Development of a Framework for Addressing Skin Biopsy Tray Waste in Dermatology Clinics: A Quality Improvement Study.

Importance: The US health care system generates substantial global waste. Skin biopsies are frequently performed by dermatologists and represent a practical and scalable opportunity for waste reduction interventions in dermatology clinics.

Objective: To develop and implement a systematic framework for decreasing skin biopsy tray waste in dermatology clinics.

Financial burden of epidermolysis bullosa on patients in the United States.

Individuals with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a group of genodermatoses with skin fragility, often require specialized and expensive bandaging. We analyzed the results from an online survey of 249 EB patients and caregivers living in the United States to investigate the financial impact of EB. Of respondents with severe EB subtypes (recessive dystrophic and junctional), 73% reported a major or moderate financial impact and 26% spent greater than $1000 per month on wound care supplies.

Clinical factors associated with cutaneous histopathologic findings in dermatomyositis.

Background: Common histopathologic findings in cutaneous dermatomyositis include vacuolar interface with dyskeratosis, mucin, and perivascular inflammation. Data examining the relationships between these and other histologic abnormalities, or their dependence on biopsy site, and medications are limited.

Methods: Using 228 dermatomyositis skin biopsies and statistical analyses including Chi-squared analyses, calculations of relative risk, and adjusted generalized estimating equation regressions, we investigated relationships between 14 histopathologic findings and the impact of clinical factors on these findings.

Association Between Autoantibody Phenotype and Cutaneous Adverse Reactions to Hydroxychloroquine in Dermatomyositis.

Importance: Hydroxychloroquine sulfate is a commonly used medication for patients with dermatomyositis and has been associated with a uniquely elevated risk of adverse cutaneous reactions in this population. No studies to date have examined whether certain subsets of patients with dermatomyositis are at increased risk of experiencing a hydroxychloroquine-associated skin eruption.

Objective: To identify disease features that increase the risk of hydroxychloroquine-associated skin eruption in adults with dermatomyositis.

Dermatomyositis Clinical and Pathological Phenotypes Associated with Myositis-Specific Autoantibodies.

Purpose Of Review: Dermatomyositis is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy with a variety of systemic and cutaneous manifestations. The myositis-specific autoantibodies (MSAs) are associated with phenotypic features and provide a tool for sub-classification of dermatomyositis patients. This review focuses on recent work characterizing the clinical features that accompany the MSAs in dermatomyositis.

Factors Associated With Clinical Remission of Skin Disease in Dermatomyositis.

Importance: Cutaneous disease represents a significant burden for patients with dermatomyositis. However, quantitative estimates of the probability of skin disease remission and clinical factors associated with skin outcomes are lacking.

Objective: To characterize cutaneous disease course in adult patients with dermatomyositis.