M.T. Rossi

Synergism between narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy and etanercept for the treatment of plaque‐type psoriasis

Previous investigations have demonstrated that a combination of etanercept (ETN) and narrowband ultraviolet B (NB‐UVB) phototherapy is more effective than ETN alone. However, it is unclear if this combination is more effective than NB‐UVB phototherapy alone.

Narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy is a suitable treatment option for solar urticaria

BACKGROUND Narrowband (NB) ultraviolet (UV) B lamps are widely used for treatment and prophylaxis of several skin diseases. OBJECTIVE We sought to assess the efficacy of two protocols of NB-UVB therapy for the prophylaxis of UVB-sensitive and UVB-insensitive solar urticaria (SU). METHODS Subjects affected by SU underwent phototesting for assessment of the minimal erythemal dose and minimal urticarial dose. Patients without urticarial response to UVB underwent a single daily exposure every other day for 4 weeks (group A). Patients with a urticarial test response to broadband UVB or NB-UVB (group B) received 3 daily exposures (on working days) for the first week. Afterward, they were treated as the patients of group A for 3 weeks. Follow-up visits took place after 1 and 3 months. RESULTS A total of 39 patients completed the study. In groups A (29 patients) and B (10 patients), the median total number of exposures was 12 (interquartile range [IQR]: 12; 15) and 25.5 (IQR 24; 27), respectively. The median total NB-UVB dose was 10.3 J/cm(2) (IQR 9.9; 11) for group A and 9.1 J/cm(2) (IQR 8.5; 10.6) for group B. At follow-up visits, patients reported good tolerance to the sun. LIMITATIONS A direct comparison of NB-UVB with UVA or psoralen plus UVA for the photoprophylaxis of SU is still lacking. CONCLUSION NB-UVB phototherapy was well-tolerated and effectively prevented SU relapses.

A randomized clinical trial of photodynamic therapy with methyl aminolaevulinate vs. diclofenac 3% plus hyaluronic acid gel for the treatment of multiple actinic keratoses of the face and scalp.

A gel containing diclofenac and hyaluronic acid (DHA) and photodynamic therapy with methyl aminolaevulinate (MAL‐PDT) are widely used treatments for actinic keratoses (AKs).

Successful treatment of systemic cold contact urticaria with etanercept in a patient with psoriasis.

mastocytoma: an uncommon variant mimicking juvenile xanthogranuloma and Langerhans cell histiocytosis. J Cutan Pathol 2009; 36:1215–20. 9 Sotlar K, Cerny-Reiterer S, Petat-Dutter K et al. Aberrant expression of CD30 in neoplastic mast cells in high-grade mastocytosis. Mod Pathol 2011; 24:585–95. 10 Valent P, Sotlar K, Horny HP. Aberrant expression of CD30 in aggressive systemic mastocytosis and mast cell leukemia: a differential diagnosis to consider in aggressive hematopoietic CD30positive neoplasms. Leuk Lymphoma 2011; 52:740–4.

Merkel cell carcinoma arising in immunosuppressed patients treated with high-dose ultraviolet A1 (320–400 nm) phototherapy: a report of two cases

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine tumour of the skin. Though immunodeficiency is the most relevant risk factor, ultraviolet (UV) radiation is also involved, but as of yet we do not know the action spectrum, pattern or dose which would produce a dangerous exposure. A retrospective study of two immunosuppressed patients who developed MCC during, or soon after a treatment cycle with high dose UVA1 exposures was conducted, in order to understand wether repeated exposures to suberythemogenic UVA1 radiation may have a cancerogenic activity provoking MCC in immunosuppressed patients.

Cryotherapy is preferable to ablative CO2 laser for the treatment of isolated actinic keratoses of the face and scalp: a randomized clinical trial.

Actinic keratosis (AK) may progress to squamous cell carcinoma. In the case of normal or mildly photodamaged skin, lesion‐directed treatments are considered valuable options despite poor published evidence of their therapeutic activity.

The main organizational changes in dermatological practice in the Lombardy Region, Italy, from 2001 to 2009

Background  Changes in financing health care delivery, including the adoption of diagnosis‐related groups (DRG), has deeply influenced dermatological practice across Europe.

Cutaneous infiltration of plasmacytoid dendritic cells and T regulatory cells in skin lesions of polymorphic light eruption

Polymorphic light eruption (PLE) is the most common autoimmune photodermatosis. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDCs) are important mediators of innate antimicrobial immunity involved in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory skin diseases. In addition to PDCs, regulatory T cells (Tregs) are involved in controlling inflammation and adaptive immunity in skin by their immunosuppressive capacity.

Clinical, histological and high-frequency ultrasonographic evaluation (50 MHz) of morphoea treated with ultraviolet A1 phototherapy

There are few studies in the literature correlating the ultrasonographic findings, clinical scoring systems or histological findings in morphoea after ultraviolet (UV)A1 phototherapy.

A case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of the palm in a young girl.

diagnostic capability in psoriatic balanitis. J Am Acad Dermatol 2009; 61: 1084–1086. 5 Rosina P, Zamperetti MR, Giovannini A, Girolomoni G. Videocapillaroscopy in the differential diagnosis between psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp. Dermatology 2007; 214: 21–24. 6 Rosina P, Giovannini A, Gisondi P et al. Microcirculatory modifications of psoriatic lesions during topical therapy. Skin Res Technol 2009; 15: 135–138. 7 Stinco G, Lautieri S, Piccirillo F, Valent F, Patrone P. Response of cutaneous microcirculation to treatment with mometasone furoate in patients with psoriasis. Clin Exp Dermatol 2009; 34: 915–919. 8 Musumeci ML, Lacarrubba F, Fusto CM, Micali G. Combined clinical, capillaroscopic and ultrasound evaluation during treatment of plaque psoriasis with oral cyclosporine. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2013; 26: 1027–1033. 9 Lacarrubba F, Pellacani G, Gurgone S, Verz ı AE, Micali G. Advances in non-invasive techniques as aids to the diagnosis and monitoring of therapeutic response in plaque psoriasis: a review. Int J Dermatol, in press. doi: 10.1111/ijd.12870. 10 Musumeci ML, Lacarrubba F, Verz ı AE, Micali G. Evaluation of the vascular pattern in psoriatic plaques in children using videodermatoscopy: an open comparative study. Pediatr Dermatol 2014; 31: 570–574.