Dermatology Section (dermatology + section)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


A double-blind, randomized trial of 0.05% betamethasone vs. topical catalase/dismutase superoxide in vitiligo

JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 11 2008
G Sanclemente
Abstract Background Among all the topical immunomodulators, vitiligo's mainstay therapy includes topical corticosteroids. Many other non-immune theories have also been suggested for vitiligo's pathogenesis, but the role of oxidative stress has gained more importance in recent years. Objective To compare the effect of topical 0.05% betamethasone vs. catalase/dismutase superoxide (C/DSO). Study design Randomized, matched-paired, double-blind trial. Setting Dermatology Section, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. Subjects Patients (aged > 18 years or between 12 and 18 years) with parent's informed consent, with stable or active bilateral vitiligo. Intervention Topical 0.05% betamethasone or C/DSO. Methods Two lesions similar to each other in size were chosen. All assessments were made by two blinded investigators, and photographs were subjected to morphometry analysis. Main outcome Skin repigmentation by digital morphometry. Results Twenty-five patients were enrolled in the study (21 women and 4 men). Mean age of participants was 40 years (range: 12,74 years). One patient on C/DSO experienced a mild local erythematous papular rash that self-resolved. At 4 months of therapy, there was no statistical difference on the percentage of repigmentation between betamethasone and C/DSO (5.63% ± 27.9 vs. 3.22% ± 25.8, respectively, P = 0.758). After 10 months of therapy, the percentage of skin repigmentation increased to 18.5 ± 93.14% with betamethasone and to 12.4 ± 59% with C/DSO, but again, we found no statistical differences (P = 0.79). Discussion and conclusions Few studies have described objective methods to evaluate repigmentation among vitiligo patients. Digital morphometry provides an objective assessment of repigmentation in vitiligo. Objective vitiligo repigmentation with topical C/DSO at 10 months is similar to topical 0.05% betamethasone. Although a mild adverse effect was related to the use of C/DSO, such finding was not severe enough to discontinue treatment. [source]


The definition and diagnostic testing of physical and cholinergic urticarias , EAACI/GA2LEN/EDF/UNEV consensus panel recommendations

ALLERGY, Issue 12 2009
M. Magerl
The recommendations for the definition and diagnosis presented in this position paper are the result of a panel consensus meeting held in December 2008 in Berlin. This consensus meeting was a joint initiative of EAACI (European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology) Dermatology Section, the EU-funded network of excellence, GA2LEN (Global Allergy and Asthma European Network), the EDF (European Dermatology Forum) and UNEV (urticaria network e.V.). The aim of these recommendations is to improve the diagnosis and management of patients with physical urticaria or cholinergic urticaria and to promote research and a better understanding of these diseases. Our recommendations used the paper produced by a 1996 expert meeting (1) and they acknowledge the latest changes in our understanding of physical urticarias and cholinergic urticaria as well as the recent development of novel diagnostic tools. In addition, this consensus paper highlights areas of need for further research. [source]


EAACI/GA2LEN/EDF/WAO guideline: definition, classification and diagnosis of urticaria

ALLERGY, Issue 10 2009
T. Zuberbier
This guideline, together with its sister guideline on the management of urticaria [Zuberbier T, Asero R, Bindslev-Jensen C, Canonica GW, Church MK, Giménez-Arnau AM et al. EAACI/GA˛LEN/EDF/WAO Guideline: Management of urticaria. Allergy, 2009; 64:1427,1443] is the result of a consensus reached during a panel discussion at the 3rd International Consensus Meeting on Urticaria, Urticaria 2008, a joint initiative of the Dermatology Section of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), the EU-funded network of excellence, the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA˛LEN), the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) and the World Allergy Organization (WAO). Urticaria is a frequent disease. The life-time prevalence for any subtype of urticaria is approximately 20%. Chronic spontaneous urticaria and other chronic forms of urticaria do not only cause a decrease in quality of life, but also affect performance at work and school and, as such, are members of the group of severe allergic diseases. This guideline covers the definition and classification of urticaria, taking into account the recent progress in identifying its causes, eliciting factors, and pathomechanisms. In addition, it outlines evidence-based diagnostic approaches for different subtypes of urticaria. The correct management of urticaria, which is of paramount importance for patients, is very complex and is consequently covered in a separate guideline developed during the same consensus meeting. This guideline was acknowledged and accepted by the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS). [source]


EAACI/GA˛LEN/EDF/WAO guideline: management of urticaria

ALLERGY, Issue 10 2009
T. Zuberbier
This guideline, together with its sister guideline on the classification of urticaria (Zuberbier T, Asero R, Bindslev-Jensen C, Canonica GW, Church MK, Giménez-Arnau AM et al. EAACI/GA˛LEN/EDF/WAO Guideline: definition, classification and diagnosis of urticaria. Allergy 2009;64: 1417,1426), is the result of a consensus reached during a panel discussion at the Third International Consensus Meeting on Urticaria, Urticaria 2008, a joint initiative of the Dermatology Section of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), the EU-funded network of excellence, the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA˛LEN), the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) and the World Allergy Organization (WAO). As members of the panel, the authors had prepared their suggestions regarding management of urticaria before the meeting. The draft of the guideline took into account all available evidence in the literature (including Medline and Embase searches and hand searches of abstracts at international allergy congresses in 2004,2008) and was based on the existing consensus reports of the first and the second symposia in 2000 and 2004. These suggestions were then discussed in detail among the panel members and with the over 200 international specialists of the meeting to achieve a consensus using a simple voting system where appropriate. Urticaria has a profound impact on the quality of life and effective treatment is, therefore, required. The recommended first line treatment is new generation, nonsedating H1 -antihistamines. If standard dosing is not effective, increasing the dosage up to four-fold is recommended. For patients who do not respond to a four-fold increase in dosage of nonsedating H1 -antihistamines, it is recommended that second-line therapies should be added to the antihistamine treatment. In the choice of second-line treatment, both their costs and risk/benefit profiles are most important to consider. Corticosteroids are not recommended for long-term treatment due to their unavoidable severe adverse effects. This guideline was acknowledged and accepted by the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS). [source]