Project description:BackgroundHand eczema refers to eczema located on the hands, regardless of its etiology or morphology. Despite its high prevalence and significant impact on patients' quality of life, treatment is frequently challenging because of its heterogeneity, chronic and recurrent course, and lack of well-organized randomized controlled trials of the various treatment options.ObjectiveThese consensus guidelines aim to provide evidence-based recommendations on the diagnosis and management of hand eczema to improve patient care by helping physicians make more efficient and transparent decisions.MethodsA modified Delphi method, comprising two rounds of email questionnaires with face-to-face meetings in between, was adopted for the consensus process that took place between February and September 2020. Forty experts in the field of skin allergy and contact dermatitis were invited to participate in the expert panel.ResultsConsensus was reached for the domains of classification, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment; and a therapeutic ladder to manage chronic hand eczema was developed.ConclusionThese are the first consensus guidelines for chronic hand eczema in the Asian population, which will help standardize care and assist clinical decision-making in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hand eczema.
Project description:Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is a common and burdensome inflammatory skin condition seen in up to 10% of the population, more often in high-risk occupational workers. Topical therapeutics comprise the standard of care, but up to 65% of cases do not resolve after treatment, and moderate-to-severe cases are often resistant to topical therapeutics and require systemic options instead. To date, there are no systemic therapeutics approved to treat CHE in the United States, but several drugs are under investigation as potential treatments for CHE. The primary focus of this review is on the novel therapeutics, topical and systemic, that are under investigation in recently completed or currently ongoing trials. This review also briefly outlines the existing treatments utilized for CHE, often with limited success or extensive adverse effects. CHE represents a major challenge for physicians and patients alike, and efforts to improve the minimally invasive diagnostic tools and treatment paradigms are ongoing. In the near future, CHE patients may benefit from new topical and systemic therapeutics that specifically target abnormally expressed immune markers.
Project description:Hand eczema is often a chronic, multifactorial disease. It is usually related to occupational or routine household activities. Exact etiology of the disease is difficult to determine. It may become severe enough and disabling to many of patients in course of time. An estimated 2-10% of population is likely to develop hand eczema at some point of time during life. It appears to be the most common occupational skin disease, comprising 9-35% of all occupational diseases and up to 80% or more of all occupational contact dermatitis. So, it becomes important to find the exact etiology and classification of the disease and to use the appropriate preventive and treatment measures. Despite its importance in the dermatological practice, very few Indian studies have been done till date to investigate the epidemiological trends, etiology, and treatment options for hand eczema. In this review, we tried to find the etiology, epidemiology, and available treatment modalities for chronic hand eczema patients.
Project description:There has been no extensive synthesis of studies evaluating the cost of chronic hand eczema (CHE). This review evaluated the societal costs, healthcare resource utilisation, missed work time and job loss due to CHE. MEDLINE and 16 other databases and websites were searched in October 2020 for studies meeting prespecified inclusion criteria. Studies conducted in Europe, Australia, New Zealand or the Americas were included. Two reviewers independently assessed titles and abstracts, and full-text papers published in English between 2000 and 2020, for relevance. Data extraction was carried out by one reviewer and checked by a second reviewer. All data were based on costs between 2001 and 2013 but have been inflated to 2020 prices and converted to US dollars and Euros. A total of 30 studies (reported in 33 publications) were included in the synthesis. Mean total societal costs per year per patient ranged from $2549 (€1813) to $10,883 (€7738). Pharmacological therapy was, on average, $28.34 (€20.15) per month in Italy and $36.49 (€25.94) per month for emollients in Switzerland. Yearly treatment costs were $599.05 (€425.92) for drugs, including topical corticosteroids, topical calcineurin inhibitors, other topical treatments and oral treatments, and $178.40 for emollients, in Germany. CHE was associated with hospitalisation costs ranging from $81.86 (€58.20) per patient per month (US) to $105.04 (€74.68) per patient per month (Italy) and $639.59 (€454.75) per year (Germany). Up to 57% of patients took sick leave and up to 25% reported job loss/job change due to CHE. This review confirms the significant cost burden of CHE. Given the paucity of studies estimating the monetary costs of absenteeism, presenteeism and job loss associated with CHE, current mean societal costs are likely underestimated. Uncontrolled disease may also lead to increased costs to patients and society.
Project description:BackgroundHyperkeratotic hand eczema (HHE) is a typical clinical hand eczema subtype with a largely unknown pathophysiology.ObjectiveTo investigate histopathology, expression of keratins (K), epidermal barrier proteins, and adhesion molecules in HHE.MethodsPalmar skin biopsies (lesional and perilesional) were obtained from seven HHE patients and two healthy controls. Moreover, 135 candidate genes associated with palmoplantar keratoderma were screened for mutations.ResultsImmunofluorescence staining showed a significant reduction of K9 and K14 in lesional skin. Upregulation was found for K5, K6, K16, and K17 in lesional skin compared with perilesional and healthy palmar skin. Further, upregulation of involucrin and alternating loricrin staining, both in an extracellular staining pattern, was found. Filaggrin expression was similar in lesional, perilesional, and control skin. No monogenetic mutations were found.ConclusionCurrently, the phenotype of HHE is included in the hand eczema classification system; however, it can be argued whether this is justified. The evident expression of filaggrin and involucrin in lesional skin does not support a pathogenesis of atopic eczema. The upregulation of K6, K16, and K17 and reduction of K9 and K14 might contribute to the underlying pathogenesis. Unfortunately, comparison with hand eczema studies is not possible yet, because similar protein expression studies are lacking.
