Dupilumab treatment of trichothiodystrophy in a child.

Trichothiodystrophy (TTD) is a rare congenital disorder caused by genetic mutations, leading to hair and skin abnormalities. We report successful treatment of a TTD case using dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting IL-4Rα. The patient, a 7-year-old boy, exhibited significant improvement in skin and hair conditions, suggesting the potential of dupilumab as a therapeutic option for TTD. Further research is needed to elucidate its mechanism and efficacy in TTD treatment.

Non-invasive imaging techniques in presurgical margin assessment of basal cell carcinoma: Current evidence.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is based on clinical and dermoscopical features. In uncertain cases, innovative imaging techniques, such as reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), have been used. The main limitation of these techniques is the inability to study deep margins. HFUS (high-frequency ultrasound) and the most recent UHFUS (ultra-high-frequency ultrasound) have been used in various applications in dermatology, but they are not yet routinely used in the diagnosis of BCC. A key point in clinical practice is to find an imaging technique that can help to reduce post-surgical recurrences with a careful presurgical assessment of the lesional margins. This technique should show high sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility and simplicity of execution. This concept is very important for the optimal management of patients who are often elderly and have many comorbidities. The aim of the paper is to analyse the characteristics of current imaging techniques and the studies in the literature on this topic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors independently searched the MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Cochrane Library databases for studies looking for non-invasive imaging techniques for the presurgical margin assessment of BCC. RESULTS: Preoperative study of the BCC subtype can help to obtain a complete excision with free margins. Different non-invasive imaging techniques have been studied for in vivo evaluation of tumour margins, comparing the histologic evaluation with a radical surgery. The possibility to study the lateral and deep margins would allow a reduction of recurrences and sparing of healthy tissue. CONCLUSION: HFUS and UHFUS represent the most promising, non-invasive techniques for the pre-operative study of BCC facilitating the characterization of vascularization, deep lateral margins and high-risk subtypes, although they are limited by insufficient literature unlike RCM and OCT.

Ultra-High Frequency Ultrasound in Melanoma Management: A New Combined Ultrasonographic-Histopathological Approach.

OBJECTIVES: The main aim of this study is to evaluate the correspondence between the ultrasonographic thickness and the Breslow thickness in melanoma using ultra-high frequency ultrasound and the intra- and inter-operator repeatability in the ultrasonographic measurements of melanoma depth. Moreover, we propose a new protocol based on a combined ultrasonographic-histopathological approach. METHODS: We analyzed 27 melanomas in a population consisted of 27 patients (mean age 57.6 years, 51.8% males), who came at the Department of Dermatology (University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy) from April 2016 to March 2018 and had an ultrasonographic examination of a suspected lesion before the surgical removal using ultra-high frequency ultrasound (Vevo®MD, Fujifilm, Visualsonics, Toronto, Canada; 70 MHz probe). B-mode images were analyzed by two skilled and blinded operators, and the maximum depth of the lesions was measured using a dedicated graphical user interface developed in Matlab R2016b (MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA), to obtain repetitive measurements. RESULTS: All melanomas appeared as band-like or oval/fusiform shaped hypoechoic inhomogeneous lesions. We observed an excellent agreement between the Breslow thickness of melanomas and the ultrasonographic thickness, as well as a reduced intra- and inter-operator variability in the ultrasonographic measurements of melanoma depth. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a ultrasonographic-histopathological protocol which may help clinicians to reduce the diagnostic delay, improve prognosis and survival rates, perform a surgical excision with negative margins, and reduce the variability in the assessment of Breslow thickness.

Dermoscopy features of infantile perianal pyramidal protrusion.

Infantile perianal pyramidal protrusion (IPPP) is a benign condition generally noted in childhood but may persist for several years. Dermoscopy may help to distinguish it from other conditions, particularly genital warts. We report six cases of IPPP and describe the dermoscopic features that will distinguish these lesions from verrucae.

Ultra-high frequency ultrasound detection of the dermo-epidermal junction: Its potential role in dermatology.

