Journal of Drugs in Dermatology articles from January 2004

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology archives from January 2004

A letter from the Editor-in-Chief.
January 1, 2004... Why another meeting? Early in January 2004, a new concept in medical education was introduced. The Orlando Cosmetic Dermatology Convention brought together a number of leading educators in dermatology to provide attendees with information they...

The sun as an immunosuppressant: why sun-induced skin lesions make excellent targets for immune response modifiers.
January 1, 2004... Medical science has long recognized that exposure to solar radiation in the ultraviolet (UV) range, especially UVA and UVB, results in suppression of the skin's immune function. (1) This is generally a good thing--failure of this mechanism can...

And the beat goes on: formulary restriction, generic substitution, prior authorization, drug utilization, and now therapeutic interchange.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Whether working in a hospital setting or in a private office, one should be aware of the changes in prescribing habits in institutions as they may have ramifications in outpatient care in the future. A prominent development involves...

Diphenhydramine gargling may slow the healing of oral lesions of pemphigus vulgaris.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Oral lesions are seen in almost all patients with pemphigus vulgaris and are the presenting complaint in 50-70% of patients (1). As these lesions are painful and cause much discomfort, especially while eating some clinicians advise patients to...

Redefining clinical response in psoriasis: targeting the pathological basis of disease.(Articles)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin that can have a major effect on patient quality of life. Conventional psoriasis treatments, often identified empirically, fail to meet the clinical needs for a safe and...

Topical treatment of actinic keratosis with fluorouracil: is irritation associated with efficacy?(Articles)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Actinic keratoses (AKs) are common dysplastic epidermal lesions that share clinical, histologic, and molecular features with squamous cell carcinoma. Therapeutic options include destructive modalities (i.e., cryosurgery,...

Impact of efalizumab on psoriasis-specific patient-reported outcomes: results from three randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.(Articles)
January 1, 2004... Abstract The objective of this study was to document the disease burden associated with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, and assess the impact of efalizumab psoriasis treatment in improving patient-reported outcomes. This included...

Photorejuvenation with Intense Pulsed Light: results of a multi-center study.(Articles)
January 1, 2004... Abstract This multi-center study evaluating the role of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) in the non-ablative rejuvenation of Type I and Type II photoaged skin study was conducted in order to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of using IPL...

Onychomycosis: classification and diagnosis.(Articles)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Onychomycosis is a common infection of the nail predominantly caused by anthropophilic dermatophytes, and to a lesser extent by yeasts (Candida species) and non-dermatophyte molds. The treatment of onychomycosis is dependent on...

Picaridin: a new insect repellent.(Articles)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Picaridin is a new insect repellent that is comparable in effect and less irritating than diethyl toluamide (deet). Its activity and effects are reviewed in this article. ********** Discussion Picaridin, a piperidine...

Dermatologic look- or sound-alike medications.(Articles)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Medication errors contribute substantially to patient injury and death, with 25% of these errors attributed to drug names that look or sound alike. This article was written to heighten the awareness of dermatologists and related...

The nuances of dealing with cosmetic patients.(Focus on: Cosmetic Patients)
January 1, 2004... Introduction Wendy Lewis is an insider to the international world of cosmetic surgery, skin care, and beauty. She counseled patients for some of New York's premier plastic surgeons for 12 years before starting her consultancy in 1997, and...

Imiquimod as a possible treatment for keratoacanthoma.(Case Reports)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Imiquimod is an immune-response modifier that has the potential to be useful in many dermatological indications (Table 1). To date, the approved use is for condyloma acuminata; approval for use in treating basal cell carcinoma...

Localized heat induced urticaria: report of a case.(Case Reports)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Localized heat induced urticaria is a rare clinical entity. Other physical urticarial subtypes include cholinergic, solar, cold, aquagenic, vibratory, and dermatographic. It is characterized by a well-demarcated urticarial lesion...

Generalized pustular psoriasis following with-drawal of efalizumab.(Case Reports)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Efalizumab is one of the new biologic therapies targeting T-lymphocyte activity for the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis. Common adverse effects include headaches, nonspecific infection, nausea, chills, and fever. Rebound of...

Cutaneous vasculitis secondary to ramipril.(Case Reports)
January 1, 2004... Abstract A 61-year-old patient who had been treated with lisinopril in the past without any problems was commenced on ramipril for left ventricular dysfunction. He developed a painful symmetrical purpuric eruption over both feet after...

