October 23, 2019
IN THIS ISSUE / October 23, 2019
Treating molluscum contagiosum: Ingenol mebutate vs. imiquimod
DW Insights and Inquiries: Coming clean on bleach baths for atopic dermatitis
Florida bill proposes requiring prescriptions for sunscreens that could harm coral reefs
Treating molluscum contagiosum: Ingenol mebutate vs. imiquimod
In an open-label comparative study to be published in JAAD, researchers found that ingenol mebutate may be an effective treatment for molluscum contagiosum (MC). The study enrolled 19 patients with MC from 2015 to 2017. Ten patients were treated with 0.015% ingenol mebutate gel, and nine patients were treated with 5% imiquimod cream.
The ingenol mebutate gel was applied to the lesion once daily for three consecutive days per week while the imiquimod cream was applied to the lesion once daily five times per week. At week 12, the clearance rate with ingenol mebutate was 90% compared to 33% with imiquimod. Both treatments had similar rates of pain and itching.
Related content:
DW Insights and Inquiries: Coming clean on bleach baths for atopic dermatitis
Sodium hypochlorite (bleach, Dakin, or Carrel-Dakin solution) is produced by the mixture of sodium peroxide (NaO) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). The main active agent in bleach is created when chlorine in the solution reacts with water in the environment to form hypochlorous acid (HCLO), reportedly responsible for the antibacterial effect. The solution was originally formulated as a battlefield wound antiseptic during World War I by the English chemist Henry Dakin and the French surgeon Alexis Carrel.
It is hard to pinpoint where the trend to use bleach baths for AD began. Krakowski et al reference a poster by Metry et al presented at the 2007 meeting of the Society of Pediatric Dermatology. Krakowski et al state: “Diluted bleach baths, analogous to swimming in a chlorinated pool, are an adjuvant anti-infective treatment that can help decrease the number of local skin infections and reduce the need for systemic antibiotics for patients with AD with heavily colonized and/or superinfected skin.” Keep reading!
Ancestry launches consumer genetic health testing
Last week, Ancestry, a company that uses DNA testing to provide consumers with genealogical information, launched AncestryHealth, which offers consumers genotype and next-generation genetic sequencing. According to a company news release, it's launching two new services: AncestryHealth Core, a one-time, array-based service, and AncestryHealth Plus, a membership service using next generation sequencing technology.
Unlike its rival, 23andMe, Ancestry’s genetic health tests have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for sale directly to consumers. Instead, the tests must be ordered by physicians who work with PWNHealth, an independent network of board-certified physicians and genetic counselors. Consumers will receive a printable family health history and lab reports to share with health care providers as well as access to genetic counseling resources. For new customers, the test costs $149. The AncestryHealth Plus testing service comes with a $199 activation fee and an additional $49 membership fee every six months.
With more companies offering consumer genetic testing services, what are the dermatologic implications of these tests? Find out in this month’s Dermatology World.
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CMS offers new MIPS resources
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has added several new MIPS resources to its Quality Payment Program Resource Library for both the 2018 and 2019 performance periods, including a payment adjustment fact sheet, a promoting interoperability quick-start guide, information about 2019 quality measures affected by ICD-10 updates, and more. For more information about 2019 MIPS reporting, visit the Academy’s MIPS reporting resource center. If you’re reporting using the Academy's DataDerm™ registry, purchase the 2019 MIPS Reporting Module.
Florida bill proposes requiring prescriptions for sunscreens that could harm coral reefs
Florida Sen. Linda Stewart (D-13) has proposed a bill (SB 318) that would require a prescription to use sunscreens with oxybenzone and octinoxate, according to CNN. If passed, the bill would ban the sale of sunscreens containing these ingredients without a prescription starting July 1, 2020. Stewart modeled her bill after similar ones passed in Key West and Hawaii, although it has received pushback from both legislators and physicians.
Read an interview in Dermatology World with the authors of a JAAD article about the environmental effects of oxybenzone and other sunscreen ingredients.
Related content:
FAQs on sunscreen ingredients including proposed rule on the final monograph
Profiling sunscreen ingredients not approved for use in the U.S. – Dermatology World (May 2016)
World Psoriasis Day is approaching
The International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA) has declared Oct. 29 as World Psoriasis Day — a day that has been commemorated for more than a decade. The goal of World Psoriasis Day is to raise awareness of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, improve access to treatment, and give the psoriasis community a voice.
The Academy has a wealth of psoriasis resources, educational and informational, for physicians and their patients. Below is a sampling of the Academy’s psoriasis content.
Online education: Practical Approaches to Assessing Psoriasis and PA
Warren R. Heymann, MD, on psoriasis in DW Insights and Inquiries
Does gluten increase risk for psoriasis and AD in women? – DW Weekly (October 2019)
FDA approves two new psoriasis treatments – DW Weekly (May 2019)
Psoriasis treatments: Which ones are most effective — DW Weekly (January 2018)
