Effectiveness of a nurse-led one-to-one education programme in addition to standard care in children with atopic dermatitis: a multicentre randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic patient education (TPE) is recommended for children with atopic dermatitis (AD), but no consensus has been reached on the optimal tailoring of delivery. While repeated multidisciplinary group education sessions have shown effectiveness, the benefits of one-on-one educational interventions led by nurses for children with AD have not yet been assessed. OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits of additional, well-structured, 1-h nurse-led individual TPE interventions in children with AD and their families compared with standard care alone. METHODS: Children with moderate-to-severe AD and their parents were randomized to receive a 1-h nurse-led education session in addition to standard care vs. standard care alone. The primary outcome was the area under the curve (AUC) of the SCORing of Atopic Dermatitis index (SCORAD) from baseline to week 24 (lower AUC values represent better long-term control of the disease). RESULTS: In our study, 176 patients were randomized across 11 centres, and 153 were included in the full analysis set. The mean (SD) age was 4.47 (4.57) years. By week 24, there were no significant differences in the AUCs of the SCORAD between the two groups (P = 0.3). Secondary outcomes including patient-reported severity and quality of life [AUCs of the patient-oriented SCORAD (PO-SCORAD) and Infants' Dermatitis Quality of Life Index (IDLQI), Children's Dermatitis Quality of Life Index (CDLQI) and Family Dermatitis Quality of Life Index (FDLQI)] were not significantly different between the two groups. The only significant change observed in the intervention group, when compared with the one receiving standard care, was a decrease in topical steroid phobia, as assessed by the topical corticosteroid phobia (TOPICOP) score. Prespecified subgroup analyses showed that disease severity in the intervention group was significantly lower throughout the study, compared with the standard-care group when participants had moderate AD at baseline (n = 47); while participants with severe AD at baseline (n = 106) did not show benefit from the intervention. Participants showed no additional benefit from the intervention regardless of age group. CONCLUSIONS: This study did not show any additional effectiveness, in long-term severity control, of a 1-h nurse-led TPE intervention in children with AD treated with standard care, compared with those treated with standard care alone. However, it should be noted that the intervention reduced the fear of using topical steroids and may be beneficial for patients in the subgroup with moderate AD.

Atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as atopic eczema, is a chronic relapsing disease that affects 7­15% of children worldwide. Therapeutic patient education (TPE) is recommended for children with AD, but no agreement has been reached on the best way to tailor delivery. While repeated multidisciplinary group education sessions in a hospital setting have been found effective, this type of intervention requires a lot of resources and is time-consuming. To assess the benefits of TPE in children with AD, researchers in France carried out this study with children with moderate-to-severe AD, to compare a 1-hour nurse-led education session in addition to standard care vs. standard care alone. The main aim of this research was to assess the effectiveness of a TPE intervention over a period of 6 months, using a measurement tool called the SCORAD (SCORing of Atopic Dermatitis index). We found no additional benefits in terms of long-term severity control and quality of life at 6 months of a 1-hour nurse-led education intervention in children with AD treated with standard care. However, it should be noted that the intervention reduced the fear of using topical steroids and may be beneficial for people in the moderate AD subgroup.

Dermatological manifestations in Costello syndrome: A prospective multicentric study of 31 HRAS-positive variant patients.

BACKGROUND: Data on dermatological manifestations of Costello syndrome (CS) remain heterogeneous and lack in validated description. OBJECTIVES: To describe the dermatological manifestations of CS; compare them with the literature findings; assess those discriminating CS from other RASopathies, including cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome (CFCS) and the main types of Noonan syndrome (NS); and test for dermatological phenotype-genotype correlations. METHODS: We performed a 10-year, large, prospective, multicentric, collaborative dermatological and genetic study. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were enrolled. Hair abnormalities were ubiquitous, including wavy or curly hair and excessive eyebrows, respectively in 68% and 56%. Acral excessive skin (AES), papillomas and keratotic papules (PKP), acanthosis nigricans (AN), palmoplantar hyperkeratosis (PPHK) and 'cobblestone' papillomatous papules of the upper lip (CPPUL), were noted respectively in 84%, 61%, 65%, 55% and 32%. Excessive eyebrows, PKP, AN, CCPUL and AES best differentiated CS from CFCS and NS. Multiple melanocytic naevi (>50) may constitute a new marker of attenuated CS associated with intragenic duplication in HRAS. Oral acitretin may be highly beneficial for therapeutic management of PPHK. No significant dermatological phenotype-genotype correlation was determined between patients with and without HRAS c.34G>A (p.G12S). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This validated phenotypic characterization of a large number of patients with CS will allow future researchers to make a positive diagnosis, and to differentiate CS from CFCS and NS.

