Generalized verrucosis: a review of the associated diseases, evaluation, and treatments.

Generalized verrucosis has been described in the past as synonymous with epidermodysplasia verruciformis. It has been shown, however, that epidermodysplasia verruciformis and other genetic or immunodeficiency diseases are just a subset of diffuse infections with human papillomavirus termed "generalized verrucosis." This article defines generalized verrucosis and distinct diseases associated with generalized warts. The indications for histopathologic testing, human papillomavirus typing, and other laboratory analyses and potential treatment options are discussed.

Brighter eyes: combined upper cheek and tear trough augmentation: a systematic approach utilizing two complementary hyaluronic acid fillers.

Non-surgical rejuvenation of the periorbital-cheek complex can be effectively and safely accomplished using a combination of two hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers with distinct viscosities. We present a series of 21 patients with mild to moderate tear trough deformities who were treated with concomitant injection of two dermal fillers (Restylane® and Perlane®). Procedural technique entailed micro-depot injections of the finer viscosity HA into the sub-muscular plane along the orbital rim followed by manual massage. Secondly, injections of the thicker, more firm HA were placed in the sub-muscular and/or deep dermal spaces in the upper malar and lateral zygomatic areas and in the medial aspect of the temporal fossa. On average 0.5 mL Restylane and 0.5 mL Perlane were used per side. Statistically significant improvement in modified Wrinkle Severity Rating Scale scores was seen at 20 weeks. Overall improvement in modified Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale scores occurred in 20 out of 21 patients. Mean patient satisfaction scores increased by 2 grades relative to baseline. Patients' self-reported overall mean improvement was 2.23, indicating moderate (26% to 50%) to good (51% to 75%) improvement. Side effects were limited to transient bruising and swelling. No patients required dissolution of injectant with hyaluronidase. Overall, this combination filler procedure was found to produce both statistically significant and clinically apparent improvement and was associated with an extremely high degree of patient satisfaction.

Clearance of nasal Staphylococcus aureus colonization with triple antibiotic ointment.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus colonization of healthcare workers is reported at 30%, with colonization rates for methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) reported between 2.0% and 8.5% among industrialized nations. The anterior nares are the most frequent colonization site. Mupirocin is the standard of care for nasal S aureus decolonization, with decolonization rates as high as 90%. Staphyloccocal resistance to mupirocin has been described, requiring additional management strategies. In certain situations, triple antibiotic ointment (TAO) may be a suitable alternative for elimination of nasal S aureus colonization. OBSERVATIONS: Adult healthcare workers within an academic-centered hospital (n=216) were screened via nasal swab with culture for S aureus colonization. Forty-!ve subjects (20.8%) screened positive for S aureus; of these subjects, 3 (1.4%) were positive for MRSA. Of the 45 subjects with positive cultures, 30 completed 5 days of twice-daily intranasal TAO application. One week after treatment, all 30 subjects were reswabbed; 16 (53.3%) showed evidence of decolonization on repeat culture. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of S aureus colonization of healthcare workers in our study is lower than published rates in industrialized nations. Intranasal application of TAO may be a viable option for eradication of nasal colonization by methicillin-susceptible S aureus in environments where mupirocin-resistant bacterial strains become more prevalent.

Diagnostic utility of low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor (P 75) immunostaining in atypical fibroxanthoma.

BACKGROUND: Atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) is a locally destructive, dermal-based, fibrohistiocytic, mesenchymal tumor. Immunohistochemistry helps to differentiate AFX from squamous cell carcinoma and spindle cell melanoma. Immunomarkers against p75 yield positive stains in spindled cell melanomas and negative stains in AFX, suggesting that these may be useful in differentiating these two entities. However, a recent study concluded that p75 is not a specific marker of neuroectodermal tumors; furthermore, p75 staining in AFX has only been evaluated in a few cases. METHODS: We stained 20 AFXs for p75 and various other markers. RESULTS: Reactivity was noted for vimentin (20 of 20 cases), CD10 (17/20), CD68 (14/20), CD99 (13/20), D2-40 (10/20) and p75 (1/20). CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed that CD99 and CD10 are frequently expressed in AFX (65 and 85%, respectively) and that CD31 rarely stains positive (5%). The 50% positivity rate of D2-40, in contrast with published evidence for its absence in melanoma, suggests that D2-40 may be useful for distinguishing AFX from melanoma. Furthermore, because only one sample was positive for p75, we confirm that p75 is useful in differentiating AFX from spindle cell melanoma. We advocate adding p75 and D2-40 to assist in differentiating AFX from melanoma.

