Publications by authors named "Simon Nigen"
Chronic urticaria (CU) is the recurring development of wheals (aka "hives" or "welts"), angioedema, or both for more than 6 weeks. Wheals and angioedema occur with no definite triggers in chronic spontaneous urticaria, and in response to known and definite physical triggers in chronic inducible urticaria. Approximately 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInterleukin (IL)-23-independent IL-17A production has been suggested to be involved in persistent manifestations of psoriatic disease, including anti-IL-12/23-refractory psoriatic plaques; this study aimed to test this hypothesis by investigating the clinical and molecular effects of direct IL-17A (with secukinumab) versus selective IL-23 inhibition (with guselkumab) in patients with anti-IL-12/23 (ustekinumab)-refractory psoriatic plaques. A 16-week, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, Phase IIa study (ARROW, NCT03553823) was conducted in patients with ≥1 active psoriatic plaque (total clinical score [TCS] ≥6) at screening despite treatment with ustekinumab, and a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score 1-10. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive secukinumab 300 mg (n = 20) or guselkumab 100 mg (n = 20).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Dupilumab is the first monoclonal antibody approved in Canada for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), but it doesn't work for everyone and can cause side effects like conjunctivitis in some patients.
- Recent studies show that IL-13 is the main cytokine involved in AD, leading to the testing of new IL-13 inhibitors like lebrikizumab and tralokinumab.
- Lebrikizumab showed significant improvement in symptoms compared to placebo, with fewer side effects, while tralokinumab also proved effective, suggesting IL-13 inhibitors could be promising alternatives for AD treatment.
Background: Palmoplantar pustular psoriasis (PPPP) is a variant of psoriasis, which has significant negative impact on quality of life. The cellular and molecular inflammatory pathways involved in PPPP have not been well studied.
Objective: Study the expression of cytokines and chemokines involved in the IL-17/IL-23 axis in palmoplantar pustular psoriasis and other difficult to treat psoriasis areas (palms, scalp, elbows and lower legs).
Introduction: Acitretin is a retinoid approved for the treatment of psoriasis that has good efficacy for palmoplantar psoriasis. The safety and efficacy of acitretin in severe chronic hand dermatitis (CHD) is unknown.
Methods: A total of nine patients with severe CHD were enrolled and treated with acitretin 10 mg once daily which could be increased to 30 mg daily if well-tolerated.
Background: Little is known about the impact of long-term use of immunosuppressive agents on immune response.
Objectives: Assess the impact of continuous maintenance ustekinumab treatment on patients' ability to mount immune responses to pneumococcal (T-cell-independent) and tetanus toxoid (T-cell-dependent) vaccines.
Patients And Methods: Ustekinumab-treated patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated in the long-term extension of the Phase 3 PHOENIX 2 trial (n=60) were compared with control psoriasis patients not receiving systemic therapy (n=56).
Influence of the quantity of sunscreen applied on the ability to protect against ultraviolet-induced polymorphous light eruption.
Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed
October 2012
Article Synopsis
- Many people apply less sunscreen than the recommended amount of 2 mg/cm², creating a need for research on its effectiveness at lower quantities.
- This study tested two SPF 45 sunscreens with different UVA protection levels by applying them at both 2 mg/cm² and 1 mg/cm² on patients prone to UV-induced polymorphous light eruption (PLE).
- Results showed that the sunscreen with high UVA protection significantly reduced PLE reactions compared to the low UVA protection sunscreen, even at the lower application amount of 1 mg/cm².
Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is frequently seen in patients with psoriasis vulgaris. The effect of adalimumab, a TNF-α antagonist, on OSA is unknown.
Methods: Patients with at least 5% of their body surface area covered with psoriasis and a sleep apnea defined as an apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) of at least 15 were recruited.
Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with methylaminolevulinate (MAL) under occlusion is effective for the treatment of acne vulgaris but is associated with significant phototoxic side effects.
Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of topical MAL with or without occlusion followed by red light exposure in patients with facial acne vulgaris.
Patients/methods: Forty-four patients with facial acne vulgaris were randomized to receive four MAL applications (80 mg/g) at two-week intervals with occlusion on either the right or left side followed 90 minutes later by either 25 or 37 J/cm2 of red light.
Background: Atopic dermatitis patients almost all use moisturizers to prevent and treat their skin disease. However, the safety and efficacy of moisturizers are rarely studied in this patient population. Aims To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of urea-containing moisturizers in subjects with atopic dermatitis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Genital psoriasis is difficult to treat and has a significant psychological impact on affected patients.
Objective: To study the safety and efficacy of topical tacrolimus ointment in male patients with genital psoriasis.
Methods: This was an open-label study in 12 male patients with genital psoriasis.
Background: Application of aminolevulinic acid (ALA) for photodynamic therapy induces significant sensitivity to visible light.
Objective: To determine whether sunscreens containing inorganic agents are effective against sensitivity to blue light induced by ALA application.
Methods & Materials: Twenty subjects received application of ALA on the arm.
Adverse drug reactions are a major problem in drug therapy, and cutaneous drug reactions account for a large proportion of all adverse drug reactions. Cutaneous drug reactions are also a challenging diagnostic problem since they can mimic a large variety of skin diseases, including viral exanthema, collagen vascular disease, neoplasia, bacterial infection, psoriasis, and autoimmune blistering disease, among others. Furthermore, determining that a particular medication caused an eruption is often difficult when the patient is taking multiple drugs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Pyodermatitis-pyostomatitis vegetans (PD-PSV) is a rare vegetating, pustular, eosinophilic, mucocutaneous dermatosis characterized by mucocutaneous lesions of the genital, axillary, and oral regions, as well as on the scalp.
Objective: We report two patients who were diagnosed with PD-PSV. The published cases of this rare disorder are reviewed.