Risk of melanoma in congenital melanocytic nevi of all sizes: A systematic review.

Congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) are commonly encountered benign skin lesions in newborns. Larger CMN is associated with a higher lifetime risk of developing melanoma. However, the level of risk is unclear when CMN are small or medium-sized. Our objective was to assess melanoma risk in patients with CMN of all size categories. A literature review with meta-analysis was performed. Prevalence and incidence densities of melanoma at onset were calculated in the entire study population and according to CMN size, type of treatment and location of the CMN. A total of 91 melanomas were reported in 7915 patients (1.15%, 95% CI, 0.93-1.41). The overall incidence density was 0.057% person-years (95% CI, 0.044-0.071). The risk ratio of melanoma incidence densities was 21.9 (95% CI, 8.55-56.3) in large to giant CMN compared with small to medium CMN at 15 years of age. The incidence density was higher in CMN located on the trunk and as well as in those which were untreated or partially treated versus complete excision. Our review suggests patients with CMN of medium, large and giant size are at risk of melanoma, whereas the risk remains unknown for small CMN.

cLFM-Qol: A specific quality of life measurement tool for children from 11 to 15 years with low-flow malformations.

BACKGROUND: Low-flow malformations (LFMs) are rare diseases with a significant impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), especially in children. No disease-specific questionnaire is available for children with LFMs. OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a specific HRQoL questionnaire for children from 11 to 15 years old suffering from LFMs. METHODS: A preliminary questionnaire based on a verbatim from focus groups was created and sent to children from 11 to 15 years old suffering from LFMs, together with a dermatology-specific and a generic HRQoL questionnaire (cDLQI and EQ-5D-Y). RESULTS: A total of 75 from 201 included children responded to the questionnaires. The final version of the questionnaire (cLFM-QoL) included 15 questions and was not divisible into subscales. It demonstrated excellent internal consistency (cronbach 0.89), convergent validity and readability (SMOG 6.04). cLFM-QoL mean score (± SD) was 12.9/45 (8.03) for all grades of severity, for mild 8.22/45 (7.5), moderate 14.03/45 (8.35), severe 12.35/45 (6.59) or very severe patients 20.7/45 (3.39) (p 0.006). CONCLUSION: cLFM-QoL is a validated short and easy to use specific questionnaire with excellent psychometric capacities. It will be suitable for any children aged 11-15 with LFMs, in daily practice or clinical trials.

Biologics combined with conventional systemic agents for the treatment of children with severe psoriasis. Real-life data from the BiPe cohorts and a practice survey among French and Italian pediatric dermatologists.

