In vivo characterization of structural changes after topical application of glucocorticoids in healthy human skin.

Topical glucocorticoids (GC) are known to induce changes in human skin with the potential to develop skin atrophy. Here, atrophogenic effects and subsequent structural changes in the skin after topical application of GC were investigated in vivo. Sixteen healthy volunteers were topically treated daily on the forearms with clobetasol propionate, betamethasone dipropionate, and the petrolatum vehicle for 4 weeks.

Reliability and validity of the Psoriasis Itch Visual Analog Scale in psoriasis vulgaris.

Introduction: The single-item Psoriasis Itch VAS was developed to measure itch intensity within the last 24 hours in psoriasis vulgaris to assess treatment benefit. Its psychometric properties were explored in two trials.

Methods: Data from two randomized, parallel-group phase 3 trials with subjects suffering from psoriasis vulgaris on the body (n = 426, 463) were analyzed.

A 52-week, multinational, open-label, parallel-group, noninferiority, treat-to-target trial comparing insulin detemir with insulin glargine in a basal-bolus regimen with mealtime insulin aspart in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: This trial compared the efficacy and safety profiles of the insulin analogues detemir and glargine as the basal insulin component of a basal-bolus regimen in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who were being treated with oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) or insulin with or without OADs.

Methods: This was a multinational, 52-week, openlabel, parallel-group, noninferiority, treat-to-target trial. Patients with a diagnosis of T2DM for > or = 12 months who had been receiving an OAD or insulin, with or without OADs, for > 4 months were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive detemir or glargine.

Reduced weight gain with insulin detemir compared to NPH insulin is not explained by a reduction in hypoglycemia.

Background: Weight gain often occurs when insulin therapy is initiated. The long-acting insulin analog insulin detemir has been shown to be effective and well tolerated when used in basal-bolus regimens or as an add-on to oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) and causes less weight gain than other insulins. The aim of this exploratory analysis was to investigate any correlations between weight change and occurrence of hypoglycemia with NPH insulin and insulin detemir.

Lower risk of hypoglycemia with insulin detemir than with neutral protamine hagedorn insulin in older persons with type 2 diabetes: a pooled analysis of phase III trials.

Objectives: To compare the safety and efficacy of insulin detemir with that of neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin in older (aged >/=65) and younger (aged 18-64) persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Design: Pooled, post hoc analysis of data from three open-label, randomized studies.

Setting: Three multinational Phase III trials.

Novel analytical methods applied to type 1 diabetes genome-scan data.

Complex traits like type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) are generally taken to be under the influence of multiple genes interacting with each other to confer disease susceptibility and/or protection. Although novel methods are being developed, analyses of whole-genome scans are most often performed with multipoint methods that work under the assumption that multiple trait loci are unrelated to each other; that is, most models specify the effect of only one locus at a time. We have applied a novel approach, which includes decision-tree construction and artificial neural networks, to the analysis of T1DM genome-scan data.