Oral vs. topical minoxidil in patients with androgenetic alopecia
A study published in the International Journal of Dermatology assessed the outcomes of treatment with oral versus topical minoxidil in patients with androgenetic alopecia. There were no significant differences in hair density or diameter between the two groups; however, the incidence of hypertrichosis was significantly higher in the group receiving oral minoxidil. The rates of other adverse effects, including hypotension, were comparable between the two groups. The authors concluded that topical minoxidil may be as effective as oral minoxidil; however, patient adherence must be considered when considering topical versus oral therapy.
Is there a risk of pericardial effusions in patients with alopecia on low-dose oral minoxidil? Read more.
DermWorld Insights and Inquiries: Becoming ‘sensitized’ to the clinical utility of the term “urticarial dermatitis” (a subtype of the dermal hypersensitivity reaction pattern)
I suspect many of us have been confounded when confronted with a patient presenting with cutaneous findings suggestive of a “dermal hypersensitivity reaction.” What is the cause? How should it be evaluated and treated? What do we tell our patients? In 2002, Maxwell Fung, MD, explored this concept, noting that “dermal hypersensitivity reaction” was not clinically useful and that a better histopathologic term was “dermal hypersensitivity reaction pattern,” which informs clinicians of a distinctive pattern of microscopic findings that can be observed in a variety of pruritic dermatoses with similar clinical features. Keep reading!
Efficacy of hyperpigmentation treatments
Authors of a study published in Archives of Dermatological Research evaluated the efficacy of formulations used in clinical trials for treating hyperpigmentation, including melasma and photoaging. Formulations assessed in the meta-analysis are Ziziphus jujuba (Z. jujuba) syrup, Amorphophallus konjac (A. konjac) capsules, herbal mixture cream, cysteamine cream, 4-hexyl-1,3-phenylenediol lotion, lignin peroxidase cream, and 0.1% tretinoin cream. The tretinoin cream showed the lowest effect size while A. konjac capsules showed the highest effect size.
An article published in the British Journal of Dermatology assessed the safety and efficacy of upadacitinib versus dupilumab in adult and adolescent patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. The patients were randomized to receive upadacitinib or dupilumab for 16 weeks. Treatment with upadacitinib was associated with superior efficacy in terms of achieving an Eczema Area and Severity Index–90 response and a Worst Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale 0/1 response at week 16 compared to treatment with dupilumab. The authors concluded that treatment with upadacitinib was superior to treatment with dupilumab in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis when based on the achievement of near-complete skin clearance and little to no itch at week 16.
Abrocitinib efficacy after switching from dupilumab. Read more.
Spironolactone: Quality, reliability of TikTok videos
Authors of a study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology evaluated the quality and reliability of the most-viewed TikTok videos about spironolactone. Of the top 50 videos, 39 were patient testimonials (78%), 10 were educational (20%), and 1 was a documentary (2%). Eight of the 10 educational videos were made by dermatologists.
Educational videos had the highest average number of views, although the range of views varied greatly, followed by documentaries, and then testimonial videos. Educational videos, eight out of 10 of which were made by dermatologists, had the highest quality and reliability. The authors found that the top 50 spironolactone videos had overall poor reliability and quality.
Experts discuss TikTok’s potential as a tool for public health engagement and education, as well as tips on how to navigate the platform. Read more.
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