A study published in JAAD examined the association between isotretinoin use and the risk of developing IBD, including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The results showed that there was no significant increase in the risk of either CD or UC in patients taking isotretinoin for less than one year. There could be an increased risk of either CD or UC in patients taking isotretinoin for one year or longer; however, this significance was not maintained through each statistical analysis. According to the authors, the results suggest that there does not appear to be a clinically significant increased risk of IBD in patients on isotretinoin, although it is still important to screen patients for symptoms, especially those taking the medication longer than one year.
DermWorld Insights and Inquiries: The pregnant pause in cutaneous lymphoma
I first met Anne when she was 30 years old and was experiencing a significant flare of her mycosis fungoides. She had already lived with the disease for 18 years having been diagnosed at the age of 12 having experienced several treatments including phototherapy, methotrexate, and interferon. She understood the chronic nature of her disease and the possibility of progression. Despite this knowledge, she, like many women her age, desired children and was plagued by the worry of possible harm to her unborn child because of her CTCL or the treatment she might receive if the disease progressed during pregnancy. As her physician, I was asked to provide pregnancy-safe treatment options but struggled with the paucity of referenced data available to offer her. Keep reading!
Hydroxychloroquine in patients with lichen sclerosus
A retrospective study published in the International Journal of Dermatology assessed data from 70 patients with lichen sclerosus who were treated with hydroxychloroquine. The hydroxychloroquine treatment response rate for anogenital lichen sclerosus was 84.6% compared with only 50% for extragenital lichen sclerosus. The adverse effects were predominantly mild and were noted in 14.3% of patients. According to the authors, hydroxychloroquine is a treatment option for patients with anogenital lichen sclerosus, given the disease improvements and few adverse effects.
Abrocitinib vs. dupilumab drug survival for atopic dermatitis
According to an article published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, abrocitinib had a significantly higher drug survival rate compared to dupilumab when treating patients with atopic dermatitis. Although, the authors note, there are certain benefits to choosing dupilumab. 102 subjects were treated with dupilumab and 95 were given abrocitinib, with the former cohort being given an initial 600 mg subcutaneous loading dose followed by 300 mg injections every two weeks. At the same time, the research team provided abrocitinib with a dose at either 100 mg or 200 mg per day, depending on the severity of the disease along with BMI.
Abrocitinib therapy’s rate of survival was significantly higher (80%) versus dupilumab therapy (49.02%). Among the subjects treated with abrocitinib, those in the 200 mg arm of the study were noted as having a higher rate of survival than the 100 mg arm (86.67% vs. 78.75%). Among those given dupilumab, the rates identified by the investigators were 38.98% and 55.81%, respectively.
Dermatologists discuss the influx of new JAK inhibitors in dermatology and how they are breaking new ground for the specialty. Read more.
PRAME immunohistochemistry in differentiating melanoma in situ and dysplastic nevus in non-acral nevus–associated melanoma in situ
A study published in The Journal of Cutaneous Pathology investigated the utility of preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) immunohistochemistry in differentiating the melanoma in situ (MIS) and dysplastic nevi (DN) components in nevus-associated MIS. The results showed that 71.1% of the nevus-associated MIS cases showed positive PRAME expression, whereas all DN cases were negative for PRAME. The meta-analysis further supported this finding, indicating that PRAME is a valuable marker for distinguishing MIS from DN, with 54.5% of MIS cases and only 1.9% of DN cases showing PRAME positivity.
Wondering how we got to where we’re at with Medicare reimbursement cuts? The AADA has a new episode in Dialogues in Dermatology that reviews the history of Medicare physician payment and what the Academy is doing to fight for fair reimbursement. Listen to the podcast.
2023 targeted review request deadline approaching
CMS is accepting 2023 MIPS targeted review requests until Oct. 11, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET. You can request a targeted review if you believe there is calculation error in your MIPS payment adjustment factor. CMS has released MIPS performance feedback and final scores for the 2023 performance year and associated MIPS payment adjustment information for the 2025 payment year. Sign in to the QPP website to access your feedback. Learn more with the 2023 Targeted Review User Guide.
Advertisement
The American Academy of Dermatology is a non-profit professional organization and does not endorse companies or products. Advertising helps support our mission.
