrodysplasia punctata due to maternal autoimmune disease. Characteristic findings of both conditions include mid-face hypoplasia, stippled epiphyses of the vertebrae and long bones, and growth failure. A growing association with anti-ribonucleoprotein antibodies is emerging amongst patients with chondrodysplasia punctata due to maternal autoimmune disease and also neonatal lupus that have potential important screening implications. We present a unique case of chondrodysplasia punctata with neonatal lupus in the setting of positive anti-RNP antibodies and negative anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies born to a mother with mixed connective tissue disease and Raynaud's syndrome.

GRAPPA Trainees Symposium 2015: A Report from the GRAPPA 2015 Annual Meeting.

At the 2015 annual meeting of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) in Stockholm, Sweden, rheumatology and dermatology trainees engaged in psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis research presented their work to meeting attendees in a trainees symposium. This report briefly reviews 6 oral presentations and 20 posters presented at the meeting.

Pancreatic panniculitis associated with acinic cell adenocarcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Pancreatic panniculitis represents a rare skin manifestation of underlying pancreatic pathology. The clinical presentation of the condition is remarkably consistent and privy to several unique clinical and histopathologic findings. We report a case of a 50-year-old white woman with pancreatic panniculitis and newly diagnosed pancreatic acinic cell adenocarcinoma. The clinical and histopathologic features, underlying causes, and treatments are reviewed.