Positive staining of tumor-stage Kaposi sarcoma with lymphatic marker D2-40.

BACKGROUND: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a vascular tumor first described by Moritz Kaposi (Kohn) in 1872 and recently linked to human herpesvirus 8. All forms of KS share the same pathologic features, including atypical spindle cells and slitlike vascular spaces. The exact origin of the neoplastic endothelial cells (vascular vs lymphatic) has recently been debated. OBJECTIVE: We sought to further investigate the origin of neoplastic cells in KS. METHODS: D2-40, a novel monoclonal antibody to a sialoglycoprotein that reacts with a fixation-resistant epitope in lymphatic endothelium, was used to investigate possible lymphatic origin of neoplastic cells in KS. RESULTS: We report 5 cases of tumor-stage KS that showed positive staining with lymphatic marker D2-40. LIMITATIONS: Small study size is a limitation. CONCLUSION: The origin of neoplastic cells in KS may be lymphatic or mixed lymphatic and vascular. Further studies are needed to elucidate the exact origin of neoplastic cells in KS.

Viral-associated nonmelanoma skin cancers: a review.

Nonmelanoma skin cancers are the most common malignancies in the United States, with over 1.3 million patients diagnosed yearly. Several types of nonmelanoma skin cancer and precancerous lesions have an associated viral pathogenesis, including epidermodysplasia verruciformis, verrucous carcinoma, bowenoid papulosis, Kaposi sarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and, most recently, Merkel cell carcinoma. It is now widely accepted that high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) play a key role in pathogenesis of cervical and anogenital cancer. Currently, 108 types of HPV have been discovered. They can be divided into genera including alpha, beta, and gamma HPVs, which comprise the majority of cutaneous HPVs. The relationship between viruses and cancer is a popular focus of research in an era of AIDS and organ transplantation, where immunosuppression is not uncommon. The incidence of viral-related malignancies in these populations is increasing. Because of the widespread nature of these cutaneous malignancies, an evaluation of these conditions is valuable. This review of the literature will focus on the histologic aspects of viral-associated skin malignancies, as well as the epidemiology, etiology, and clinical aspects of these diseases.

Effects of gender on physiological responses during submaximal exercise and recovery.

PURPOSE: This investigation was conducted to compare the physiological responses of men and women, both during and following an exercise bout at the same relative submaximal intensity. METHODS: Ten untrained men (20.7+/-0.5 yr, 178.4+/-2.3 cm, 79.6+/-4.8 kg; mean+/-SE) and 10 untrained women (20.3+/-0.3 yr, 163.8+/-2.2 cm, 59.5+/-2.1 kg) cycled for 30 min at 60-65% of their predetermined peak oxygen uptake. Physiological variables were measured before exercise, at 15 and 30 min of exercise, and at 5 and 15 min postexercise. For each variable of interest, a two-way repeated-measures of analysis was used to assess the main effects of gender and time, along with potential interactive effects. RESULTS: Our data revealed that for many variables including HR, relative HR (% peak value), mean arterial pressure, and rectal temperature, men and women responded similarly both during exercise and throughout the recovery period. In contrast, significant (P

Correlation of Inflammation in Frozen Sections With Site of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer.

