Peritumoral matrilin-2 staining may be useful in distinguishing basal cell carcinoma from folliculocentric basaloid proliferation.

Background: Folliculocentric basaloid proliferation (FBP) is a benign and reactive proliferation which can histopathologically mimic basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). The incidental presence of FBP during the excision of a BCC can occasionally lead to excessive tissue removal. One distinguishing feature of BCCs is that they invade the stroma, whereas FBPs generally do not.

Topical timolol may improve overall scar cosmesis in acute surgical wounds.

Acute wounds created by dermatologists following the removal of nonmelanoma skin cancers are closed either by primary or secondary intention, and the best cosmetic outcome is preferentially desired. One parameter that determines the overall cosmesis of the healed wound is its vascularity. Vascular tone results from a complex interplay of a variety of chemokines in the body and their interaction with receptors located on endothelial cell surfaces.

A double-blind, randomized, bilateral comparison of skin irritancy following application of the combination acne products clindamycin/tretinoin and benzoyl peroxide/adapalene.

Background: The use of topical medications for acne vulgaris is often limited by their irritant properties. Newer combination preparations are available and offer convenience, but irritant potential may still be a hindrance, perhaps more so with the combination of 2 agents. Few studies have compared these formulations directly for tolerability.

A pilot study of an oral phosphodiesterase inhibitor (apremilast) for atopic dermatitis in adults.

Objective: To investigate the preliminary safety and efficacy of apremilast, an oral phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, for atopic dermatitis.

Design: This investigator-initiated, open-label pilot study evaluated 2 doses of apremilast in patients with atopic dermatitis. Differential gene analysis was performed from peripheral whole blood using data before and after treatment.

Evaluation of reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the CDASI and the CAT-BM.

To properly evaluate therapies for cutaneous dermatomyositis (DM), it is essential to administer an outcome instrument that is reliable, valid, and responsive to clinical change, particularly when measuring disease activity. The purpose of this study was to compare two skin severity DM outcome measures, the Cutaneous Disease and Activity Severity Index (CDASI) and the Cutaneous Assessment Tool-Binary Method (CAT-BM), with the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) as the "gold standard". Ten dermatologists evaluated 14 patients with DM using the CDASI, CAT-BM, and PGA scales.

Prevalence of self-report photosensitivity in cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

Background: Little is known about the prevalence of self-reported photosensitivity (PS) and its effects on quality of life in a US cutaneous lupus population.

Objective: We sought to determine the prevalence of self-reported PS among a cutaneous lupus population and to examine its impact on quality of life.

Methods: A total of 169 patients with lupus were interviewed about PS symptoms and completed the modified Skindex-29+3, a quality-of-life survey.

Quality of life in dermatomyositis.

Background: Quality of life (QoL) for patients with inflammatory skin disease can be significant, but has been evaluated in just one study in dermatomyositis (DM).

Objective: We sought to examine the relationship between the Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Area (CDASI) and Severity Index, a DM-specific cutaneous severity instrument, and various QoL study instruments and to determine the impact of DM on QoL.

Methods: Skin-specific QoL instruments, the Skindex and the Dermatology Life Quality Index, and global medical QoL instruments, the Short Form 36 and the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index, were used.

Syphilitic palmoplantar keratoderma and ocular disease: a rare combination in an HIV-positive patient.

Approximately 349 million individuals worldwide are actively infected with syphilis. The incidence of syphilis in North America and Europe is low but has been rising in recent years. The rate of concomitant infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis also has been increasing.