Vincenzo Grasso

Prevalence, severity and clinical features of psoriasis in fingernails and toenails in adult patients: Italian experience.

Background  Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting 2.0–6.5% of the European population. Although the most striking clinical features of psoriasis involve the skin, other organs including nails and joints may be affected in a substantial proportion of patients. Literature reports nail involvement in 10–56% of psoriatic patients, with common physical and social impairment. However, the precise prevalence of specific clinical features of nail psoriasis is somewhat under‐reported.

Imatinib, dasatinib and nilotinib: a review of adverse cutaneous reactions with emphasis on our clinical experience

In the last years, several tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been developed and approved for human cancer treatment. Imatinib mesylate was the first of this novel family of drugs that target cancer‐specific molecules and signalling pathways. The appearance of imatinib resistances led to the introduction of second‐generation TKIs with higher potency and selectivity, such as dasatinib and nilotinib. However, the range of activity of these agents is not simply directed at tumour cells. Patients and their clinicians are indeed frequently confronted with the cutaneous side‐effects associated with the employ of these drugs, which represent the most common non‐hematological adverse reactions. For this reason, a systematic dermatological survey of patients receiving these therapies is highly important, and an early and appropriate dermatological treatment is required. In this review, we analyse the clinical and pathological characteristics of the most commonly reported adverse skin events associated with first‐ and second‐generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors, with a particular emphasis on our clinical experience.

Homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels in psoriatic patients and correlation with disease severity.

Hyperhomocysteinaemia represents an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, stroke, peripheral arterial occlusive disease and venous thrombosis. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with increased atherothrombosis and cardiovascular risk profile. The aim of this study is to investigate homocysteine, folic acid and vitamin B12 levels in a cohort of psoriatic patients and its relationship with the severity of the disease. A retrospective observational study in 98 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and 98 healthy controls was performed. Total plasma homocysteine level, folic acid, vitamin B12 and PASI index were assessed in every patient. Patients with psoriasis had plasma homocysteine levels higher than controls (57% of cases and 25% of controls; p<0.0001). Folic acid and vitamin B12 plasma levels were lower in psoriatic patients than in controls (p = NS), lower levels of vitamin B12 were found in patients with hyperhomocysteinaemia compared to patients with a normal value of homocysteine (p = 0.0009). The severity of psoriasis assessed according to PASI (19.51±16.26) did not directly correlate either with higher levels of homocysteine or with vitamin B12 and folic acid plasma levels. In conclusion, a significantly higher prevalence of hyperhomocysteinaemia was found in psoriatic patients compared to healthy controls. A significant correlation between hyperhomocysteinaemia and lower vitamin B12 levels, but not folic acid, was evidenced. On the contrary, our data do not correlate the high level of homocysteine with higher PASI scores or psoriasis type, suggesting that homocysteine level can be considered an independent risk factor in psoriatic patients.

Indolent systemic mastocytosis treated with narrow-band UVB phototherapy: Study of five cases

Background  Mastocytoses represent a heterogeneous group of stem cell disorders marked by an abnormal hyperplasia and accumulation of mast cells in one or more tissues, including bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, liver, spleen, lymph nodes and skin. Indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM) is characterized by red‐brownish and pruriginous maculopapular lesions, a bone marrow infiltration without functional impairment and an indolent clinical course with a good prognosis. In particular, the most common cutaneous symptoms are urticarial rash and mild‐to‐high pruritus.

Hair depigmentation and vitiligo-like lesions in a leukaemic paediatric patient during chemotherapy with dasatinib.

© 2012 The Authors. doi: 10.2340/00015555-1289 Journal Compilation

Immunogenetic factors in mycosis fungoides: can the HLA system influence the susceptibility and prognosis of the disease? Long-term follow-up study of 46 patients.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common and one of the least aggressive forms of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma. Several studies have demonstrated the influence of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) genes on the susceptibility of MF, highlighting the importance of certain alleles but, until today, no studies have evaluated the relationship between HLA alleles and the prognosis of patients with MF.

