Cryosurgery as a Minimally Invasive Alternative Treatment for a Patient with Erosive Adenomatosis of the Nipple.

Erosive adenomatosis of the nipple (EAN), also known as nipple adenoma, florid papillomatosis, or papillary adenoma of the nipple, is a benign neoplasm originating from a lactiferous duct of the breast. Although the potential for malignant change is invariably negligible, the nature of the disease is quite intractable despite several treatment methods. Surgical excision is known as the treatment of choice, but this invasive approach is generally not acceptable to the vast majority of patients due to the cosmetic outcomes. Cryosurgery could be an alternative choice to preserve the structure of the nipple-areola complex, though its application has not been studied due to the paucity of cases. A 22-year-old female presented with a unilateral, crater-like erosion of the left nipple with serosanguineous discharge. The skin biopsy revealed proliferation of tubular structures, which corresponded to EAN. She was treated with 4 sessions of cryosurgery (open cryospray with liquid nitrogen) over 6 months, and the skin lesion resolved completely without any recurrence for 12 months. Although further study is required to determine the optimal treatment regimen for EAN, cryosurgery should be considered as an effective option to surgical excision.

Characteristics of Pruritus according to Morphological Phenotype of Psoriasis and Association with Neuropeptides and Interleukin-31.

BACKGROUND: Pruritus is a common symptom in psoriasis. However, few studies have assessed the characteristics of pruritus according to morphological phenotypes of psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of pruritus according to morphological phenotypes of psoriasis and to assess the association with inflammatory mediators related to pruritus. METHODS: Psoriasis patients were divided into 2 groups according to clinical phenotype: eruptive inflammatory (EI) and chronic stable (CS). Clinical data of pruritus were assessed by an itch questionnaire. Serum neuropeptides and cytokines including substance P, histamine, vasoactive intestinal peptide, neuropeptide Y, calcitonin gene-related peptide and interleukin-31 (IL-31) were quantitatively measured. RESULTS: In total, 50 patients with psoriasis (30 male, 20 female; mean age, 45.7 years) were studied (EI, n=15 and CS, n=35). Pruritus was reported by 80% of EI and CS patients. There were no significant differences in prevalence of pruritus, pruritus intensity, severity of psoriasis, serum neuropeptides, or IL-31 between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: The morphological phenotype does not seem to be an important factor affecting the prevalence and characteristics of pruritus in psoriasis.

Clinical and Dermoscopic Features of Fungal Melanonychia: Differentiating from Subungual Melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Fungal melanonychia (FM) is a rare nail disorder that presents as dark pigmentation in the nail plate because of fungal nail infection. The diagnosis of FM is occasionally confusing because its appearance is similar to melanonychia due to other causes including malignant melanoma. Dermoscopy could help increase the accuracy of diagnosing the cause of pigmented nail lesions. However, dermoscopic features of FM are not well elucidated. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate clinical and dermoscopic characteristics of FM. METHODS: The clinical features and dermoscopic findings of 20 patients diagnosed with FM and 14 patients diagnosed with subungual melanoma the Department of Dermatology of Pusan National University Hospitals (Busan and Yangsan) were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: FM mainly occurred as a solitary form in the toenail. Patients in the FM group were older than those in the subungual melanoma group. The most distinguishable general dermoscopic features in FM were a distal diffuse pattern, distal linear pattern, and light brown to yellowish color. FM-associated specific dermoscopic patterns such as the reverse triangular pattern, subungual hyperkeratosis, scale on the nail surface, and white or yellowish streaks were dominantly observed in the FM group compared to the subungual melanoma group. CONCLUSION: FM-associated dermoscopic patterns and distal diffuse and linear patterns could be helpful diagnostic clues for differential diagnosis of FM from subungual melanoma.

Clinical differences between segmental nevus depigmentosus and segmental vitiligo.

Segmental nevus depigmentosus and segmental vitiligo can be difficult to differentiate from each other. Differential diagnosis of these two diseases is important because they have significantly different prognoses and psychological effects. The purpose of this study is to identify clinical clues that may be helpful in differentiating these two diseases. We enrolled 63 patients with segmental nevus depigmentosus and 149 patients with segmental vitiligo. Sex, age of onset, sites involved, dermatomal distribution, margin of lesion and presence of poliosis were evaluated in both groups. The age of onset was less than 10 years in 96.8% of segmental nevus depigmentosus and 28.9% of segmental vitiligo cases. Trunk (36.5%) and cervical (38.1%) dermatomes were the most commonly involved in segmental nevus depigmentosus and face (67.1%) and trigeminal (64.4%) dermatomes in segmental vitiligo. The average number of dermatomes involved in truncal lesions was different in segmental nevus depigmentosus and segmental vitiligo (2.71 vs 1.62, P = 0.001). Segmental vitiligo on the face, neck and trunk appeared closer to the axis than segmental nevus depigmentosus (P < 0.001). Segmental nevus depigmentosus and segmental vitiligo showed significantly different margins (90.5% and 41.6% serrated, respectively; P < 0.001). We observed clinical differences between patients with segmental nevus depigmentosus and those with segmental vitiligo. Distribution (site, distance to axis, dermatome), vertical width, margin of lesion and presence of poliosis can be helpful in differentiating segmental nevus depigmentosus and segmental vitiligo.

