Malassezia species isolation rates were in agreement with those reported from South-west Europe. PCR-SSCP of the ITS 1 is useful for highlighting prospective clinical implications of M. globosa subtypes.
Summary
Background
Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) has become one of the most common causes of cicatricial alopecia worldwide. However, there is a lack of clear aetiology and robust clinical trial evidence for the efficacy and safety of agents currently used for treatment.
Objectives
To enable data to be collected worldwide on FFA using common criteria and assessment methods.
Methods
A multicentre, international group of experts in hair loss was convened by email to create consensus recommendations for clinical trials. Consensus was defined at > 90% agreement on each recommended part of these guidelines.
Results
Standardized diagnostic criteria, severity rating, staging, and investigator and patient assessment of scalp hair loss and other clinical features of FFA were created.
Conclusions
These guidelines should allow the collection of reliable aggregate data on FFA and advance efforts in both clinical and basic research to close knowledge gaps in this condition.
Many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been described as putative risk factors for melanoma. The aim of our study was to validate the most prominent genetic risk loci in an independent Greek melanoma case-control dataset and to assess their cumulative effect solely or combined with established phenotypic risk factors on individualized risk prediction. We genotyped 59 SNPs in 800 patients and 800 controls and tested their association with melanoma using logistic regression analyses. We constructed a weighted genetic risk score (GRSGWS) based on SNPs that showed genome-wide significant (GWS) association with melanoma in previous studies and assessed their impact on risk prediction. Fifteen independent SNPs from 12 loci were significantly associated with melanoma (P < 0.05). Risk score analysis yielded an odds ratio of 1.36 per standard deviation increase of the GRSGWS (P = 1.1 × 10(-7)). Individuals in the highest 20% of the GRSGWS had a 1.88-fold increase in melanoma risk compared with those in the middle quintile. By adding the GRSGWS to a phenotypic risk model, the C-statistic increased from 0.764 to 0.775 (P = 0.007). In summary, the GRSGWS is associated with melanoma risk and achieves a modest improvement in risk prediction when added to a phenotypic risk model.
Despite brodalumad demonstrated efficacy in clinical trials, real‐world data reflecting clinical benefits in unselected patient populations treated in routine clinical practice are limited. Thus, we performed a longitudinal, retrospective, real‐world analysis assessing the long‐term clinical benefits of patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis treated with brodalumab in Greece in the long term (up to 24 months). Main efficacy assessments included changes from baseline in the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and proportions of patients achieving at least 50%, 75%, 90% and 100% reduction from baseline in PASI scores (PASI50, PASI75, PASI90 and PASI100) at different timepoints up to 24 months. Other endpoints included changes in the dermatology life quality index (DLQI) and body surface area (BSA) involvement. Data from medical records of 180 patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis treated with brodalumab for up to 24 months were assessed. Following treatment, mean [standard deviation (SD)] PASI scores were decreased across all visits compared to baseline (p < 0.001). The proportion of patients achieving PASI50, PASI75, PASI90 or PASI100 were high as early as at month 1 and consistently tended to increase over time, mainly during the first 6 months. Improvements on disease severity were further reflected by reductions from baseline on BSA scores across all visits (p < 0.001). Concurrent improvements on DLQI scores were observed across all visits (p < 0.001). This retrospective analysis provides real‐world evidence supporting the long‐term efficacy profile of brodalumab in Greek patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis treated in standard clinical practice, which is characterized by a rapid onset of action generally sustained over time.
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