Racial Disparities in Diagnosis and Treatment of Patients With Dermatomyositis of Different Skin Tones.

BACKGROUND: Delays in the diagnosis and treatment of dermatological conditions in minorities are a well-documented health disparity. We aimed to determine if there was a delay in detection and treatment initiation for dermatomyositis (DM) and amyopathic dermatomyositis (ADM) in patients of different skin tones. METHODS: Patients from Montefiore Medical Center who met the criteria for DM and ADM were included in this cohort study. Records were reviewed for date of first documented rash, creatine kinase levels, muscle weakness complaints, and date of first steroid or disease-modifying antirheumatic drug initiation. The median number of days between rash documentation and therapy initiation was compared for patients of different races, including non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and other (Asian and unknown). Data were compared in White versus non-White skin. RESULTS: Sixty-three DM and 9 ADM patients met the inclusion criteria. There was a shorter time to treatment initiation in White versus non-White patients, with a median number of 8 days compared with 21 days, respectively ( p = 0.05). Kaplan-Meier curves showed prolonged time to diagnosis and treatment in all other races when compared with White patients ( p = 0.03). DISCUSSION: It took clinicians longer to diagnose and treat DM and ADM in patients of color. The trends observed emphasize the importance of increasing dermatology education of non-White skin to improve detection and treatment of DM and ADM and minimize health disparities.

[Febrile rash in adult patients. Which diagnoses should we evoke in ambulatory care?] / Rash cutané fébrile chez l'adulte. Quels diagnostics évoquer en médecine ambulatoire?

The diagnostic approach to febrile skin eruptions in adults requires a systematic methodology, combining an accurate history with careful clinical evaluation. The most frequent etiologies of febrile exanthem in the immunocompetent patient can be categorized as infectious (viral or bacterial) or non-infectious (toxidermia, connectivitis or vasculitis). Mononucleosis, primary HIV infection, secondary syphilis, disseminated gonococcemia and exanthematous drug eruption, are mentioned in detail in this article due to the difficulty of establishing a diagnosis in ambulatory medicine. A clinical vignette is presented to illustrate the reasoning in primary care, with recourse to further investigations depending on the clinical course.

L'approche diagnostique des éruptions cutanées fébriles chez l'adulte exige une méthodologie systématique, alliant une anamnèse précise et une évaluation clinique attentive. Les étiologies les plus fréquentes de l'exanthème fébrile chez le patient immunocompétent peuvent être catégorisées en infectieuses (virus ou bactéries) ou non infectieuses (toxidermies, connectivites ou vasculites). La mononucléose, la primo-infection par le VIH, la syphilis secondaire, la gonococcémie disséminée et la toxidermie médicamenteuse sont abordées spécifiquement et en détail dans cet article en raison de la difficulté à établir un diagnostic en médecine ambulatoire. Une vignette clinique est présentée pour illustrer le raisonnement en médecine de première ligne avec le recours à des investigations complémentaires selon l'évolution clinique.

First Case of Atypical, Generalized Skin Rash after Transarterial Chemoembolization in a Patient with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a widely used hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. Some cases of supraumbilical skin rash after TACE in patients with HCC have been reported. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there are no reports on atypical, generalized rashes caused by doxorubicin systemic absorption after TACE. This paper presents the case of a 64-year-old male with HCC who developed generalized macules and patches one day after a successful TACE procedure. A histology examination of a skin biopsy of a dark reddish patch on the knee revealed severe interface dermatitis. He was treated with a topical steroid, and all skin rashes improved within a week with no side effects. This report presents this rare case with a literature review on skin rash after TACE.

