Publications by authors named "George Han"
Article Synopsis
- Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the skin and mucous membranes, with a low overall prevalence of about 0.15% among U.S. adults, higher in females compared to males.
- Among over half a million patients studied, 1,098 had LP, with many (53%) receiving no treatment after a year; topical corticosteroids were the most common initial therapy.
- The findings highlight the need for further research on treatment options since patients on systemic immunosuppressants were more likely to continue or switch treatments after a year.
Serous Atrophy of Bone Marrow in the Feet Diagnosed via Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Case Report.
J Am Podiatr Med Assoc
September 2024
Serous atrophy of bone marrow (SABM) is characterized by focal replacement of bone marrow elements with extracellular gelatinous substances. It has been associated with a wide range of chronic conditions, including anorexia nervosa, malignancy, chronic kidney disease, and certain chronic infections. Previous literature has reported the disorder as primarily diagnosed via bone marrow biopsy and occurring outside of the distal extremities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a human genetic disorder caused by variants in the NF1 gene. Plexiform neurofibromas, one of many NF1 manifestations, are benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors occurring in up to 50% of NF1 patients. A substantial fraction of NF1 pathogenetic variants are nonsense mutations, which result in the synthesis of truncated non-functional NF1 protein (neurofibromin).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Bimekizumab, a new FDA-approved treatment for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, targets both IL-17A and IL-17F to improve patient quality of life.
- A group of experts reviewed 110 studies on bimekizumab's safety, narrowing it down to 15 relevant articles to create consensus statements on its use.
- Overall, bimekizumab shows a favorable safety profile compared to other biologics, although it has a slightly higher risk of oral candidiasis.
Article Synopsis
- Palmoplantar pustulosis is a chronic skin condition related to psoriasis, characterized by itchy pustules on the palms and soles.
- The disorder has a variety of genetic and environmental causes, is relatively rare, and can be difficult to treat, often causing significant discomfort for those affected.
- This systemic review analyzes newer treatment options published between 2015 and 2022, highlighting current therapies such as topical agents, oral medications, and phototherapy.
Article Synopsis
- A phase 2b trial evaluated the effectiveness of ritlecitinib, a JAK3/TEC kinase inhibitor, in treating patients with active non-segmental vitiligo, comparing different dosages against a placebo over 24 weeks.
- Active vitiligo lesions showed higher levels of inflammatory markers compared to stable lesions, and patients with more active lesions had elevated serum levels of specific biomarkers.
- After 24 weeks, the 50 mg dose of ritlecitinib significantly reduced depigmentation and increased repigmentation in stable lesions, while also influencing immune response markers in both active and stable lesions.
Article Synopsis
- - Lichen planopilaris (LPP) is a type of hair loss that leads to scarring and has symptoms like burning and itching, which can also severely affect mental health, but finding effective treatments is complicated due to limited data on the disease.
- - This study aimed to analyze how common LPP is among US adults and how dermatologists treat it, using the Explorys database and focusing on patients diagnosed from 2016 to 2020.
- - Results showed that out of over 1.4 million patients assessed, 241 were diagnosed with LPP, primarily affecting women, with a prevalence of about 13.4 per 100,000 people. The majority of patients received some form of
Article Synopsis
- * In a 12-week double-blind study involving over 360 participants aged 9 and older, CAB led to a 50% success rate in achieving clear skin, significantly outperforming a placebo gel, with over 70% reduction in both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne lesions.
- * The treatment showed a good safety profile, with only mild to moderate side effects and a low discontinuation rate due to adverse events, indicating CAB could be a promising option for those suffering from moderate
Introduction: Ixekizumab, a high-affinity monoclonal antibody that selectively targets interleukin-17A, is approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Since scalp psoriasis can be burdensome and challenging to treat with non-systemic therapies, this post hoc analysis focused on scalp psoriasis in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and baseline scalp involvement. The analysis considered a holistic concept of clearance through 5 years of ixekizumab treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsoriasis is a chronic heterogeneous condition with multiple available treatment options that have resulted in dramatic disease improvements for patients. IL-23/IL-17 signaling is the central immune signaling pathway driving psoriasis, though recent research has uncovered other key contributing signals such as IL-17C, IL-17F, IL-36, and tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2). Novel therapeutic targets inhibiting these cytokines have expanded our understanding of the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- * A review of various safety data sources found that the incidence of GI-related adverse reactions from topical clindamycin is extremely low, only 0.000045%.
