Evaluation of a Case Series of Patients With Palmoplantar Pustulosis in the United States

Importance

Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is a is a chronic, orphan disease with limited epidemiological data.

Objective

To describe the clinical characteristics, treatments, longitudinal disease course, and health care utilization in adults with PPP across the US.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective, longitudinal case series from 20 academic dermatology practices in the US included a consecutive sample of 197 adults who met the European Rare and Severe Psoriasis Expert Network consensus definition for PPP between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2018. Data analysis was performed June 2020 to December 2020.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was to describe the patient characteristics, associated medical comorbidities, treatment patterns, complications, and PPP-specific health care utilization.

Results

Of 197 patients, 145 (73.6%) were female, and the mean (SD) age at presentation was 53.0 (12.6) years, with a mean (SD) follow-up time of 22.1 (28.0) months. On initial presentation, 95 (48.2%) patients reported skin pain, and 39 (19.8%) reported difficulty using hands and/or feet. Seventy patients (35.5%) were treated with systemic treatments, and use of more than 20 different systemic therapies was reported. In patients with at least 6 months of follow-up (n = 128), a median (IQR) of 3.7 (4-10) dermatology visits per year were reported; 24 (18.8%) patients had 5 or more visits during the study period.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this case series, PPP was associated with persistent symptoms, continued health care utilization, and a lack of consensus regarding effective treatments, emphasizing the unmet medical need in this population. Additional research is necessary to understand treatment response in these patients.

Targeting the FcRn: A Novel Approach to the Treatment of Pemphigus

Pemphigus is a debilitating autoimmune blistering disorder mediated by IgG autoantibodies to desmosomal cadherins that requires novel steroid-sparing therapies. In this phase 1b/2 trial reported by Werth et al. (2021), the FcRn inhibitor ALXN1840 induced rapid and sustained clinical improvement in patients with chronic, active, refractory pemphigus. FcRn inhibition is a promising new approach to the treatment of pemphigus and other autoantibody-mediated autoimmune disorders.

Combating climate change in the clinic: Cost-effective strategies to decrease the carbon footprint of outpatient dermatologic practice

There have been numerous studies highlighting the negative impact that climate change has already had and is expected to continue to have on patients and their health. Notably, the health care industry has been identified as a major contributor to the global carbon footprint, highlighting a major opportunity for practitioners to intervene. However, the large majority of the literature on strategies to reduce health care’s contribution to climate change focuses solely on the inpatient setting. We review a variety of strategies for clinicians in the outpatient setting to adjust their practices to combat climate change. Summarizing the best evidence from other industries and translating recommendations from the literature on inpatient practice, we identify a wide range of opportunities for intervention, many of which are easy to implement and cost-effective. These general strategies to reduce both the carbon footprint and monthly operating costs of an outpatient clinic should be of interest to any practicing physician, both dermatologists and nondermatologists.

Patient Perspectives on the Use of Artificial Intelligence for Skin Cancer Screening: A Qualitative Study

Importance

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is expanding throughout the field of medicine. In dermatology, researchers are evaluating the potential for direct-to-patient and clinician decision-support AI tools to classify skin lesions. Although AI is poised to change how patients engage in health care, patient perspectives remain poorly understood.

Objective

To explore how patients conceptualize AI and perceive the use of AI for skin cancer screening.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A qualitative study using a grounded theory approach to semistructured interview analysis was conducted in general dermatology clinics at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and melanoma clinics at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Forty-eight patients were enrolled. Each interview was independently coded by 2 researchers with interrater reliability measurement; reconciled codes were used to assess code frequency. The study was conducted from May 6 to July 8, 2019.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Artificial intelligence concept, perceived benefits and risks of AI, strengths and weaknesses of AI, AI implementation, response to conflict between human and AI clinical decision-making, and recommendation for or against AI.

Results

Of 48 patients enrolled, 26 participants (54%) were women; mean (SD) age was 53.3 (21.7) years. Sixteen patients (33%) had a history of melanoma, 16 patients (33%) had a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer only, and 16 patients (33%) had no history of skin cancer. Twenty-four patients were interviewed about a direct-to-patient AI tool and 24 patients were interviewed about a clinician decision-support AI tool. Interrater reliability ratings for the 2 coding teams were κ = 0.94 and κ = 0.89. Patients primarily conceptualized AI in terms of cognition. Increased diagnostic speed (29 participants [60%]) and health care access (29 [60%]) were the most commonly perceived benefits of AI for skin cancer screening; increased patient anxiety was the most commonly perceived risk (19 [40%]). Patients perceived both more accurate diagnosis (33 [69%]) and less accurate diagnosis (41 [85%]) to be the greatest strength and weakness of AI, respectively. The dominant theme that emerged was the importance of symbiosis between humans and AI (45 [94%]). Seeking biopsy was the most common response to conflict between human and AI clinical decision-making (32 [67%]). Overall, 36 patients (75%) would recommend AI to family members and friends.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this qualitative study, patients appeared to be receptive to the use of AI for skin cancer screening if implemented in a manner that preserves the integrity of the human physician-patient relationship.