Combined therapies involve the use of multiple drugs to increase efficacy and reduce the toxicity of individual treatments. We evaluated the use of combinations of conventional systemic therapies and biologics in children with psoriasis in daily practice. This two-part study used data from the 170 children in the Franco-Italian BiPe cohorts to evaluate the use, efficacy, and safety of combined conventional systemic-biologic therapies, and from a survey carried out among French and Italian dermatologists to better understand the reasons for using or avoiding these combinations. In total, 33 children (19.4%) from 13 dermatology centers received 48 combined conventional systemic-biologic therapies (cumulative duration: 43.6 years), including three triple combination therapies (acitretin-methotrexate, with a TNF-alpha inhibitor). A total of 14 different combinations were used, most frequently etanercept-acitretin (n = 10), adalimumab-acitretin (n = 7), adalimumab-methotrexate (n = 5), and ustekinumab-methotrexate (n = 5). The combined therapies were started at biologic initiation in 41 cases (85.4%), and after a period of biologic monotherapy in the remaining 7 cases. Mean PGA and PASI scores decreased between baseline and M3 with all the combinations used. Four serious adverse events were reported, all with favorable outcomes. The survey was completed by 61 dermatologists: 39 (63.9%) had previously used or planned to use the combined therapies, most commonly TNF-alpha inhibitors with acitretin or methotrexate. The main reason for using these treatments was to improve the outcome of biologic therapies in cases of partial efficacy or loss of efficacy. Combined therapies have been used frequently in the treatment of childhood psoriasis, in a range of clinical situations and in variable drug combinations, without significant toxicity. Although the use of these combined therapies needs to be clarified in future management guidelines, these combined therapies should be considered for the treatment of children with severe psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and recalcitrant disease.

Long-term Outcome of Chilblains Associated with SARS-CoV-2.

Numerous cases of chilblains have been observed in the course if the COVID-19 pandemic. The aims of this study were to provide comprehensive follow-up data for patients reporting chilblains, and to determine the risk factors for incomplete recovery. Patients referred to 5 hospitals in France between March and May 2020 for chilblains were surveyed on December 2020. A teleconsultation was offered. Among 82 patients reporting chilblains, 27 (33%) reported complete recovery, 33 (40%) had recurrences of chilblains after their hands and feet had returned to normal, and 22 (27%) developed persistent acral manifestations, mostly acrocyanosis, with or without further recurrences of chilblains. Most recurrences of chilblains occurred during the following autumn and winter. A past history of chilblains was not associated with recurrences or persistent acral manifestations. Women had a significantly higher risk of developing recurrences or persistent acral manifestations (odds ratio 1.30; 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.59). In conclusion, two-thirds of patients reporting chilblains at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic experienced persistent or recurrent acral manifestations after a 10-month follow-up.

Transient abdominal telangiectasia of the newborn.

We report 20 newborns who developed, at a median age of 7 days, large abdominal patches of radially arranged purplish telangiectasia in a bilateral and symmetrical pattern in relation to the midline, creating a "butterfly wing" pattern. Clinical examination was normal in 13 newborns, six newborns had abdominal distention, and one newborn had poor weight gain due to inadequate breastfeeding. Most lesions spontaneously resolved within 3 months and did not reoccur for 19 newborns. Transient abdominal telangiectasia of the newborn (TATN) appears to be a distinctive entity that has not been previously described.

Management of Congenital Melanocytic Naevi in Children: A French National Survey Using Clinical Vignettes.

Management of congenital melanocytic naevi in childhood may vary depending on the habits and experience of the treating clinician. The aim of this study was to assess current practice and determinants of surgical excision decision-making among French physicians. A national survey was conducted among dermatologists, paediatricians and surgeons, using clinical vignettes illustrating 29 scenarios. The primary outcome was the decision to perform surgical excision in each vignette. Of the 11,310 decisions made by the 390 participants (257 dermatologists, 35 surgeons, and 98 paediatricians) surgical excision was chosen in 33% of cases. The stated motivations for performing surgical excision were: melanoma risk, aesthetic/psychosocial risk, or both, in 39%, 34% and 27% of cases, respectively. Physicians with a higher level of experience in oncodermatology were more likely to opt for surgical excision. The age of the child, the size of the congenital melanocytic naevi, and the visibility of the lesion had no influence on the decision to perform surgical excision.

Clinical Profile of Methotrexate-resistant Juvenile Localised Scleroderma.

