The Journal of dermatological treatment
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Biological drugs are large, complex glycoprotein molecules produced in living organisms. Revolutionary treatments for many conditions, biologics used in dermatology will face patent expiration, opening opportunities for competitive versions. Biologic drugs are so complex such that it is impossible to reproduce them exactly. ⋯ However, because biologics can never be replicated exactly, even innovator biologics have inherent batch-to-batch variability; when the second batch of innovator products were released, physicians began prescribing non-identical variants of biologics to their patients, accepting the possibility of variation in clinical effects. Unlike the variants in innovator products, biosimilars will provide clinical trial data demonstrating similar clinical effects, though there will always be some degree of uncertainty in how much clinical impact will be result from the variation in both innovator and biosimilar products. How biosimilars are approved and how we use biosimilars will need to balance considerations of cost and development time with the possibility of variation in biological response.
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Review Case Reports
Acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH): two cases successfully treated with adalimumab.
Acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH), also known as dermatitis repens or acrodermatitis perstans, is a rare acropustular eruption, characterized by sterile pustules, paronychia and atrophic skin changes, onychodystrophy and osteolysis of the distal phalanges of the fingers and toes. While some consider ACH a distinct entity, many believe it to be a variant of pustular psoriasis, especially as cases of ACH progressing to generalized pustular psoriasis. ⋯ Hereby, we report two patients with ACH who were successfully treated with adalimumab. By analogy to the efficacy of TNF-α antagonists in the treatment of generalized pustular psoriasis, the two patients we report illustrate the long-term efficacy and safety of adalimumab in the treatment of Hallopeau's acrodermatitis refractory to therapies.
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Comparative Study
Ablative fractional laser treatment for hypertrophic scars: comparison between Er:YAG and CO2 fractional lasers.
Nonablative fractional photothermolysis has been reported to show early promise in the treatment of hypertrophic scars, but there are few reports on ablative fractional photothermolysis for the treatment of hypertrophic scars. ⋯ CO2FL is a potentially effective and safe modality for the treatment of hypertrophic scars, particularly in terms of pliability.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Lidocaine/tetracaine peel in topical anesthesia prior to laser-assisted hair removal: Phase-II and Phase-III study results.
Patient comfort is essential during dermatologic procedures. ⋯ After a 30-min application, LT peel was effective and well-tolerated in providing anesthesia for laser-assisted hair removal.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparison of effects of 5 and 10 mg oral desloratadine and levocetirizine on histamine-induced wheal and flare response in healthy volunteers.
Levocetirizine and desloratadine are mostly used as H1-antihistamines in the treatment of allergic disease in 5 and 10 mg doses. ⋯ In this study, it was observed that levocetirizine 5 and 10 mg had a higher activity than desloratadine 5 and 10 mg.