The Patient-Oriented Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis and SCORAD in young children: New data on interpretability and clinical usefulness.

BACKGROUND: There is limited data about the clinical meaningfulness of the Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) and Patient-Oriented SCORAD (PO-SCORAD), particularly in children with mild-to-moderate AD. Regular use of patient-reported outcomes, may deliver more accurate information about the overall health status of AD patients than routine but sparse physician assessments. OBJECTIVE: To confirm the correlation between SCORAD, PO-SCORAD, Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM) and Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA). To evaluate the interpretability and clinical usefulness of the SCORAD and PO-SCORAD scores in children. METHODS: Data were drawn from a 12-week randomized controlled trial in 335 children, aged 2-6 years, with mainly mild-to-moderate AD. Investigators captured SCORAD and IGA at each study visit. Parents used PO-SCORAD twice-weekly, and POEM once-weekly. RESULTS: There were strong correlations between PO-SCORAD and SCORAD (r = 0.874), PO-SCORAD and POEM (0.734) and PO-SCORAD and IGA (0.613). The best fit ('k' statistic: 0.68) between SCORAD and IGA classes was noted for the following SCORAD categories: <12 (clear/almost clear); 12-25 (mild); and ≥25 (moderate/severe). PO-SCORAD area under the curve over 8 weeks was significantly greater than that of SCORAD (p = 0.0002), giving a better estimate of disease severity between visits. Patients with a flare within the next 7 days had significantly higher PO-SCORAD scores 7 days before the flare (p < 0.0001). Moderate erythema was the most significant flare predictor (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: PO-SCORAD is robust and reliable and appears to warrant far greater utility in routine clinical practice than other scores. PO-SCORAD, used twice-weekly, may improve the management of patients with AD.

Phototherapy for atopic dermatitis: A survey of European practice.

BACKGROUND: Phototherapy is used to treat atopic dermatitis (AD). Evidence for its efficacy, impact on quality of life, cost-effectiveness and short- and long-term safety with real-life usage is weak. OBJECTIVES: We established a taskforce to examine how phototherapy is currently being used as a treatment for AD across the United Kingdom and Europe to inform our understanding and guide future research into management of patients with AD using UV-based phototherapies. METHODS: An anonymous electronic multiple-response survey exploring phototherapy prescribing practices and experience of phototherapy modalities was developed by the study authors and sent to members of phototherapy networks from the United Kingdom and Europe. Responses were received between February and July 2021. RESULTS: About 144 respondents from 27 European countries completed the survey. NBUVB was the most widely used [n = 138 (96%)]. Home-based NBUVB was available in 8/27 countries (25/144 respondents, 17%). Oral psoralen-UVA (PUVA) was more widely available than bath PUVA (n = 106, 74% vs. n = 60, 42%) and used mainly in adult patients. 49/144 (34%) of respondents had access to UVA1. Phototherapy would be considered instead of systemic treatment in 96% of adults and 82% of children for NBUVB, versus 40% of adults and 3% of children for PUVA. Starting doses, standard dosing increments, length of treatment courses, lifetime limits for treatments and thresholds for performing annual skin assessments varied between responders. CONCLUSIONS: NBUVB was the most widely used phototherapy for AD in adult and paediatric patients, while PUVA and UVA1 were less used. Prescribing practices varied considerably, highlighting the lack of consensus practice in many different aspects of phototherapy for the treatment of AD in children and adults. This indicates that further studies are required to determine optimal phototherapeutic regimens for AD and informs our understanding of parameters that should be included in future high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCT) of phototherapy.

Erosive toe-web intertrigo: Clinical features and management.

