Dermatologic therapy
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Oral lichenoid reactions represent a common end point in response to extrinsic agents (drugs, allergens), altered self-antigens, or superantigens. Oral lichen planus, a common and under-recognized inflammatory disorder, shares many clinical and histopathological features with oral lichenoid drug reaction and oral lichenoid contact reaction. Clinical presentation can vary from asymptomatic white reticular striae to painful erythema and erosions. ⋯ Delay in diagnosis of extraoral mucocutaneous lichen planus (LP) results in conjunctival scarring; vaginal stenosis; vulvar destruction; and stricture of the esophagus, urethra, and external auditory meatus. Although the etiology of LP is idiopathic, oral lichenoid reactions may be caused by medications or exogenous agents such as cinnamates and other flavorings. The clinical features, evaluation, and management of these oral lichenoid reactions are discussed.
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Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory, immune-mediated skin disease that is frequently associated with comorbidities including psoriatic arthropathy, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, and cardio-metabolic disorders. In particular, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease affects about half of patients, Crohn's disease 0.5% and celiac disease 0.2-4.3% of patients with psoriasis. ⋯ In particular, traditional systemic antipsoriatic agents could negatively affect cardio-metabolic comorbidities as well as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and may have important interactions with drugs commonly used by psoriasis patients. Moreover, patients with psoriasis should be encouraged to drastically correct their modifiable cardiovascular and liver risk factors, in particular obesity, alcohol consumption, and smoking habit, because this could positively affect both psoriasis and their life expectance.
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Dermatologic therapy · Jan 2010
Case ReportsTherapeutic Hotline: Topical glycopyrrolate: a successful treatment for craniofacial hyperhidrosis and eccrine hidrocystomas.
Eccrine hidrocystoma is a benign tumor derived from eccrine sudoriparous glands. Most eccrine hidrocystomas are solitary and asymptomatic lesions. Multiple hidrocystomas are unusual and have been associated with Graves' disease, Parkinson's disease, and idiopathic craniofacial hyperhidrosis. ⋯ The present authors obtained a very significant improvement without leaving any trace of clinical examination. Multiple eccrine hidrocystomas are a rare condition and, to date, no effective treatment has been reported. Topical glycopyrrolate is a very good first-line treatment option.
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Dermatologic therapy · Nov 2009
Case ReportsTreatment of erythrodermic psoriasis in HCV+ patient with adalimumab.
Erythrodermic psoriasis is a severe and disabling variant of psoriasis. The authors present the case of a 48-year-old man with psoriasis and hemophilia presented with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection treated with pegylated interferon alpha-2a and ribavirin therapy. ⋯ The authors decided to start biological therapy with induction dose of adalimumab (Humira, Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Chicago, IL) 80 mg at Week 0 and 40 mg weekly. In our case, this resulted in a highly effective and safe treatment.
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Dermatologic therapy · Sep 2009
ReviewLong-term efficacy of biologics in the treatment of psoriasis: what do we really know?
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition that often requires life-long treatment. Conventional therapies have not fully met the needs of psoriatic patients, because of limited efficacy, adverse effects with cumulative use, and patient inconvenience. ⋯ In this review, we will focus on the available long-term data on the efficacy of the biologic agents. We will emphasize the strengths and weakness of the available data of the biologic agents that are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis (alefacept, efalizumab,* etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab), with the inclusion of a newer agent currently under FDA evaluation (ustekinumab).