Topical Cyclosporine in Oral Lichen Planus-A Series of 21 Open-Label, Biphasic, Single-Patient Observations.

Topical cyclosporine (CSA) has been reported as an alternative treatment in steroid-refractory oral lichen planus (OLP), but evidence is limited and conflicting. An N-of-1 trial setting could be appropriate to evaluate interindividual differences in treatment response. We studied a series of 21 open-label, biphasic single-patient observations.

Psoriasis is associated with fissured tongue but not geographic tongue: a prospective, cross-sectional, case-control study.

Background And Objectives: It has been postulated that psoriasis is associated with tongue lesions and geographic tongue might be "oral psoriasis". However, reports are inconclusive, prevalence rates vary and data for Europe are sparse. In this prospective case-control study we investigated the point-prevalence of tongue conditions in an Austrian cohort.

Anti-BP180 autoantibody levels at diagnosis correlate with 1-year mortality rates in patients with bullous pemphigoid.

Background: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most frequent autoimmune blistering disease mainly affecting elderly patients. Among several published risk factors, a recent post hoc analysis linked anti-BP180 autoantibodies (AABs) to fatal outcomes in BP. To date, this finding has not been confirmed independently.

Apremilast in psoriasis - a prospective real-world study.

Background: Apremilast is a novel oral phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor approved for psoriasis treatment. Randomized trials have documented its efficacy and safety, but data on real-world patients are scarce.

Objectives: We aim to characterize psoriasis patients treated with apremilast in a real-world setting and calculate drug survival as an important measure of efficacy and compliance.

The role of wide local excision for the treatment of severe hidradenitis suppurativa (Hurley grade III): Retrospective analysis of 74 patients.

Background: Effective medical treatment for patients with severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is limited.

Objectives: We sought to measure the impact of wide local excision on quality of life in HS Hurley grade III patients and to examine the rate of postoperative complications, disease recurrences, and satisfaction with the cosmetic results.

Methods: Seventy-four patients were enrolled.

Etanercept, Adalimumab und Ustekinumab bei Psoriasis: Analyse von 209 Behandlungsreihen in Österreich.

Hintergrund Und Ziele: Biologika werden häufig zur Behandlung der Psoriasis eingesetzt und wurden in zahlreichen klinischen Studien getestet. Allerdings können sich Wirkungen und Nebenwirkungen (AEs) bei "real-world"-Patienten unterscheiden, da diese keiner solch strengen Auswahl und Überwachung unterzogen werden. Wir haben Therapieadhärenz ("Medikamenten-Überlebenszeit"), Wirksamkeit und AEs (Qualität, Zeitpunkt des Auftretens) bei "real-world"-Psoriasis-Patienten, die mit Etanercept, Adalimumab oder Ustekinumab behandelt wurden, untersucht.

Etanercept, adalimumab, and ustekinumab in psoriasis: analysis of 209 treatment series in Austria.

Background And Objectives: Widely used in the treatment of psoriasis, biologics have been tested in numerous clinical trials. However, drug efficacies and adverse events (AEs) may differ in 'real-world' patients as they do not undergo as rigorous selection and monitoring. Our objective was to examine drug survival, efficacy, and AEs (quality, time of onset) in 'real-world' psoriasis patients treated with etanercept, adalimumab, and ustekinumab.

Pyoderma gangrenosum during pregnancy - treatment options revisited.

Background: Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare, ulcerating neutrophilic dermatosis of unknown aetiology; PG during pregnancy is particularly rare. The disease is frequently associated with immune-mediated, inflammatory diseases.

Objective: Diagnosis of PG can be challenging and relies upon exclusion of other causes such as traumas, infections, vascular diseases or neoplasms.

Searching for the Chokehold of NRAS Mutant Melanoma.

Up to 18% of melanomas harbor mutations in the neuroblastoma rat-sarcoma homolog (NRAS). Yet, decades of research aimed to interfere with oncogenic RAS signaling have been largely disappointing and have not resulted in meaningful clinical outputs. Recent advances in disease modeling, structural biology, and an improved understanding of RAS cycling as well as RAS signaling networks have renewed hope for developing strategies to selectively block hyperactive RAS function.

Acyl protein thioesterase 1 and 2 (APT-1, APT-2) inhibitors palmostatin B, ML348 and ML349 have different effects on NRAS mutant melanoma cells.