BACKGROUND: Toe-web (TW) intertrigo is a common disease of fungal or bacterial origin. Gram-negative bacterial (GNB) TW intertrigo consists of weeping, erosive, painful lesions that may be recurrent, leading to functional disability. Eczema is often associated with this condition. The management of intertrigo is poorly codified. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a standardized treatment plan using topical steroids in relation to the course and the frequency of recurrence of GNB-TW intertrigo. METHODS: We conducted a prospective open interventional multicentre study from June 2020 to June 2021. Standardised treatment using TCS together with follow-up via phone calls were performed over a 6-month period. In addition, a retrospective historical monocentric study was performed for patients with suspected TW-GNB intertrigo treated without standardized management. The primary endpoint was disease duration. We performed a Wilcoxon test to compare the median duration of GNB-TW intertrigo in both series. RESULTS: We included 13 patients in the prospective cohort and 14 in the retrospective cohort. In both cohorts, most patients were male with a median age of 59 years. The most frequent signs were fissures and exudates. Eczema was often associated (51.8%). Identified risk factors were psoriasis, local humidity, fungal intertrigo, vascular disease (arterial or venous insufficiency), and a history of multiple local treatments prior to diagnosis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the predominant pathogen (48.1%). Median durations of TW-GNB intertrigo were 56 days and 61 days. There was no significant difference in the median duration of the disease between the prospective and the retrospective cohorts (respectively61 days and 56 days; p > 0.58). Relapses were more frequent in the retrospective cohort (respectively 7.7% and 21.4%). CONCLUSION: GNB-TW intertrigo is a difficult-to-treat disease often associated with eczema. While topical corticosteroids (TCS) seem to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment they do not appear to reduce disease duration compared to other treatments.

Upadacitinib for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: Stratified analysis from three randomized phase 3 trials by key baseline characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a heterogeneous inflammatory skin disease with different clinical phenotypes based on factors such as age, race, comorbidities, and clinical signs and symptoms. The effect of these factors on therapeutic responses in AD has only been scarcely studied and not for upadacitinib. Currently, there is no biomarker predicting response to upadacitinib. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the efficacy of the oral Janus kinase inhibitor upadacitinib across patient subgroups (baseline demographics, disease characteristics and prior treatment) in patients with moderate-to-severe AD. METHODS: Data from phase 3 studies (Measure Up 1, Measure Up 2 and AD Up) were utilized for this post hoc analysis. Adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe AD were randomized to receive once daily oral upadacitinib 15 mg, upadacitinib 30 mg or placebo; patients enrolled in the AD Up study received concomitant topical corticosteroids. Data from the Measure Up 1 and Measure Up 2 studies were integrated. RESULTS: A total of 2584 patients were randomized. A consistently greater proportion of patients achieved at least 75% improvement in the Eczema Area and Severity Index, a 0 or 1 on the validated Investigator Global Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis, and improvement in itch (including an achievement of a reduction of ≥4; and score of 0/1 in Worst Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale) with upadacitinib compared with placebo at Week 16, regardless of age, sex, race, body mass index, AD severity, body surface area involvement, history of atopic comorbidities or asthma, or previous exposure to systemic therapy or cyclosporin. CONCLUSIONS: Upadacitinib had consistently high skin clearance rates and itch efficacy across subgroups of patients with moderate-to-severe AD through Week 16. These results support upadacitinib as a suitable treatment option in a variety of patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT03569293 (Measure Up 1), NCT03607422 (Measure Up 2) and NCT03568318 (AD Up).

Factors associated with early relapse of infantile haemangioma in children treated for at least six months with oral propranolol: A case-control study using the 2014-2021 French Ouest DataHub.

BACKGROUND: The factors associated with early relapse of infantile haemangioma (IH) after a first course of treatment with oral propranolol for at least six months (initiated after the marketing authorization had been granted) have not previously been investigated. OBJECTIVES: To identify factors associated with the risk of early relapse in children with IH treated with oral propranolol according to the current prescribing guidelines. METHODS: We performed a multicentre, retrospective, case-control study, using the Ouest Data Hub database. All children treated for at least 6 months with oral propranolol for IH between 31 June 2014 and 31 December 2021, and with a follow-up visit at least three months after treatment discontinuation were included. A case was defined as relapse of IH within three months of treatment discontinuation; each case was matched for age at treatment initiation and for centre, with four (relapse-free) controls. The association between relapse and treatment or IH characteristics was expressed as an odds ratio (OR) from univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regressions. RESULTS: A total of 225 children were included. Of these, 36 (16%) relapsed early. In a multivariate analysis, a deep IH component was a risk factor for early relapse [OR = 8.93; 95%CI: 1.0-78.9, p = 0.05]. A propranolol dosage level of less than 3 mg/kg/day protected against early relapse [OR = 0.11; 95%CI: 0.02-0.7, p = 0.02]. Tapering before propranolol discontinuation was not associated with a lower risk of early relapse. CONCLUSION: The risk factors for late and early relapse are probably different. Investigation of the risk factors for early vs. late IH relapse is now warranted.