Methotrexate has demonstrated its efficiency for the treatment of juvenile localized scleroderma but some patients may be resistant. The aim of our study was to define the profile of such patients. We performed an observational retrospective multicenter study between 2007 and 2016 and included all children seen in the French Paediatric Dermatology and Rheumatology departments with active localized scleroderma treated by methotrexate for a minimum of 4 months. Metho-trexate efficacy was assessed clinically and/or by imaging between the fourth to twelfth months of treatment. A total of 57 patients were included. Metho-trexate dosage ranged from 7 to 15 mg/m2/week. Only 4 patients were resistant. No common features could be identified between these 4 patients. Children with localized scleroderma are rarely resistant to metho-trexate and we did not identify a clinical profile for those resistant patients.

Acanthosis nigricans, hypochondroplasia, and FGFR3 mutations: Findings with five new patients, and a review of the literature.

Early development of extensive acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a key feature in some patients who have hypochondroplasia (HCH) in association with FGFR3 mutations. We here report regarding five new patients with HCH who exhibited AN, and we compare their characteristics to the eight patients previously described in the literature. In these patients, the AN lesions began in childhood, and they were extensive. These lesions were located on the torso, the abdomen, and the face, in addition to the typical skin fold sites. Other skin lesions were frequently reported: café-au-lait macules, melanocytic nevi, lentigines, and seborrheic keratosis. The Lys650Thr mutation was the predominant reported mutation of FGFR3.

Strategies used for measuring long-term control in atopic dermatitis trials: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. There are no standardized methods for capturing long-term control of AD. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify how long-term control has been captured in published randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Results will initiate consensus discussions on how best to measure long-term control in the core outcome set for AD. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of RCTs of AD treatments published between 2000 and 2013, with a follow-up period of 3 months or longer, at least 1 outcome measure recorded at 3 or more time points, full article available, and published in English. RESULTS: In all, 101 of 353 RCTs were eligible. Methods to capture long-term control included: repeated measurement of AD outcomes (92 RCTs; 91%), use of AD medication (29 RCTs; 28.7%), and AD flares/remissions (26 RCTs; 25.7%). Repeated measurements of AD outcomes were typically collected 3 to 5 times during a trial, but analysis methods often failed to make best use of the data. Time to first flare was most commonly used for trials including flare data (21/52). Medication use was recorded based on quantity, potency, and frequency of application. LIMITATIONS: We included RCT data only. CONCLUSION: This review illustrates the difficulties in measuring long-term control, and points to the need for improved harmonization of outcomes.

CD3-CD4+ lymphoid variant of hypereosinophilic syndrome: nodal and extranodal histopathological and immunophenotypic features of a peripheral indolent clonal T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder.

The CD3(-)CD4(+) lymphoid variant of hypereosinophilic syndrome is characterized by hypereosinophilia and clonal circulating CD3(-)CD4(+) T cells. Peripheral T-cell lymphoma has been described during this disease course, and we observed in our cohort of 23 patients 2 cases of angio-immunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. We focus here on histopathological (n=12 patients) and immunophenotypic (n=15) characteristics of CD3(-)CD4(+) lymphoid variant of hypereosinophilic syndrome. Atypical CD4(+) T cells lymphoid infiltrates were found in 10 of 12 CD3(-)CD4(+) L-HES patients, in lymph nodes (n=4 of 4 patients), in skin (n=9 of 9) and other extra-nodal tissues (gut, lacrymal gland, synovium). Lymph nodes displayed infiltrates limited to the interfollicular areas or even an effacement of nodal architecture, associated with proliferation of arborizing high endothelial venules and increased follicular dendritic cell meshwork. Analysis of 2 fresh skin samples confirmed the presence of CD3(-)CD4(+) T cells. Clonal T cells were detected in at least one tissue in 8 patients, including lymph nodes (n=4 of 4): the same clonal T cells were detected in blood and in at least one biopsy, with a maximum delay of 23 years between samples. In the majority of cases, circulating CD3(-)CD4(+) T cells were CD2(hi) (n=9 of 14), CD5(hi) (n=12 of 14), and CD7(-)(n=4 of 14) or CD7(low) (n=10 of 14). Angio-immunoblastic T-cell lymphoma can also present with CD3(-)CD4(+) T cells; despite other common histopathological and immunophenotypic features, CD10 expression and follicular helper T-cell markers were not detected in lymphoid variant of hypereosinophilic syndrome patients, except in both patients who developed angio-immunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, and only at T-cell lymphoma diagnosis. Taken together, persistence of tissular clonal T cells and histopathological features define CD3(-)CD4(+) lymphoid variant of hypereosinophilic syndrome as a peripheral indolent clonal T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, which should not be confused with angio-immunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.

