Pediatric drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms: A systematic review of the literature, with a focus on relapsing cases.

BACKGROUND: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a severe cutaneous adverse drug reaction with systemic symptoms. This study aims to investigate clinical features, causative drugs, and available treatments for pediatric DRESS, particularly for relapsing cases. METHODS: A systematic search of the English and French literature on pediatric DRESS was conducted using the Medline, Embase, and Cochrane collaboration databases. Confirmed cases of pediatric DRESS fulfilling the RegiSCAR diagnostic criteria with a probable or a definite diagnosis were included. RESULTS: After full-text article review, 144 articles were included, representing a total of 354 pediatric patients with a mean age of 8.8 years. The mean time from the drug intake until the onset of the first symptom was 18.9 days. Antiepileptic drugs were the main trigger, followed by anti-infectious agents. Relapsing DRESS was reported in 17 children. In comparison to non-relapsing cases, relapsing patients had more comorbidities. The initial clinical presentation was more commonly erythroderma. Facial edema, fever, and enlarged lymph nodes in more than two sites were more commonly found in relapsing cases. Systemic steroids were more frequently administered. CONCLUSION: Pediatric DRESS is a potentially severe adverse drug reaction. Antiepileptic agents are the most common causative agents. Fever, facial edema, lymph node enlargement, and pharyngeal and visceral involvement predicted DRESS reactivation in children. Corticosteroids were the mainstay of treatment.

Light and Laser Treatments for Keratosis Pilaris: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a common hereditary keratinization disorder. Keratosis pilaris rubra and KP atrophicans faciei are less frequent variants of the disease. Topical treatments often yield ineffective and temporary results. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to review and assess all the studies that used light and laser devices to treat KP and its variants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: On January 15, 2017, an online search of the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases was performed using the following combination of keywords: "keratosis pilaris" and "treatment." RESULTS: Seventeen studies related to light and laser treatments were retained for analysis. The total number of treated patients was 175. Of which, 22 patients had KP atrophicans faciei, 17 patients had KP rubra, and 136 patients had KP. CONCLUSION: Light and laser devices have been emerging as promising therapeutic options for a disfiguring disease that still lacks, until today, an effective long-term treatment.

Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infections After Cosmetic Procedures: A Systematic Review and Management Algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) infection following cosmetic procedures usually results from inadequate sterile techniques and contamination from nonsterile water. These infections are difficult to diagnose and treat. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the characteristics of NTM infections acquired after an aesthetic procedure, identify high-risk patients and high-risk cosmetic procedures, and provide a diagnostic and management algorithm for NTM infections occurring after cosmetic procedures. METHODS: On December 20, 2017 an online search of the Medline database was done. All articles describing NTM infection in cosmetic procedures were included in this review. RESULTS: In total, 92 patients with a mean age of 38.35 years were included in this review. Cosmetic procedures performed in the Dominican Republic were the most common source of infection and were noted in 33 patients. The procedure that resulted in the highest proportion of the infections was mesotherapy (34%). In most of the cases, the diagnosis was missed at the initial presentation and a short course of inadequate antibiotics was unsuccessful. CONCLUSION: Nontuberculous mycobacterium infections are hard to diagnose and difficult to treat, sometimes leading to severe irreversible sequalae. Aesthetic practitioners should know when to suspect and how to prevent, diagnose, and treat NTM infections.

Triggers, clinical manifestations, and management of pediatric erythema multiforme: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Erythema multiforme (EM) is an acute inflammatory mucocutaneous condition. EM is rarely described in children and infants. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the triggers, clinical manifestations, and treatment of pediatric EM. METHODS: Systematic literature review of pediatric EM. RESULTS: After full-text article review, we included 113 articles, representing 580 patients. The mean age was 5.6 years, ranging 0.1-17 years. Infectious agents were the main triggers: herpes simplex virus (HSV) in 104 patients (17.9%) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in 91 patients (15.7%). In total, 140 cases (24.1%) were drug-related and 89 cases (15.3%) had other triggers, such as vaccines (19 patients, 3.2%). In total, 229 patients had EM major (39.5%). Treatment was supportive care only (180 patients, 31.1%), systemic corticosteroids (115 patients, 19.8%), antivirals (85 patients, 14.6%), and antibiotics (66 patients, 11.3%), mostly macrolides (45 patients, 7.7%). Long-term sequelae were rare (1.3%). Pediatric EM was reported in 19 infants (3.2%). The main trigger was vaccination (9 patients). Infantile EM was EM major in 2 cases and EM minor in 17. Infants were less prone to develop EM major than older children (P < .01). Pediatric EM was recurrent in 83 cases (14.3%), which was triggered by HSV in 36 patients (61%). Recurrence affected older children. LIMITATIONS: Potential confusion between Steven Johnson syndrome and EM major in addition to publication bias. CONCLUSION: Pediatric EM is a rare disease, mainly triggered by infections. This condition can affect all mucosal surfaces, most commonly the oral mucosae. The diagnosis is clinical, and management relies on supportive care. Vaccines are a particular trigger in infants. Recurrent cases are most commonly linked to HSV. Dermatologists and pediatricians should be aware of this potentially recurrent and severe condition.