Identification of three clinical neurofibromatosis 1 subtypes: Latent class analysis of a series of 1351 patients.

BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is one of the most common inherited disorders characterized by mutations in the tumour suppressor gene NF1. Its clinical manifestations are highly variable and unpredictable. A specific NF1 mutation does not predict the severity or complications of the disease. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to build an empirical classification scheme without any a priori hypotheses to identify the underlying NF1 subtypes that best explain the observed heterogeneity. METHODS: We performed latent class analysis (LCA) of 1351 consecutive NF1 patients aged >17 years seen between 2002 and 2014. Data and phenotypic features were collected prospectively on a standardized form. RESULTS: The median age was 36.8 (17-81) years. A three-class model showed the best fit: 706 (52%) belonged to the LC1 'Cutaneous neurofibromas' class having preferentially cutaneous neurofibromas (99%), plexiform neurofibromas (63%) and blue-red macules (29%); 593 (44%) belonged to the LC2 'Subcutaneous neurofibromas' class characterized by the presence of at least 10 subcutaneous neurofibromas (21%) and a familial form (77%) and 52 (4%) belonged to the LC3 'Dysmorphic phenotype' class characterized by dysmorphic features (78%) and learning difficulties (87%). Patients in LC1 had a higher likelihood of developing scoliosis (RR = 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.2-2.4]). Patients in LC2 were more likely to be men (RR = 1.4, 95% CI [1.1-1.7]). Patients in LC3 were at higher risk of having an optic pathway glioma (RR = 4.8, 95% CI [1.9-11.8]) and epilepsy (RR = 4.5, 95% CI [1.8-11.6]). CONCLUSION: Our findings invite the performance of a larger cohort study to test whether the various latent classes reflect different underlying genetic modifiers of these phenotypic traits.

Effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of atopic dermatitis in children (6-11 years): data from a French multicentre retrospective cohort in daily practice.

BACKGROUND: Dupilumab is the first biotherapy available for the treatment of moderate-to-severe childhood atopic dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in daily practice. METHODS: Patients aged 6-11, who had received a first dose of dupilumab, were included in this multicentre retrospective cohort study. The primary endpoint was change in SCORAD after 3 months of treatment. Secondary endpoints were change in IGA score at 3 months, proportion of patients with SCORAD50 and SCORAD75, description of adverse events and proportion of children in our cohort who would be excluded from pivotal phase 3 clinical trial. RESULTS: Eighty patients were included. After 3 months of treatment, there was a significant decrease in SCORAD (mean: 21.8 ± 13.8 vs 53.9 ± 18.5; P < 0.0001) and IGA (1.3 ± 0.8 vs 3.5 ± 0.7; P < 0.0001). Conjunctivitis was observed in 11.3% (n = 9/80); three patients experienced dupilumab facial redness (DFR); 17.5% (n = 14/80) reported injection site reactions; 6.3% (n = 5/80) discontinued treatment. 61.2% (n = 49/80) children were ineligible in the phase 3 trial. LIMITATIONS: There is no control group. Because it was a real life study based on information from patient medical records in a French multicentre cohort, we cannot rule out the presence of reporting bias generated by the use of patient reported characteristics and missing information. CONCLUSION: These real-life data confirm the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in children with moderate to severe AD extended to dyshidrosis and atopic prurigo, but it also revealed a lower frequency of DFR and conjunctivitis. However, administration in injectable form may be a barrier in this age group.