- * In clinical trials, only 1.4% of participants experienced gastrointestinal AEs, suggesting that concerns about colitis are minimal, although there are limitations in the data's accuracy and generalizability.
Vaccination recommendations for adults receiving biologics and oral therapies for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: Delphi consensus from the medical board of the National Psoriasis Foundation.
J Am Acad Dermatol
June 2024
Article Synopsis
- Psoriatic patients receiving vaccines need clear guidelines on whether to pause or maintain their systemic medications, especially for live and nonlive vaccines.
- The National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board and experts developed 22 consensus statements recommending that most patients can continue oral and biologic therapies for nonlive vaccines, but should consider stopping methotrexate.
- For live vaccines, most therapies should be interrupted before and after vaccination, except for abatacept, and timing adjustments for vaccine administration are crucial.
Article Synopsis
- Topical acne trials face challenges from high responses to placebo treatments and varied outcome measures, complicating treatment comparisons; number needed to treat (NNT) offers a straightforward way to evaluate effectiveness indirectly.
- Among 13 acne treatments analyzed, the effectiveness varied significantly, with a triple-combination gel showing the highest treatment success rates, leading to favorable NNTs of 4 and 5.
- The study concludes that using consistent outcome measures and similar patient demographics highlights triple-combination gel and adapalene/BPO gel as the most effective options based on NNT results.
Utilization of telemedicine for dermatology has greatly expanded since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 500 new teledermatology studies published since 2020. An updated review on teledermatology is necessary to incorporate new findings and perspectives, and educate dermatologists on effective utilization. We discuss teledermatology in terms of diagnostic accuracy and clinical outcomes, patient and physician satisfaction, considerations for special patient populations, published practice guidelines, cost effectiveness and efficiency, as well as administrative regulations and policies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Variations in the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and disease course in skin of color (SOC) atopic dermatitis (AD) patients have been reported that may impact treatment approach and skincare recommendations.
Methods: The project used a modified Delphi hybrid process comprising face-to-face discussions and an online review process. A panel of physicians (advisors) who treat SOC patients with AD used information from literature searches, expert opinions, and their experience to develop a practical algorithm to improve outcomes for SOC patients with AD.
Background: Psoriasis patients with poor therapeutic response to multiple biologic agents are not well-characterized.
Objective: To describe the characteristics associated with development of multiple biologic failure (MBF) versus good clinical response (GR) to the first biologic.
Methods: This prospective cohort analysis evaluated patients in the multicenter CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry who initiated their first biologic between 2015 and 2020 and were followed for ≥24 months.
Background: Case identification strategies to conduct population-based studies have not been developed for lichen planus (LP) or lichen planopilaris (LPP).
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the validity of using diagnostic codes to establish both a cutaneous (non-oral) LP cohort and an LPP cohort from a large clinical database.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to determine whether patients with ICD-9 or ICD-10 codes for LP and ICD-10 codes for LPP are confirmed cases of LP and LPP.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common, chronic inflammatory dermatologic condition that can cause discomfort and thus negatively influence the mental health of patients. Research directly exploring the relationship between AD, anxiety, and symptoms of panic in a large United States (US) adult population is limited. We studied the relationship between AD and anxiety versus panic in US adults aged 20 to 39 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsoriasis is associated with multiple comorbidities. In this retrospective cohort analysis, we compared the comorbidities in patients who received biologic treatments with those who received conventional treatments. Our data indicates that biologics may be associated with lower rates of comorbidities in comparison to conventional therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- * Using validated screening tools for related conditions, like psoriatic arthritis, can help improve access to specialists and reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment.
- * While telehealth offers convenience and may enhance care, it should complement, not completely replace, traditional in-person dermatology or rheumatology visits.