Ustekinumab treatment is associated with decreased systemic and vascular inflammation in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis: Feasibility study using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that psoriasis might be associated with metabolic syndrome and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether ustekinumab reduces systemic and vascular inflammation associated with metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, measured using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT). METHODS: Patients with psoriasis and healthy controls underwent baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging. Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis were treated with ustekinumab and underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT again after a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index of 75 was achieved. RESULTS: After a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index of 75 was achieved with ustekinumab treatment, standardized uptake values were reduced in the liver, spleen, and 5 parts of the aorta (P < .05). LIMITATIONS: Our study does not provide outcome data concerning cardiovascular events or metabolic syndrome; it only shows surrogate markers in a limited (Korean) population. CONCLUSION: Ustekinumab treatment was significantly associated with decreased systemic and vascular inflammation related to metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease among patients with psoriasis.

Quadrivalent human papilloma virus vaccine for the treatment of multiple warts: a retrospective analysis of 30 patients.

Background: Various therapeutic modalities have been implemented for wart treatment, with limited efficacy. Recently, resistant warts treated using quadrivalent human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine have been reported, although original articles on the efficacy of quadrivalent HPV vaccine on warts are rare. Objective: We performed the present study to evaluate the efficacy of quadrivalent HPV vaccine in the treatment of multiple warts. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 30 patients from our centers. Patient demographics, clinical features such as duration of disease, number and location of lesions, therapeutic response, and adverse reactions were assessed. Results: Regarding therapeutic response, 14 patients (46.67%) showed "Complete response", 5 (16.67%) showed "Partial response", and 11 (36.67%) showed "No response". There were no statistically significant differences in sex, age, disease duration, and lesion number and location between the three groups divided by treatment response. No severe adverse events after quadrivalent HPV vaccination were noted. Conclusion: The advantage of quadrivalent HPV vaccine in the treatment of warts is that it is more convenient and less painful. HPV vaccine might be a good alternative to conventional destructive methods for incompetent cases such as those including multiple warts, dangerous lesion locations, and uncooperative patients.

Dermoscopic "Landscape Painting Patterns" as a Clue for Labial Melanotic Macules: An Analysis of 80 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Labial melanotic macules (LMMs) are benign pigmented lesions that usually take the shape of flat asymmetrical macules with tan-brown to black color and variable size. Whereas the dermoscopic features of other pigmented skin lesions have been relatively well described, little is known about LMMs. OBJECTIVE: To describe the dermoscopic features and find typical and schematic dermoscopic patterns in LMMs. METHODS: A retrospective dermoscopic study was conducted on 80 lesions with histopathologically proved LMMs. RESULTS: We described and defined, for the first time to our knowledge, landscape painting patterns found in 65 of 80 melanotic lesions (81.3%), characterized by parallel lines or circle lines, overlapping vessels with background brown pigmentation. The background brown pigmentations were observed in 74 of 80 lesions (92.5%), the parallel lines in 62 (77.5%), the circle lines in 20 (25.0%), and overlapping vessels in 69 (86.3%). The structureless black pigmentations were only presented in 26 of 80 (32.5%). CONCLUSION: Dermoscopy can be useful for the clinical detection of LMMs, and "Landscape painting patterns" may represent a dermoscopic clue for the diagnosis of these lesions.

Improvement of depressive symptoms in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with ustekinumab: an open label trial validated using beck depression inventory, Hamilton depression rating scale measures and 18fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET).

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease associated with psychiatric co-morbidities, especially depression. Early detection of psychological vulnerability in patients with psoriasis seems to be of great clinical importance and significantly impacts the quality of life of the patients. OBJECTIVES: We sought to clarify the association between psoriasis and depressive symptoms in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, and to determine the risk factors for depressive symptoms and analyze the effect of ustekinumab on the symptoms. We also aimed to evaluate the changes in glucose metabolism using 18fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). METHODS: Fifteen patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis scheduled to be treated with ustekinumab were enrolled. At baseline and after achieving a 75% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score (PASI75), all patients underwent a psychiatric interview and FDG-PET. Fifteen healthy volunteers were enrolled for comparison. RESULTS: Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis were more depressed than those in the control group were (p < .05). The severity of psoriasis at baseline did not correlate with the depression symptoms. Treatment with ustekinumab significantly reduced the depressive symptoms, as verified using Beck Depression Inventory and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale psychiatric interviews (p < .05). However, FDG-PET of the brain showed no significant difference before and after PASI75 achievement using ustekinumab injection. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis are at an increased risk for depressive symptoms, and treatment with ustekinumab may be beneficial. FDG-PET does not reflect the changes in depressive symptoms in such patients.