Geospatial analysis of access to dermatology care in Los Angeles County: a cross sectional study.

Geographic maldistribution of dermatologists contributes to disparities in access to dermatologic care. We aimed to investigate the geographic distribution of, and differences in wait times for medical dermatology services in Los Angeles County (LAC). We placed phone calls to 251 dermatology practices in LAC to ask for a new patient appointment for a changing mole. We found West LAC (Service Planning Area [SPA] 5) had the highest number of dermatologists and South LAC (SPA 6) had the lowest (26.1 versus 0 per 100,000 residents, P=0.01). Service Planning Area 6 has a higher non-White, uninsured, and impoverished population than SPA 5. Dermatology appointment wait times and Medicaid acceptance varied between SPAs but was not statistically significant (P=0.37 and P=0.20, respectively). Medicaid-accepting practices had a significantly longer mean wait time for an appointment than practices that did not accept Medicaid (26.1 versus 15.1 days, P=0.003). Regions with predominantly non-White, Spanish-speaking, and medically underinsured residents were found to be disproportionately lacking in dermatologists across LAC, which may contribute to impaired access to dermatology services in LAC.

Patient-reported frequency of acral surface inspection during skin examination in white and ethnic minority patients.

BACKGROUND: Acral lentiginous melanomas compose a higher proportion of melanomas and have a higher mortality in ethnic minorities than in whites. Early detection by acral surface inspection during skin examinations may lead to improved acral lentiginous melanoma outcomes. OBJECTIVE: This study compared patient-reported frequencies of acral skin examinations in ethnic and white populations. METHODS: Written surveys were collected from 1040 dermatology clinic patients. RESULTS: More whites reported performing self-skin examinations than ethnic minorities (P < .01), but there was no difference in the rates of hand (P = .7) or foot (P = .87) inspection during self-skin examination between whites and ethnic minorities. More whites (77.5%) than ethnic minorities (38.9%) reported having undergone a full-body skin examination (FBSE) from a health care provider (P < .01). During their most recent FBSE by a health care provider, more whites than ethnic minorities reported having their hands examined (P = .02), but there was no difference in reported hand inspection (P = .06) at any previous FBSE or foot inspection at any (P = .07) or the most recent (P = .59) FBSE between whites and ethnic minorities. LIMITATIONS: Single-center study using a new unvalidated survey is a limitation. CONCLUSION: Whites were found to more frequently report self-skin examination and FBSE than ethnic minorities, but significant differences in reported acral examinations were not detected.

Acral lymphomatoid papulosis associated with poikilodermatous mycosis fungoides.

We present a case of a 51-year-old man with concomitant acral lymphomatoid papulosis and poikilodermatous mycosis fungoides.

Cost, utilization, and patterns of medication use associated with chronic idiopathic urticaria.

BACKGROUND: The literature on chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) lacks large-scale population-based studies. OBJECTIVE: To characterize an insured population with CIU, including their demographic characteristics and comorbidities. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using insurance claims. We included patients with 1 outpatient claim with an International Classification of Diseases, 9(th)Edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code for idiopathic, other specified, or unspecified urticaria (ICD-9-CM 708.1, 708.8, or 708.9) and either (1) another of these claims 6 or more weeks later; (2) a claim for angioedema (ICD-9-CM 995.1) 6 or more weeks from the urticaria diagnosis; or (3) overlapping claims for 2 prescription medications commonly used for CIU. RESULTS: We identified 6,019 patients who had claims consistent with CIU. The mean age was 36 years. Fifty-six percent of patients had primary care physicians as their usual source of care, 14% had allergists, and 5% had dermatologists. Allergic rhinitis was diagnosed in 48%, asthma in 21%, other allergy in 19%, and atopic dermatitis in 8%. Sixty-seven percent of patients used prescription antihistamines, 54% used oral corticosteroids (OCSs), 24% used montelukast, and 9% used oral doxepin. Antihistamine users received a mean of 152 days of prescription antihistamines, OCS users 30 days of OCSs, montelukast users 190 days of montelukast, and oral doxepin users 94 days of doxepin. CONCLUSIONS: Primary care physicians managed most patients with CIU. Antihistamines were the most common treatment for CIU, although OCSs were frequently prescribed. Thirty days of OCS supply among users may represent multiple steroid bursts each year. Given the known risks of OCSs, identifying other CIU treatments with more favorable safety profiles may be beneficial.

Dermatologic care in the homeless and underserved populations: observations from the Venice Family Clinic.

