Clinical Remission of Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU): A Targeted Literature Review.

Introduction: Chronic spontaneous (previously known as idiopathic) urticaria (CSU) is a chronic skin disease with the potential for natural remission. The objectives of this targeted literature review were to identify evidence on the clinical course of CSU, including remission rates, and to estimate cumulative remission rates for different time points.

Methods: Electronic databases (MEDLINE, MEDLINE-In Process, Embase, Web of Science, BIOSIS Previews and the Cochrane Library) and relevant conference proceedings were searched to identify studies involving patients with CSU aged ≥ 12 years that provide data on remission rates and disease duration.

Seborrhoeic dermatitis and sebopsoriasis developing in patients on dupilumab: Two case reports.

Cutaneous adverse events to dupilumab can be varied; this necessitates keeping a broad differential diagnosis to identify seemingly paradoxical reactions. It may be possible to treat the adverse event concurrently without stopping dupilumab.

Clinical management of urticaria using omalizumab: the first licensed biological therapy available for chronic spontaneous urticaria.

This supplement reports proceedings of the second international Global Urticaria Forum, which was held in Berlin, Germany in November 2015. Omalizumab is approved for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) in adult and adolescent (12 years and above) patients with inadequate response to/who remain symptomatic despite H1 -antihistamine treatment, and has demonstrated good efficacy and safety in the clinical trial setting. Real-life clinical experience with omalizumab can be explored to address important practical questions relating to its use in CSU patients.

Questions and answers in chronic urticaria: where do we stand and where do we go?

This supplement reports proceedings of the second international Global Urticaria Forum, which was held in Berlin, Germany in November 2015. In 2011, a report of the GA(2) LEN task force on urticaria outlined important and unanswered questions in chronic urticaria (CU). These included, but were not limited to, questions on the epidemiology and course of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) [also called chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU)], the resources allocated for the diagnosis and treatment of CSU, whether patients with angioedema as an isolated symptom can be regarded as a subgroup of CSU, and the efficacy and long-term safety of therapies.

Facial fat necrosis following autologous fat transfer and its management.

Autologous fat transfer (AFT) is an increasingly popular cosmetic procedure practiced by dermatologic surgeons worldwide. As this is an office based procedure performed under local or tumescent anaesthesia with fat transferred within the same individual and limited associated down time its is considered relatively safe and risk free in the cosmetic surgery arena. We describe a case of AFT related fat necrosis causing significant facial dysmorphia and psychosocial distress.

Acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis induced by Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia prophylaxis with dapsone.

We describe the case of HIV-1 infected patient presenting to hospital with a severe cutaneous adverse drug reaction shortly after commencing dapsone therapy as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia prophylaxis. To the best of our knowledge, acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis has not been reported as a reaction to dapsone in the setting of HIV.

Class action of oral coumarins in the treatment of a patient with chronic spontaneous urticaria and delayed-pressure urticaria.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria is a common condition, with a lifetime prevalence of 0.5-1.0%.

Autoimmunity and complement in the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria.

Chronic urticaria is a debilitating skin disease that is believed to have an underlying autoimmune etiology in 35% to 50% of cases. Patients with autoimmune urticaria have functional antibodies in their sera that release histamine from basophils and mast cells. The C5a component of complement is required for mast cell degranulation in this process and at least augments basophil histamine release.

Interventions for chronic palmoplantar pustulosis.

Background: Chronic palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterised by crops of sterile pustules (yellow pus spots) on the palms and soles which erupt repeatedly over months or years. The affected areas tend to become red and scaly; cracks may form and these are often painful. Many different treatments have been used for palmoplantar pustulosis but none is generally accepted as being reliably effective.

Effects of calcineurin inhibitors on an in vitro assay for chronic urticaria.

Background: Chronic urticaria is a common skin disorder, which causes considerable morbidity. In approximately 40% of cases, patients have an autoimmune disorder in which functional antibodies cause degranulation of mast cells and basophils, and C5a complement augments this in varying amounts from patient to patient. Since the calcineurin inhibitor ciclosporin has been used in chronic autoimmune urticaria, we examined the effect of ciclosporin and other drugs on the release of histamine from basophils when stimulated by sera from patients with chronic autoimmune urticaria.

The major psoriasis susceptibility locus PSORS1 is not a risk factor for late-onset psoriasis.

PSORS1 is the major susceptibility locus for psoriasis vulgaris (PV) and lies within an approximately 200 kb segment of the major histocompatibility complex on chromosome 6p21.3. Alleles of candidate genes in this region including human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C, alpha-helical coiled coil rod (HCR), and corneodesmosin (CDSN) show association with early-onset PV.

Therapeutic potential of macrolide immunosuppressants in dermatology.

Dermatologists are frequently presented with inflammatory dermatoses that are responsive to treatment with immunomodulating drugs. Corticosteroids, particularly when applied topically, have been the mainstay of treatment in the past. Their undoubted efficacy, however, has been undermined by problems with repeated use including tachyphylaxis and side effects such as skin atrophy and hypertension.

The macrolide immunosuppressants in dermatology: mechanisms of action.

Macrolides are xenobiotics, produced by soil fungi, which have immunosuppressant properties. They will probably revolutionise the treatment of inflammatory dermatoses. This article outlines the context and putative mechanisms of action of this novel class of drugs.

Treatments for chronic palmoplantar pustular psoriasis.

Chronic palmoplantar pustular psoriasis (PPP) is a disabling condition characterized by recurrent crops of sterile pustules on a background of erythema, fissuring and scaling. Genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in its etiology. Topical treatments are frequently ineffective although corticosteroids under hydrocolloid occlusion have been demonstrated to be useful.

Successful treatment of severe recalcitrant psoriasis with combination infliximab and methotrexate.

Plaques of psoriasis contain increased levels of cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which are thought to be essential to the maintenance of the psoriatic process. We report the successful treatment of severe, recalcitrant psoriasis when infliximab (a monoclonal antibody to TNF-alpha) was used in combination with methotrexate.