Comparison of efficacy and safety of tretinoin 0.05% and glycolic acid peeling 70% in axillary and neck lesions of acanthosis nigricans: A single-blinded, randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Acanthosis nigricans is a non-inflammatory skin pigmentary disorder characterized by a dark, velvety appearance, primarily observed in the neck and axillary areas. It is commonly associated with obesity, diabetes, and insulin resistance. Although the primary treatment is correcting the underlying disorders, many aesthetic modalities have been established to improve appearance owing to cosmetic concerns. AIMS: We aimed to compare and investigate the effectiveness and side effects of tretinoin 0.05% and glycolic acid 70% in treating acanthosis nigricans lesions of the axillary and neck area. METHODS: This single-blinded, randomized trial recruited patients with neck or axillary involvement. Each patient was randomized to use cream tretinoin 0.05% every other night on one side, while the other side was treated with glycolic acid 70%, which was applied every 2 weeks at the clinic for four consecutive sessions. The study duration was 8 weeks, and patients were evaluated every 2 weeks based on their response to treatment, satisfaction, and side effects. RESULTS: Thirty patients, including 14 with neck lesions and 16 with axillary lesions, were included. Tretinoin was significantly more effective for axillary lesions in terms of treatment response and patient satisfaction (p = 0.02 and p = 0.008, respectively). It was also shown that as the severity of the lesions increased, the response to treatment and patient satisfaction decreased, specifically when treating axillary lesions with glycolic acid (p = 0.02 and p = 0.03, respectively). CONCLUSION: Neither method was significantly effective for neck lesions. However, tretinoin 0.05% was shown to be more efficacious in treating axillary lesions of acanthosis nigricans, despite causing minimal side effects.

Adverse outcome and severity of COVID-19 in patients with autoimmune bullous diseases: A historical cohort study.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns regarding the outcome of this infection in patients with autoimmune bullous dermatoses (AIBDs) due to effect of drugs used to treat these disorders. This investigation was performed from the onset of the pandemic to June 1, 2021. Patients with AIBDs who contracted COVID-19 were evaluated. A generalized linear model was employed to find the predictors of severe COVID-19 among patients with AIBDs. Ninety-three patients with AIBDs with a mean age of 50.3 years were evaluated. The most COVID-19 related symptoms were tiredness (76.3%) myalgia (69%), and cough (63.4%). During follow-up, the rate of hospitalization and death were 45.2% and 4.3%, respectively. Previous comorbidities (ß = 0.61) and mean prednisolone dosage above 10 mg/day in the last 3 months (ß = 1.10) significantly increased COVID-19 severity. Also, vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 (ß = -1.50) and each passing month from the last rituximab dose decreased severity (ß = -0.02). Notably, 19.3% of the patients developed AIBD flare-ups following COVID-19 infection. Higher prednisone dose and the shorter interval from the last rituximab infusion were determinants of severe COVID-19. Physicians should assess the risk versus the benefits when prescribing the medications. Moreover, vaccination could successfully attenuate COVID-19 severity.