Dermatologic care in the homeless and impoverished urban underserved populations is rarely described despite the wide prevalence of skin concerns in this population. Because the homeless population may be subject to increased sun exposure compared to the nonhomeless population, they also may be at increased risk for skin cancer. We sought to describe the spectrum of dermatologic diseases seen in a free clinic in Venice, California--the Venice Family Clinic (VFC)--as well as the differences in diagnoses between the homeless and nonhomeless patients seen at this clinic. A retrospective chart review was performed of dermatology patients (N = 82) seen at VFC throughout the 2006 calendar year. The homeless population (n = 22) was found to have more diagnoses of malignant/premalignant growths (25% [16/64] of all homeless diagnoses) compared to their nonhomeless (n = 60) counterparts (6.1% [8/132] of all nonhomeless diagnoses; P < .0001). This difference was sustained when ethnicity was controlled, with 29.6% [16/54] of diagnoses in the homeless white group consisting of malignant/ premalignant growths compared to 8.9% [4/45] of diagnoses in the nonhomeless white cohort (P < .005). Homeless patients may have a higher incidence of skin cancers and precancerous skin lesions due to increased sun exposure and/or limited access to dermatologic care.

Dyshidrotic mycosis fungoides.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) represents the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). CTCL often progresses through patch, plaque and tumor stages but can also manifest with varied clinical presentations. MF rarely presents in vesiculobullous fashion, in which vesicles or bullae develop in pre-existing plaques or on the trunk or proximal extremities. We report a patient who presented with a vesiculobullous eruption on the palms and soles, resembling dyshidrotic dermatitis, which we believe represents dyshidrotic MF.

Granuloma annulare in a zoster scar of a patient with multiple myeloma.

Granuloma annulare (GA) is a common benign inflammatory skin disorder with an unknown pathogenesis. Granuloma annulare occurring in prior sites of herpes zoster (HZ) infection is rarely reported; however, it is the most common granulomatous reaction described at these sites. We report a case of localized GA on scars of prior HZ infection in a patient with multiple myeloma who had received an autologous peripheral stem cell transplant (PSCT). This patient's GA was successfully treated with intralesional corticosteroid injections.

A case of verrucous psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory disease with a range of clinical presentations and a chronic relapsing course. There have been few reports of verrucous psoriasis, which is distinguished by its warty appearance and characteristic histology. We report a case of this rare form of psoriasis in an elderly woman with a history of plaque-type psoriasis and and discuss the histopathologic findings.

Acquired perforating dermatosis associated with metastatic colon cancer.

Acquired perforating dermatosis (APD) is a type of perforating disorder that is traditionally thought to be associated with diabetes, chronic renal failure, or occasionally liver disease. We report a case of APD in a patient with stage IV colon cancer with hepatic metastases. Although rare, APD associated with colon cancer is an important entity to consider; APD may be associated with a broader range of systemic diseases than previously recognized.

Erythema multiforme during anti-tumor necrosis factor treatment for plaque psoriasis.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors constitute a class of biologic treatments utilized in the management of psoriasis. We report a case of a patient treated for chronic plaque psoriasis with the anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody adalimumab, who developed erythema multiforme (EM). The patient had previously developed EM on two occasions while taking the TNF-alpha inhibitor etanercept. EM has previously been reported in connection with other TNF-alpha inhibitors, including etanercept and infliximab. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in the literature documenting EM occurring subsequent to adalimumab treatment for psoriasis. The recurrent development of EM in our patient while being treated with distinct TNF-alpha inhibitors may suggest that EM is the consequence of a class effect with TNF-alpha inhibitors.

Effects of ambient sunlight and photoprotection on vitamin D status.

Ultraviolet B radiation exposure is responsible for the majority of natural vitamin D stores in humans. The physiologic role of vitamin D in health and disease is continually expanding, and at the same time the population that is vitamin D deficient is increasing. The environmental characteristics and personal physical traits that contribute to vitamin D3 synthesis from sun exposure are discussed, and the effects of photoprotection on vitamin D status are examined. It is concluded that sunscreen, in the manner used by the general public, does not cause vitamin D insufficiency. Implementing guidelines suggesting sun exposure duration for sufficient vitamin D3 production is limited by the complex interaction of contributory factors, and no recommendation can be made that is both safe and accurate enough for general public usage.

Severe cutaneous interface drug eruption associated with bendamustine.