European guideline (EuroGuiDerm) on atopic eczema: part I - systemic therapy.

The evidence- and consensus-based guideline on atopic eczema was developed in accordance with the EuroGuiDerm Guideline and Consensus Statement Development Manual. Four consensus conferences were held between December 2020 and July 2021. Twenty-nine experts (including clinicians and patient representatives) from 12 European countries participated. This first part of the guideline includes general information on its scope and purpose, the health questions covered, target users and a methods section. It also provides guidance on which patients should be treated with systemic therapies, as well as recommendations and detailed information on each systemic drug. The systemic treatment options discussed in the guideline comprise conventional immunosuppressive drugs (azathioprine, ciclosporin, glucocorticosteroids, methotrexate and mycophenolate mofetil), biologics (dupilumab, lebrikizumab, nemolizumab, omalizumab and tralokinumab) and janus kinase inhibitors (abrocitinib, baricitinib and upadacitinib). Part two of the guideline will address avoidance of provocation factors, dietary interventions, immunotherapy, complementary medicine, educational interventions, occupational and psychodermatological aspects, patient perspective and considerations for paediatric, adolescent, pregnant and breastfeeding patients.

European guideline (EuroGuiDerm) on atopic eczema - part II: non-systemic treatments and treatment recommendations for special AE patient populations.

The evidence- and consensus-based guideline on atopic eczema was developed in accordance with the EuroGuiDerm Guideline and Consensus Statement Development Manual. Four consensus conferences were held between December 2020 and July 2021. Twenty-nine experts (including clinicians and patient representatives) from 12 European countries participated. This second part of the guideline includes recommendations and detailed information on basic therapy with emollients and moisturizers, topical anti-inflammatory treatment, antimicrobial and antipruritic treatment and UV phototherapy. Furthermore, this part of the guideline covers techniques for avoiding provocation factors, as well as dietary interventions, immunotherapy, complementary medicine and educational interventions for patients with atopic eczema and deals with occupational and psychodermatological aspects of the disease. It also contains guidance on treatment for paediatric and adolescent patients and pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as considerations for patients who want to have a child. A chapter on the patient perspective is also provided. The first part of the guideline, published separately, contains recommendations and guidance on systemic treatment with conventional immunosuppressive drugs, biologics and janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, as well as information on the scope and purpose of the guideline, and a section on guideline methodology.

Congenital lamellar ichthyosis complicated with erosive pseudo pustulosis: A rare clincal entity. About a case and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Lamellar ichthyosis is a rare congenital disorder that can be encountered by plastic surgeon in a daily practice. Its clinical diagnosis makes it an significant pathology to identify and to know how to treat. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We report the case of a patient suffering from lamellar ichthyosis complicated by erosive pseudo pustulosis of the scalp. Our treatment protocol with two intra-lesional delayed-corticoids (Kenacort ®) injections three months apart showed significant clinical improvement of the lesions. DISCUSSION: Congenital lamellar ichthyosis regroups various clinical presentations. Most of the therapeutic strategies described in the literature involve local and systemic treatments, weighing on patients and leading to modest results. Surgical treatment or hyaluronic injections have also been reported but they raise problematics regarding morbidity and efficiency. CONCLUSION: Our therapeutic strategy by two Kenacort ® injections three months apart is simple, reproductible and has shown efficiency in the treatment of our patient suffering from congenital lamellar ichthyosis complicated with erosive pseudo pustulosis of the scalp.

