Public voices on tie-breaking criteria and underlying values in COVID-19 triage protocols to access critical care: a scoping review.

Background: To reduce the arbitrariness in the allocation of rare resources in intensive care units (ICU) in the context of the pandemic, tiebreakers were considered in some COVID-19 triage algorithms. They were also contemplated to facilitate the tragic decisions of healthcare workers when faced with two patients with similar prognosis and only one ICU bed available. Little is known about the public's perspective on tiebreakers.

Graduates-of-foreign-dermatology residencies and military dermatology residencies and women in academic dermatology.

Background: It is well known that there is a growing shortage of academic dermatologists in the U.S. The number of graduates of foreign dermatology residencies (GFDR) and graduates of military dermatology residencies (GMDR) who take full-time academic dermatology positions are currently unknown.

Ranking the dermatology programs based on measurements of academic achievement.

Background: The only dermatology rankings in the past were based on National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding and journal citations.

Objective: To determine the highest ranking academic dermatology programs based on 5 outcome measures and on an overall ranking scale. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to rank the dermatology programs on 4 of the following outcome measures of academic achievement and with an overall ranking.

MD/PhDs are more likely than MDs to choose a career in academic dermatology.

There are fewer dermatologists entering and being retained in academics. We investigated the hypothesis that MD/PhDs are more likely than MDs to enter a career in academic dermatology. This retrospective study of university dermatology departments and divisions studied MDs, DOs, and MD/PhDs who completed a dermatology program in the U.

Dermatology residency program characteristics that correlate with graduates selecting an academic dermatology career.

Objective: To examine the characteristics of 107 dermatology residency programs to determine which factors are correlated with producing academic dermatologists to help reverse the trend of a growing shortage of academic dermatologists.

Design: We collected data ranging from total publications to grant funding. Extensive Internet searches were completed to obtain most of the data.

Mechanisms of action of new treatment modalities for actinic keratosis.

Actinic keratosis (AK) constitutes the initial lesion in a disease continuum that can progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In this article, we describe the mechanisms of action, tolerability, and efficacy of the most frequently used chemopreventative, chemotherapeutic, destructive, and novel immunologic methods for the control and treatment of actinic keratoses.

Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, prospective study evaluating the tolerability and effectiveness of imiquimod applied to postsurgical excisions on scar cosmesis.

Background: It has been reported that topical application of imiquimod 5% cream induces interferon-alpha, an antifibrotic cytokine.

Objective: To determine the tolerability and effectiveness on the cosmetic outcome of the application of imiquimod to postsurgical excision sites.

Materials And Methods: A prospective, double-blinded, randomized, vehicle-controlled trial was conducted among 20 patients with two skin lesions clinically diagnosed as melanocytic nevi.

Use of cyclooxygenase inhibitors and risk of melanoma in high-risk patients.

Background: Results from in vitro and animal studies suggest that cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors may reduce the risk of melanoma, but among humans, the evidence remains limited.

Objective: In a pilot retrospective cohort, to determine the relationship between the use of COX inhibitors and the incidence, recurrence, and metastases of melanoma in high-risk patients.

Methods: Reviewing computerized records at the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, we retrospectively examined the association between COX inhibitor use and melanoma incidence, recurrence, and metastases in high-risk subjects: white subjects previously diagnosed with melanoma (1996-2003).

Cutaneous signs and syndromes associated with internal malignancies.

Cutaneous changes may indicate the presence of or herald the incipient development of internal malignancies. The authors review 24 cutaneous signs, symptoms, diseases, and syndromes associated with internal malignancies. Early recognition of these cutaneous changes may allow for vigilance for, and prompt detection and management of, the underlying neoplasm.

Self-warming lidocaine/tetracaine patch effectively and safely induces local anesthesia during minor dermatologic procedures.

Background: Dermatologic procedures often cause some degree of pain. A self-warming patch containing lidocaine and tetracaine (L/T) was developed to provide topical local anesthesia prior to painful procedures.

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a self-warming L/T patch to provide anesthesia in adult patients undergoing minor dermatologic procedures.

Novel opportunities in the treatment and prevention of scarring.

Numerous treatments have been described for the treatment and prevention of scars, but the optimal management strategy is yet to be defined. In this article we present and evaluate new opportunities for the treatment and prevention of hypertrophic scars, keloids, and atrophic scars. Clinical, animal, and in vitro studies reporting novel techniques for the treatment and prevention of scarring were identified primarily from the MEDLINE/PubMed database.

A refractory case of erythromelalgia involving the ears.

Erythromelalgia is a rare syndrome that is characterized by episodic attacks of burning pain, erythema, and increased temperature usually affecting the extremities, which is aggravated by warmth or exercise. We describe a patient with a 3-year history of refractory burning pain and red ears. A review of clinical features, disease classification, associated diseases, and treatment of this disease is presented.