Traditional high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS; 20 MHz) is a non-invasive method used to study skin in vivo but is not able to measure skin thickness accurately and to identify the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ). Ultra-high frequency ultrasound (UHFUS; 70-100 MHz) has sub-millimetre resolution comparable to histology. The aim of this study was to identify, by UHFUS, the DEJ and to describe skin differences in healthy individuals by providing a measure of skin thickness, based on age and gender. We also described the bullous pemphigoid lesion. We enrolled 42 patients divided into 2 groups: A and B. Group A included 32 healthy volunteers aged 22-74 years. Group B consisted of 10 patients with bullous pemphigoid. For each patient in group A, 8 ultrasound (US) clips by 70 MHz probe were performed at forehead, cheek, nose, forearm, abdomen, chest, back and leg. For each patient in group B, 5 US images were acquired at blisters roofs and edges. In each US image, we measured thickness of stratum corneum (α-ß), epidermis (α-γ) and epidermis plus dermis (α-δ). In both groups, we found the presence of 4 lines delimiting: the stratum corneum (the layer between α-line and ß-line), the epidermis (distance between α- and γ-line), and the boundary between dermis and subcutis (δ-line). The γ-line corresponds to the point of detachment of the bullae. The abdominal α-ß layer was thicker in males (p = 0.019) and α-δ thickness at cheeks (p < 0.001), chest (p = 0.007), back (p = 0.025) and forearm (p < 0.001). In females, α-γ thickness of the back was greater (p = 0.005). In old people compared to young, we noticed an increase of α-ß layer at forehead and chest (p = 0.014), an increase of α-γ layer at forearm (p = 0.001), back (p = 0.024) and leg (p = 0.010) and an increase of α-δ layer at forehead (p = 0.001) and nose (p = 0.049). UHFUS is an advanced imaging technique that can detect both the DEJ and the boundary between dermis and subcutaneous tissue so that epidermal and dermal thickness can be measured with good accuracy. Regarding gender and age, skin differences obtained with UHFUS were comparable to other non-invasive methods.

Ultra-high-frequency ultrasound and machine learning approaches for the differential diagnosis of melanocytic lesions.

Malignant melanoma (MM) is one of the most dangerous skin cancers. The aim of this study was to present a potential new method for the differential diagnosis of MM from melanocytic naevi (MN). We examined 20 MM and 19 MN with a new ultra-high-frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) equipped with a 70 MHz linear probe. Ultrasonographic images were processed for calculating 8 morphological parameters (area, perimeter, circularity, area ratio, standard deviation of normalized radial range, roughness index, overlap ratio and normalized residual mean square value) and 122 texture parameters. Colour Doppler images were used to evaluate the vascularization. Features reduction was implemented by means of principal component analysis (PCA), and 23 classification algorithms were tested on the reduced features using histological response as ground-truth. Best results were obtained using only the first component of the PCA and the weighted k-nearest neighbour classifier; this combination led to an accuracy of 76.9%, area under the ROC curve of 83%, sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 70%. The histological analysis still remains the gold-standard, but the UHFUS images processing using a machine learning approach could represent a new non-invasive approach.

Infantile hemangiomas ß3-adrenoceptor overexpression is associated with nonresponse to propranolol.

BACKGROUND: Propranolol (antagonist of ß1-/ß2-AR but minimally active against ß3-AR) is currently the first-line treatment for infantile hemangiomas (IH). Its efficacy is attributed to the blockade of ß2-AR. However, its success rate is ~60%. Considering the growing interest in the angiogenic role of ß3-ARs, we evaluated a possible relationship between ß3-AR expression and response to propranolol. METHODS: Fifteen samples of surgical biopsies were collected from patients with IH. Three were taken precociously from infants and then successfully treated with propranolol (responder group). Twelve were taken later, from residual lesions noncompletely responsive to propranolol (nonresponder group). A morphometrical analysis of the percentage of ß1-, ß2-, and ß3-ARs positively stained area was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: While no difference was found in both ß1- and ß2-AR expression level, a statistically significant increase of ß3-AR positively stained area was observed in the nonresponder group. CONCLUSIONS: Although the number of biopsies is insufficient to draw definitive conclusions, and the different ß-AR pattern may be theoretically explained by the different timing of samplings, this study suggests a possible correlation between ß3-AR expression and the reduced responsiveness to propranolol treatment. This study could pave the way for new therapeutic perspectives to manage IH. IMPACT: Propranolol (unselective antagonist of ß1 and ß2-ARs) is currently the first-line treatment for IHs, with a success rate of ~60%. Its effectiveness has been attributed to its ability to block ß2-ARs. However, ß3-ARs (on which propranolol is minimally active) were significantly more expressed in hemangioma biopsies taken from patients nonresponsive to propranolol. This study suggests a possible role of ß3-ARs in hemangioma pathogenesis and a possible new therapeutic target.

