Evaluation of the efficacy, safety, and side effects of secukinumab in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis: Real-world data from a retrospective multicenter study

Background: Clinical studies have demonstrated that IL-17A inhibition with secukinumab is effective for clearing the skin of patients with psoriasis and has a favorable safety profile. Objective: The authors aim to determine whether secukinumab is effective and safe for the treatment of moderate-to-severe chronic psoriasis based on clinical experience with this drug. Method: The authors conducted a multicenter retrospective study in nine referral centers and included patients with psoriasis who had received secukinumab between March 2018 to November 2020. Data on demographic characteristics, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores, and previous treatments were collected from medical records. Patients were evaluated at 12, 24, and 52 weeks with respect to response to treatment and side effects. Results: In total, 229 patients were recruited for the study. A PASI score improvement of ≥90 points over the baseline was achieved by 79%, 69.8%, and 49.3% of patients at weeks 12, 24, and 52, respectively. The most common adverse events wereCandida infections and fatigue. In total, 74 (32%) patients discontinued treatment by week 52, including due to adverse events, or secondary ineffectiveness. Study limitations: Retrospective design. Conclusions: These findings suggest that secukinumab therapy is reasonably effective in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Comorbidities and time length of the disease can affect the response to treatment. The rates of adverse events were high in this patient population

Burnout syndrome among dermatologists and assessment of prevalence and risk factors: A nationwide survey

Çalıkoğlu, Emel ( Aksaray, Yazar )Background: Burnout is a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of low personal accomplishment. Increasing patient volumes and rising health-care systems' productivity targets also pose a risk of burnout in all specialties including dermatology. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to study burnout syndrome in dermatologists and determine related factors. Methods: Dermatologists who were actively working (n = 2005) were E-mailed a questionnaire via the Turkish Dermatology Society, and 422 (21%) completed it anonymously. The first part of the questionnaire comprised demographic and work-related characteristics, and the second part was formed by the Turkish version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The MBI is a 22-item questionnaire for the assessment of burnout in the following three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. Results: Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scores of residents were significantly higher (P < 0.001), and personal accomplishment scores were significantly lower (P < 0.001) than that of the other groups. Dermatologists in the private sector had significantly lower scores for emotional exhaustion (P < 0.001) and depersonalization (P < 0.001) and significantly higher scores for personal accomplishment (P < 0.001) than those working in the public sector. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scores were significantly higher in participants who worked on weekends, those intended to change workplace, and had at least one chronic illness (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). A positive correlation was found between emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (r = 0.691,P < 0.001), number of patients (r = 0.355,P < 0.001), and number of shifts (r = 0.344,P < 0.001), and there was a negative correlation between personal accomplishment (r = -0.485,P < 0.001), age (r= -0.301,P < 0.001), number of vacation days (r = -0.149, P= 0.002), and years in the profession (r = -0.288,P < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study sheds light on factors that influence burnout and also indicates a need for health-care reforms for dermatologists' satisfaction and burnout, as well as patient satisfaction and quality of care

Yüzde yerleşen lineer Moulin atrofoderması: Atipik lokalizasyon

Linear Atrophoderma of Moulin (LAM) is characterized byacquired unilateral hyperpigmented depressed band like skinlesions following blaschko’s lines. Moulin et al.1first definedthe condition in 1992 and, later, Baumann et al.2reportedsimilar features on a patient and named the condition asLAM.In our 2 case reports, we described first a 26-year-old femalewith asymptomatic hyperpigmented lesions since one year.On physical examination, there was a depressed band-likelesion on the right side of chin along the neck followingblaschko’s lines (Figure 1A)

Topical polyphenol treatment of sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease: use of ultrasonography to evaluate response to treatment - clinical case series study

*Çalıkoğlu, Emel ( Aksaray, Yazar )Introduction: Sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease (SPSD) is a common disorder and encountered more frequently in hairy young males after puberty. Aim: To assess effectiveness of topical polyphenol treatment of SPSD by using physical examination and ultrasonography (USG). Material and methods: Fourteen patients with SPSD diagnosis were treated by natural polyphenol products and were retrospectively included in this study. All of the patients were assessed by superficial ultrasonography before and after treatment. Demographic and clinical information of the patients was obtained from medical records. Results: Patients were aged 18-45 years and the median disease duration was 2 years. The most common findings in physical examination were sinus openings and subcutaneous nodules and the most common ultrasonographic findings were abscess/cyst formation and presence of fistula at the pre-treatment visit. All of the patients applied topical polyphenols for a median period of 3 months. Topical polyphenol treatment was effective in 92.9% of patients. Follow-up examinations at 18.3 months post-treatment revealed that 12 (85.7%) patients were free of disease. Control physical examination and ultrasonographic assessment were completely normal in 11 (78.6%) patients. Conclusions: Topical polyphenol therapy is a promising alternative treatment for SPSD and its effectiveness can be objectively evaluated by ultrasonography. It is advised that topical polyphenols should be tried first in every young and active patient with SPSD. Majority of these patients can avoid demanding and expensive alternative treatment methods such as complex surgical procedures. This topical therapy method makes surgical SPSD a dermatologically treatable disease...

Platelet Count and Mean Platelet Volume in Psoriasis Patients

Objectives: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory, immune-mediated disease, and platelets have an important role in the pathomechanisms of psoriasis. Recent studies showed that MPV (mean platelet volume) could be used as a marker of platelet activation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the MPV level and platelet count in psoriasis patients and its association with disease severity

Platelet count and mean platelet volume in psoriasis patients

*Çalıkoğlu, Emel E. ( Aksaray, Yazar )Objectives: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory, immune-mediated disease, and platelets have an important role in the pathomechanisms of psoriasis. Recent studies showed that MPV (mean platelet volume) could be used as a marker of platelet activation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the MPV level and platelet count in psoriasis patients and its association with disease severity. Methods: We designed a case-control study with 28 psoriasis patients and age and sex-matched 30 healthy controls. Haematologic parameters and sedimentation rates compared between groups. These parameters also correlated with PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) score. Results: MPV and platelet count were significantly higher in patients with psoriasis than controls (p=0.012, p=0.015). Also, platelet count was showed positive correlation with PASI scores (r=0.424, p=0.025). The sedimentation rate was not statistically different between groups. Conclusion: There are many conflicting results about the correlation of haematologic parameters and psoriasis. We found that MPV and platelet counts higher in the psoriasis group, which suggests that platelets play an important role in the pathomechanism of psoriasis and may be helpful in assessing treatment outcomes