A Review on the Use of Topical Ruxolitinib for the Treatment of Vitiligo.

BACKGROUND: This article describes the clinical trial, safety, and efficacy of ruxolitinib 1.5% cream or repigmentation in patients with vitiligo. DATA SOURCES: A systematic review was done using ruxolitinib or Opzelura in MEDLINE (PubMed) and EMBASE. CLINICALTRIALS: gov was used to identify ongoing or unpublished studies. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Studies included were written in English and relevant to pharmacology, clinical trials, safety, and efficacy. DATA SYNTHESIS: In two 52-week phase 3 trials, 52.0% of subjects had at least 75% improvement in their Facial Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (F-VASI). RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: Ruxolitinib is a topical Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor newly approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for repigmentation in patients with vitiligo. CONCLUSION: Topical ruxolitinib is the first medication approved for repigmentation in patients with vitiligo. It is a safe and effective treatment; however, cost may be a barrier to some patients when prescribing this medication. Trials to compare the efficacy and side effect profile of topical ruxolitinib with other topical treatments are still needed. Grossmann MC, Haidari W, Feldman SR. A Review on the use of topical ruxolitinib for the treatment of vitiligo. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(7):664-667. doi:10.36849/JDD.7268.

Allergens in Common Brands of Clobetasol.

BACKGROUND: Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) may occur secondary to topical corticosteroids. This may be due to topical corticosteroids containing potential allergens in their vehicles. Variation of allergenic ingredients among various brands of a product has not been well characterized. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the frequency of allergenic ingredients in various brands and manufacturers of clobetasol propionate. METHODS: Common brands of clobetasol propionate were identified online on GoodRx website. Then, ingredient lists for these products were obtained from the US Food & Drug Administration’s Online Label Repository via a proprietary name search. A systematic literature review was performed using the ingredient name on Medline (PubMed) database to find reports of ACD confirmed by patch testing. CONCLUSIONS: Forty-nine different ingredients were identified among all 18 products included, with an average of 8.4 ingredients per product; 19 of these ingredients have allergenic potential, while one has protective effects. Two branded foam formulations contained the greatest number of potential allergens (5), while a shampoo formulation contained no potential allergens. Knowing which allergens are present in different products may be helpful when treating a patient with an allergy or suspected allergy to one of these ingredients. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(5): doi:10.36849/JDD.4651.

Treatment of keratosis pilaris and its variants: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a common, benign skin condition of follicular hyperkeratosis. Although KP is asymptomatic, the cosmetic appearance of KP can lead to psychosocial distress among patients. New emerging treatments are increasingly being utilized. Yet, there is little to no summative data on the treatments of KP and its subtypes. OBJECTIVE: To summarize existing literature on treatments for KP and its subtypes. METHODS: A comprehensive search was performed using Pubmed/MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science databases. The search identified 1150 non-duplicated articles, and 47 articles were included in the review. The primary outcomes measured were KP treatment type and the degree of improvement following therapy. FINDINGS: Our findings demonstrate that the most supported form of treatment for KP is laser therapy, particularly the QS:Nd YAG laser. Topical treatments - including Mineral Oil-Hydrophil Petrolat, tacrolimus, azelaic acid, and salicylic acid - are also effective at least for improving the appearance of KP. CONCLUSION: While the measured treatment outcomes varied among studies, laser therapy appears to be the most effective form of treatment. Use of topicals also improved KP lesions.

Electrosurgery in dermatology.

Electrosurgery applies high frequency alternating electrical currents to generate heat, thereby creating tissue damage required for cutting, hemostasis, or destruction. Electrosurgery can be delivered in a variety of different ways and can be tailored to achieve the desired clinical effect. Having a command of the underlying principles of electrosurgery will help dermatologic surgeons use the appropriate form of electrosurgery to safely achieve the desired results. We reviewed basic principles of electrosurgery, described the various techniques and devices, and delineated associated risks of electrosurgery for specific patient populations and providers. All modalities of electrosurgery present a risk of electromagnetic interference, which can negatively affect patients with implanted devices, such as pacemakers, defibrillators, cochlear implants, and deep brain stimulators. In particular, electrosurgery may create a smoke plume containing a number of volatile organic compounds potentially noxious; however, the risk of such exposure remains unknown.

