This study describes a case of amelanotic lentigo maligna melanoma in a 69-year-old female that had been growing for approximately 5 years. The asymptomatic lesion had been previously diagnosed and treated as a fungal skin infection, an inflammatory rash, and an actinic keratosis that did not respond to standard treatments. Biopsy revealed confluent and nested atypical melanocytes at the dermal-epidermal junction, consistent with melanoma in situ. Excisional biopsy revealed invasive lentigo maligna melanoma, Breslow depth 0.3 mm, with positive melanoma in situ at margins. She is now 3 years post-Mohs surgery without recurrence. When working up a patient with a hypopigmented or inflammatory lesion not responding to standard therapies, physicians should always consider biopsy to rule out unusual neoplastic etiologies, such as amelanotic melanomas.
Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) capture disease severity metrics from the patient's perspective, including healthrelated quality of life (HRQL). Disease-speci c validation of PROMs improves their clinical utility. We evaluated construct validity (HRQL) for Skindex-16 in routinely seen psoriasis patients and characterized instances of discordance between Skindex-16 scores and clinician reported outcome measure of disease severity. We retrospectively studied psoriasis patients seen by University of Utah Dermatology from 2016 to 2020. Cross-sectional construct validity was assessed using quantile regression and Spearman correlation between overall physician global assessment (OPGA) score and Skindex-16 scores.Longitudinal, within-subject correlation was performed using linear mixed models. Discordance (10th percentile or lower OPGA and 90th percentile or higher poor HRQL; cspHRQL] or the reverse [severe skin, good HRQL; ssgHRQL]) was characterized descriptively. 681 rst-visit patients with psoriasis were included. Median overall Skindex-16 score varied by ≥ 10 points across all levels of OPGA scores. OPGA and Skindex-16 domain scores were moderately correlated (emotions ρ = 0.54, functioning ρ = 0.47, and symptoms ρ = 53). Longitudinal correlations were similar (emotion ρ xy = 0.54, functioning ρ xy = 0.65, symptoms ρ xy = 0.47). Visits with cspHRQL discordance occurred for each Skindex-16 domain (emotions = 7, functioning = 13, symptoms = 12). The ssgHRQL group was observed within the emotions (n = 1) and functioning (n = 23) domains. Median Skindex-16 scores are different between different levels of OPGA and show moderate cross-sectional and longitudinal correlation. This supports construct validity in patients with psoriasis. Severe discordance was rare and most often for those with clear skin but poor HRQL. These discordances can prompt further patient-clinician conversation.
Since the 1970s, intramuscular triamcinolone (IMT) has been available as an option for systemic corticosteroid use in dermatology. Although shown to be safe and effective in early studies, this method of systemic corticosteroid delivery fell out of favor in the 1980s in many United States residency programs. To identify factors associated with US dermatologists' preferences for and use of IMT we surveyed a random sample of US board-certified dermatologists to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding IMT in dermatologists' daily clinical practice. A total of 844 out of 2000 dermatologists completed the survey (42.2%). Only 55.0% reported feeling comfortable using IMT for steroid-responsive dermatoses, while 90.4% felt comfortable using oral corticosteroids for steroid-responsive dermatoses. Most participants (59.2%) did not prefer IMT over oral corticosteroids when both were indicated. One third (33.3%) of participants reported that none of the faculty during their residency advocated using IMT. Receiving education on IMT indications (OR = 1.96 [95% CI: 1.46-2.63]) and encouragement to use IMT (OR = 4.29 [95% CI: 3.01-6.11]) during residency were positively associated with use of IMT at least once a month in current practice. Current knowledge, attitudes, and practices surrounding IMT vary amongst practicing dermatologists. Modifiable factors such as training could improve comfort with use of this short-term systemic steroid treatment modality.
Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) capture disease severity metrics from the patient's perspective, including healthrelated quality of life (HRQL). Disease-speci c validation of PROMs improves their clinical utility. We evaluated construct validity (HRQL) for Skindex-16 in routinely seen psoriasis patients and characterized instances of discordance between Skindex-16 scores and clinician reported outcome measure of disease severity. We retrospectively studied psoriasis patients seen by University of Utah Dermatology from 2016 to 2020. Cross-sectional construct validity was assessed using quantile regression and Spearman correlation between overall physician global assessment (OPGA) score and Skindex-16 scores.Longitudinal, within-subject correlation was performed using linear mixed models. Discordance (10th percentile or lower OPGA and 90th percentile or higher poor HRQL; cspHRQL] or the reverse [severe skin, good HRQL; ssgHRQL]) was characterized descriptively. 681 rst-visit patients with psoriasis were included. Median overall Skindex-16 score varied by ≥ 10 points across all levels of OPGA scores. OPGA and Skindex-16 domain scores were moderately correlated (emotions ρ = 0.54, functioning ρ = 0.47, and symptoms ρ = 53). Longitudinal correlations were similar (emotion ρ xy = 0.54, functioning ρ xy = 0.65, symptoms ρ xy = 0.47). Visits with cspHRQL discordance occurred for each Skindex-16 domain (emotions = 7, functioning = 13, symptoms = 12). The ssgHRQL group was observed within the emotions (n = 1) and functioning (n = 23) domains. Median Skindex-16 scores are different between different levels of OPGA and show moderate cross-sectional and longitudinal correlation. This supports construct validity in patients with psoriasis. Severe discordance was rare and most often for those with clear skin but poor HRQL. These discordances can prompt further patient-clinician conversation.
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