A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study and Systematic Review of Necrobiotic Xanthogranuloma With Proposed Diagnostic Criteria

Importance

Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma (NXG) is a non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis classically associated with paraproteinemia attributable to plasma-cell dyscrasias or lymphoproliferative disorders. Despite the morbidity of NXG, the literature is limited to case reports and small studies, and diagnostic criteria are lacking.

Objective

To evaluate the characteristics of NXG and propose diagnostic criteria.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted at tertiary academic referral centers and followed by a systematic review and a consensus exercise. The multicenter cohort included patients with NXG diagnosed at the Brigham and Women's and Massachusetts General Hospitals (2000-2018), the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (2000-2018), and the University of Pennsylvania Health System (2008-2018). The systematic review was conducted in 2018 and included patients with NXG identified in the Cochrane, Ovid EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. The consensus exercise was conducted by 8 board-certified dermatologists to identify diagnostic criteria.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Demographic factors, comorbidities, clinical features, and treatment response.

Results

Of 235 included patients with NXG (34 from the multicenter cohort and 201 from the systematic review results), the mean (SD) age at presentation was 61.6 (14.2) years; 147 (62.6%) were female. Paraproteinemia was detected in 193 patients (82.1%), most often IgG-κ (117 patients [50.0%]). A malignant condition was detected in 59 patients (25.1%), most often multiple myeloma (33 patients [14.0%]). The overall rate of paraproteinemia and/or a malignant condition was 83.8% (197 patients). In the multicenter cohort, evolution of paraproteinemia into multiple myeloma was observed up to 5.7 years (median [range], 2.4 [0.1-5.7] years) after NXG presentation. Cutaneous lesions consisted of papules, plaques, and/or nodules, typically yellow or orange in color (113 of 187 [60.4%]) with a periorbital distribution (130 of 219 [59.3%]). The eye was the leading site of extracutaneous involvement (34 of 235 [14.5%]). In the multicenter cohort, intravenous immunoglobulin had the best treatment response rate (9 of 9 patients [100%]), followed by antimalarial drugs (4 of 5 patients [80%]), intralesional triamcinolone (6 of 8 patients [75%]), surgery (3 of 4 patients [75%]), chemotherapy (8 of 12 patients [67%]), and lenalidomide or thalidomide (5 of 8 patients [63%]). The consensus exercise yielded 2 major criteria, which were (1) clinical and (2) histopathological features consistent with NXG, and 2 minor criteria, consisting of (1) paraproteinemia, plasma-cell dyscrasia, and/or other associated lymphoproliferative disorder and (2) periorbital distribution of cutaneous lesions. In the absence of foreign body, infection, or another identifiable cause, fulfillment of both major and at least 1 minor criterion were proposed to establish the diagnosis of NXG.

Conclusions and Relevance

Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma is a multisystem disorder associated with paraproteinemia and malignant conditions. The proposed diagnostic criteria may advance clinical research and should be validated.

Clinical Features and Comorbidities of Patients With Necrobiosis Lipoidica With or Without Diabetes

Importance

Necrobiosis lipoidica (NL) is a rare granulomatous condition. Current knowledge of its key features is based on a limited number of studies and case reports, leading to wide variability in the characterization of its defining features, with limited comparison of patients with or without diabetes.

Objective

To evaluate the epidemiologic characteristics, clinical features, and disease associations of NL in patients with or without type 1 or 2 diabetes.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This multicenter retrospective review included 236 patients aged 15 to 84 years who were evaluated and received a diagnosis of NL at the University of Pennsylvania Health System between January 1, 2008, and July 15, 2018; University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics between January 1, 2000, and June 15, 2018; and Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital between January 1, 2000, and February 15, 2018.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Patient demographics, clinical features, medical comorbidities, and biopsy status.

Results

Of the 236 patients with NL, 200 were women and 36 were men, and 182 were white, with a median age at presentation of 50.0 years (interquartile range, 33.0-59.0 years). The diagnosis was biopsy proven in 156 patients (66.1%). Of the 230 patients with location specified, 225 (97.8%) had NL on the lower legs. A total of 138 patients with NL (58.5%; 95% CI, 52.7%-65.3%) had diabetes. The median hemoglobin A1c for patients with diabetes was 8.00% (interquartile range, 6.68%-9.50%) (to convert hemoglobin A1c to proportion of total hemoglobin, multiply by 0.01). Patients with diabetes were significantly younger than patients without diabetes (median age, 45.0 vs 52.0 years; P = .005), and slightly less likely to be female (112 of 138 [81.2%] vs 87 of 96 [90.6%]; P = .046), but lesion characteristics were otherwise comparable. Other notable comorbidities included obesity in 95 of 184 patients (51.6%; 95% CI, 44.4%-58.9%), hypertension in 104 of 230 patients (45.2%), dyslipidemia in 98 of 225 patients (43.6%), and thyroid disease in 56 of 229 patients (24.5%).