Ultra-high frequency ultrasonography (UHFUS)-guided minor salivary gland biopsy: A promising procedure to optimize labial salivary gland biopsy in Sjögren's syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by an inflammatory infiltrate of exocrine salivary and lachrymal glands. Diagnosis is complex, and minor salivary gland biopsy and subsequent focus score (FS) calculation appear of extreme importance in the diagnostic work-up of the disease. Ultra-high frequency ultrasonography (UHFUS) is a recently introduced diagnostic technique, which is gaining an increasingly important role in intraoral imaging. This study aims at exploring the usefulness of UHFUS for obtaining valuable labial salivary gland samples to assess the histopathological features of SS patients. METHODS: Patients with clinical suspect of SS and eligible for minor salivary gland biopsy were enrolled. UHFUS scan of the lower lip was performed. Glandular echostructure was classified according to Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) scoring system. The glands to be sampled were selected on the basis of UHFUS evaluation and biopsied. The areas of the samples were recorded and compared with those obtained without UHFUS guidance. The correlation between UHFUS grade and labial gland FS was also assessed. RESULTS: The areas of the samples obtained with UHFUS guidance were significantly higher (7.25 ± 3.98 mm2 ) than those obtained by conventional procedures (5.79 ± 3.49 mm2 , P = .02). UHFUS correlated significantly with the salivary gland FS (r = .532, P = .001). CONCLUSION: UHFUS seems a promising tool in SS diagnostic algorithm, being able to provide a valuable support to the biopsy procedure. Further studies are mandatory to confirm the role of UHFUS in SS.

Systemic antibiotics in hidradenitis suppurativa: efficacy and effects of body mass index and smoking pack-year on the response to therapy.

The combination of oral clindamycin with rifampicin is recommended by European guidelines as a first-line treatment in moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Recent studies highlight that oral clindamycin in monotherapy (CM) may be a useful alternative treatment. We included 36 patients with a diagnosis of moderate-to-severe HS. A total of 19 patients were treated with combination oral clindamycin plus rifampicin (C + R) and 17 with oral CM for 12 weeks. The efficacy of CM vs C + R was analyzed by multilinear regression models which showed a higher reduction in mSartorius (Δ = -13.2, P = .058) and AISI (Δ = -4.91, P = .034) in the C + R group. In the C + R group, smoking pack-year was positively correlated with AISI (Spearman's rho = 0.51, P = .036) and with DLQI (0.47, P = .061). In the CM group, a positive correlation was found between BMI and AISI (0.47, P = .041). The data on the efficacy of C + R combination therapy are in line with guidelines, evidence-based approaches, and recommendations from the HS ALLIANCE working group. The rationale for combining these two drugs is to increase bactericidal action and to reduce rifampicin resistance, as rifampicin is highly mutagenic. Our results suggest that the antibiotic combination of C + R is still the treatment of choice in moderate-to-severe HS with abscesses, draining fistulae and ≥ 5 inflammatory nodules. High BMI and smoking habits seem to be predictive factors of a poor response to antibiotics. Further multicenter studies and prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these results. Potential alternative antibiotic therapies should also be investigated.

Ultrasound-guided injection of intralesional steroids in acute hidradenitis suppurativa lesions: A prospective study.

The management of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) flares with intralesional steroids lacks strong scientific evidence but limited data suggest that it may be useful. The objective of this study is to assess the clinical and ultrasound responses of HS flares to ultrasound-guided injections of intralesional triamcinolone (40 mg/ml) with a dilution 1:4 versus 1:2 at 30-day (t1), 60-day (t2), and 90-day (t3) follow-up. We recruited patients with ≤3 acute lesions, unresponsive to topical therapy. At baseline we assessed lesions clinically and by ultra-high frequency ultrasound (48 or 70 MHz) and randomly performed an ultrasound-guided injection of triamcinolone. Assessments were repeated at t1, t2, and t3 follow-up, re-injecting the lesion in the case of no or partial response. We treated 49 lesions: 38.8% showed improvements at t1; 46.9% at t2; 6% at t3; and 8.3% showed no clinical and ultrasound improvements. Long-term follow-up data confirmed a statistically significant reduction in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)-pain, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and HS-Physician Global Assessment (HS-PGA), as well as edema and vascular signals. No adverse effects were reported. Our study suggests that ultrasound-injections with a 1:2 dilution are beneficial for HS flares that do not respond to topical treatment and should be included in the therapeutic algorithm.

