Glycoprotein Matrix Zinc Exhibits Improved Absorption: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

Biotransformation of minerals via glycosylation by microorganisms such as yeast and/or probiotics yields nutrients bound to a food matrix, resulting in increased bioavailability. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of glycoprotein matrix-bound zinc (GPM) on absorption compared to inorganic zinc oxide. Sixteen participants ingested 11 mg of zinc as either GPM™ Soy-Free Zinc (GPM, Ashland, Kearny, NJ, USA) or zinc oxide (USP).

Atopic Dermatitis: A Qualitative Study on the Burdens of Living with Itchiness.

Objective: We sought to understand the consequences itchiness has on daily life that may not be immediately obvious in clinical assessments for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD).

Methods: Focus groups and interviews involving 21 patients with AD and 12 family members examined aspects of the effects of itchiness on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Investigators conducted a thematic analysis where two researchers independently coded the narratives and arrived at a consensus on major themes.

Methods Reporting Quality and its Association with Methods Section Length: A Cross-sectional Assessment of STROBE and CONSORT Reporting Adherence in Top-cited Dermatology Journals.

Background: Adequate methods reporting in observational and trial literature is critical to interpretation and implementation.

Objective: Evaluate methodology reporting adherence in the dermatology literature and compare this to internal medicine (IM) literature.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional review of randomly-selected dermatology and IM manuscripts published between 2014-2018.

Exploring the knowledge, attitude, and practices of over-the-counter medical sellers in Ghana.

Background: Rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa face a high prevalence and morbidity of skin disease while also lacking access to dermatologists. In Ghana, where approximately 25 licensed dermatologists are available for 25 million people, community pharmacies, called over-the-counter medical sellers (OTCMS), were established to respond to accessibility inequities, albeit without equitable training.

Objective: Our study evaluates the dermatologic knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of OTCMS in Ghana's Ashanti Region.

A survey of United States dermatologists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices with intramuscular triamcinolone.

Since the 1970s, intramuscular triamcinolone (IMT) has been available as an option for systemic corticosteroid use in dermatology. Although shown to be safe and effective in early studies, this method of systemic corticosteroid delivery fell out of favor in the 1980s in many United States residency programs. To identify factors associated with US dermatologists' preferences for and use of IMT we surveyed a random sample of US board-certified dermatologists to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding IMT in dermatologists' daily clinical practice.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures and Their Clinical Applications in Dermatology.

With more disease- and symptom-specific measures available and research pointing to increased usefulness, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) can be routinely used in clinical care. PROMs increase efficiency in healthcare, improve the clinician-patient relationship, and increase patient satisfaction with their care. PROMs can be administered before, during, and after clinic visits using paper-and-pencil, mobile phones, tablets, and computers.

A Single-Institution Cohort Study With Nevi of Special Site: Recurrence, Progression to Melanoma, and Patterns of Management.

Nevi of specialized sites (NOSS) occur on the scalp, ears, flexural, acral, and genital areas and display atypical clinical and histologic features. We assessed NOSS recurrence and progression to melanoma, management patterns, and associations between histologic features and treatment recommendations. We queried all histologic diagnoses of NOSS (n = 275) from 2012 to 2017 from a large U.

Evaluation of Skindex-16 construct validity in routinely collected psoriasis data: a retrospective analysis of the relationship between overall physician global assessment scores and Skindex-16 and measure discordance.

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) capture disease severity metrics from the patient's perspective, including health-related quality of life (HRQL). Disease-specific validation of PROMs improves their clinical utility. We evaluated construct validity (HRQL) for Skindex-16 in routinely seen psoriasis patients and characterized instances of discordance between Skindex-16 scores and clinician-reported outcome measure of disease severity.

Amelanotic Melanoma Treated as Fungal Infection for Years.

This study describes a case of amelanotic lentigo maligna melanoma in a 69-year-old female that had been growing for approximately 5 years. The asymptomatic lesion had been previously diagnosed and treated as a fungal skin infection, an inflammatory rash, and an actinic keratosis that did not respond to standard treatments. Biopsy revealed confluent and nested atypical melanocytes at the dermal-epidermal junction, consistent with melanoma in situ.

Quality of Life Among Family of Patients with Atopic Dermatitis and Psoriasis.

Background: Chronic inflammatory skin diseases like atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis can severely impact patients' quality of life (QOL). However, the effect of these diseases can diminish the QOL of patients' family members as well. The objective of this study was to understand the impact on QOL for family members of patients diagnosed with AD or psoriasis.

Why so Blue? (Or Should I Say Red?) Recognizing the Emotional Impact of Psoriasis on Patients and Family Members: A Qualitative Study.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition with significant effects on quality of life, including impacts on emotional health. However, these experiences are not always addressed in clinic visits, despite their potential for significant effects on daily life. This study is part of a larger project on the effects of psoriasis on quality of life.

Incorporating Patient-Reported Outcomes as a Vital Sign for Dermatologic Clinical Care and Clinical Investigations.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide quantitative assessments of patients' experiences with their skin diseases. PROs are usually much more comprehensive than what can be gleaned from a brief clinical history and more informative than what dermatologists can gather on clinical examination. Correlations between PROs and clinician assessments (e.

Risk Factors and Predictors of Survival Among Patients with Amelanotic Melanoma Compared to Melanotic Melanoma in the National Cancer Database.

Background: Amelanotic melanoma (AM) is a rare form of melanoma lacking pigment. Data on AM risk factors and factors predicting survival are limited.

Objectives: We sought to identify predictors of AM, survival differences in AM and melanotic melanoma, and AM-specific survival rates.

The Role of Pain in the Lives of Patients with Psoriasis: A Qualitative Study on an Inadequately Addressed Symptom.

Patients with psoriasis commonly report experiencing severe sensory symptoms, and the burden of these symptoms can extend beyond unpleasant experiences to impair patients' health-related quality of life (HRQL). However, the symptom of pain and its consequences are still poorly understood in psoriasis patients. To understand the quality and intensity of pain associated with psoriasis as well as its interference with daily function in patients with psoriasis.

Disseminate and Recurrent Infundibulofolliculitis: An Under-Recognized Yet Treatable Entity.

Disseminate and recurrent infundibulofolliculitis (DRIF) is a pruritic papular eruption that predominantly affects young adults with Fitzpatrick skin types 4-6. Due to DRIF’s rarity and under-recognition, no standardized treatment guidelines exist. However, several oral agents have been used, including vitamin A, antibiotics, and retinoids.

Limiting Residency Applications to Dermatology Benefits Nearly Everyone.

With a 34-percent increase in dermatology residency applications in the past decade, residency programs are increasingly faced with the daunting task of reviewing more applications for a relatively fixed number of residency positions. Other specialty programs, including otolaryngology, orthopedics, plastic surgery, and ophthalmology, have called for limiting the number of residency applications. Dermatology programs have developed various ways to decrease the number of reviewed applications, from cutoffs for Step 1 board scores to Alpha Omega Alpha membership to secondary applications.

The Disruptiveness of Itchiness from Psoriasis: A Qualitative Study of the Impact of a Single Symptom on Quality of Life.

Background: Pruritus is the most common symptom of psoriasis, with a significant impact on patient quality of life. In spite of this, the severity, persistence, and overall impact of itchiness has only been rarely formally assessed during standard psoriasis clinic visits. Objectives: We sought to understand the far-reaching impacts of itchiness on the lives of those with psoriasis and their families.