Spectrum of Autoimmune Bullous Diseases in the Middle East: A 15-Year Review.

Characteristics of autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBDs) show wide geographic variation. The aim of this study was to determine retrospectively the characteristics of patients with AIBD admitted to Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon, between 1999 and 2014 and to compare them with those from other areas in the Middle East, the Far East, Asia, North Africa, Europe, and North America. For the patients with AIBDs and who were hospitalized at a major tertiary referral center between 1999 and 2004, we studied demographics, diagnosis, length of stay, department/floor, comorbidities, clinical features, in-hospital evolution, diagnostic tests, and treatment. Bullous pemphigoides was the most frequent bullous disease in Lebanon. This and other findings contrast with those of studies conducted in regional countries. This is the first report of AIBD from the Middle Eastern region.

Management of Chondrodermatitis Nodularis Helicis: A Systematic Review and Treatment Algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis (CNH) is an idiopathic benign inflammatory painful condition of the ear. Still, to date, no study has yet evaluated nor compared treatments regarding their safety and efficacy. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to review all available treatment modalities of CNH that were described in the literature, compare their efficacy and propose a treatment algorithm. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted using Embase, Medline, and Cochrane databases. Articles studying the management of CNH that reported data on the cure rates were included in this review. RESULTS: A total of 29 studies were included in the review. The 3 most commonly reported treatments for CNH are surgery, pressure relief, and topical nitroglycerin. Surgery has higher cure rate (82%) compared with pressure relief treatment (37%) or nitroglycerin (51%) (p < .0001). Surgery should be considered as the first-line treatment for CNH. Second-line treatments include nonsurgical therapies, particularly nitroglycerin and pressure relief techniques, alone or in combination. Third-line treatments include newer or less studied methods. CONCLUSION: Among the treatment modalities, surgery showed the highest cure rates. Adequately designed randomized controlled trials are warranted to compare newer therapeutic methods.

Fractional CO2 laser treatment for a skin graft.

Skin grafts are widely used in reconstructive and plastic surgery, leaving an inevitable scar appearance on the body, affecting the quality of life of the patients. Fractional ablative lasers have become a leading procedure for the treatment of acne and burn scars. We report a case of a skin graft showing excellent improvement in overall appearance after three sessions of fractional CO2 laser. The undamaged tissue left between the microthermal treatment zones is responsible of collagen formation and reepithelialization. Remodeling and collagen formation are observed even 6 months after a fractional CO2 laser session.

A case of generalized bromhidrosis following whole-body depilatory laser.

BACKGROUND: Laser treatment is a widespread method for hair removal. Despite its very common use, side effects remain relatively rare and transient. OBJECTIVE: Axillary hyperhidrosis and bromhidrosis have already been reported in the literature after depilatory lasers. We report here a novel side effect of total body bromhidrosis following hair removal laser. RESULTS: A 27-year-old man, phototype 3 underwent four sessions of total body depilatory laser, combining pulsed alexandrite and pulsed diode lasers. A few days afterwards, a generalized foul odor was noted and was resistant to regular deodorants and Aluminum chloride based antiperspirants. Possible mechanisms include the activation of dormant bacteria in the skin flora, sweat gland dysfunction, altered skin flora, sweat gland hormone receptor disturbances, and genetic factors. CONCLUSION: Total body bromhidrosis and hyperhidrosis are potential complications of total body laser hair removal.

Guidelines for the Topical Treatment of Psoriasis Vulgaris in the Levant and Iraq Area.

Psoriasis vulgaris is a common chronic, inflammatory, multisystem disorder that affects approximately 1.5% to 3.4% of the population in the Middle East. The disease has an impact on the quality of life in a significant number of affected patients. The majority of patients (approximately 70%) have mild to moderate psoriasis that is manageable with topical agents, which generally show a high efficacy to safety ratio. Topical agents can be used alone when treating patients with limited disease or may be used as adjunctive therapy for patients with more extensive psoriasis undergoing systemic treatment. Treatment should also be customized to meet individual patients' needs. To optimize the topical treatment of psoriasis in the Levant and Iraq area, dermatology experts from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria met and initiated a project to develop guidelines and recommendations for the topical management of psoriasis. The guidelines are based on literature evidence and experts' opinions. We present recommendations for the use of topical corticosteroids, vitamin D analogues, calcineurin inhibitors, tazarotene, salicylic acid, anthralin, and coal tar, as well as combination therapy, based on their efficacy and safety profiles.

Reversibility of hyperhidrosis post axillary depilatory laser.

