Jason S. Reichenberg

Pilot clinical study for quantitative spectral diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer

Several research groups have demonstrated the non‐invasive diagnostic potential of diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) and laser‐induced fluorescence (LIF) techniques for early cancer detection. By combining both modalities, one can simultaneously measure quantitative parameters related to the morphology, function and biochemical composition of tissue and use them to diagnose malignancy. The objective of this study was to use a quantitative reflectance/fluorescence spectroscopic technique to determine the optical properties of normal skin and non‐melanoma skin cancers and the ability to accurately classify them. An additional goal was to determine the ability of the technique to differentiate non‐melanoma skin cancers from normal skin.

Design and validation of a clinical instrument for spectral diagnosis of cutaneous malignancy

We report a probe-based portable and clinically compatible instrument for the spectral diagnosis of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers. The instrument combines two modalities--diffuse reflectance and intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy--to provide complementary information regarding tissue morphology, function, and biochemical composition. The instrument provides a good signal-to-noise ratio for the collected reflectance and laser-induced fluorescence spectra. Validation experiments on tissue phantoms over a physiologically relevant range of albedos (0.35-0.99) demonstrate an accuracy of close to 10% in determining scattering, absorption and fluorescence characteristics. We also demonstrate the ability of our instrument to collect in vivo diffuse reflectance and fluorescence measurements from clinically normal skin, dysplastic nevus, and malignant nonmelanoma skin cancer.

Treatment of major depressive disorder using botulinum toxin A: a 24-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether a single treatment of botulinum toxin A in the forehead (glabellar) region can improve symptoms of depression in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), as defined by DSM-IV criteria. METHOD Thirty participants were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or botulinum toxin A (BTA; onabotulinumtoxinA) injections in the forehead. Female participants received 29 units; male participants received 39 units. At week 12, the groups were crossed over. Participants were evaluated at weeks 0, 3, 6, 12, 15, 18, and 24 for improvement in MDD symptoms using the Patient Health Care Questionnaire-9, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and 21-Item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-21) objective measurement scales. The primary outcome was the rate of HDRS-21 response, defined as ≥ 50% score reduction from baseline. The study occurred from July 2011 to November 2012. RESULTS Patients who received BTA at week 0 (BTA-first group) and at week 12 (BTA-second group) had a statistically significant reduction in MDD symptoms as compared to placebo. Improvement in MDD continued over 24 weeks in the group that received BTA first even though the cosmetic effects of BTA wore off at 12 to 16 weeks. HDRS-21 response rates were 55% (6/11) in the BTA-first group, 24% (4/17) in the BTA-second group, and 0% (0/19) in the placebo group (P < .0001). HDRS-21 remission rates (score ≤ 7) were 18% (2/11), 18% (3/17), and 0% (0/19), respectively (P = .057). HDRS-21 scores dropped -46% and -35% in the BTA-first and -second groups versus -2% in the placebo group (P < .0001). The BDI response rate (≥ 50% reduction from baseline) was 45% (5/11) in the BTA-first group, 33% (6/18) in the BTA-second group, and 5% (1/19) in the placebo group (P = .0067). BDI remission rates (score ≤ 9) were 27% (3/11), 33% (6/18), and 5% (1/19), respectively (P = .09). BDI scores dropped -42% and -35% in the BTA-first and -second groups versus -15% in the placebo group (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS Botulinum toxin A injection in the glabellar region was associated with significant improvement in depressive symptoms and may be a safe and sustainable intervention in the treatment of MDD. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01392963.

Clinical study of noninvasive in vivo melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers using multimodal spectral diagnosis.

Abstract. The goal of this study was to determine the diagnostic capability of a multimodal spectral diagnosis (SD) for in vivo noninvasive disease diagnosis of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers. We acquired reflectance, fluorescence, and Raman spectra from 137 lesions in 76 patients using custom-built optical fiber-based clinical systems. Biopsies of lesions were classified using standard histopathology as malignant melanoma (MM), nonmelanoma pigmented lesion (PL), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), actinic keratosis (AK), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Spectral data were analyzed using principal component analysis. Using multiple diagnostically relevant principal components, we built leave-one-out logistic regression classifiers. Classification results were compared with histopathology of the lesion. Sensitivity/specificity for classifying MM versus PL (12 versus 17 lesions) was 100%/100%, for SCC and BCC versus AK (57 versus 14 lesions) was 95%/71%, and for AK and SCC and BCC versus normal skin (71 versus 71 lesions) was 90%/85%. The best classification for nonmelanoma skin cancers required multiple modalities; however, the best melanoma classification occurred with Raman spectroscopy alone. The high diagnostic accuracy for classifying both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer lesions demonstrates the potential for SD as a clinical diagnostic device.