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceptions of teledermatology.

There is limited information of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the general population's perceptions towards teledermatology. This study aims to assess the pandemic's impact on people's willingness to use teledermatology as well as to investigate influencing factors. We recruited 544 participants through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and surveyed them using REDCap. Participants' willingness to use teledermatology before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic was measured via a 5-point Likert scale. The survey also included questions regarding factors influencing participants' attitudes towards teledermatology and their sociodemographic characteristics. Of the 185 participants who reported unwillingness to use teledermatology prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 79.2% and 66.5% became either neutral or willing to use teledermatology during and after the pandemic, respectively. Less than half of prior satisfactory telemedicine users reported willingness to use teledermatology before the pandemic; willingness to use teledermatology increased to 80.1% and 63.8% during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. The top reason for lack of interest in teledermatology was concern for security and privacy (24.4%). Although a useful tool, teledermatology has been met with reluctance by the public. However, the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic have improved the public's perceptions and readiness to use teledermatology.

Clinical recommendations made in dermatology publications are frequently not supported by adequate evidence.

OBJECTIVES: Absolute risk and cost-benefit analyses are necessary to guide clinical decision making. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether clinical recommendations in dermatology publications were supported by adequate evidence. We also assessed whether dermatology residents report sufficient evidence when they author publications. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical cohort, case-control, and case series studies published in JAMA Dermatology and the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology from January 2018 to December 2018 for statistical significance, absolute associations, diagnostic and therapeutic clinical recommendations, and risk-benefit analysis. We also identified articles with a U.S. dermatology resident as first or second author. RESULTS: We found that the majority of articles reported statistical significance, but only 3% included absolute risk analyses and none had risk-benefit analysis. Furthermore, 42% of studies with a dermatology resident as a primary author reported statistical significance, but none provided absolute risk or risk-benefit analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Reviewers need to be more aware of the evidentiary needs required for clinical recommendations, and dermatology residents may benefit from additional statistics training.

Frequency of Allergenic Ingredients in Antifungal Creams.

BACKGROUND: Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) may occur secondary to topical antifungals containing potential allergens in their vehicles. Variation of allergenic ingredients among commonly used antifungal creams (AFCs) has not been well characterized. OBJECTIVE: The study goal was to assess the frequency of allergenic ingredients in 4 commonly used topical AFCs. METHODS: Topical AFCs (clotrimazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, and terbinafine) were selected, and the ingredient lists for these products were obtained from the US Food and Drug Administration's Online Label Repository via a proprietary name search. A systematic literature review was performed using the ingredient name on MEDLINE (PubMed) database to identify reports of ACD confirmed by patch testing. RESULTS: Of the 20 ingredients analyzed, 6 had frequent allergenic potential. Propylene glycol was the most common cause of ACD identified in the literature and is an ingredient in ketoconazole 2% and miconazole nitrate 2%. Ketoconazole 2% and miconazole nitrate 2% creams contained the highest number of potential allergens (n = 3) among the 4 creams analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: Of the 4 creams, terbinafine hydrochloride 1% and clotrimazole 1% contained the least number of potential allergenic ingredients. Awareness of the allergenic potential of commonly used AFCs may help health care providers when evaluating patients with ACD.

Hydrogen Peroxide 40% for the Treatment of Seborrheic Keratoses.