Venous thrombosis occurring after initiation of thalidomide for the treatment of cicatricial pemphigoid.(Case Reports)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Thalidomide is increasingly being used for the treatment of a variety of dermatologic conditions. Some of the risks associated with thalidomide use, however, are still being uncovered. Increased incidence of venous thrombosis...

Primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma in a 74-year-old Caucasian male.(Case Reports)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma is an uncommon neoplasm with classification schemes that may be confusing, but with clinical presentations that are relatively consistent. Clinical exam and history can raise the index of...

Genetic testing for inherited predisposition to melanoma: has the time come?(Skin Cancer Foundation Update)
January 1, 2004... Inherited, or germline, mutations in either CDKN2A or CDK4, the two major melanoma susceptibility genes identified to date, confer an increased risk of cutaneous melanoma in carriers. However, only a very small proportion of all melanomas are...

Provectus advances its development of Xantryl for the treatment of psoriasis.(Pipeline Previews)
January 1, 2004... Provectus Pharmaceuticals has submitted an active investigational new drug application to the FDA to advance the development of their drug Xantryl for the treatment of psoriasis. The company has successfully completed a human preclinical trial...

Riquent reduces lupus antibodies believed to cause renal disease.(Pipeline Previews)
January 1, 2004... La Jolla Pharmaceutical released data showing that treatment that their drug Riquent resulted in a "statistically significant" reduction in antibodies believed to cause renal disease in patients afflicted with lupus. The Phase III study showed...

Recombinant alpha-1-antitrypsin gel studied for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.(Pipeline Previews)
January 1, 2004... ProMetic Life Sciences and Arriva Pharmaceuticals have announced that their joint venture company, Arriva-ProMetic, has opened a Phase II clinical study to evaluate its lead candidate recombinant alpha 1-antitrypsin (rAAT) topical gel in...

Dalbavancin enters Phase III clinical trial in the treatment of skin infections.(Pipeline Previews)
January 1, 2004... Vicuron Pharmaceuticals has announced the initiation of a Phase III clinical trial to compare its antibiotic dalbavancin to vancomycin, an antibiotic which is currently the standard of care in hospitalized patients with methicillin-resistant...

ILX-651 enters Phase II studies in patients with metastatic melanoma.(Pipeline Previews)
January 1, 2004... Ilex Oncology has initiated a Phase II study on the effect its anticancer compound ILX-651 has on metastatic melanoma. ILX-651 is a synthetic pentapeptide analog of the natural substance dolastatin and has a unique mechanism of action targeting...

Peptimmune begins Phase I trial for pemphigus vulgaris.(Pipeline Previews)
January 1, 2004... Peptimmune has announced that it has initiated a Phase I clinical trial to test the safety of PI-0824 in patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV). The study is being undertaken at four sites. PI-0824 is a synthetic injectible peptide being...

Abbott expands trial of its drug Humira in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.(Pipeline Previews)
January 1, 2004... Abbott Laboratories is expanding its clinical trials program to include an additional Phase III study evaluating the potential of Humira (adalimumab) in psoriatic arthritis. Humira is a human monoclonal antibody which targets tumor necrosis...

HuMax-CD4: a fully human monoclonal anti-CD4 antibody for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris.(Washington Whispers)
January 1, 2004... The objective of this study was to test the safety and efficacy of a fully human monoclonal anti-CD4 antibody (HuMax-CD4) in the treatment of psoriasis. HuMax-CD4 is a fully human anti-CD4 anti body and its function is to prevent T-cell...

Erythromelalgia: vasculopathy, neuropathy, or both? A prospective study of vascular and neurophysiologic studies in erythromelalgia.(Washington Whispers)
January 1, 2004... The authors of this study set out to assess the frequency and type of vascular changes and neurologic abnormalities in patients with erythromelalgia. Erythromelalgia is a syndrome characteristic for heat, tingling, burning, erythema and pain of...

A novel missense mutation in CYLD in a family with Brooke-Spiegler syndrome.(Washington Whispers)
January 1, 2004... The authors present a missense mutation in CYLD in a family with Brooke-Spiegler syndrome (BSS). BSS is an inherited disease characterized by neoplasms of the skin appendages such as cylindroma, trichoepithelioma, and spiradenoma. BSS has been...

Tyrosinase-related protein (TRP-2) vaccination for metastatic melanoma.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI) This study will test the safety and effectiveness of an experimental vaccine for fighting metastatic melanoma. The vaccine contains a peptide (piece of a protein) called tyrosinase-related...

Gp100 and MART-1 peptide vaccine for metastatic ocular melanoma.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI) This study will examine the effectiveness and side effects of an experimental vaccine to treat ocular metastatic melanoma. Melanoma tumors produce proteins called gp100 and MART-1. Vaccination...