An unusual case of transient neonatal pustular melanosis: a diagnostic puzzle

A newborns skin may exhibit a variety of changes during the first weeks of life, and rashes are extremely common in the neonatal period, representing a significant source of parental concern. In particular, a variety of skin eruptions can present as pustules. Most of them are innocuous and self-limiting, while others can be the manifestation of an infectious disease or even indicative of serious underlying disorders. Transient neonatal pustular melanosis is an uncommon vesiculopustular rash characterized by small pustules on a non-erythematous base, noted at birth or during the first day of life, without systemic symptoms. The lesions rupture spontaneously, leaving hyperpigmented macules that usually fade within few weeks. Clinical recognition of this disease can help physicians avoid unnecessary diagnostic testing and treatment for infectious etiologies because no specific therapy is recommended. The clinical aspect and time of onset are generally sufficient to make the correct diagnosis. Nevertheless, peculiar clinical presentations may require additional work-up to rule out life-threatening conditions, and dermatological consultation and histological examination are required for the final diagnosis. Conclusion: We report an exceedingly unusual presentation of transient neonatal pustular melanosis, suggesting the importance of a systematic diagnostic approach to allow a confident recognition of this benign condition.

Ciclosporina-A e week-end therapy nella psoriasi a placche: la nostra esperienza

L’efficacia della Ciclosporina-A (CsA) nel trattamento della psoriasi e nota da 30 anni. La sua maggiore limitazione e pero correlata al rischio di eventi avversi quali l’ipertensione arteriosa e l’alterazione della funzionalita renale che sembrerebbero non solo dose-dipendenti ma anche proporzionali alla durata della terapia. Pertanto, la possibilita di formulare uno schema di trattamento in grado di controllare efficacemente le manifestazioni cliniche nel lungo termine con un profilo di sicurezza accettabile risulta sempre piu importante al fine di migliorare la qualita della vita dei pazienti affetti da psoriasi. Scopo del nostro studio e la valutazione di una terapia con CsA somministrata solo due giorni alla settimana da protrarre su lunghi periodi per il controllo delle recidive di psoriasi. Il nostro studio prende spunto dalla week-end therapy che si e dimostrata efficace nel mantenimento della remissione a lungo termine ed e stata ben tollerata da tutti i pazienti considerati.

Pseudoepitheliomatous changes in a case of vegetating Darier–White disease: a unique histopathological finding.

Abstract:Darier–White disease (DWD) is a rare autosomal dominant genodermatosis, characterized by constant and typical histopathological findings, such as hyperkeratosis, dyskeratosis with corps ronds and grains and papillary microvilli formation with suprabasal clefting. Despite its nearly constant histopathological presentation, unusual clinical variants are reported, such as the vegetating and cornifying ones. These variants share the same histopathological features of the classic type, except for the striking hyperkeratosis and acanthosis. Here, unreported pseudoepitheliomatous features are described in an elderly male patient with a long history of vegetating and verrucous papules and nodules of DWD, associated with typical nail involvement. These unique histolopathological changes were closely in conjunction with the characteristic microscopic features of DWD. Differential diagnosis with other pseudoepitheliomatous and acantholytic conditions such as reticulated seborrheic keratosis, inverted follicular keratosis, and acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma is also considered. Pseudoepitheliomatous features, in this case of vegetating DWD, could be regarded as a reactive epidermal phenomenon because of different stimuli, i.e. maceration, bacterial superinfection, and chronic scratching.

Approccio foto-fotochemioterapico alla Mastocitosi: studio di un caso

Mastocytosis is defined as a heterogeneous group of rare disorders characterized by abnormal expansion and accumulation of mast cells in the skin (cutaneous mastocytosis) and/or in visceral organs, such as bone marrow, lymphnodes, liver, spleen and gastrointestinal tract (systemic mastocytosis). The skin is the organ most often involved in all forms of mastocytosis and lesions most commonly present as red-brownish and pruriginous macules or papules. Clinical manifestations vary widely and the main symptoms are related to the local burden and release of secretory mediators from mast cells, with mild-high pruritus being by far the most common cutaneous symptom. The mainstay of treatment in indolent forms, such as the cutaneous mastocytosis, are anti-mediators drugs, with the aim to minimize the massive release of histamine and other major secretory products and provide relief of pruritus. For this reason the basis of therapy is a combination of H1- and H2-antihistamines, while second-line treatments comprise PUVA-therapy (long-wave ultraviolet radiation plus psoralen) and narrowband UVB phototherapy (NB-UVB). We present the case of a patient with mastocytosis that benefit from both PUVA and NB-UVB.