IMPORTANCE: During Mohs micrographic surgery of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), inflammation in histologic frozen sections has been found to occasionally presage the detection of tumors in frozen sections of adjacent excision specimens. OBJECTIVE: To quantify the correlation between the location of inflammation without visible tumor in histologic frozen sections and the location of subsequently detected NMSC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A retrospective cohort study of 3148 cases pertaining to frozen sections associated with the staged excision of NMSC was performed from September 8, 2008, to September 18, 2009, at an urban academic medical center, with the collected data analyzed on May 9, 2013. EXPOSURES: Consecutive cases of Mohs micrographic surgery performed at an academic medical center. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: For each wedge-shaped tissue segment corresponding with 1 hour of time on a clock face, the proportion of patients with inflammation at the source location of the segment who subsequently had a tumor at this same location; the proportion of patients who had neither inflammation nor subsequent tumor at the source location of the segment; the probability of subsequent tumor at this location given the prior finding of inflammation at the same location; and the probability that a location was without tumor in the absence of preexisting inflammation at that location. RESULTS: Of the medical records of 3148 cases of NMSC that were reviewed, 60 showed inflammation in histologic frozen sections from an excision specimen that was followed by tumor in the subsequent excision specimen. Of these 60, 39 (65%) were b asal cel carcinoma and 21 (35%) were squamous cell carcinomas; 53 (88%) were Mohs stage 1. In 7 of 12 segments, a significant positive correlation was found between the presence of inflammation and the presence of nearby tumor with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.196 to 0.384 (P < .05) . The probability that tumor was absent when inflammation was not seen at a particular location (ie, clock-face segment) in preceding sections from that location was 91%, with segment-specific probability values ranging from 82% to 96%. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: During Mohs micrographic surgery of NMSC with the examination of frozen sections, histologic inflammation is modestly predictive of adjacent tumor whereas lack of inflammation strongly predicts that no additional tumor will be found.

Treatment of lateral canthal rhytides with a medium depth chemical peel with or without pretreatment with onabotulinum toxin type A: a randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: Combination therapies used to treat the photoaged skin have become more popular as studies demonstrate greater efficacy and improved clinical outcomes compared to single treatment modalities. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of treating the lateral canthal rhytide complex with a Jessner's and 35% TCA peel with and without pretreatment with BTX-A. METHODS: Twenty-six subjects with Fitzpatrick skin types I -III were randomized to receive treatment of their lateral canthal rhytide complex with a Jessner's and 35% TCA peel with or without pretreatment with BTX-A. A single blinded dermatologist assigned a lateral canthal wrinkle score of subjects' at baseline and week 8-10. RESULTS: Comparison between the two treatment groups demonstrated that the group receiving combination treatment had significantly greater improvement in wrinkle reduction as compared to the group only receiving the chemical peel (P =0.002). In addition, there was no significant association between skin type and treatment groups (P = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that treating the lateral canthal rhytide complex with a combination of BTX-A followed by Jessner's and 35% TCA peel is more effective than chemical peel alone. These results are independent of skin type and demonstrate an additional treatment strategy for lateral canthal rhytides.

Treatment of keratosis pilaris with 810-nm diode laser: a randomized clinical trial.

IMPORTANCE: Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a common skin disorder of follicular prominence and erythema that typically affects the proximal extremities, can be disfiguring, and is often resistant to treatment. Shorter-wavelength vascular lasers have been used to reduce the associated erythema but not the textural irregularity. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the longer-wavelength 810-nm diode laser may be effective for treatment of KP, particularly the associated skin roughness/bumpiness and textural irregularity. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We performed a split-body, rater-blinded, parallel-group, balanced (1:1), placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial at a dermatology outpatient practice of an urban academic medical center from March 1 to October 1, 2011. We included all patients diagnosed as having KP on both arms and Fitzpatrick skin types I through III. Of the 26 patients who underwent screening, 23 met our enrollment criteria. Of these, 18 patients completed the study, 3 were lost to or unavailable for follow-up, and 2 withdrew owing to inflammatory hyperpigmentation after the laser treatment. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized to receive laser treatment on the right or left arm. Each patient received treatment with the 810-nm pulsed diode laser to the arm randomized to be the treatment site. Treatments were repeated twice, for a total of 3 treatment visits spaced 4 to 5 weeks apart. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was the difference in disease severity score, including redness and roughness/bumpiness, with each graded on a scale of 0 (least severe) to 3 (most severe), between the treated and control sites. Two blinded dermatologists rated the sites at 12 weeks after the initial visit. RESULTS: At follow-up, the median redness score reported by the 2 blinded raters for the treatment and control sides was 2.0 (interquartile range [IQR], 1-2; P = .11). The median roughness/bumpiness score was 1.0 (IQR, 1-2) for the treatment sides and 2.0 (IQR, 1-2) for the control sides, a difference of 1 (P = .004). The median overall score combining erythema and roughness/bumpiness was 3.0 (IQR, 2-4) for the treatment sides and 4.0 (IQR, 3-5) for the control sides, a difference of 1 (P = .005). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Three treatments with the 810-nm diode laser may induce significant improvements in skin texture and roughness/bumpiness in KP patients with Fitzpatrick skin types I through III, but baseline erythema is not improved. Complete treatment of erythema and texture in KP may require diode laser treatment combined with other laser or medical modalities that address redness. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01281644.

