Publications by authors named "Yvonne E Chiu"

Article Synopsis
  • Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a common inflammatory muscle disease in children that still causes significant health issues despite improvements in treatment.
  • Different clinical types of JDM are linked to specific myositis-related antibodies, suggesting a correlation between the disease's manifestations and underlying biology.
  • The paper discusses how combining clinical observations with molecular analysis can inform more effective targeted therapies by understanding the role of immune pathways in JDM.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation (CM-AVM) syndrome is characterized by the presence of multiple small (1-2 cm in diameter) capillary malformations of the skin. This disorder has been described as two distinct entities: CM-AVM1 and CM-AVM2. The diagnosis of these disorders has been associated with pathogenic variants in the RASA1 gene for RASA1-CM-AVM, formerly known as CM-AVM1, and, more recently, the EPHB4 genes for EPHB4-CM-AVM, formerly known as CM-AVM2.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Importance: Detecting activity of morphea can be complex but is crucial for adequate treatment and outcome assessment. The Morphea Activity Measure (MAM) was recently validated, but its responsiveness to change in disease activity has not been studied.

Objective: To evaluate the internal and external responsiveness of MAM to changes in disease activity in pediatric patients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A 4-month-old male presented for a large, hypertrichotic brown patch on the upper back with several scattered 0.5-1.5 cm, round to oval, brown macules and patches on the trunk and extremities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Morphea is a rare fibrosing disorder with a highly variable disease course, which can complicate management. Here, we present a prospective cohort study describing the current treatments used in the management of pediatric-onset morphea and assessing responses to systemic and topical therapies. Most patients demonstrated inactive disease by 1 year, regardless of treatment, though recurrences were common in our cohort overall (39%).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Methotrexate (MTX) is a readily accessible drug, first used in 1948 and employed for a wide variety of indications since then. However, despite widespread off-label use, FDA labeling does not include approved indications for the use of MTX for many inflammatory skin diseases in pediatric patients, including morphea, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and alopecia areata, among others. Without published treatment guidelines, some clinicians may be hesitant to use MTX off-label, or uncomfortable prescribing MTX in this population.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Importance: Morphea is an insidious inflammatory disorder of the skin and deeper tissues. Determining disease activity is challenging yet important to medical decision-making and patient outcomes.

Objective: To develop and validate a scoring tool, the Morphea Activity Measure (MAM), to evaluate morphea disease activity of any type or severity that is easy to use in clinical and research settings.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Lipofibromatosis-like neural tumors (LPF-NTs) are a new type of spindle cell tumors, characterized by a unique pattern and specific markers like CD34 and S100, as well as genetic changes involving the NTRK1 gene.
  • A case study is presented involving an 11-year-old patient with LPF-NT showing a distinct honeycomb pattern similar to dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, along with specific co-expressions and gene rearrangements.
  • The paper also reviews 73 previously documented cases of LPF-NT to highlight the evolving understanding of this tumor type.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

There have been major advances in the understanding of severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs). Early recognition and withdrawal of culprit medications can decrease morbidity and mortality significantly. SCARs encompass a variety of entities that present with extensive mucocutaneous involvement and systemic symptoms, often requiring management in an intensive care setting.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Vulvar aphthous ulcer, also known as acute genital ulceration or Lipschutz ulcers, is an uncommon, non-sexually acquired condition characterized by sudden onset ulcerations of the vulva in young girls and women. It is thought to represent an immunologic reaction to an infection or other source of inflammation and is commonly preceded by prodromal symptoms including fever, chills, fatigue, and malaise. During the COVID-19 pandemic, vulvar aphthous ulcer associated with COVID-19 infection has been reported.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Pediatric morphea is an inflammatory skin condition that causes fibrosis and can affect deeper skin layers, but it's crucial to distinguish it from systemic sclerosis as they are not the same disease.
  • - Recent findings suggest that morphea may indicate a broader systemic inflammatory issue that can impact various organs in the body.
  • - Early and intense treatment is important to prevent long-lasting complications, and ongoing monitoring of the disease is necessary for affected children.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pediatric dermatologists should be aware of immunization schedules and special recommendations for patients on immunosuppressive agents due to the increased risk of vaccine-preventable infections. Prior to initiating immunosuppressive therapy, pediatric dermatologists should review a vaccine history and administer any necessary age-appropriate or catch-up vaccines. Live vaccines are typically contraindicated while on immunosuppressive therapy, while inactivated vaccines are generally safe to administer.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The distribution of pediatric-onset morphea and site-based likelihood for extracutaneous complications has not been well characterized.

Objective: To characterize the lesional distribution of pediatric-onset morphea and to determine the sites with the highest association of extracutaneous manifestations.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Importance: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in pediatric patients has been understudied. Increased awareness and recognition of HS prevalence in children demand efforts to better understand this condition.

Objective: To describe the demographics, clinical features, treatment, associated comorbidities, and outcomes in a large cohort of pediatric patients with HS.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may be complicated by the development of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs). The World Health Organization categorizes PTLDs into four entities including non-destructive, monomorphic, polymorphic, and classical Hodgkin lymphoma types. The most common PTLDs are B-cell lymphomas, with T-cell lymphomas accounting for only a few cases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Morphea is an autoimmune skin disease with protean clinical manifestations. Histologic features are similarly variable, and skin biopsies may be nondiagnostic. A single-institution retrospective cohort study was conducted.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) is a rare condition that causes swelling around the mouth, but it’s not caused by other illnesses.
  • There’s a question about whether OFG is a separate problem or if it’s related to Crohn's disease, which affects the intestines.
  • In a study of 7 kids with OFG, 4 developed Crohn's disease later, so doctors suggest keeping an eye on these patients for possible intestinal issues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Systemic sclerosis-polymyositis overlap syndrome is rare in children. Anti-PM/Scl is the most common autoantibody associated with this syndrome. We present a case of systemic sclerosis-polymyositis overlap syndrome in a child with isolated anti-Ku antibodies, an uncommon antibody associated with this rare syndrome.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the formation of a Pediatric Dermatology COVID-19 Response Task Force to provide guidance on managing immunosuppressive therapies in children, due to a lack of evidence-based data about their safety during the pandemic.
  • A survey of 37 pediatric dermatology experts revealed that 97% altered their decisions about starting immunosuppressive medications because of the pandemic, with many pausing or reducing lab monitoring for these treatments.
  • Experts generally agreed on the importance of temporarily discontinuing medications for patients with COVID-19 exposure or positive tests, while also emphasizing that each case should be carefully considered in discussions with patients and their families.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF