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This double-blind randomized study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of calcipotriol ointment (50 microg/g) with betamethasone dipropionate (64 mg/g) and salicylic acid (0.03 g/g) ointment in the treatment of nail bed psoriasis. Fifty-eight patients applied the given drug to the affected nails twice a day for 3-5 months, depending on clinical response. Efficacy was assessed monthly on the basis of nail thickness, measured in millimetres. Photographs of the treated nails were taken at baseline, and after 3 and 5 months. Tolerability was assessed at 3 and 5 months. In patients with fingernail psoriasis, after 3 months of treatment subungual hyperkeratosis was reduced from 2.3 +/- 0.1 mm (mean +/- SEM) to 1.5 +/- 0.1 mm (-26.5%) in the calcipotriol group and from 2.3 +/- 0.1 mm to 1.6 +/- 0.1 mm (-30.4%) in the betamethasone dipropionate and salicylic acid group [not significant (NS) between treatments, analysis of variance (ANOVA)]. After 5 months, responders showed a 49.2% reduction in hyperkeratosis in the calcipotriol group (from 2.8 +/- 0.1 mm to 1.4 +/- 0.2 mm) and 51.7% (from 2.1 +/- 0.1 mm to 1.0 +/- 0.1 mm) in the betamethasone dipropionate and salicylic acid group (P < 0.001 from baseline, NS between treatments, ANOVA). In patients with toenail psoriasis, after 3 months of treatment there was an overall reduction in hyperkeratosis from 2.6 +/- 0.1 mm to 2.1 +/- 0.1 mm (-20.1%) in the calcipotriol group and from 3.0 +/- 0.1 mm to 2.3 +/- 0.1 mm (-22. 9%) in the betamethasone dipropionate and salicylic acid group (P < 0.001 from baseline, NS between treatments, ANOVA). By the end of the fifth month there was a 40.7% reduction in hyperkeratosis in the calcipotriol group (from 2.1 +/- 0.1 mm to 1.2 +/- 0.1 mm) and 51.9% in the betamethasone dipropionate and salicylic acid group (from 2.7 +/- 0.1 mm to 1.3 +/- 0.1 mm; P < 0.0001 from baseline, NS between treatments, ANOVA). The results of the study show that calcipotriol is as effective as a combination of a topical steroid with salicylic acid in the treatment of nail psoriasis and represents a safe alternative in the topical treatment of nail psoriasis.

No abstract

BackgroundNew chemotherapic agents and new protocols in oncology have led to an increasing survival rate in patients affected by tumors. However, this increased use has been accompanied by a growth in the incidence of cutaneous side effects and a worsening of patients’ quality of life. Appropriate management of skin toxicity associated with chemotherapic agents is therefore necessary for suitable drug administration and to improve quality of life and clinical outcomes.MethodsWe have clinically examined 100 patients affected by cancer, determining type, frequency, treatment, and evolution of side effects related to chemotherapy.ResultsThe prevalent cutaneous side effects in patients undergoing chemotherapy are skin rash, xerosis, pruritus, paronychia, hair abnormality, and mucositis. The clinical cases are reported in detail.ConclusionOncological therapies have become more selective and have low systemic toxicity because of their high specificity, but cutaneous side effects are common and may worsen the quality of life of these patients.

No abstract

Melasma is a common hypermelanotic disorder affecting the facial area which has a considerable psychological impact on the patient. Managing melasma is a difficult challenge that requires long-term treatment with a number of topical agents, such as rucinol and sophora-alpha. Aims. We aim to compare the combined treatment of skin needling and depigmenting serum with that using depigmenting serum alone in the treatment of melasma, in order to evaluate the use of microneedles as a means to enhance the drug's transdermal penetration. Methods. Twenty patients were treated with combined skin needling and depigmenting serum on one side of the face and with depigmenting serum alone on the other side. The outcome was evaluated periodically for up to two months using the Melasma Area Severity Index score and the Spectrocolorimeter X-Rite 968. Results. The side with combined treatment (skin needling + depigmenting serum) presented a statistically significant reduction in MASI score and luminosity index (L) levels compared to the side treated with depigmenting serum alone, and clinical symptoms were significantly improved. Conclusions. Our study suggests the potential use of combining skin needling with rucinol and sophora-alpha compounds to achieve better results in melasma treatment compared to rucinol and sophora-alpha alone.

Alopecia areata (AA) is an organ-specific autoimmune disorder that targets anagen phase hair follicles. The course is unpredictable and current available treatments have variable efficacy. Nowadays, there is relatively little evidence on treatment of AA from well-designed clinical trials. Moreover, none of the treatments or devices commonly used to treat AA are specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The italian Study Group for Cutaneous annexial disease of the italian Society of dermatology proposes these italian guidelines for diagnosis and

This instrumental study demonstrated that PRP poor in leukocytes can provide objective improvements in skin biostimulation. Flow cytometry showed no variability among the PRP samples using a reproducible separation system and a low content in proinflammatory cells. Although a pilot study, it may be helpful for future investigations on PRP cellularity.