Dermatology: Archives

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

TNF Antibodies, T Cells, and Tuberculosis

• June 12, 2009
• Craig A. Elmets, MD

How does anti-TNF immunotherapy affect host mechanisms that control TB? The findings are suggestive.

• Reviewing:
• Bruns H et al., J Clin Invest 2009 May; 119:1167 Miller EA and Ernst JD., J Clin Invest 2009 May; 119:1079

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Bleach Baths for Atopic Dermatitis

• June 5, 2009
• Mary Wu Chang, MD, and Jan V. Hirschmann, MD

Combined treatment with sodium hypochlorite and nasal mupirocin improved eczema severity, but we don’t yet know how or why.

• Reviewing:
• Huang JT et al., Pediatrics 2009 May; 123:e808

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Mice Capades

• June 5, 2009
• Hensin Tsao, MD, PhD

Activating Braf mutation and silencing Pten in melanocytes provoked melanoma with metastasis in mice.

• Reviewing:
• Dankort D et al., Nat Genet 2009 May; 41:544

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Melanocytes in Lymph Nodes: BRAF Is Not the Answer

• June 5, 2009
• Angelica Selim, MD

Evidence of BRAF mutation in sentinel node tissue is insufficient to diagnose metastasis, as this mutation also appears in benign nodal nevi.

• Reviewing:
• Taube JM et al., Am J Surg Pathol 2009 Apr; 33:568

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Heavy Metal in Melanoma

• June 5, 2009
• Hensin Tsao, MD, PhD

Mutations that restricted the production of a matrix metalloprotein diminished tumor suppression and fostered aggressive characteristics in cancer cells.

• Reviewing:
• Palavalli LH et al., Nat Genet 2009 May; 41:518

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

DIRA: A New Autoinflammatory DiseaseFree

• June 3, 2009
• Craig A. Elmets, MD

Deficiency of the interleukin-1–receptor antagonist disrupts the function of skin (and other systems).

• Reviewing:
• Aksentijevich I et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Jun 4; 360:2426 Reddy S et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Jun 4; 360:2438 Dinarello CA., N Engl J Med 2009 Jun 4; 360:2467

FEATURE

Briefly Noted

• May 29, 2009
• Jeffrey P. Callen, MD

Counseling patients at risk for melanoma, factors associated with malignancy in dermatomyositis, guidelines for safe use of methotrexate for psoriasis, and a new TNF- antibody, administered by subcutaneous injection

• Reviewing:
• Robinson JK and Mallett KA., JAMA 2009 Apr 22/29; 301:1702 Geller AC et al., Arch Dermatol 2009 Apr; 145:409 Fardet L et al., Medicine (Baltimore) 2009 Mar; 88:91 Prohic A et al., J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2009 May; 23:591 Kalb RE et al., J Am Acad Dermatol 2009 May; 60:824 Kavanaugh A et al., Arthritis Rheum 2009 Apr; 60:976

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

A Potential Overcall: Recurrent Melanocytic Nevi

• May 29, 2009
• Angelica Selim, MD

These lesions resemble malignant melanomas with regression, but clinical characteristics can help to differentiate the two.

• Reviewing:
• King R et al., Mod Pathol 2009 May; 22:611

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Alterations in Skin Barrier Proteins Produce Immunological Alterations in Atopic Dermatitis

• May 29, 2009
• Craig A. Elmets, MD

Insights into how a defect in a skin barrier protein affects immunological function from a flaky-tailed mouse

• Reviewing:
• Fallon PG et al., Nat Genet 2009 May; 41:602

FEATURE

Vitamin D and HealthFree

• May 22, 2009

Do we have enough? How do we get more? What systems are affected?

• Reviewing:
• Ginde AA et al., Arch Intern Med 2009 Mar 23; 169:626 Wang TJ et al., Circulation 2008 Jan 29; 117:503 Egan KM., Ann Epidemiol 2009 Mar 17 Crew KD et al., J Clin Oncol 2009 May 1; 27:2151 Goodwin PJ., J Clin Oncol 2009 May 1; 27:2117