Characteristics of children and adolescents with atopic dermatitis who attended therapeutic patient education.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease. Therapeutic patient education (TPE) has been demonstrated to be effective in AD in reducing disease severity and improving coping and quality of life. OBJECTIVES: To describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of children and adolescents with AD who had attended TPE sessions, as well as the characteristics of their parents, and compare them with those who did not attend TPE. METHODS: Parents of children with AD aged 6-17 years old were recruited from a representative sample of the French population contacted by e-mail. Sociodemographic data and clinical information were collected in patients and parents. Clinical severity was assessed by parents using a proxy version of the Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM). Attendance to TPE sessions was assessed by the following question 'did your child or one or both parents attended TPE for AD?'. Also, the number of sessions was recorded. Determinants of TPE attendance were evaluated by univariable and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Data were collected on 1063 parents and children with AD. A total of 131 (12.3%) children and/or parents attended TPE sessions. Most of them attended 2-5 TPE sessions. In that group, there were 85 boys (64.9%), and severity evaluated by POEM was mild in 29.8%, moderate in 52.7% and severe in 17.6% of patients. In the multivariable model, attending TPE sessions was significantly associated with sex of the child (boy vs. girl), consultation with a dermatologist or a paediatrician, high clinical severity and presence of AD in parents. CONCLUSIONS: Despite recommendations, the use of TPE in children with AD is still low in France. There is a need for implementing such programmes in the management of the disease, in particular when the disease is severe.

Position statement on the role of nurses in therapeutic patient education in atopic dermatitis.

In chronic skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD), therapeutic failure due to poor patient adherence to treatment is commonly reported. Therapeutic patient education (TPE) is an approach to improve self-management and adherence. Several studies demonstrated that TPE programmes have positive effects on disease management resulting in decreased disease severity and improved quality of life in AD patients. Various healthcare professionals (dermatologists, nurses, psychologists, dieticians) have been involved. TPE performed by trained dermatology nurses are highly efficient and improve various health-related outcomes. The aim of this position paper is to analyse the aims, modalities and efficacy of TPE in AD, to identify specific roles of dermatology nurses, to assess qualification requirements, and to propose practical recommendations. Potential activities of nurses in ongoing and future TPE programmes for AD patients will be discussed.

Factors influencing quality of life in children with low-flow vascular malformations: a qualitative study using focus groups.

BACKGROUND: Very few studies have evaluated the quality of life (QoL) of children suffering from low-flow vascular malformations. This is the first study investigating the influencing factors. OBJECTIVES: To identify the factors influencing QoL in children with low-flow vascular malformations. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study employing focus group interviews (Clinical Trials Number: NCT03440827). The study was a prospective, interventional, non-comparative, multicentre study performed in four expert centres for vascular anomalies. Qualitative data about personal experiences, feelings, difficulties, needs and various factors influencing behaviours were collected. Theme-based content analysis (manual and specialist textural software guided) were used to analyse the verbatim transcripts of all focus group sessions. Manual qualitative discourse analysis was performed to identify the different themes and categories. Informatics' analyses were subsequently performed for each individual category. RESULTS: Ten focus groups (26 individuals including 10 children aged 11 to 15 years) were conducted until saturation. Influencing factors were related to 4 categories: medical care, self-image, social impact on daily activities and challenging social relationships. These factors were responsible for intrafamily upheavals and may lead to future identity-building problems. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an essential framework from which physicians can develop strategies to improve patient care and quality of life. These data may also be useful to develop specific age-sensitive QoL questionnaires.

Acute acral eruptions in children during the COVID-19 pandemic: Characteristics of 103 children and their family clusters.

BACKGROUND: A marked increase in frequency of acute acral eruptions (AAE) was observed in children during the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring period. OBJECTIVES: In this observational multicenter study, based on children with AAE, we aimed to assess the proportion of household members possibly infected by SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: We collected data from all children observed with AAE, prospectively from April 7, 2020 to June 22, 2020, and retrospectively since February 28, 2020. The primary outcome was the household infection rate, defined as the proportion of family clusters having at least one member with COVID-19 infection other than the child with AAE ("index child"). The definition of a case was based on characteristic clinical signs and a positive PCR or serology. RESULTS: The study included 103 children in 10 French departments and in Quebec. The median age was 13 years and the interquartile range [8-15], with a female-to-male ratio of 1/1.15. In children with AAE, all PCR tests were negative (n=18), and serology was positive in 2/14 (14.3%) cases. We found no significant anomalies in the lab results. A total of 66 of the 103 families (64.1%) of included children had at least one other infected member apart from the index child. The total number of household members was 292, of whom 119 (40.8%) were considered possibly infected by SARS-CoV-2. No index children or households exhibited severe COVID-19. DISCUSSION: Among the 103 households included, 64.1% had at least one infected member. Neither children with AAE nor their households showed severe COVID-19.