Design and characterization of a novel multimodal fiber-optic probe and spectroscopy system for skin cancer applications.

The design and characterization of an instrument combining Raman, fluorescence, and reflectance spectroscopic modalities is presented. Instrument development has targeted skin cancer applications as a novel fiber-optic probe has been specially designed to interrogate cutaneous lesions. The instrument is modular and both its software and hardware components are described in depth. Characterization of the fiber-optic probe is also presented, which details the probes ability to measure diagnostically important parameters such as intrinsic fluorescence and absorption and reduced scattering coefficients along with critical performance metrics such as high Raman signal-to-noise ratios at clinically practical exposure times. Validation results using liquid phantoms show that the probe and system can extract absorption and scattering coefficients with less than 10% error. As the goal is to use the instrument for the clinical early detection of skin cancer, preliminary clinical data are also presented, which indicates our systems ability to measure physiological quantities such as relative collagen and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide concentration, oxygen saturation, blood volume fraction, and mean vessel diameter.

Agitation Predicts Response of Depression to Botulinum Toxin Treatment in a Randomized Controlled Trial

In a randomized, controlled trial (n = 30), we showed that botulinum toxin injection to the glabellar region produces a marked improvement in the symptoms of major depression. We hypothesized that the mood-lifting effect was mediated by facial feedback mechanisms. Here we assessed if agitation, which may be associated with increased dynamic psychomotor activity of the facial musculature, can predict response to the treatment. To test this hypothesis, we re-analyzed the data of the scales from our previous study on a single item basis and compared the baseline scores in the agitation item (item 9) of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) between responders (n = 9) and participants who did not attain response (n = 6) among the recipients of onabotulinumtoxinA (n = 15). Responders had significantly higher item 9 scores at baseline [1.56 + 0.88 vs. 0.33 + 0.52, t(13) = 3.04, d = 1.7, p = 0.01], while no other single item of the HAM-D or the Beck Depression Inventory was associated with treatment response. The agitation score had an overall precision of 78% in predicting response in a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis (area under the curve, AUC = 0.87). These data provide a link between response to botulinum toxin treatment with a psychomotor manifestation of depression and thereby indirect support of the proposed facial feedback mechanism of action. Moreover, it suggests that patients with agitated depression may particularly benefit from botulinum toxin treatment.

Treating depression with botulinum toxin: a pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials.

INTRODUCTION Botulinum toxin A (BTA) injection into the glabellar region is currently being studied as a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Here we explore efficacy data of this novel approach in a pooled analysis. METHODS A literature search revealed 3 RCTs on this topic. Individual patient data and clinical end points shared by these 3 trials were pooled and analyzed as one study (n=134) using multiple regression models with random effects. RESULTS In the pooled sample, the BTA (n=59) and the placebo group (n=75) did not differ in the baseline variables. Efficacy outcomes revealed BTA superiority over placebo: Improvement in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale or Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale 6 weeks after baseline was 45.7% for BTA vs. 14.6% for placebo (p<0.0001), corresponding to a BTA response rate of 54.2% (vs. 10.7%) and a BTA remission rate of 30.5% (vs. 6.7%). DISCUSSION Equalling the status of a meta-analysis, this study increases evidence that a single treatment of BTA into the glabellar region can reduce symptoms of MDD. Further studies are needed to better understand how BTA exerts its mood-lifting effect.

Handheld Diffuse Reflectance Spectral Imaging (DRSi) for in-vivo characterization of skin.

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy provides a noninvasive means to measure optical and physiological properties of tissues. To expand on these measurements, we have developed a handheld diffuse reflectance spectral imaging (DRSi) system capable of acquiring wide field hyperspectral images of tissue. The image acquisition time was approximately 50 seconds for a 50x50 pixel image. A transport model was used to fit each spectra for reduced scattering coefficient, hemoglobin concentration and melanin concentration resulting in optical property maps. The system was validated across biologically relevant levels of reduced scattering (5.14% error) and absorption (8.34% error) using tissue simulating phantoms. DRSi optical property maps of a pigmented skin lesion were acquired in vivo. These trends in optical properties were consistent with previous observations using point probe devices.

A Review of Cutaneous Drug Eruptions

Cutaneous drug eruptions can range from an asymptomatic rash to a life-threatening emergency. Because of the high frequency, morbidity, and potential mortality associated with drug eruptions, patients with possible drug reactions should promptly be recognized, worked up, and treated. Drug reactions are common in the elderly population due to age-related alterations in metabolism, excretion of medications, and polypharmacy. This review discusses the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of drug eruptions that providers commonly encounter in the care of the geriatric population. An algorithm for an approach to patients with a suspected drug eruption is presented.

A cure for delusions of parasitosis

© 2007 The Authors 1423 JEADV 2007, 21, 1413–1450 Journal compilation