[Atopic dermatitis of the child]. / Dermatite atopique de l'enfant.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by episodes of acute eczema alternating with periods of remission. It is a common disease, Its prevalence is estimated to be between 10 and 15 %. The affected areas change depending on the age of the child. Treatment consists of topical corticosteroids for which safety for the prescribed doses is now established. We distinguish the initial treatment and maintenance treatment. Investigation for a food allergy or contact allergy is reported as a second-line after failure of local treatment or in the presence of other suggestive symptoms.

IL-4/IL-13 Inhibitors for Atopic Dermatitis Induce Psoriatic Rash Transcriptionally Close to Pustular Psoriasis.

Dupilumab is a therapeutic antibody targeting IL-4 and IL-13 receptor subunit alpha used for the treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Cases of psoriasis-like reactions induced under dupilumab treatment (dupilumab-induced psoriatic eruption [DI-Pso]) for AD were recently reported. To understand the pathogenesis of DI-Pso, we performed gene expression profiling studies on skin biopsies of DI-Pso (n = 7) compared with those of plaque psoriasis, AD, and healthy controls (n = 4 each). Differential gene expression was performed using enrichment and Gene Ontology analysis. Gene expression was validated by qPCR, and protein levels were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Transcriptomic and protein analysis of DI-Pso compared with that of healthy controls, plaque psoriasis, and AD skins revealed activation of T helper 17/IL-23 pathways associated with a significant expression of IL-36, surrogate marker of pustular psoriasis. By contrast, T helper 2 representative genes' expression was strongly decreased in DI-Pso across comparison. Matching analysis with public data of pustular psoriasis skin corroborated that DI-Pso and pustular psoriasis upstream regulators overlap, greater than the overlap with plaque psoriasis. Furthermore, DI-Pso showed strongly decreased expression of many barrier skin genes compared with healthy controls, plaque psoriasis, and AD. Our data indicate that the pathogenesis of DI-Pso relied on a shift of skin immune responses from a T helper 2 to an IL-36 and T helper 17 polarization and on intensified skin barrier alterations.

Chilblains during lockdown are associated with household exposure to SARS-CoV-2: a multicentre case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous cases of chilblains have been reported. However, in most cases, RT-PCR or serology did not confirm SARS-CoV-2 infection. Hypotheses have been raised about an interferon-mediated immunological response to SARS-CoV-2, leading to effective clearance of the SARS-CoV-2 without the involvement of humoral immunity. Our objective was to explore the association between chilblains and exposure to SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: In this multicentre case-control study, cases were the 102 individuals referred to five referral hospitals for chilblains occurring during the first lockdown (March to May 2020). Controls were recruited from healthy volunteers' files held by the same hospitals. All members of their households were included, resulting in 77 case households (262 individuals) and 74 control households (230 individuals). Household exposure to SARS-CoV-2 during the first lockdown was categorized as high, intermediate or low, using a pre-established algorithm based on individual data on symptoms, high-risk contacts, activities outside the home and RT-PCR testing. Participants were offered a SARS-CoV-2 serological test. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, the association between chilblains and viral exposure was estimated at OR 3.3, 95% CI (1.4-7.3) for an intermediate household exposure, and 6.9 (2.5-19.5) for a high household exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Out of 57 case households tested, six (11%) had positive serology for SARS-CoV-2, whereas all control households tested (n = 50) were seronegative (p = 0.03). The effect of potential misclassification on exposure has been assessed in a bias analysis. DISCUSSION: This case-control study demonstrates the association between chilblains occurring during the lockdown and household exposure to SARS-CoV-2.