Effects of therapy on quality of life in melanoma patients receiving different treatments.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by Warren G Magnuson Clinical Center (CC) This study will examine the health-related quality of life in three groups of patients receiving immune therapy for metastatic melanoma (melanoma that has spread from the original site)....

Photodynamic therapy in treating patients with lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukemia.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by Roswell Park Cancer Institute, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Photodynamic therapy uses light and drugs that make cancer cells more sensitive to light to kill cancer cells. Photosensitizing drugs such as aminolevulinic acid...

Thalidomide to treat oral lesions in HIV-infected patients.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) This study will test the effectiveness of thalidomide in healing mouth sores in HIV-infected patients. These sores are thought to be caused partly by changes in...

PS-341 alone and PS-341 plus EPOCH chemotherapy to treat non-hodgkin's lymphoma.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI) This study will examine the safety and effectiveness of an experimental drug called PS-341, given alone and in combination with a chemotherapy regimen called EPOCH, in treating non-Hodgkin's...

Combination therapy of interleukin-12 and interleukin-2 to treat advanced cancer.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI) The purposes of this study are fourfold. It will 1) determine what dose of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) combination therapy can be given safely to patients with advanced...

Evaluation, treatment, and follow-up of patients with lyme disease.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) This study is designed to establish a population of patients with Lyme disease for evaluation, treatment, and follow-up to learn more about the infection. ...

Etanercept to treat wegener's granulomatosis.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) This study will examine the use of etanercept (also called Enbrel or TNFR:Fc) in patients with Wegener's granulomatosis, a type of vasculitis (blood vessel...

Depsipeptide to treat T-cell lymphomas.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI) This study will test the safety and effectiveness of a new anticancer drug called depsipeptide in treating T-cell lymphomas. Depsipeptide has been shown to kill cancer cells in laboratory studies...

Open label study of ONTAK[R] (denileukin diftitox) in previously treated cutaneous T-cell lymphoma patients.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by Ligand Pharmaceuticals The purpose of this study is to provide an opportunity for patients who exhibit progressive disease while receiving placebo on the companion 93-04-11 study to receive ONTAK. It is also designed to...

Randomized double-blind study of ONTAK[R] (denileukin diftitox) in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) patients.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by Ligand Pharmaceuticals The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two dose levels of ONTAK (denileukin diftitox) in treating patients who have recurrent or persistent cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Condition...

Determine the efficacy of topical tretinoin cream for the prevention of nonmelanoma skin cancer.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program, Ortho Dermatologics One-third of all malignancies in the United States (approximately one million cases diagnosed annually) are...

Phase II trial of allovectin-7[R] for metastatic melanoma.(Clinical Trial Review)
January 1, 2004... Sponsored by Vical The purpose of this clinical trial is to determine if Allovectin-7[R], an experimental gene-based immunotherapy, can shrink melanoma tumors. The trial will also examine if this treatment can improve the time to disease...

Previously unpublished case reports and case studies are eligible for this open-ended contest.(Case Report Contest Rules & Entry Form)
January 1, 2004... To enter, contestants must submit a previously unpublished case study or case report in the field of dermatology, along with this signed entry form permitting the Journal to publish their entries. Entries may be made either by mail or e-mail;...

Photodynamic therapy comes of age.(Foreword)
January 1, 2004... Photodynamic therapy (PDT), utilizing the topical administration of 20% 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), has generated widespread interest in the past several years among dermatologists. Numerous dermatologic conditions ranging from actinic...

Photodynamic therapy in dermatology: history and horizons.(Articles)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses a photosensitizer, light, and molecular oxygen to selectively kill cells. When localized in the target tissue, the photosensitizer is activated by light to produce oxygen intermediates that destroy...

Large surface photodynamic therapy with aminolevulinic acid: treatment of actinic keratoses and beyond.(Articles)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with topical aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is currently approved in the US and Canada for the spot treatment of non-hypertrophic actinic keratoses of the face and scalp. Dermatologists are currently using...

ALA-PDT and blue light therapy for hidradenitis suppurativa.(Articles)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, often suppurative skin condition which affects primarily apocrine glands. A variety of therapies have been used to treat HS, often with unsatisfactory results. Photodynamic...

Effectiveness and safety of ALA-IPL in treating actinic keratoses and photodamage.(Articles)
January 1, 2004... Abstract Background: Photorejuvenation involves the use of a light source or laser in reversing the signs of aging. The Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) has demonstrated effectiveness in treating signs of photodamage. Photodynamic therapy is a...