OBJECTIVE: Hydrogen peroxide 40% (HP40) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for topical treatment of seborrheic keratosis (SK) in December 2017. This article will review phase II and III clinical trials to assess the drug's efficacy, safety, and clinical application. DATA SOURCES: A systematic literature review was performed using the terms "Eskata AND seborrheic keratosis," and "hydrogen peroxide AND seborrheic keratosis" in the OVID MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases. ClinicalTrials.gov was searched to identify ongoing or nonpublished studies. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA ABSTRACTION: Articles written in English between January 2000 and mid-June 2020 discussing phase II and phase III clinical trials were evaluated. DATA SYNTHESIS: In 2 phase III clinical trials, 4% and 8% of patients treated with HP40 had a Physician Lesion Assessment score of zero for all 4 SKs, respectively, compared with 0% in both vehicle groups at the primary end point of day 106 (P < 0.01; P < 0.0001). RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: HP40, although less effective, has a better safety profile than other treatment options. It should be especially considered for treatment of facial SKs, where it is most efficacious and where other treatment modalities, such as cryotherapy, are more challenging. CONCLUSIONS: HP40 is a new, safe alternative treatment for SKs, although it is expensive and only modestly effective, both of which somewhat limit its overall utility. HP40 is a promising topical alternative, particularly for cosmetically sensitive locations, such as the face.

Trifarotene for the Treatment of Facial and Truncal Acne.

OBJECTIVE: This article reviews clinical trials to assess the efficacy, safety, and clinical application of trifarotene 0.005% cream (Aklief). DATA SOURCES: A systematic review of the literature was performed using the terms trifarotene OR Aklief OR CD5789 in MEDLINE (PubMed) and EMBASE databases. Articles prior to May 2020 were considered for inclusion. Bibliographies and ClinicalTrials.gov were also searched to identify further studies. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Relevant English language and human studies related to pharmacology, clinical trials, and safety were considered. DATA SYNTHESIS: In the 52-week phase III trial, treatment success rates for facial acne (Investigator Global Assessment [IGA] rating of no or almost no acne) and truncal acne (Physician's Global Assessment [PGA] rating of no or almost no acne) were 65.1% and 66.9%, respectively. Overall success rates (IGA and PGA success in the same patient) were 57.9%; 52.8% of patients had a Dermatology Quality of Life Index score of 0 or 1, compared with 22.6% at baseline. Trifarotene was well tolerated, with pruritus, irritation, and sunburn as the most common adverse effects. RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: Trifarotene is a newly Food and Drug Administration-labeled fourth-generation topical retinoid that shows particular promise in the treatment of facial and truncal acne vulgaris. It is an effective and safe addition to currently available retinoids. CONCLUSION: Trifarotene is effective and safe for treatment of facial and truncal acne. Future trials should compare its efficacy and tolerability with that of the older, clinically established retinoids. Despite efficacy, cost may be a prohibitive factor.

Digital future of dermatology.

Evolution of technology in the past several decades has undeniably transformed the practice of medicine. Dermatology, a field relying on visual cues, has been particularly impacted by advancement in imaging technologies. The purpose of this study was to review the current status as well as digital future of dermatology. The PubMed database was searched for articles pertaining to digital dermatology using search terms digital dermatology, teledermatology, and dermatopathology education. Digital dermatology has found a role in almost every aspect of dermatology: research, dermatology education and training, and clinical practice including disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and patient follow-up. Smartphone applications such VisualDx, MyDermPath, YouDermoscopy serve as diagnostic aid tools and can also help increase the user's knowledge of dermatology. Tools such as multispectral digital skin lesion analysis (MSDSLA) improve diagnostic accuracy and lead to fewer unnecessary biopsies. Teledermatology increases patient satisfaction, as they are able to experience shorter waits times and decreased costs. Underserved communities and those in rural settings are more likely to have a dermatologic evaluation by a specialist via teledermatology. Addressing important topics such as legal framework and updating reimbursement policies will allow for a smoother incorporation of digital dermatology into clinical practice and likely benefit patient care.

Cutis marmorata telangiectasia congenita with painful ulcerations.

Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita (CMTC) is a rare, congenital, vascular disorder that may sometimes be associated with ulcerations of the involved skin. We present a case of CMTC, asymptomatic since birth, that began developing painful ulcerations during adolescence. Although laser therapy may benefit the superficial aspect of this vascular anomaly, the presence of deeper involvement in lesions with ulcerations may not respond favorably to laser therapy and the best approach needs to be further evaluated.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis Secondary to Moisturizers.