Conclusions and Relevance

This study of NL supports its associations with diabetes as well as obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and thyroid disease. Younger age and female sex were observed more frequently in patients with diabetes. Otherwise, NL lesions in patients with or without diabetes shared many clinical features, suggesting that risk factors outside of elevated blood glucose may play an important role in the disease. Future studies should evaluate these associations with the goal of further elucidating NL's underlying pathophysiologic characteristics.

The Association of Age With Clinical Presentation and Comorbidities of Pyoderma Gangrenosum

Importance

Pyoderma gangrenosum is an inflammatory neutrophilic dermatosis. Current knowledge of this rare disease is limited owing to a lack of validated diagnostic criteria and large population studies.

Objective

To evaluate the association of age with the clinical presentation and comorbidities of pyoderma gangrenosum.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study performed at tertiary academic referral centers in urban settings. Adults (≥18 years) who were evaluated and diagnosed as having pyoderma gangrenosum at the Brigham and Women's and Massachusetts General Hospitals from 2000 to 2015 and the University of Pennsylvania Health System from 2006 to 2016 were included.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Patient demographics, clinical features, medical comorbidities, and treatment.

Results

Of the 356 validated cases of pyoderma gangrenosum included in the study, 267 (75%) were women and 284 (84.8%) were white. The mean (SD) age at presentation was 51.6 (17.7) years. Pathergy was recorded in 100 patients (28.1%). A total of 238 patients (66.9%) had associated medical comorbidities: inflammatory bowel disease in 146 patients (41.0%); inflammatory arthritis in 73 patients (20.5%); solid organ malignant neoplasms in 23 patients (6.5%); hematologic malignant neoplasms in 21 patients (5.9%); and hematologic disorders, specifically monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, myelodysplastic syndrome, and polycythemia vera in 17 patients (4.8%). When stratified by age, pathergy was more common in patients 65 years or older (36.3% vs 24.3%; P = .02). Inflammatory bowel disease was the only medical comorbidity that was more common in patients younger than 65 years (47.7% vs 26.6%; P < .001), while a number of medical comorbidities were more common in those 65 years or older, including rheumatoid arthritis (13.3% vs 6.2%; P = .03), ankylosing spondylitis (1.8% vs 0%; P = .04), solid organ malignant neoplasms (13.3% vs 3.3%; P < .001), hematologic malignant neoplasms (9.7% vs 4.1%; P = .04), and the aforementioned hematologic disorders (10.6% vs 2.1%; P < .001).

Conclusions and Relevance

Although clinical presentation in this large cohort was similar between different age groups, disease associations varied by age. The findings of this study may allow for a more focused, age-specific evaluation of patients with pyoderma gangrenosum.

Neutrophilic dermatoses: Pathogenesis, Sweet syndrome, neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis, and Behçet disease

Neutrophilic dermatoses are a heterogeneous group of inflammatory skin disorders that present with unique clinical features but are unified by the presence of a sterile, predominantly neutrophilic infiltrate on histopathology. The morphology of cutaneous lesions associated with these disorders is heterogeneous, which renders diagnosis challenging. Moreover, a thorough evaluation is required to exclude diseases that mimic these disorders and to diagnose potential associated infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic processes. While some neutrophilic dermatoses may resolve spontaneously, most require treatment to achieve remission. Delays in diagnosis and treatment can lead to significant patient morbidity and even mortality. Therapeutic modalities range from systemic corticosteroids to novel biologic agents, and the treatment literature is rapidly expanding. The first article in this continuing medical education series explores the pathogenesis of neutrophilic dermatoses and reviews the epidemiology, clinical and histopathologic features, diagnosis, and management of Sweet syndrome, neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis, and Behçet disease.