Most chilblains observed during the COVID-19 outbreak occur in patients who are negative for COVID-19 on polymerase chain reaction and serology testing.

BACKGROUND: Acral lesions, mainly chilblains, are the most frequently reported cutaneous lesions associated with COVID-19. In more than 80% of patients tested, nasopharyngeal swabs were negative on reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 when performed, and serology was generally not performed. METHODS: A national survey was launched on 30 March 2020 by the French Society of Dermatology asking physicians to report cases of skin manifestations in patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 by using a standardized questionnaire. We report the results for acral manifestations. RESULTS: We collected 311 cases of acral manifestations [58.5% women, median age 25.7 years (range 18-39)]. The most frequent clinical presentation (65%) was typical chilblains. In total, 93 cases (30%) showed clinical suspicion of COVID-19, 67 (22%) had only less specific infectious symptoms and 151 (49%) had no clinical signs preceding or during the course of acral lesions. Histology of skin biopsies was consistent with chilblains. Overall, 12 patients showed significant immunological abnormalities. Of the 150 (48%) patients who were tested, 10 patients were positive. Seven of 121 (6%) RT-PCR-tested patients were positive for SARS-CoV-2, and five of 75 (7%) serology-tested patients had IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2. Tested/untested patients or those with/without confirmed COVID-19 did not differ in age, sex, history or acral lesion clinical characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this survey do not rule out that SARS-CoV-2 could be directly responsible for some cases of chilblains, but we found no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the large majority of patients with acral lesions during the COVID-19 lockdown period in France. What is already known about this topic? About 1000 cases of acral lesions, mainly chilblains, were reported during the COVID-19 outbreak. Chilblains were reported to occur in young people within 2 weeks of infectious signs, which were mild when present. Most cases did not have COVID-19 confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and few serology results were available. What does this study add? Among 311 patients with acral lesions, mainly chilblains, during the COVID-19 lockdown period in France, the majority of patients tested had no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Overall, 70 of 75 patients were seronegative for SARS-Cov-2 serology and 114 of 121 patients were negative for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR.

TREatment of ATopic eczema (TREAT) Registry Taskforce: protocol for a European safety study of dupilumab and other systemic therapies in patients with atopic eczema.

BACKGROUND: A long-term prospective observational safety study is essential to characterize fully the safety profile of systemic immunomodulating therapies for patients with atopic eczema. The TREatment of ATopic eczema (TREAT) Registry Taskforce offers a large platform to conduct such research using national registries that collect the same data using a predefined core dataset. OBJECTIVES: To present a protocol for a safety study comparing dupilumab with other systemic immunomodulating therapies in children and adults with moderate-to-severe atopic eczema, to assess the long-term safety risk of these therapies in a routine clinical care setting. METHODS: We describe a registry-embedded international observational prospective cohort study. Adult and paediatric patients who start treatment with dupilumab or another systemic immunomodulating agent for their atopic eczema will be included. The primary end point is the incidence of malignancies (excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer) compared between the treatment groups. Secondary end points include other serious adverse events and adverse events of special interest, such as eye disorders and eosinophilia. CONCLUSIONS: This protocol delineates a safety study for dupilumab in adult and paediatric patients with atopic eczema, using a standardized methodological approach across several national registries. The protocol could also be used for other novel systemic immunomodulating therapies, and could provide licensing and reimbursement authorities, pharmaceutical companies and clinicians with safety evidence from a routine clinical care setting. What's already known about this topic? There is a need for long-term data on the safety of systemic immunomodulating therapies in patients with atopic eczema. Regulatory bodies, such as the European Medicines Agency, increasingly stipulate the collection of such data as part of the licensing agreement for new treatments, to assess the new agent's long-term safety profile against established therapies. Large numbers of patients with a long duration of follow-up are necessary in order to detect rare events like malignancies. What does this study add? The TREAT Registry Taskforce offers a platform to conduct such research with a network of multiple national atopic eczema research registries. We present a protocol for an investigator-initiated multicentre safety study comparing dupilumab with other systemic immunomodulating therapies in adults and subsequently adolescents and children with moderate-to-severe atopic eczema. This protocol can be used as a framework for similar studies for other novel systemic immunomodulating therapies across both adult and paediatric populations.