Desensitization protocol to lenalidomide: An effective and safe treatment modality for delayed hypersensitivity-induced rash in patients with multiple myeloma.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Lenalidomide is considered a standard of care in multiple myeloma (MM) Some MM patients will develop delayed hypersensitivity to lenalidomide, which can lead to treatment discontinuation. Desensitization to lenalidomide can help these patients to complete treatment courses. Here, we aimed to review lenalidomide-treated MM patients who developed delayed hypersensitivity-induced rash and were treated with desensitization. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of medical files of MM patients, who were desensitized to lenalidomide due to delayed hypersensitivity rash. Patients were treated between 2018 and 2022 at Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. RESULTS: Search of patients yielded 16 patients that underwent desensitization to lenalidomide within the study period. The desensitization protocol consisted of a slow, 3-week-long protocol with lenalidomide's target doses of 10, 15, and 25 mg/day. Of the 16 patients, 10 (62.5%) succeeded to complete the protocol and thus were able to complete lenalidomide treatment cycles. One patient with unsuccessful desensitization was subsequently treated with first-generation IMiD thalidomide, with no rash appearing. None of the patients that were treated with desensitization had severe immune-mediated or non-dermatological adverse reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Desensitization to lenalidomide is safe and effective. Discontinuation of lenalidomide in MM patients with delayed hypersensitivity and no contraindication to desensitization should be discouraged. Collaboration between hematologists and allergists is needed.

Failure of double filtration plasmapheresis to treat severe pemphigus vulgaris: A case report.

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a chronic, mucocutaneous, autoimmune bullous disease. Double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) may be effective when PV fails to be controlled by conventional corticosteroid treatment. The patient was a 64-year-old man with erythema, blisters, and erosions on his head, face, mouth, trunk, limbs, and scrotum for over a month. He was diagnosed with severe PV, and the original rash area continued to expand after treatment with systemic corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and intravenous immunoglobulin, with massive exudate and ≥5 new blisters and macules still occurring daily. Subsequently, the patient completed three sessions of DFPP. After the first DFPP, the original erosion surface exudate was significantly reduced and gradually healed. After the second DFPP, the erosion area and exudate increased compared with the previous one. After the third DFPP, the rash did not improve further and had a tendency to continue to progress. During the entire three sessions of DFPP, the patient had new blisters and bullae on his limbs every day. The Nikolsky's sign of the limbs turned negative at the initial stage, and then the trunk and limbs Nikolsky's sign became positive again. The titer of autoantibodies did not decrease significantly after the plasmapheresis. The patient eventually died of secondary lung infection and septic shock. The efficacy of DFPP in this patient with refractory severe PV was poor.

Biologic therapies associated with development of palmoplantar pustulosis and palmoplantar pustular psoriasis: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) and palmoplantar pustular psoriasis (PPPP) are chronic inflammatory skin conditions characterized by eruptions of sterile pustules on the palms and/or soles. Biologic use has been associated with PPP and PPPP development in the literature. OBJECTIVES: To identify PPP and PPPP associated with biologics and summarize reported treatments and outcomes. METHODS: We systematically searched in MEDLINE and Embase for articles that reported PPP or PPPP during biologic treatment. After a full-text review, 53 studies were included for analysis. RESULTS: We identified 155 patients with PPP/PPPP onset during biologic treatment, with a mean age of 44.1 years and a female preponderance (71.6%). The most frequently reported biologics were adalimumab (43.9%) and infliximab (33.3%). IL-17 inhibitors, secukinumab (7.6%) and brodalumab (1.5%), were reported only in association with PPPP. Overall, 58.8% of patients had complete remission (CR) in 3.6 months and 23.5% had partial remission (PR) in 3.7 months. The most common treatments that led to CR were topical corticosteroids (n = 16) and biologic switching (n = 8). CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should anticipate PPP or PPPP as potential drug reactions to biologics such as adalimumab and infliximab. Large-scale studies are required to confirm our findings and further explore the pathogenesis for biologic-associated PPP and PPPP.

Clinical aspects and therapeutic approach of drug-induced adverse skin reactions in a quaternary hospital: a retrospective study with 219 cases.