Background: Moisturizers are cosmetic products used routinely to manage various skin conditions. Even though moisturizers are often thought to have minimal or no adverse reactions, allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) to these products can develop in some cases. Methods: We studied ingredients included in 3 of the most commonly used moisturizer brands, identified their presence in standard patch testing series, and evaluated their allergenic potential, categorizing the allergens as frequent or infrequent. The standard patch testing series used as reference were the Thin-layer Rapid Use Epicutaneous patch test (T.R.U.E. test), the North American Contact Dermatitis Group (NACDG) screening standard series, and the American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS) core allergen series. Results: Aveeno, Cetaphil, and Cerave products had a total of 12, 14, and 9 potential allergens, respectively, the majority of which were infrequent and not included in standard patch testing series. Conclusion: Being aware of the allergenic potential of commonly used moisturizers may help healthcare providers when evaluating patients with ACD. Further testing is recommended in a targeted manner when suspecting ACD with negative standard patch testing series or when ACD is refractory to treatment.

Management of Residual Psoriasis in Patients on Biologic Treatment

While biologics are highly effective, most psoriasis patients do not achieve complete skin clearance with their biologic monotherapy. How to achieve complete skin clearance in psoriasis patients who fail their biologic is not well characterized. To describe treatment approaches in psoriasis patients who fail to achieve complete clearance from their biologic, we modeled and assessed the efficacy, cost, and safety of three treatment approaches­ adding a topical agent with their biologic, escalating the biologic dose, and switching to a different biologic. Efficacy of each approach was obtained from literature identifying complete clearance defined as 100% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and/or Physician's Global Assessment score of clear. Cost of each treatment approach was calculated using medication wholesale acquisition cost obtained from Medi-Span Price Rx. Safety was assessed by adverse event (AE) rates. Complete clearance in patients not cleared on their initial biologic was achieved when adding calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate (Cal/BD) foam (28%), switching to guselkumab (20%), and switching to infliximab (15.8%). Adding Cal/BD foam to the initial biologic ($3,780 per additional patient cleared) was a less costly approach compared to the lowest cost dose escalation (guselkumab; $73,370 per additional patient cleared) or switching the initial failed biologic to the lowest cost alternative biologic (infliximab; $88,250 per additional patient cleared). There were no treatment-related or serious AEs when adding Cal/BD foam. Adding a topical agent may be an efficacious, low cost, and safe approach to achieve complete clearing in psoriasis patients who previously failed to clear on their biologic. J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19(2)188-194. doi:10.36849/JDD.2020.3989

Sarecycline Review.

Objective: Sarecycline is a new oral tetracycline antibiotic recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The aim of this article was to evaluate the data from published clinical trials of sarecycline in the treatment of acne, review the drug's pharmacology, and understand how this new medication may apply to clinical practice. Data Sources: A systematic literature review was performed using the terms sarecycline (Seysara), P005672, and WC-3035 in the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases. ClinicalTrials.gov was searched to identify ongoing or nonpublished studies. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Articles in English between January 2000 and April 2019 relating to clinical trials, pharmacology, safety, and microbiological profile were evaluated. Data Synthesis: In a phase 3 clinical trial (SC1401), absolute change from baseline in facial inflammatory lesion count at week 12 was -15.3 for the sarecycline arm and -10.1 for placebo (P < 0.01). In another phase 3 clinical trial (SC1402), the absolute change in this category was -15.7 for sarecycline and -10.7 for placebo (P < 0.01). Mean percentage change in facial inflammatory lesion count was higher in the sarecycline group than in the placebo group in both studies (P < 0.01). Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: The 1.5-mg/kg sarecycline dose has efficacy in reducing inflammatory lesions, is well tolerated, and has more targeted antimicrobial activity, which may help reduce the risk of developing antibiotic resistance. Conclusions: This novel, once-daily treatment may represent a useful treatment for patients with moderate to severe acne.