Treatment of forehead/glabellar rhytide complex with combination botulinum toxin a and hyaluronic acid versus botulinum toxin A injection alone: a split-face, rater-blinded, randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: Forehead and glabella rhytides are treated mostly with neurotoxins, although some practitioners prefer the concurrent use of fillers. It has been suggested that combination treatments can result in a better overall improvement. AIMS: To compare the safety and effectiveness of treatment of forehead and glabellar lines with botulinum toxin A alone versus botulinum toxin A and filler. METHODS: Split-face, randomized control trial. Twenty subjects with forehead/glabellar rhytide complex (static and dynamic creases) enrolled. Subjects were randomized and injected with botulinum toxin alone on one side of the forehead/glabella and hyaluronic acid filler followed by botulinum toxin on the other side. Blinded ratings were obtained to assess the effectiveness of treatment for static and dynamic rhytides, respectively, at 2-week, 6-week, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up visits. Subjects performed a self-evaluation at the end of the study. Adverse events were recorded. RESULTS: Ratings of both treatments showed comparable efficacy, with 100% of subjects experiencing improvement from baseline regardless of treatment type at weeks 2, 6, and 12. Combination treatment produced longer-lasting results in dynamic forehead wrinkles, and greater static and dynamic wrinkle reduction in the glabella at week 24. Subject self-evaluations showed that both treatments were effective, with a nominal preference for combination treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Glabella and forehead lines can be effectively and safely reduced with neurotoxin alone as well as neurotoxin in combination with fillers. Combination treatment may provide a slightly better cumulative benefit and also increase the persistence of effect.

Adverse events associated with mohs micrographic surgery: multicenter prospective cohort study of 20,821 cases at 23 centers.

IMPORTANCE: Detailed information regarding perioperative risk and adverse events associated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) can guide clinical management. Much of the data regarding complications of MMS are anecdotal or report findings from single centers or single events. OBJECTIVES: To quantify adverse events associated with MMS and detect differences relevant to safety. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Multicenter prospective inception cohort study of 21 private and 2 institutional US ambulatory referral centers for MMS. Participants were a consecutive sample of patients presenting with MMS for 35 weeks at each center, with staggered start times. EXPOSURE: Mohs micrographic surgery. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Intraoperative and postoperative minor and serious adverse events. RESULTS: Among 20 821 MMS procedures, 149 adverse events (0.72%), including 4 serious events (0.02%), and no deaths were reported. Common adverse events reported were infections (61.1%), dehiscence and partial or full necrosis (20.1%), and bleeding and hematoma (15.4%). Most bleeding and wound-healing complications occurred in patients receiving anticoagulation therapy. Use of some antiseptics and antibiotics and sterile gloves during MMS were associated with modest reduction of risk for adverse events. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Mohs micrographic surgery is safe, with a very low rate of adverse events, an exceedingly low rate of serious adverse events, and an undetectable mortality rate. Common complications include infections, followed by impaired wound healing and bleeding. Bleeding and wound-healing issues are often associated with preexisting anticoagulation therapy, which is nonetheless managed safely during MMS. We are not certain whether the small effects seen with the use of sterile gloves and antiseptics and antibiotics are clinically significant and whether wide-scale practice changes would be cost-effective given the small risk reductions.

Interaction of topical sulfacetamide and topical dapsone with benzoyl peroxide.

BACKGROUND: A recent study demonstrated evidence of a yellow-orange discoloration of the skin and hair when topical dapsone gel was combined with benzoyl peroxide. This phenomenon had previously been observed by one of us (A.B.F.) when sulfasalazine was combined with benzoyl peroxide. To investigate these interaction phenomena, topical dapsone gel and sulfacetamide sodium lotion were combined with various topical acne treatments, including benzoyl peroxides, clindamycin phosphate, and retinoids. OBSERVATIONS: Products containing benzoyl peroxide produced an orange-brown discoloration when mixed with either sulfacetamide or dapsone. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of the chemical reaction between benzoyl peroxide and sulfacetamide and dapsone will help minimize the occurrence of this interaction on our patients' skin.