Impact of Baricitinib on Patients' Quality of Life after One Year of Treatment for Atopic Dermatitis in Real-World Practice: Results of the Observatory of Chronic Inflammatory Skin Diseases Registry.

The efficacy and safety of baricitinib for treatment of atopic dermatitis have been demonstrated in clinical trials; however, very few real-life studies have been published to date. The Observatory of Chronic Inflammatory Skin Diseases (OMCCI) registry was initiated to prospectively determine the long-term impairment caused by chronic inflammatory dermatoses on patients' lives. The study included 88 patients starting baricitinib for treatment of atopic dermatitis. Clinical evaluation and patient-reported outcomes were recorded at baseline and after 6 and 12 months. After 6 months and 1 year of follow-up, 65 and 47 patients, respectively, were still being treated with baricitinib. Treatment failure was the main reason for discontinuation. Only 1 patient stopped baricitinib because of a side-effect. After 1 year of follow-up, the mean Eczema Area and Severity Index score decreased significantly from 20.7 to 6.4; the percentage of patients with severe atopic dermatitis decreased from 42.9% to 6.5% and a significant improvement in most patient-reported outcomes was noted. There was no difference in terms of efficacy whether or not patients were previously treated with dupilumab. The results remained stable after 6 and 12 months of treatment, which suggests a sustained efficacy of the treatment in patients who initially responded well.

Group A Streptococcal Vulvitis in Adult Women: Clinical Features and Association With Psoriasis.

OBJECTIVES: Group A streptococcus (GAS) vulvitis is rare, mainly reported in association with vaginitis. We examined the clinical features of GAS vulvitis in adults, the presence of other infected sites, and its association with dermatological conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical files and photographs of adult patients with bacteriologically confirmed GAS vulvitis seen at 3 private clinics. Coexisting infected sites, associated dermatological conditions, and bacteriological results for the husbands of 3 patients were examined. RESULTS: Nineteen patients (mean age = 52.2 [range = 23-83] years) with vulvar GAS infections were identified. The vulvar symptoms consisted of pain (11 cases), pruritus (9), burning (4), and discharge (10). The predominant physical feature was bilateral erythema, mainly located on the labia minora and the inner aspect of the labia majora. This erythema was associated with oozing (3), edema (6), or fissures (6). Seventeen patients had an associated vaginal infection, which was asymptomatic in 7 cases; anal infections were present in 9 cases. The following 10 patients had associated dermatological conditions: psoriasis (6), lichen sclerosus (2), Paget disease (1), or vitiligo (1). Two (one each from the throat and penis) of the 3 bacteriological specimens taken from the 3 husbands were GAS positive. CONCLUSIONS: In most adult women, GAS vulvitis is associated with a vaginal infection that may be asymptomatic. A bilateral, oozing, and edematous or fissured erythema involving the vulvar or anovulvar area is suggestive of GAS vulvitis. The association with psoriasis and the benefits of screening household members and sexual partners deserves further attention.

Development of monoclonal gammopathy under biotherapy in psoriasis: a French multicenter retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Biotherapies or targeted therapies are fairly new treatments indicated for moderate to severe psoriasis. The side effects appear to be mainly infectious or cancerous. The role of biotherapies in the development of a pre-cancerous condition, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), has recently been debated in the literature. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence of MGUS in psoriasis patients treated with biotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a French multicenter retrospective study carried out through the French multicenter study group RESOPSO. Data on the results of serum protein electrophoreses performed before and within at least six months after the start of the biotherapy were collected. Demographic data, medical history, and psoriasis treatment history were specified. RESULTS: Four hundred and forty three patients were eligible for inclusion. Of these, three presented with monoclonal gammopathy for which the assessment was in favor of MGUS. The average treatment period was 19.7 months. Six patients presented with MGUS prior to the treatment. These patients' immunoglobulin levels remained stable, with an average remission of 24 months. Only psoriatic rheumatism appeared to be statistically linked to MGUS. CONCLUSION: The incidence and frequency of MGUS in psoriasis patients treated with biotherapy do not appear to increase relative to the general population.