Oncogenic NRAS mutations are frequent in melanoma and lead to increased downstream signaling and uncontrolled cell proliferation. Since the direct inhibition of NRAS is not possible yet, modulators of NRAS posttranslational modifications have become an area of interest. Specifically, interfering with NRAS posttranslational palmitoylation/depalmitoylation cycle could disturb proper NRAS localization, and therefore decrease cell proliferation and downstream signaling.

Phrynoderma and acquired acrodermatitis enteropathica in breastfeeding women after bariatric surgery.

Background And Objectives: Women who have undergone bariatric surgery are susceptible to nutritional deficiencies in subsequent pregnancies. We highlight the importance of dermatologists in the early recognition of cutaneous signs of malnutrition occurring in this specific clinical setting.

Patients And Methods: We compare clinical characteristics of two young women with dermatological signs of combined post-gestational nutritional deficiencies following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

Effect of personality traits on the oral health-related quality of life in patients with oral mucosal disease.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between oral health-related quality of life, the nature of mucosal disease, and personality traits.

Methods: One hundred forty-nine patients seeking care for oral mucosal disease were recruited in this cross-sectional study conducted at the University Clinic of Dentistry in Vienna from June to December 2013. All participants agreed in answering two questionnaires: the Oral Health Impact Profile German version (OHIP-G), which assessed the perceived limitations of oral health-related quality of life and the Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), which evaluated five personality domains.

Merkel cell carcinoma: mitoses, expression of Ki-67 and bcl-2 correlate with disease progression.

Background: There are conflicting data on markers of disease progression and outcome of Merkel cell carcinoma.

Objective: We suggest to review histological and various immunohistochemical features of Merkel cell carcinoma specimens, in order to identify prognostic markers of clinical relevance.

Methods: We collected paraffin-embedded blocks from primary tumours from 26 patients diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma and determined the following: type and size of the tumour, number of mitoses, proliferation rate (Ki-67 antibody), (anti)-apoptosis rate (bcl-2, p53, p63 antibodies) and lymphatic vessel invasion (D2-40 antibody for podoplanin).

Efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulins in livedoid vasculopathy: long-term follow-up of 11 patients.

Background: Evidence for the efficacy of various therapies of livedoid vasculopathy (LV) is limited.

Objective: We sought to determine efficacy and tolerability of 2 g/kg of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) every 4 weeks in patients with LV.

Methods: This was a long-term follow-up study of 11 patients with LV treated with 2 g/kg of IVIG assessing the clinical characteristics, disease course, and quality of life.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae-associated mucositis--case report and systematic review of literature.

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a bacterium known to be a common cause of pneumonia, has been documented to cause complications such as debilitating mucositis previously described as an atypical Stevens-Johnson syndrome without skin lesions. However, in the spectrum of epidermal dermatopathies, the condition is increasingly recognized as a separate entity, now termed M. pneumoniae-associated mucositis (MPAM).

Low-dose inhalation of interleukin-2 bio-chemotherapy for the treatment of pulmonary metastases in melanoma patients.

Background: Interleukin-2 (IL-2) treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma has shown remarkable durable responses. Systemic administration of IL-2 may cause severe side effects, whereas local administration is considered to be a safe alternative. The lungs are common sites of metastases in melanoma patients causing considerable respiratory problems.

A long-term study of a patient with anti-p200 pemphigoid: correlation of autoantibody levels with disease activity and an example of epitope spreading.

Anti-p200 pemphigoid is a rare subepidermal blistering disease associated with autoantibodies against a 200-kDa protein, reportedly corresponding to laminin γ1. However, direct evidence of the pathogenic potential of these antibodies has not been proven. For 5 years we have followed up a patient with anti-p200 pemphigoid.

[IgA pemphigus of the subcorneal pustular dermatosis type. Successful therapy with a combination of dapsone and acitretin].

IgA pemphigus of the subcorneal pustular dermatosis type is a rare autoimmune blistering disease in the pemphigus spectrum. Patients are clinically characterized by extensive erythemas that primarily affect intertriginous areas. The erythematous macules are covered with numerous vesicles and pustules with occasional hypopyon formation.

Animal-type melanoma - tumor cell invasion of dermal lymphatics and molecular identification of lymph node metastasis.

Animal-type melanoma (ATM) represents a rare subtype within the wide spectrum of melanocytic tumors. Clinically, ATM lesions appear as sharply demarcated, brown, black and dark blue pigmented nodules, which show grey-white surface elements on dermatoscopy. The tumor is restricted to the dermis and arranged in irregular fascicles, which are composed of spindle-shaped and epithelioid melanocytes.