According to a study published in theEuropean Journal of Dermatology, atopic dermatitis patients experienced improvement in symptoms after receiving selected probiotic strains. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study included 80 patients with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis who were assigned to an active group or placebo group.
The active group received a supplement containing a probiotic mix of 1×109 CFU L. plantarum PBS067, 1×109 CFU L. reuteri PBS072 and 1×109 CFU L. rhamnosus LRH020, 26 mg corn starch, and 1 mg vegetable magnesium stearate. The placebo group received a daily capsule of 99 mg corn starch and 1 mg vegetable magnesium stearate. While the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis index improved in both groups, the supplement group had a significant and progressive decrease in SCORAD index, which continued for one month after the supplement was discontinued. Skin smoothness and skin moisturization indexes were also significantly improved in the treatment group.
DermWorld Insights and Inquiries: Keeping abreast of drug-induced cutaneous lupus
Tom Hanks, as Commander Jim Lovell in the movie Apollo 13, lamented that the world was not watching their onboard video, compared to Neil Armstrong’s moon landing a year earlier. Reality dictates that the seminal breakthroughs demand attention; in the case of drug-induced cutaneous lupus, medical dermatologists took notice in 1985 when Reed et al reported the association of hydrochlorothiazide with subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) in five patients.
Over the past 35 years, more than 40 drugs have been implicated as triggers of SCLE, most notably terbinafine, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, tumor necrosis factor- alpha inhibitors, and chemotherapeutic agents. While new associations may not generate “buzz,” when a class of agents starts to be increasingly reported with cutaneous lupus, dermatologists must take notice, as such associations may further understanding of the pathophysiology of lupus itself. This commentary will focus on recent reports of cutaneous lupus with CDK4/6 inhibitors. Keep reading!
From mentoring LGBT dermatologists, to caring for HIV patients, GALDA looks back on its 40-year journey
In the wake of the 40th anniversary of the onset of the HIV epidemic, DermWorld Weekly talks to Harold Brody, MD, FAAD, co-chair of the Board of Directors of another organization marking its 40th anniversary — the Gay and Lesbian Dermatology Association (GALDA, which represents the LGBTQ+ community). Read the interview with Dr. Brody.
FDA approves treatment for adult dermatomyositis
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved intravenous immunoglobulin Octagam 10% for the treatment of adult dermatomyositis. Octagam 10% was effective in 78.7% of patients with dermatomyositis during an initial 16-week double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. During a 24-week, open-label extension, patients who switched from placebo to the active group experienced a similar response rate at week 40.
Read about how advances in disease pathogenesis and treatments offer new promise for patients with connective tissue disease inDermWorld.
At AAD VMX 2021, results of an Academy Teledermatology Task Force Survey indicated that a majority of dermatologists (70%) believe telemedicine will remain part of dermatology practice after the COVID-19 pandemic, however, there are still concerns regarding its widespread usage, as only 58% of dermatologists said they intend to continue using it.
Only 14% of the nearly 600 respondents had reported using teledermatology before the pandemic, with the current rate at 97%. Barriers to teledermatology implementation included issues with technology (39%), low reimbursement (69.8%), and government regulations (32.3%). Of note in the survey was that more than 85% of respondents reported that reimbursement for store-and-forward teledermatology was too low.
Though teledermatology has proven extremely useful during the pandemic, some lessons are counterintuitive. “Telemedicine certainly expands access to care, but some disparities can be exacerbated given unequal access to the required technology,” said Jules Lipoff, MD, FAAD, assistant professor of clinical dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and a presenter at the 2021 AAD VMX.
“Further, changes in government policies led to increased payment for the use of video visits, yet the existing research most strongly supports sharing stored digital photographs, which did not receive any improved reimbursement. We may be missing an opportunity to improve care access and efficiency,” he noted.
Read more about how the pandemic transformed health care delivery inDermWorld.
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