Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Dermatology for April 2011. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Increasing Cancer Burden Projected for Ethnic Minorities
THURSDAY, April 28 (HealthDay News) -- Consideration of genetic, ethnic, biologic, and sociological factors is necessary to appropriately diagnose and treat cancer in all U.S. subpopulations, according to the President's Cancer Panel 2009 to 2010 report published April 28.
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Leprosy in Southern U.S. May Be a Zoonosis
WEDNESDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- In the Southern United States, wild armadillos and many humans with leprosy are infected with the same strain, and leprosy may be a zoonosis in the region, according to a study published in the April 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Preoperative Definition of Basal Cell Cancer Margins Feasible
TUESDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- Use of topical methyl aminolevulinate (MAL) as a photosensitizer in conjunction with Wood lamp examination is a feasible method for identifying tumor margins in patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) prior to Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Adalimumab Effective for Unresponsive Psoriasis Patients
THURSDAY, April 21 (HealthDay News) -- Approximately half of the patients with psoriasis who had a suboptimal response to etanercept, methotrexate (MTX), or narrowband (NB)-ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy achieved a clinically meaningful improvement after immediate transition to adalimumab treatment, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Post-Laser Ablation Basal Cell Carcinoma Diagnosed Later
MONDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) developing post-laser ablations have a longer disease interval to diagnosis and a more aggressive disease pattern compared to those with primary BCC, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Biomarkers May Predict Metastasis Risk in Melanoma
FRIDAY, April 15 (HealthDay News) -- A set of plasma biomarkers in people with melanoma may be useful in predicting which patients are at risk for metastasis, according to research published in the April 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.
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Central Hair Loss Prevalent in African-American Women
WEDNESDAY, April 13 (HealthDay News) -- Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) appears to be highly prevalent in African-American women, and may be associated with type 2 diabetes, bacterial scalp infections, and hairstyles associated with traction, according to research published in the April issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
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Antibiotics for Acne May Not Up Prevalence of S. aureus
WEDNESDAY, April 13 (HealthDay News) -- Contrary to common ideology, use of long-term tetracycline antibiotics for acne treatment does not appear to increase the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) or resistance to the antibiotics, according to research published online April 11 in the Archives of Dermatology.
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Imatinib Reduces Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis Symptoms
MONDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Imatinib mesylate is well tolerated by patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) with improvement in skin thickening and forced vital capacity (FVC), according to a study published online March 11 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
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New Tool to Self-Assess Severity in Atopic Dermatitis
FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- The Patient-Oriented SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (PO-SCORAD) index correlates well with SCORAD, which is used internationally by physicians to validate atopic dermatitis (AD) severity, and can be used by patients to self-assess their AD severity, according to a study published online March 17 in Allergy.
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'Global Trigger Tool' Identifies 10 Times More Errors
THURSDAY, April 7 (HealthDay News) -- Use of the new Global Trigger Tool, developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, detects at least 10 times more adverse events than other methods currently in use, according to a study published in the April issue of Health Affairs.
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Community-Associated MRSA Infections Are Seasonal
MONDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- During the summer and autumn months, community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections peak in all ages; whereas hospital-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) peaks are seen in pediatric patients only, according to a study published March 23 in PLoS ONE.
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Cancer Rates, Cancer Mortality Rates Falling in U.S.
FRIDAY, April 1 (HealthDay News) -- Newly diagnosed cancer rates and cancer-related mortality rates in the United States are steadily declining, according to the "Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer," published online March 31 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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Autoimmune Diseases Number Two Cause of Chronic Illness
FRIDAY, April 1 (HealthDay News) -- Autoimmune diseases are the second leading cause of chronic illness in the United States and constitute a major direct and indirect economic burden to the U.S. health care system, according to a report released by the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) on March 22 at a congressional briefing.
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