Neutrophilic dermatoses: Pyoderma gangrenosum and other bowel- and arthritis-associated neutrophilic dermatoses

Neutrophilic dermatoses are a heterogeneous group of inflammatory skin disorders that present with unique clinical features but are unified by the presence of a sterile, predominantly neutrophilic infiltrate on histopathology. The morphology of cutaneous lesions associated with these disorders is heterogeneous, which renders diagnosis challenging. Moreover, a thorough evaluation is required to exclude diseases that mimic these disorders and to diagnose potential associated infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic processes. While some neutrophilic dermatoses may resolve spontaneously, most require treatment to achieve remission. Delays in diagnosis and treatment can lead to significant patient morbidity and even mortality. Therapeutic modalities range from systemic corticosteroids to novel biologic agents, and the treatment literature is rapidly expanding. The second article in this continuing medical education series reviews the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, histopathologic features, diagnosis, and management of pyoderma gangrenosum as well as bowel-associated dermatosis-arthritis syndrome and the arthritis-associated neutrophilic dermatoses rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatitis and adult Still disease.

Sweet syndrome in patients with and without malignancy: A retrospective analysis of 83 patients from a tertiary academic referral center

BACKGROUND

Sweet syndrome is a neutrophilic dermatosis that may be categorized into classic, malignancy-associated, and drug-induced subtypes. Few studies have systematically analyzed this rare disorder.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment of Sweet syndrome and identify characteristics associated with concurrent malignancy.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients with Sweet syndrome at the University of Pennsylvania from 2005 to 2015.

RESULTS

We identified 83 patients (mean age, 57 years; 51% male) with Sweet syndrome: 30% with the classic form, 44% with the malignancy-associated form, 24% with the drug-induced form in the setting of malignancy, and 2% with the drug-induced form. Acute myeloid leukemia was the most common malignancy (in 24 of 83 patients [29%]). Filgrastim was the most common medication (used in 8 of 83 patients [10%]). Leukopenia (P < .001), anemia (P = .002), thrombocytopenia (P < .001), absence of arthralgia (P < .001), and histiocytoid or subcutaneous histopathology (P = .024) were associated with malignancy (χ² test).

LIMITATIONS

This was a retrospective study that represents patients from a single tertiary academic referral center, which may limit its generalizability to other settings.

CONCLUSION

When caring for patients with Sweet syndrome, dermatologists should be aware of the potential association of leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, absence of arthralgia, and histiocytoid or subcutaneous histopathology with malignancy.

The Guatemala-Penn Partners: An Innovative Inter-Institutional Model for Scientific Capacity-Building, Healthcare Education, and Public Health

Population health outcomes are directly related to robust public health programs, access to basic health services, and a well-trained health-care workforce. Effective health services need to systematically identify solutions, scientifically test these solutions, and share generated knowledge. The World Health Organization (WHO)'s Global Healthcare Workforce Alliance states that the capacity to perform research is an essential factor for well-functioning public health systems. Low- and middle-income countries have greater health-care worker shortages and lower research capacity than higher-income countries. International global health partnerships between higher-income countries and low-middle-income countries aim to directly address such inequalities through capacity building, a process by which human and institutional resources are strengthened and developed, allowing them to perform high-level functions, solve complex problems, and achieve important objectives. The Guatemala-Penn Partners (GPP) is a collaboration among academic centers in Guatemala and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that echoes the vision of the WHO's Global Healthcare Workforce Alliance. This article describes the historical development and present organization of the GPP according to its three guiding principles: university-to-university connections, dual autonomies with locally led capacity building, and mutually beneficial exchanges. It describes the GPP activities within the domains of science, health-care education, and public health, emphasizing implementation factors, such as sustainability and scalability, in relation to the guiding principles. Successes and limitations of this innovative model are also analyzed in the hope that the lessons learned may be applied to similar partnerships across the globe.

Primary care providers' perceptions of mobile store-and-forward teledermatology

INTRODUCTION

Although teledermatology offers promise as a tool to increase access to care, adoption has been limited. Understanding the perspectives and experiences of key stakeholders, such as primary care providers (PCPs) and patients, is important to identify opportunities to reduce barriers to adoption and to improve teledermatology programs. Although many studies have examined patients' experiences and satisfaction with teledermatology, few have examined referring PCPs' perspectives.

OBJECTIVE

To identify PCPs' perceptions on the strengths and limitations of teledermatology in order to identify opportunities to improve teledermatology programs.

METHODS

We distributed an anonymous, web-based survey to 30 PCPs involved in a two-year study evaluating a mobile app-based teledermatology platform.

RESULTS

100% (18/18) agreed or strongly agreed that teledermatology increases access to dermatologic care, improves patient care, and is acceptable to patients. 100% (18/18) agreed or strongly agreed that teledermatology provides educational benefit to the PCP. Only 6% (1/18) agreed that teledermatology increases medical liability and 11% (2/18) agreed that it increases risk of a breach in privacy or confidentiality.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight that PCPs are highly satisfied with mobile app-based, store-and-forward teledermatology and that they believe teledermatology offers synergistic educational benefit. We hope these results will help guide the development of teledermatology programs to increase access to timely, cost-effective care.