Panniculitis in a Woman With Opportunistic Pulmonary Coinfection by Pneumocystis jirovecii and Cryptococcus neoformans

International audienceA 56-year-old woman, with history of psoriasis well controlled on ustekinumab, underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT to explore first onset of histologically proven skin panniculitis of unknown origin. PET/CT showed high uptake in panniculitis lesions in limbs and in a lung opacity suggestive of pneumonia. Based on PET/CT findings, a bronchoalveolar lavage revealed pulmonary coinfection by Pneumocystis jirovecii and Cryptococcus neoformans. Thus, hematogenous dissemination of infection was suspected as etiology of panniculitis. She was treated with fluconazole and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, leading to total resolution of skin lesions. Posttherapeutic PET/CT showed complete metabolic response of skin and pulmonary lesions

Sentinel Node Status and Immunosuppression: Recurrence Factors in Localized Merkel Cell Carcinoma

International audienceThe prognostic value of the sentinel lymph node in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) has been examined previously in heterogeneous retrospective studies. The current retrospective study included a homogeneous population of patients with a localized MCC, all staged with sentinel lymph node biopsy. Factors associated with 3-year progression-free survival were analysed using logistic regression. The sentinel lymph node was positive in 32% of patients. The recurrence rate was 26.9%. In first analyses (n = 108), gender (p = 0.0115) and the presence of immunosuppression (p = 0.0494) were the only significant independent factors. In further analyses (n = 80), excluding patients treated with regional radiotherapy, sentinel lymph node status was the only significant prognostic factor (p = 0.0281). Immunosuppression and positive sentinel lymph node are associated with a worse prognosis in patients with MCC. Nodal irradiation impacts on the prognostic value of the sentinel lymph node status

Effectiveness and safety of dupilumab for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in a real-life French multicenter adult cohort

International audienceBackgroundDupilumab is the first biologic available to treat atopic dermatitis (AD). Its effectiveness and safety were demonstrated in clinical trials.ObjectiveWe sought to assess the effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in adults with AD in a real-life French multicenter retrospective cohort.MethodsWe included patients treated during March 2017-April 2018. Efficacy outcomes, including Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) and Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) scores, were collected at baseline and 3 months when available. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded at follow-up.ResultsWe included 241 patients. The median ± interquartile range (IQR) follow-up time was 3.8 ± 3.7 months. A ≥75% improvement in SCORAD was achieved in 27 of 163 (16.6%) patients, and a ≥75% improvement in EASI was achieved in 40 of 82 (48.8%) patients. The median SCORAD and EASI scores at 3 months were significantly lower than those at baseline (SCORAD ± IQR, 25 ± 21 vs 56 ± 27.4, P 500 cells/mm3) during follow-up (57%) was higher than that at baseline (33.7%) (n = 172, P < 10−6). Dupilumab was stopped in 42 cases; 27 patients stopped because of AEs.LimitationsNo control group, missing data.ConclusionThis real-life study demonstrated a similar dupilumab effectiveness as that seen in clinical trials, but it also revealed a higher frequency of conjunctivitis and eosinophilia