Ultra-high frequency ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of oral pemphigus and pemphigoid: An explorative study.

OBJECTIVES: Intraoral ultra-high frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) is an emerging technique in oral medicine, due to its possibility to provide submillimeter resolution imaging of superficial mucosal structures. In this study, the potential role of UHFUS in the diagnosis of oral pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients with suspected oral PV or MMP were enrolled. All patients underwent clinical examination, laboratory tests, intraoral UHFUS scan, and biopsy. Histology and direct immunofluorescence were set as benchmark for diagnosis confirmation. The sensitivity and specificity of UHFUS compared to histology were assessed. Mann-Whitney test was performed to evaluate the presence of differences in the echogenicity of PV and MMP. P-value was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were included. Thirteen patients were diagnosed with PV, and twelve with MMP. The UHFUS features of PV and MMP lesions were described. Image analysis showed statistically significant differences between the echogenicity of PV and MMP lesions (P < 0.05). Good concordance between UHFUS and histology was found. UHFUS showed 75% sensitivity in the diagnosis of PV and 66.7% in the diagnosis of MMP. CONCLUSIONS: UHFUS appears a valuable tool in the diagnosis of PV and MMP. Although histology and immunofluorescence remain the gold standard, UHFUS role in the diagnostic algorithm of PV and MMP seems promising as a chair-side tool consistently enhancing clinical evaluation of oral bullous lesions.

Ultra-high-frequency ultrasound monitoring of plaque psoriasis during ixekizumab treatment.

BACKGROUND: High-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) is a non-invasive method that detects superficial skin features. Ultra-high frequencies (50-100 MHz) can reveal epidermis and dermis structures. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we describe the psoriatic plaque using a new device equipped with a 70 MHz probe (VEVO® MD, Fujifilm, VisualSonics) and we assess the lesion before and after ixekizumab. METHODS: We examined the superficial hyperechoic band, the subepidermal hypoechoic band (SLEB), and the vascularization of the plaque in ten patients affected by plaque psoriasis. RESULTS: The average superficial hyperechoic band thickness was 0.2157 mm before treatment, 0.1611 mm after 15 days, and 0.1354 mm (P < .05) after 30 days. The SLEB thickness was 0.7535 mm at baseline, 0.3300 mm after 15 days (P < .05), and 0.2007 mm (P < .05) after 30 days. The average percentage vascularization was 50.21% at baseline, 13.15% after 15 days (P < .05), and 5.97% after 30 days. UHFUS assessment highlighted the rapid action of the drug in terms of the decrease in vascularization after 15 days. It revealed a statistically significant reduction in SLEB thickness after 15 days and a significant reduction in the hyperechoic superficial band after 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: VEVO® MD provides physicians with high-resolution details of the psoriatic plaque, thus enabling tailored-made treatments.

Nail changes in children with idiopathic congenital clubfoot deformity.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Nail alterations are commonly seen in cases of idiopathic clubfoot and may cause parental concern. The nature of and whether these changes are congenital or develop secondary to treatment has been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate toenail morphology in clubfoot patients at presentation, to re-evaluate them during the course of treatment for the clubfoot, and to analyze findings in the light of the few literature reports for healthy children of the same age. METHODS: Thirty infants (21 males and 9 females) with idiopathic clubfoot were prospectively enrolled at the Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital. Nails of affected and non-affected feet were evaluated by a team of pediatric dermatologists at presentation and re-evaluated once per patient during the bracing period of Ponseti treatment. RESULTS: Toenails of affected (47) and non-affected (13) feet were abnormal at presentation in 43.3% of patients, in both clubfeet (40.4%) and non-affected feet (38.5%), but most changes were physiologic or transitory alterations, commonly found in healthy children, with nail concavity (koilonychia) being the most common finding (29.7%). Changes were not related to clubfoot severity or laterality (P > .05). In most (76.9%) unilateral cases, there was concordance of nail changes between clubfoot and non-affected foot. At re-evaluation (follow-up time 410 ± 207 days), nail problems were more frequent (53.3%); ingrown toenail was the most common (21.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of nail alterations seems not to be caused by clubfoot pathology and could be related to unfavorable local condition in the brace.

Ultra-High Frequency Ultrasound, A Promising Diagnostic Technique: Review of the Literature and Single-Center Experience.