BACKGROUND: Adverse drug reactions are frequent, with cutaneous manifestations being the most common. In the hospital environment, the incidence of cutaneous drug reactions varies from 2% to 3%. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the profile of cutaneous drug reactions, relating clinical forms, suspected medications, histopathological alterations, systemic repercussions, treatment and course. METHODS: Clinical, retrospective and observational study of patients seen by the Dermatology Interconsultation team from January 2013 to December 2016. RESULTS: The frequency of cutaneous drug reactions among the evaluated patients was 13.6%, with 219 cases diagnosed. In 65.7%, the reaction was considered mild, of which the most common was exanthema, while in 34.2%, the reaction was considered severe, with DRESS being the main form of reaction(18.2%). Antibiotics (36.5%) and anticonvulsants (10%) were the most involved drugs. In addition to drug discontinuation, systemic corticosteroids were prescribed in 47% of cases and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in 4.5%. Of the mild forms, in 62%, expectant management and/or exclusive use of symptomatic treatment was used. STUDY LIMITATIONS: Retrospective study, with limitations inherent to this type of investigation; lack of some information in medical records; long evaluation period, with a possible change in external validity. CONCLUSION: The most frequently identified clinical form was exanthema, and antibiotics and anticonvulsants were the most frequently involved drug classes. About one-third of the patients had severe cutaneous drug reactions, with DRESS being the main one. Cutaneous drug reactions are frequent in clinical practice, and the dermatologist should be called in as soon as possible to assist in the diagnosis and management of these cases.

Association of teledermatology workflows with standardising co-management of rashes by primary care physicians and dermatologists.

INTRODUCTION: For patients with a rash, the effect of teledermatology workflow on utilization has not been defined. We compared utilization across four teledermatology workflows in patients with a rash. METHODS: The observational longitudinal cohort study included 28,857 Kaiser Permanente Northern California members with a new rash diagnosis seen in primary care and with dermatology advice obtained using teledermatology. The workflows differed in camera and image quality; who took the picture; how the image was forwarded; and synchronicity and convenience. RESULTS: On average, 23% of patients had a follow-up office visit in dermatology within 90 days of their primary care visit. In multivariable analysis, the four technologies differed substantially in the likelihood of a follow-up dermatology office visit. In contrast, the likelihood was only negligibly related to medical centre or primary care provider. DISCUSSION: Technologies and workflows that offer the mobility of a smartphone with a high level of synchronicity in communication were associated with standardised co-management of rashes.

Identification, Mechanism, and Treatment of Skin Lesions in COVID-19: A Review.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a multisystem disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), that primarily causes respiratory symptoms. However, an increasing number of cutaneous manifestations associated with this disease have been reported. The aim of this study is to analyze the scientific literature on cutaneous manifestations associated with SARS-CoV-2 by means of a narrative literature review until June 2021. The search was conducted in the following electronic databases: Medline (PubMed), SciELO, and Cochrane Library Plus. The most common cutaneous manifestations in patients with COVID-19 are vesicular eruptions, petechial/purpuric rashes, acral lesions, liveoid lesions, urticarial rash, and maculopapular-erythematous rash. These manifestations may be the first presenting symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection, as is the case with acral lesions, vesicular eruptions, and urticaria. In relation to severity, the presence of liveoid lesions may be associated with a more severe course of the disease. Treatment used for dermatological lesions includes therapy with anticoagulants, corticosteroids, and antihistamines. Knowledge of the dermatologic manifestations associated with SARS-CoV-2 contributes to the diagnosis of COVID-19 in patients with skin lesions associated with respiratory symptoms or in asymptomatic patients. In addition, understanding the dermatologic lesions associated with COVID-19 could be useful to establish a personalized care plan.

Investigation of Biomarkers and Handling Strategy of Erlotinib-Induced Skin Rash in Rats.

Skin rash is a common adverse event associated with erlotinib therapy. In severe conditions, the rash could affect patients' QOL. If the rash occurrence can be predicted, erlotinib treatment failures can be prevented. We designed an in vivo study that applied erlotinib regimens resembling its clinical application to evaluate possible erlotinib-induced skin rash biomarkers for humans and simultaneously observe the effects of erlotinib discontinuation, followed with or without dose reduction, on rash development. Rats were divided into four groups: placebo, constant (erlotinib 35 mg/kg on d1-d21), intermittent (erlotinib 70 mg/kg on d1-d7 and d15-d21), and mimic (erlotinib 70 mg/kg on d1-d7 and erlotinib 35 mg/kg on d15-d21). Blood sampling was performed on d1, d8, d15, and d22. The samples were used to measure erlotinib concentrations, the level of hepatic and renal function markers, immune cell percentages, and immune cells' CD45 expression levels. Erlotinib 70 mg/kg generated high mean circulating erlotinib concentrations (>1800 ng/mL) that led to severe rashes. Erlotinib dose reduction following rash occurrence reduced circulating erlotinib concentration and rash severity. After the treatment, the escalation of neutrophil percentages and reduction of neutrophils' CD45 expression levels were observed, which were significantly correlated with the rash occurrence. This study is the first to show that erlotinib-induced skin rash may be affected by the reduction of neutrophils' CD45 expression levels, and this is a valuable finding to elucidate the erlotinib-induced skin rash formation mechanism.