The patient-reported disease burden in adults with atopic dermatitis: a cross-sectional study in Europe and Canada.

BACKGROUND: Cross-sectional data on patient burden in adults with atopic dermatitis (AD) from real-world clinical practice are limited. OBJECTIVE: This study compared patient-reported burden associated with adult AD across severity levels from clinical practices in Canada and Europe. METHODS: This study included adults (18-65 years) diagnosed with AD by dermatologists, general practitioners or allergists. Participants categorized as mild (n = 547; 37.3%), moderate (n = 520; 35.4%) or severe (n = 400; 27.3%) based on Investigator's Global Assessment completed a questionnaire that included pruritus and pain numerical rating scales, Patient-Oriented-Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (PO-SCORAD) itch and sleep visual analogue scales, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Participants were also stratified by inadequate efficacy/intolerance/contraindication to cyclosporine [Cyclo; n = 62 (4 mild, 18 moderate, 40 severe)] and any systemic immunomodulatory agent [IMM; n = 104 (13 mild, 31 moderate, 60 severe)] and compared with the severe group excluding participants identified as Cyclo/IMM. RESULTS: Age was similar across severity groups; the proportion of women was higher in the mild group relative to severe (61.2% vs. 50.5%; P < 0.001). Compared with moderate and mild, participants with severe AD had more comorbidities, higher itch and pain severity, worse sleep and higher levels of anxiety and depression (all P < 0.001). Mean ± SD DLQI score among participants with severe AD (16.2 ± 6.9) showed a large effect on quality of life that was higher than those with moderate (10.2 ± 6.3) and mild (5.5 ± 4.9) (both P < 0.001). The burden among Cyclo and IMM subgroups was generally similar to that of participants with severe AD. CONCLUSIONS: Adults with AD reported a substantial burden across multiple domains that was significantly higher in those with severe disease. The burden among participants in the Cyclo/IMM subgroups was similar to those with severe AD.

ETFAD/EADV Eczema task force 2020 position paper on diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis in adults and children.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a highly pruritic, chronic inflammatory skin disease. The diagnosis is made using evaluated clinical criteria. Disease activity and burden are best measured with a composite score, assessing both objective and subjective symptoms, such as SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD). AD management must take into account clinical and pathogenic variabilities, the patient's age and also target flare prevention. Basic therapy includes hydrating and barrier-stabilizing topical treatment universally applied, as well as avoiding specific and unspecific provocation factors. Visible skin lesions are treated with anti-inflammatory topical agents such as corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors (tacrolimus and pimecrolimus), which are preferred in sensitive locations. Topical tacrolimus and some mid-potency corticosteroids are proven agents for proactive therapy, which is defined as the long-term intermittent anti-inflammatory therapy of frequently relapsing skin areas. Systemic anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive treatment is a rapidly changing field requiring monitoring. Oral corticosteroids have a largely unfavourable benefit-risk ratio. The IL-4R-blocker dupilumab is a safe, effective and licensed, but expensive, treatment option with potential ocular side-effects. Other biologicals targeting key pathways in the atopic immune response, as well as different Janus kinase inhibitors, are among emerging treatment options. Dysbalanced microbial colonization and infection may induce disease exacerbation and can justify additional antimicrobial treatment. Systemic antihistamines (H1R-blockers) only have limited effects on AD-related itch and eczema lesions. Adjuvant therapy includes UV irradiation, preferably narrowband UVB or UVA1. Coal tar may be useful for atopic hand and foot eczema. Dietary recommendations should be patient-specific, and elimination diets should only be advised in case of proven food allergy. Allergen-specific immunotherapy to aeroallergens may be useful in selected cases. Psychosomatic counselling is recommended to address stress-induced exacerbations. Efficacy-proven 'Eczema school' educational programmes and therapeutic patient education are recommended for both children and adults.