Project description:We report 2 patients with cold urticaria with different response to treatment with omalizumab (Xolair(®)). Cold contact urticaria (CCU) is a common subtype of physical urticaria. It is characterized by the development of wheal and/or angioedema within minutes after cold contact. Clinical manifestation of CCU can range from mild, localized whealing to life-threatening anaphylactic shock reactions. Omalizumab has been described to be useful in cases of chronic urticaria and may be an interesting option for treatment of CCU. We describe one patient with significant and long-lasting improvement of symptoms and one without any improvement after anti-immunoglobulin E therapy. In our case reports, we want to highlight that there is still a small group of patients without benefit from omalizumab treatment. It is necessary to identify this minor subgroup of patients where omalizumab does not represent an effective treatment possibility.
Project description:IntroductionHand eczema (HE) is one of the most common skin disorders and an important cause for morbidity and occupational disability. The 1-year prevalence of HE is estimated to be up to 10% and it is estimated that 5%-7% of those develop severe chronic HE. However, current clinical evidence is not compelling enough to guide clinical practice. In a survey among 194 UK dermatologists the most frequent first choice approaches were psoralen combined with ultraviolet A (UVA) treatment (PUVA), oral steroids and alitretinoin (AL). When asked which strategy was most efficient for long-term outcome 20% of clinicians indicated they did not know; 43% of clinicians reported AL and 30% reported PUVA.Methods and analysisALPHA is a multicentre, open, prospective, two-arm parallel group, randomised controlled trial comparing PUVA and AL with a planned sample size re-estimation. Between 500 and 780 participants will be randomised on a 1:1 basis. The physician's global assessment (PGA) will direct treatment after randomisation, non-responders will be treated according to usual clinical practice; providing valuable pilot data on second line therapeutic approaches to inform future trials.Assessments will be conducted up to 52 weeks post randomisation. The primary outcome measure is the Hand Eczema Severity Index at 12 weeks. Secondary outcome measures include modified Total Lesion Symptom Score, PGA, time to relapse, patient reported outcome measures and DNA extraction and assessment of genetic variants. A substudy on molecular inflammatory mediators will provide information on subgroup specific treatment responses. Photographs will be taken and HE severity assessed by a central review panel.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained from Leeds West Research Ethics Committee (14/YH/1259).Trial results will be disseminated at relevant clinical conferences and societies, published in peer-reviewed journals and through relevant patient groups.Trial registration numberISRCTN80206075.
Project description:Since December 2019, the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly around the world. The severity of COVID-19 ranges from asymptomatic carriers to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Accumulating evidence has shown that COVID-19 may be associated with multiple organ complications including cardiac injury, viral myositis and neurological deficits. Numerous laboratory biomarkers including lymphocytes, platelets, lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase (CK) have been associated with the prognostic outcomes of patients with COVID-19. However, dynamic correlations between levels of biomarkers and clinical course have not been studied. Herein, we report a 74-year-old female patient with severe COVID-19 which progressed to ARDS requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation. The laboratory findings showed lymphopenia, hypogammaglobulinemia, and elevated inflammatory biomarkers and CK. She received intensive therapy with hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, and azithromycin with limited effects. Immunomodulatory treatments with high dose intravenous immunoglobulin and baricitinib were prescribed with satisfactory biochemical, radiographic and clinical recovery. We found an interesting correlation between serum CK elevation and inflammatory biomarkers, which reflected clinical improvement. This case demonstrates that inflammatory biomarkers, cytokines, and CK level correlated with disease severity and treatment response, and combined use of intravenous immunoglobulin and baricitinib is a potential treatment in patients with severe COVID-19.
Project description:IntroductionPyogenic spinal infections (PSI) are a rare cause of spinal cord injury (SCI). These most often affect the lumbar spine, followed by the thoracic spine and least commonly the cervical spine, with Staphylococcus aureus being the most common causative organism. Atopic eczema is a dermatological condition which can lead to a breakdown of the skin's natural barrier function, allowing bacterial colonisation and infection. Haematological seeding of bacteria from a distant source of infection, including the skin and soft tissues, is a recognised aetiology of PSI.Case presentationWe present two patients who sustained a SCI as a result of PSI secondary to infected atopic eczema. Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) was identified as the causative organism in both patients. The two patients required prolonged courses of intravenous followed by oral antibiotics. Neurological outcomes varied between the two patients. One patient had incomplete tetraplegia (C3 AIS C), and upon discharge required hoisting from their bed to a power chair, had an indwelling urethral catheter and required bowel care. The other patient had incomplete paraplegia (L3 AIS D), and at discharge was independent with activities of daily living and was mobile with two elbow crutches.DiscussionWe believe that the two cases presented here represent the only examples of secondarily infected atopic eczema causing PSI and resultant SCI in the published literature. As SCI is a serious and potentially life-altering complication, medical professionals treating patients with atopic eczema should be aware of this risk.