Thank you, Alex
From the Editor
Dr. Schwarzenberger is the former physician editor of DermWorld.
By Kathryn Schwarzenberger, MD, December 1, 2020
We end 2020 on a bittersweet note: Eight years and 96 columns later, Dr. Alex Miller ends his incredible run as author of our all-time, most popular column Cracking the Code. Each month, Alex has provided us with useful information to help us navigate the coding morass, ensuring we are compensated for the work we do, and avoiding compliance disasters. Without fail, his well-written manuscript has arrived on time and perfectly on target. It’s hard to imagine how many hours of time he has devoted to this effort, and some of you may not realize that Alex has received no compensation for his many hours of work beyond a handshake and our sincere appreciation. Alex, your work has been invaluable to all of us, and we hope you find something enjoyable to do in all the spare time you may suddenly have! You will be missed, and we welcome you back as a guest columnist any time!
Alex personifies the spirit of so many engaged AAD members who give countless hours of their time to our diverse organizational activities. Several of them contributed to this issue of DermWorld — my awesome editorial workgroup, who search the literature throughout the year, distilling important bits of information you may not want to miss. And, of course, Dr. Warren Heymann’s thoughtful and beautifully worded insights are always appreciated. Our magazine and, indeed, our organization would not exist without the dedicated participation of our members, as well as the AMAZING staff we have in both our Rosemont and D.C. offices. It is a privilege to work with all of you!
We close the year with some very entertaining and informative features! In a previous column, I mentioned dogs with atopic dermatitis on JAK inhibitors. This month, DermWorld Assistant Editor Emily Margosian delves more deeply into the world of canine atopic dermatitis. Her conversations with several veterinary dermatologists reveal some fascinating similarities, and some interesting differences, between their, versus our, management of atopic dermatitis. In some respects, veterinary medicine leads the way with medications not yet (or not readily) available for humans, including JAK inhibitors for AD and IL-31 inhibitors for itch. Their discussion of their approach to treatment reminds us of the importance of tailoring therapies to each individual patient; the triamcinolone ointment I give my AD patients would make a huge mess on my dog, but at least most of my patients don’t eat it!
Following up on our discussion last month of diet and the skin, and just in time for the holidays, DermWorld Assistant Managing Editor Allison Evans explores the link between stress and skin conditions. This seems like another area in which we know a lot, but still have a lot to learn. Clearly, many of our patients believe that stress affects their skin, and I suspect that at least some of you have experienced the same stress-induced telogen effluvium in the past few months that I have! See where we are in our understanding of the link in this informative and very interesting article.
We wrap up our features this month with a timely piece from contributing writer, Jan Bowers, about the role of climate change on our patients. I was encouraged to see that the vast majority of dermatologists surveyed recently by the International Society of Dermatology agree that climate change is occurring and almost as many believe that these changes will impact the incidence of skin diseases in their areas. The question I pose to all of you is: What are you going to do about it? A New Year’s resolution, perhaps?
I wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season!