Hyperhidrosis and bromhidrosis were lately reported as novel side effects of laser-assisted removal of axillary hair. The goal of our study was to evaluate the reversibility of these two side effects. An observational, single-center cohort study included over a 30-month screening period 30 patients with newly reported hyperhidrosis and/or bromhidrosis related to axillary depilatory laser. After 26 weeks of follow-up, each patient was assessed for spontaneous reversibility. A 12-week duration treatment with topical aluminum chloride was evaluated in patients with persisting hyperhidrosis. Hyperhidrosis was assessed using the Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS). Spontaneous reversibility was observed in 20% of patients. In total, 23 out of 30 patients recovered normal axillary transpiration either spontaneously or after treatment. Mean HDSS score was significantly lower in the treated group. It appears that axillary hyperhidrosis and bromhidrosis, secondary to laser depilation, reverse either spontaneously or after using topical antiperspirant.

Iron Supplementation May Improve the Patient's Level of Satisfaction in Not-Low-Ferritin Telogen Effluvium: A Real-Life Observational Study.

Background: Telogen effluvium (TE) is the most common cause of alopecia in women. Treatment should address the etiological factors and may include adjuvant therapies. In practice, physicians may employ modified approaches and utilize various combinations of topical and oral molecules. Aims: In this real-life observational study, the aim was to evaluate the response of TE to iron supplementation. Materials and Methods: The population consisted of all patients who sought consultation for TE at our dermatology department between March 2021 and February 2022. Eligible participants were women, aged between 18 and 65, having a clinical diagnosis of TE, and intended for treatment with iron supplementation. Exclusion criteria comprised current pregnancy, chronic or active inflammatory disease, newly discovered dysthyroidism, concurrent use of hair supplements, topical minoxidil, or any other medications. The response was assessed based on the patient's level of satisfaction, a significant indicator, given the substantial psychological impact of TE on women's daily lives. Results: The analysis included 200 women. The average age was 32.9 ± 11.4 years. A recent history of COVID-19 or treated dysthyroidism was present in 18.5% and 8% of patients, respectively, but did not impact their response. Significantly, patients with baseline ferritin ≥50 ng/ml were mostly "very satisfied", those with baseline ferritin <50 ng/ml were mostly "not satisfied", and those with unknown levels were mostly "partially satisfied" with iron supplementation. A high dose of elemental iron and a prolonged duration of treatment significantly improved the patients' level of satisfaction. Conclusion: Iron supplementation can improve the patient's level of satisfaction in TE even if serum ferritin is not low.

Depilatory laser: a potential causative factor for inguinal hyperhidrosis: report of three cases.

Hyperhidrosis has recently been described as a novel adverse effect of laser-assisted hair removal in the axillary area. Inguinal Hyperhidrosis (IH) is a localized and, typically, a primary form of hyperhidrosis affecting the groin area in individuals before age 25. IH has been reported in the literature after traumas and as a dysfunction of the central sympathetic nervous system. To the best of our knowledge, IH has never been reported as secondary to laser-assisted hair removal. Herein, we report three cases of IH following depilatory laser of the inguinal zone. Three female patients with no relevant medical history presented with the complaint of excessive sweating in the inguinal area after undergoing full bikini depilatory laser sessions. Although never described before, depilatory laser seems to trigger the occurrence of hyperhidrosis in the inguinal zone.

Prevalence of adverse events varies with the different oral isotretinoin brands in acne treatment: a retrospective observational study.

Oral isotretinoin remains the most effective treatment for acne. The aim of this retrospective single-center cohort study was to estimate the prevalence of adverse events with the different oral isotretinoin brands used in acne treatment. The population consisted of all patients who consulted for acne between January 2015 and January 2020. The inclusion criterion was the initiation of treatment with oral isotretinoin. The exclusion criteria were the use of two or more brands during the same course of treatment and previous treatment with oral isotretinoin. Statistical analysis was carried out using Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests. We analyzed 468 patients of whom 68.6% were female. The median age was 21 years. The median weight was 65 kg. The treatment was Roaccutane®, Curacné®, Acnotren®, Isosupra®, Contracné®, or Acnogen® in 44.2%, 28%, 14.5%, 10.5%, 1.7% and 0.4% of cases, respectively. Xerosis was the most frequently reported side effect regardless of the brand. The highest frequencies of hypercholesterolemia (25.6%) and eczema (13%) were noted with Roaccutane®; hypertriglyceridemia (16.8%), epistaxis (9.9%) and fatigue (3.1%) with Curacné®; excessive sweating (4.1%) and headache (4.1%) with Isosupra®; and abnormal liver function tests (11%) with Acnotren®. We found a significant correlation mainly between abnormal ASAT and Acnotren® (p = 0.009), hypercholesterolemia and Roaccutane® [OR = 1.652 (95% CI 1.056-2.585)], hypertriglyceridemia and higher body weight (p = 0.004). Factors related to the drug brand and to characteristics of acne patients could explain the variability in the prevalence of some adverse events.