Our data suggest a close relationship between PPP and psoriasis. The existing data concerning epidemiology, clinical presentation, genetics, histopathology and pathogenesis do not permit a clear distinction between these two entities, which seem to coincide in many aspects. PPP appears to have a marked predilection among female smokers.

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The term “Primary Cutaneous B-Cell Lymphoma” (PCBCL) comprehends a variety of lymphoproliferative disorders characterized by a clonal proliferation of B-cells primarily involving the skin. The absence of evident extra-cutaneous disease must be confirmed after six-month follow-up in order to exclude a nodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) with secondary cutaneous involvement, which may have a completely different clinical behavior and prognosis. In this article, we have summarized the clinico-pathological features of main types of PCBCL and we outline the guidelines for management based on a review of the available literature.

and duration by 826 (69AE0%) of all patients; methotrexate was used by fewer than half of the patients (531, 44AE4%). Response to phototherapy was insufficient in 79AE0% of all cases. In contrast, ciclosporin and methotrexate had sideeffects or were contraindicated in more than 65% of the patients. The relatively infrequent use of ciclosporin and methotrexate may have resulted from the fact that many patients actually did receive these therapies, but did not completely fulfil the required criteria for dosage and treatment duration. Remarkably, methotrexate was used by fewer than half of the patients. This may be due the fact that patients did not reach the required dosage of 22AE5 mg per week, because of side-effects at lower dosage. Furthermore, many patients with psoriasis requiring systemic treatment may be successfully treated with methotrexate, and consequently do not need biological therapy.In total, 1254 (94AE5%) of all initial treatment applications and 812 of all follow-up applications were approved by LABAG. This validates the conclusion that dermatologists are familiar with the demanded criteria for reimbursement of biological therapies. 2 The remaining 442 follow-up applications were not received or were rejected, mainly as a result of a < 50% decrease in PASI at week 12.A PASI 50 response at week 12 was achieved by 69AE0% of all patients with an approved initial treatment application for etanercept, and by 50AE0% of all patients with an approved initial treatment application for efalizumab. These results are slightly lower than randomized controlled trial data (etanercept 76%, efalizumab 55%), 3 but are comparable with the results of daily practice cohort studies, in which the efficacy of etanercept and efalizumab treatment in daily practice were evaluated. 4,5 The mean reduction in PASI relative to baseline at week 12 was 53AE1% for etanercept, compared with 35AE5% for efalizumab, after carrying forward the baseline PASI to week 12 in cases of missing follow-up PASI. When analysing only 'responding' patients, i.e. patients with approved initial and follow-up applications, mean reduction in PASI relative to baseline was 75AE0% and 68AE3% for etanercept and efalizumab, respectively (Table 2). However, in the first analysis treatment efficacy is underestimated, whereas the second analysis leads to an overestimation of treatment efficacy. The real values should be in between the results of both analyses.Three times more applications were received for etanercept than efalizumab. Apparently, dermatologists have a preference for etanercept as first-choice biological therapy. The fact that etanercept is approved for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis as well, whereas efalizumab is not, might account for this. 6 Furthermore, according to the presented data, the efficacy of etanercept is superior to that of efalizumab. However, the presented data are unsuitable for objective comparison between etanercept and efalizumab.The present analysis demonstrates that, as a consequence of strict adherence to reimbur...

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a heterogeneous group of lymphoid neoplasms. The incidence of CTCLs has risen over the last three decades. The most common CTCLs are mycosis fungoides and Sèzary syndrome. Therapies for CTCLs are various and range from skin-directed therapy to chemotherapy. Retinoids have been used in CTCL treatment since the 1980s with good results. Bexarotene is the first retinoid approved by the US FDA for CTCL therapy. Since then, numerous experiences of both its efficacy and mechanism of action have been reported. The aim of this paper is to review bexarotene action on CTCLs, as well as to highlight its immunological targets.