Bendamustine is an anti-neoplastic agent approved by the FDA in 2008 for use as monotherapy or in combination with other agents to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and progressed indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In clinical trials and post-marketing safety reports administration of bendamustine with drugs that have known adverse reactions (i.e., allopurinol, rituximab) has been associated with rash, toxic skin reactions, and bullous exanthems. Here, we describe a patient with NHL who developed a severe cutaneous reaction associated with the administration of bendamustine. The severity of this drug eruption identifies an important adverse reaction with this drug and a potential cause for patient morbidity.

Multiple pilomatricomas: cutaneous marker for myotonic dystrophy.

We report an interesting case of multiple pilomatricomas (MPs) in a patient with myotonic dystrophy. Pilomatricoma (calcifying epithelioma of Malherbe) is a benign tumor of hair matrix derivation. It usually occurs as a solitary, firm, asymptomatic nodule on the face, neck, or proximal upper extremity. Most pilomatricomas have activating mutations in the ss-catenin gene (encoded by CTNNB1), leading to involvement of the WNT signaling pathway. The resulting gene product activates transcription leading to tumorigenesis [1]. Since the onset of MPs may precede the signs of myotonic dystrophy, they can serve as potential early cutaneous markers for this systemic disease.

Cutaneous side effects of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors: clinical presentation, pathogenesis, and management.

The growing investigation and use of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors in anticancer therapy has been motivated by their specificity for EGFR, which improves their ability to target cancer cells and enhances their safety profile compared with many other conventional chemotherapeutic agents. However, their growing use has been accompanied by an increasing incidence of cutaneous toxicities, which can cause serious discomfort and be disabling. This review illustrates the common cutaneous side effects seen in patients receiving EGFR inhibitors and discusses various options for management. With effective management of these side effects, dermatologists can play an integral role in facilitating compliance with anti-EGFR therapy and aid with effective oncologic management.

Acquired perforating dermatosis associated with primary biliary cirrhosis and hashimoto thyroiditis.

Acquired perforating dermatosis (APD) is an uncommon skin eruption of unclear etiology that most often is associated with diabetes mellitus or chronic renal insufficiency. There are rare reports of APD in association with liver disease or thyroid disease. We report a case of APD in a patient with both primary biliary cirrhosis and Hashimoto thyroiditis in the absence of diabetes mellitus and chronic renal insufficiency. The patient had a partial response to narrowband UVB phototherapy.

Spotlight on brodalumab in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: design, development, and potential place in therapy.

Brodalumab is a novel fully human immunoglobulin G2 monoclonal antibody that antagonizes the interleukin (IL)-17 pathway by binding with high affinity to human IL-17RA. The role of IL-17A in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, as well as the remarkable effectiveness of IL-17 inhibitors in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, is well established. The mechanism of action of brodalumab is unique in that it inhibits the IL-17 receptor compared to the two other currently FDA-approved IL-17 inhibitors, secukinumab and ixekizumab, which inhibit the IL-17A molecule itself. The efficacy of brodalumab in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis has been demonstrated in phase 2 and 3 trials, and subsequently the FDA approved this medication in February 2017. Brodalumab was approved in Japan in July 2016 and approval is pending in Europe. The safety and adverse effects of brodalumab were reviewed across several clinical trials, which, similar to other IL-17 inhibitors, demonstrated increased rates of neutropenia and Candida infections. Brodalumab treatment, similar to ixekizumab and secukinumab, showed no improvement in inflammatory bowel disease patients, and on the contrary, more exacerbations were encountered. Suicidal ideation and behavior events have been reported with brodalumab treatment and are of significant concern. Brodalumab provides another highly effective treatment option for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Syringomatous carcinoma in a young patient treated with Mohs micrographic surgery.

Syringomatous carcinoma (SC) has typically been observed in middle-aged and older patients. We report a case of SC mimicking an epidermoid cyst in a 23-year-old Asian man. Histopathologic examination results showed a dermal neoplasm consisting of nests of basaloid cells, focal areas of ductal differentiation, moderate dermal fibrosis, and moderate nuclear atypia consistent with a diagnosis of SC. No perineural involvement was noted. Results of 2005. immunohistochemical analysis revealed positivity for high- and low-molecular-weight cytokeratins, as well as for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). There was scattered immunoreactivity to S-100 protein. The tumor was completely excised Pennsylvania. using Mohs micrographic surgery (MS). This case demonstrates the importance of differentiating SC from other benign or malignant entities, the value of a prompt diagnosis of SC, and the effective treatment of SC with MMS.