Simple desensitization protocol for multiple myeloma patients with lenalidomide-induced skin rash: Case series.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Skin rash is one of the typical side effects of lenalidomide (LEN) treatment. Desensitization therapies have been reported to be effective in patients with severe skin rash caused by LEN. However, they have proved impractical due to the complexity of the protocols. CASE SUMMARIES: We present 5 patients who developed severe LEN-induced skin rash. The five patients received our simple, slow desensitization protocol, and all were re-administered LEN with no adverse reaction. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Our simpler and slow desensitization protocol, which desensitizes the patients without reducing the effect of LEN, includes drug holidays, similar to the usual LEN dosing schedule, and moreover is recommended as a treatment option especially for elderly patients with no housemate to help with medical management.

Combined immunodeficiency with marginal zone lymphoma due to a novel homozygous mutation in IL-21R gene and successful treatment with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Mutations in the interleukin-21 receptor (IL-21R) gene are recently defined as primary immunodeficiency diseases. IL-21R defects result in combined immunodeficiency by affecting the functions of innate and adaptive immune system components.A six-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital with complaints of chronic diarrhea that started after the newborn period and generalized rash over the last three months. She had severe respiratory distress due to Cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation and was diagnosed as combined immunodeficiency at another hospital at the age of four. Her physical examination on admission revealed erythematous rash on cheeks, extremities, gluteal region, and lymph node enlargements in cervical, axillary, and inguinal regions. CMV DNA and stool Cryptosporidium parvum were positive. Marginal zone lymphoma -negative for Epstein-Bar virus- was reported in the lymph node biopsy. Targeted next-generation sequencing Ion AmpliSeq™ primary immunodeficiency panel revealed a novel homozygous IL21R c.132delC (p.Ser45fs) mutation.This case is presented to emphasize that IL21R defects should be considered in the differential diagnosis of the patients with recurrent respiratory infections, chronic diarrhea, C. parvum infection, chronic liver disease, sclerosing cholangitis, and malignancy where early hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is life-saving. A total of eight cases with IL21R gene defects have been reported so far. The significance of this case is that it is the first case of malignancy among the published IL-21R deficient patients successfully treated with HSCT.

Toxic transdermal absorption of isopropyl alcohol with falsely elevated creatinine.

Transdermal absorption of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) can cause toxicity at high doses, but case reports of this phenomenon are limited. This is a single patient encounter and chart review describing a 33-year-old previously healthy female who presented obtunded, wrapped in IPA soaked round cotton pads with overlying shrink wrap, her family's home remedy for a mild persistent rash. This case highlights several interesting aspects of IPA toxicity, including evidence that toxic doses of IPA are possible through transdermal absorption and creatinine may be falsely elevated due to acetone's interference with the measurement of creatinine on some assays.

Severe urticarial rash as the initial symptom of COVID-19 infection.

A 54-year-old woman presented with pruritic rash and hives of 3 days' duration followed by shortness of breath for 1 day. SARS-CoV-2 PCR test for COVID-19 was positive. Cutaneous manifestations of COVID-19 include acral lesions, urticarial rash, erythematous maculopapular rash, vascular rashes and vesicular rash. The cutaneous manifestations are mostly described as self-limiting. Urticarial rashes are not reported as the initial presentation symptom of COVID-19 infection but mostly noted to occur at the same time or after the onset of non-cutaneous symptoms. Management of cutaneous manifestations of COVID-19 affecting quality of life has not been well studied. Antihistamine therapy is the primary recommended therapy. Role of antiviral therapy for severe cases of rash needs to be further assessed.