OBJECTIVES: Ultra-high frequency ultrasonography (UHFUS) is a recently introduced diagnostic technique which finds several applications in diverse clinical fields. The range of frequencies between 30 and 100 MHz allows for high spatial resolution imaging of superficial structures, making this technique suitable for the imaging of skin, blood vessels, musculoskeletal anatomy, oral mucosa, and small parts. However, the current clinical applications of UHFUS have never been analyzed in a consistent multidisciplinary manner. The aim of this study is to revise and discuss the current applications of UHFUS in different aspects of research and clinical practice, as well as to provide some examples of the current work-in-progress carried out in our center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search was performed in order to retrieve articles reporting the applications of UHFUS both in research and in clinical settings. Inclusion criteria were the use of frequencies above 30 MHz and study design conducted in vivo on human subjects. RESULTS: In total 66 articles were retrieved. The majority of the articles focused on dermatological and vascular applications, although musculoskeletal and intraoral applications are emerging fields of use. We also describe our experience in the use of UHFUS as a valuable diagnostic support in the fields of dermatology, rheumatology, oral medicine, and musculoskeletal anatomy. CONCLUSION: Ultra-high frequency ultrasonography application involves an increasing number of medical fields. The high spatial resolution and the superb image quality achievable allow to foresee a wider use of this novel technique, which has the potential to bring innovation in diagnostic imaging.

PG-TIME: A practical approach to the clinical management of pyoderma gangrenosum.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a neutrophilic dermatosis which may be rapidly progressive. Standard guidelines for local treatment are lacking. Through our experience, we suggested a local treatment algorithm based on the tissue, infection, moisture balance, and epithelization (TIME) concept. The clinical and histopathological features of 52 patients with PG, the duration, and the evolution of the lesions were retrospectively evaluated. Systemic therapies, local treatments, and standard wound treatments were reported. We observed ulcerative PG in the majority of the patients (82.6%), followed by the pustular form (9.6%), the peristomal type (3.8%), the vegetative form (1.9%), and the bullous type (1.9%). The lower leg was the most commonly area affected (90.4% of cases). Pathergy was reported in 15.3% of cases. The first-line treatment was the use of oral glucocorticosteroids (GCSs). We observed healing after 3 weeks of GCS in 17.3% of cases. In 25% of all cases, we obtained complete healing with long-term low doses (<0.5 mg/kg) of GCS in the range of 2 to 6 months. We used second-line treatments in 57.6% of patients. Local, systemic treatment, and correct wound management can be associated with better clinical results. We suggest a new local therapeutic algorithm in both the inflammatory and noninflammatory healing phases.

A new clinical and dermoscopic monitoring of infantile hemangiomas treated with oral propranolol.

Oral propranolol (OP) demonstrated high efficacy and safety profile for treatment of critical infantile hemangiomas (IHs). Our aim was to assess the morphologic changes of IHs with standard and high-resolution video dermoscopy (HRVD) from baseline to 18 months either in presence or absence of OP therapy; to investigate if extended anamnestic perinatal data and clinical-dermoscopic characteristics of the IHs can correlate with therapeutic outcome. We enrolled 94 patients (112 IHs): 58 were treated with OP, 35 (42 IHs) for 6 months (group 1), and 23 (25 IHs) for 12-months (group 2); 36 (45 IHs) were followed-up. Clinical-dermoscopic examinations were performed every 3 months during therapy and follow-up. Among 67 treated IHs, superficial and deep IHs with homogenous clinical-dermoscopic aspect developed after the 2 weeks of life achieved the better outcome, stable at 9-month follow-up, independently form treatment duration. Under HRVD, glomerular vessels were prevalent at baseline; corckscrew, comma, and linear-irregular vessels were the prevalent pattern at 1, 3, and 6 months of therapy, respectively. At 12-month follow-up, adequate healing was achieved by 96% of IHs in group 2 and by 78% in group 1, showing dotted vessels. Persistent IHs displayed a reticulated aspect and linear irregular vessels, while arborizing vessels characterized relapsed IHs. A 12-month OP therapy can be considered for newborns presenting with nonhomogenous mixed IHs >3 cm on the perineal area/lower extremities. In conclusion, HRVD allows a real time monitoring of vascular changes in IHs treated with OP and can support physicians in identifying relapses before they become clinically evident.

Intraoral Ultra-High Frequency Ultrasound study of oral lichen planus: A pictorial review.

