Benefits of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) in skin photodamage: clinical response and histological assessment.

Skin ageing is characterized by small and fine wrinkles, roughness, laxity, and pigmentation as a result of epidermal thinning, collagen degradation, dermal atrophy, and fewer fibroblasts. Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) is an autologous plasma preparation enriched in proteins obtained from patient's own blood aimed at accelerating tissue repair and regeneration. To evaluate the benefits of PRGF in skin photodamage, 10 healthy volunteers were treated with three consecutive intradermal injections of PRGF in the facial area.

Classic Kaposi's sarcoma treated with topical rapamycin.

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is an angioproliferative disorder caused by human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8). Current research efforts have focused on the study of the relative role of KSHV-encoded genes in Kaposi's sarcomagenesis in order to identify novel mechanism-based therapies for patients suffering from this tumor. Although several viral genes have potential for KS pathogenesis, compelling data point to the KSHV-encoded G protein-coupled receptor (vGPCR) as a leading candidate viral gene for the initiation of KS.

New experimental models of skin homeostasis and diseases.

Homeostasis, whose regulation at the molecular level is still poorly understood, is intimately related to the functions of epidermal stem cells. Five research groups have been brought together to work on new in vitro and in vivo skin models through the SkinModel-CM program, under the auspices of the Spanish Autonomous Community of Madrid. This project aims to analyze the functions of DNA methyltransferase 1, endoglin, and podoplanin in epidermal stem cell activity, homeostasis, and skin cancer.

Frontal fibrosing alopecia: a multicenter review of 355 patients.

Background: To our knowledge, there are no large multicenter studies concerning frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) that could give clues about its pathogenesis and best treatment.

Objective: We sought to describe the epidemiology, comorbidities, clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, and therapeutic choices in a large series of patients with FFA.

Methods: This retrospective multicenter study included patients given the diagnosis of FFA.

Patchy hair loss on the pubis--a case study.

A female, aged 17 years and with a history of anorexia nervosa, presented with a 3 month history of a large, irregular area of hair loss over the pubis. Physical examination revealed scattered short hairs of varying length, follicular hyperkeratosis and hyperpigmentation throughout the area of alopecia (Figure 1a). A magnified view revealed decreased hair density, broken hairs with different shaft lengths, short vellous hairs and signs of recent haemorrhage (Figure 1b).

Phacomatosis pigmentokeratotica is caused by a postzygotic HRAS mutation in a multipotent progenitor cell.

Phacomatosis pigmentokeratotica (PPK) is a rare epidermal nevus syndrome characterized by the co-occurrence of a sebaceous nevus and a speckled lentiginous nevus. The coexistence of an epidermal and a melanocytic nevus has been explained by two homozygous recessive mutations, according to the twin spot hypothesis, of which PPK has become a putative paradigm in humans. However, the underlying gene mutations remained unknown.

Dynamic skin changes of acute radiation dermatitis revealed by in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy.

Background: A better knowledge of the dynamic biological changes that the skin undergoes in response to ionizing radiation is advisable to improve the management of radiation dermatitis, allowing selection of patients needing treatment or close monitoring.

Objective: To describe the evolution of the skin in response to ionizing radiation through the reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) features of acute radiation dermatitis.

Methods: In this prospective descriptive study, six women (median age, 55 years; range, 45-80 years) diagnosed with breast cancer in stages IA-IB undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy were included in the study through consecutive sampling.

Facial angiofibromas treated with topical rapamycin: an excellent choice with fast response.

Tuberous sclerosis (TS) is the second most common genodermatosis in our country and one of its main characteristics is the presence of facial angiofibromas. These benign tumors can be really bothersome for some patients and there is not a gold-standard treatment. Laser therapy has been used with good responses but it is a painful option and recurrence is guaranteed.

Wegener's granulomatosis: a new entity in the growing differential diagnosis of Degos' disease.

Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a multisystemic vasculitis, with skin involvement in 14% of cases and with palpable purpura, subcutaneous nodules and necrotic papules as the common features.(1) We present a patient diagnosed with WG who had multiple whitish papules similar to those of malignant atrophic papulosis (Degos' disease), which appeared during a flare of his disease. Lesions of malignant atrophic papulosis are said to be pathognomonic; nevertheless, various diseases with similar clinical lesions have been described.

[Off-label use of biologic agents in the treatment of dermatosis, part 2: etanercept, efalizumab, alefacept, rituximab, daclizumab, basiliximab, omalizumab, and cetuximab].

In recent years, a series of new drugs have been developed through the application of molecular biology. These drugs act by blocking specific molecules of the immune system and have been developed to act on specific targets that play an important role in the pathophysiology of the diseases in which their therapeutic use has now been approved. Over time, experience has been accumulated in the use of these drugs in the treatment of skin diseases for which they have not been approved but in which the pathophysiology suggests that they could also be effective.

[Off-label use of biologic agents in the treatment of dermatosis, Part 1: infliximab and adalimumab].

In recent years, the therapeutic armamentarium available to dermatologists has been extended thanks to the development of numerous biologic agents. In our field, immunomodulators--although currently only approved for psoriasis--have given rise to new therapeutic possibilities in a number of inflammatory skin diseases. Since these new agents have more specific immunologic mechanisms of action, their efficacy and safety is an improvement on traditional immunosuppressants.

[Mycobacterium marinum infection. Case report and review of the literature].

Atypical mycobacterial infections are increasingly important in immunosuppressed patients as well as in healthy hosts. The atypical mycobacterium that most commonly affects the skin is Mycobacterium marinum. The infection should be suspected upon the presence of ulcers, nodules or chronic plaques and a history of contact with fresh or salt water.