[Cervicofacial nontuberculous mycobacteria in children: Clinical, microbiological and therapeutic features. A retrospective study and literature review]. / Adénites cervico-faciales à mycobactéries atypiques de l'enfant : caractéristiques cliniques, microbiologiques et thérapeutiques. Étude rétrospective et revue de la littérature.

BACKGROUND: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is a common cause of lymphadenitis. A rise in incidence has been reported. Our main aim was to describe the clinical features, microbiological aspects and treatment of the disease. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, monocentric study between January 2008 and December 2017 (University Hospital of Nantes). INCLUSION CRITERIA: age<18 years, 1 positive lymph node specimen with identification of the species in culture, head-and-neck localization. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients were enrolled from 2008 to 2017. Median age was 28 months (range: 6-141 months). Median time to confirmation of diagnosis was 2.1 months (range: 0.7-6 months). The sites encountered were mandibular (45%), cervical (33%), and parotid (16%). The main clinical signs were a tender nodule (70%), purplish nodule (59%) or painless nodule (83%), without fever (88%). The species identified were: Mycobacterium avium (n=26), M. lentiflavum (n=13), M. intracellulare (n=7), M. malmoense (n=2) and M. scrofulaceum (n=1). Antibiotic treatment was frequent (77% of cases). DISCUSSION: This study is the second largest French cohort of NTM lymphadenitis in children with microbiological confirmation. The most frequent presentation was a tender, purplish, and painless mandibular nodule. The predominant species was M. avium. M. lentiflavum, which emerged during our study, does not figure in any European studies before 2014 but appears in the most recent studies. The effects of discontinuation of mandatory BCG immunization in France in NMT is not statistically demonstrable here due to lack of relevant data prior to 2007. CONCLUSION: A possible diagnosis of NTM lymphadenitis should not be overlooked in children presenting painless, purplish, cervicofacial tumefaction.

[Use of simulation in healthcare for therapeutic training of the parents of children with hereditary angioedema]. / Utilisation de la simulation en santé pour l'éducation thérapeutique des parents d'enfants souffrant d'un angio-œdème héréditaire.

BACKGROUND: C1INH-deficiency hereditary angioedema (HAE) is characterized by recurrent episodes of potentially severe oedema. Icatibant for SC injection will soon be approved for use in children and it is necessary to train parents in recognising severe episodes of AOH and in the technique for injection of icatibant. Simulation in healthcare (SH) is a set of educational methods for improving skills in a safe environment. We wished to assess the feasibility of a therapeutic training session (TTS) involving scripted scenarios for the parents of children with HAE. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The TTS session included pre- and post-training testing on AOH, two scenarios (calling emergency services for lingual AO; gastrointestinal AO) involving actors and a volunteer parent, a workshop for learning the SC injection technique, and a satisfaction questionnaire. We analysed the answers on the questionnaire and noted down parents' verbatim observations during debriefing sessions. RESULTS: Eight parents from 5 families took part in this session. Parents rated their overall satisfaction as 9.3/10. The parents commented that during the simulations, they felt "in the thick of it" and that they "experienced stress while viewing the scenes", thus attesting to the realism and relevance of the simulated scenarios. DISCUSSION: This session met the parents' expectations in terms of being able to cope and having adequate know-how, based on both the simulations and the level of knowledge acquired. The main limitation lay in the parents' difficulty in confronting certain situations reminiscent of traumatic past experiences. TTS shares many common features with SH for the parents of sick children. The place of the latter in TTS must be evaluated.