BACKGROUND: Ultra-High Frequency Ultrasound (UHFUS) is a recently introduced diagnostic technique involving the use of higher frequencies compared to conventional ultrasound. Among the several fields of application, intraoral usage of UHFUS appears still limited. We report the intraoral evaluation of Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) by means of UHFUS and describe typical UHFUS aspect of different forms of presentation of OLP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with clinical and histological diagnosis of OLP were enrolled in the study. OLP lesions were evaluated by means of intraoral UHFUS performed at 70 MHz, using B-mode and C-mode, in order to characterize the echostructure of each form of presentation. RESULTS: Fifty patients in total were enrolled, and UHFUS features were described for different OLP forms. All the lesions showed a thick, hypoechoic superficial layer in the mucosal stratum, suggesting that such UHFUS alteration can be pathognomonic of OLP. CONCLUSION: Ultra-High Frequency Ultrasound was able to differentiate superficial alterations of the oral mucosa, giving insight on possible applications of UHFUS in the study of OLP beyond clinical and histological investigations. Due to a limited study sample, we cannot draw firm conclusions. However, it is reasonable to think that UHFUS evaluation of OLP may provide useful information to the clinician.

Advanced evaluation of hidradenitis suppurativa with ultra-high frequency ultrasound: A promising tool for the diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression.

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. An ultrasound staging (SOS-HS) using frequencies from 7 to 18 MHz has been proposed to evaluate the severity of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the most significant lesions in 50 patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (32 females and 18 males, aged from 12 to 68 years old), who had undergone high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) (18-22 MHz) and ultra-high frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) (48 and 70 MHz). A MyLab™ Touch system (Esaote) equipped with a 18-22 MHz linear probe was used for the HFUS, and a Vevo® MD (VisualSonics) was used for the UHFUS, equipped with two linear probes (70 and 48 MHz). RESULTS: A total of 116 lesions were observed, of which 66 were fluid collections, 32 were tunnels, 6 pseudocysts, 5 bridge scars, 5 tombstone comedones, and 2 granulation tissues. Structures that had already been described with HFUS were then observed with UHFUS but with a better definition. In addition, structures that had not been detected by HFUS were also observed with UHFUS such as drop-shaped hair follicles, micro-tunnels, and microcysts. CONCLUSION: Ultra-high frequency ultrasound provides a better understanding of hidradenitis suppurativa. Patients can be monitored more effectively thereby preventing the most severe changes.

Surrounding skin management in venous leg ulcers: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic venous insufficiency may lead to the development of venous leg ulcers, the most common form of chronic wounds in the lower extremity. Key to venous leg ulcer care is the maintenance of healthy skin surrounding the ulcer, as failure to maintain skin integrity may influence the healing outcome. We thus reviewed the scientific literature looking for assessment and management instruments regarding this common but often neglected issue. METHOD: The search included all studies published between 2000 and May 2019. Keywords used were: "peri-wound skin care", "surrounding skin venous ulcers", "surrounding skin management leg ulcers", and "peri-lesional skin management". RESULTS: Management of moisture-balance with the selection of appropriate dressings is the most important target in surrounding-wound skin care. Moreover, contact dermatitis related to products and the dressings themselves is a neglected problem in patients with chronic leg ulcers which clinicians increasingly have to manage. The literature search revealed that there is an increasing interest in the use of noninvasive assessment tools in the field of wound care, and focusing on the surrounding-wound skin plays a role in assessing the potential of wound healing. Transepidermal water loss measurement (TEWL) and ultrasonography are two of the measurement techniques available. CONCLUSION: The integrity of the surrounding skin is necessary for wound healing, and appropriate management is needed to address this aspect which is part of an overall approach to treating wounds.

Clinical Use and Molecular Action of Corticosteroids in the Pediatric Age.

Corticosteroids are the mainstay of therapy for many pediatric disorders and sometimes are life-saving. Both endogenous and synthetic derivatives diffuse across the cell membrane and, by binding to their cognate glucocorticoid receptor, modulate a variety of physiological functions, such as glucose metabolism, immune homeostasis, organ development, and the endocrine system. However, despite their proved and known efficacy, corticosteroids show a lot of side effects, among which growth retardation is of particular concern and specific for pediatric age. The aim of this review is to discuss the mechanism of action of corticosteroids, and how their genomic effects have both beneficial and adverse consequences. We will focus on the use of corticosteroids in different pediatric subspecialties and most common diseases, analyzing the most recent evidence.