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Amerio P, Giuliani F, Coppola M, Lobefaro F, Gualdi G. Dermatology Publications on COVID-19 during the First Pandemic Year: Creativity or Opportunism? Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13040953. [PMID: 37109482 PMCID: PMC10146749 DOI: 10.3390/life13040953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Dermatologists had to face several challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this scenario, a large amount of data has been produced and published. Objectives: We present a literature analysis of publications on COVID-19 in the dermatology field in the first year of the pandemic. Methods: The research was carried out by searching the PubMed database using keywords related to “COVID-19” combined with the keyword “Dermatology” in the “affiliation” search field and collecting articles published from February 2020 to December 2020. Results: A total of 816 publications from 57 countries were retrieved. Overall, publications increased notably along the timespan considered in this study and appeared to be closely linked to pandemic progression in different countries. In addition, article types (i.e., commentaries, case reports, original research) appeared to be strictly influenced by the pandemic’s progression. However, the number and category of these publications may raise questions regarding the scientific relevance of the messages reported. Conclusions: Our analysis provides a descriptive quantitative analysis and suggests that publications do not always respond to real scientific needs but are sometimes linked to a need/opportunity for publication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Amerio
- Deparment of Medicine and Aging Science, UOC Dermatologia University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Federica Giuliani
- Deparment of Medicine and Aging Science, UOC Dermatologia University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Marco Coppola
- Deparment of Medicine and Aging Science, UOC Dermatologia University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Fabio Lobefaro
- Deparment of Medicine and Aging Science, UOC Dermatologia University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Giulio Gualdi
- Deparment of Medicine and Aging Science, UOC Dermatologia University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
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Gualdi G, Porreca A, Amoruso GF, Atzori L, Calzavara-Pinton P, De Tursi M, Buduo AD, Marino PD, Fabroncini G, Fantini F, Fargnoli MC, Giannotta G, Lacarruba F, Lotesoriere A, Merli M, Micali G, Paradisi A, Puviani M, Quaglino P, Rongioletti F, Rubatto M, Sbano P, Scalvenzi M, Soglia S, Sollima L, Villani A, Nicola MD, Amerio P. The Effect of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Melanoma Diagnosis in Italy. Clin Dermatol 2021; 39:911-919. [PMID: 34785022 PMCID: PMC8156913 DOI: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2021.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to lockdowns for much of the world. In Italy, all health procedures not directly related to COVID-19 were reduced or suspended, thus limiting patient access to hospitals. Any delay in cancer treatment presents the additional risk of tumors progressing from being curable to incurable. Specifically, melanoma survival rate strictly depends on tumor thickness, which, in turn, is a function of time. To estimate the impact on melanoma progression caused by the reduction in dermatologic services during the COVID-19 lockdown, a retrospective observational cohort study was conducted. This study was designed to compare the clinical and histologic characteristics of the primary melanomas removed in the first 2 months after the end of the lockdown (May-July 2020) in 12 Italian centers characterized by different COVID-19 case frequencies. The control group was represented by the melanomas removed during the same period in the previous 3 years. Overall, 1,124 melanomas were considered: 237 as part of the study group and 887 from the control group (average, 295), with a 20% reduction. Breslow thickness, as well as high-risk histotypes and melanomas with vertical growth, increased for all melanomas. Ulcerated and high mitotic index melanomas increased, particularly in northern Italy. In Italy, the lockdown led to a significant worsening of melanoma severity, causing a staging jump, with a consequent worsening of outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Gualdi
- Department of Dermatology, Università G. D'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
| | - Annamaria Porreca
- Biostatistic, Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Università G. D'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Italy
| | | | - Laura Atzori
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Public Health, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | - Michele De Tursi
- Oncologic Clinic, Department of Medical, Oral Sciences and Biotechnologies, Università G. D'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Italy
| | - Andrea Di Buduo
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Public Health, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Pietro Di Marino
- Oncologic Clinic, Department of Medical, Oral Sciences and Biotechnologies, Università G. D'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Italy
| | - Gabriella Fabroncini
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | | | - Maria Concetta Fargnoli
- Department of Dermatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Università dell'Aquila, Italy
| | | | | | - Andrea Lotesoriere
- Department of Dermatology, Università G. D'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Martina Merli
- Department of Dermatology, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Paradisi
- Dermatology Unit, Ospedale Generale "Cristo Re," Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Puviani
- Department of Dermatology, Ospedale di Sassuolo, Sassuolo, Italy
| | - Pietro Quaglino
- Department of Dermatology, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Franco Rongioletti
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Public Health, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marco Rubatto
- Department of Dermatology, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Paolo Sbano
- Dermatology Unit, Ospedale Generale "Belcolle," Viterbo, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Scalvenzi
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Simone Soglia
- Department of Dermatology, Università di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Laura Sollima
- Pathology Unit, Ospedale San Salvatore, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Alessia Villani
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Marta Di Nicola
- Biostatistic, Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, Università G. D'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Italy
| | - Paolo Amerio
- Department of Dermatology, Università G. D'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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