Journal of Drugs in Dermatology articles from September 2005

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology archives from September 2005

A letter from the guest editor.
September 1, 2005... Recently, I reached a benchmark. It is a one year anniversary for me. After eight years of medical training, I finished my residency exactly a year ago and have been a member of the "real world," earning a living as a dermatologist. It has been...

Biologic therapy for psoriasis: an update on the tumor necrosis factor inhibitors infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab, and the T-Cell-targeted therapies efalizumab and alefacept.
September 1, 2005... Abstract Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that affects approximately 2% of the US and European population. Over the last several years, one of the major focuses in psoriasis research has been the development of biologic therapies for...

Assessment of skin barrier function in rosacea patients with a novel 1% metronidazole gel.
September 1, 2005... Abstract The skin of patients with rosacea is extremely sensitive and hyper-reactive to dietary, environmental, and topical factors. Accordingly, the management of rosacea involves not only choosing appropriate medication and treatment for...

Inpatient management of severe psoriasis.
September 1, 2005... Abstract Historically, severe psoriasis frequently required inpatient hospitalization for several weeks to reduce symptoms and prevent morbidity and mortality. Despite declining hospitalization rates there remain patients who undergo...

The role of number of treatments in laser-assisted hair removal using a 755-nm alexandrite laser.
September 1, 2005... Abstract Background: It is generally accepted that multiple laser treatments yield more effective clinical results; however, it is not clearly known whether increasing the number of treatments would affect the incidence of adverse effect....

Evaluation of a flexible new liquid polymer wound dressing.
September 1, 2005... Abstract Occlusive dressings are the foundation of wound care and have been shown to speed epithelialization and healing of surgical sites. Many different dressings have been introduced over the years including antibacterial ointments with...

The Face and Mind Evaluation study: an examination of the efficacy of rosacea treatment using physician ratings and patients' self-reported quality of life.
September 1, 2005... Abstract Objective: To examine both the short-term clinical efficacy and quality-of-life changes resulting from treatment of rosacea with regimens that reflect the participating physicians' standards of care while incorporating azelaic...

A large 12-month extension study of an 8-week trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of triple combination (TC) cream in melasma patients previously treated with TC cream or one of its dyads.
September 1, 2005... Abstract This was a 12-month extension of a randomized, investigator-blinded, multicenter, 8-week trial with triple combination (TC) cream in facial melasma. A total of 585 patients were enrolled in the study and 569 patients received...

Imiquimod and superficial skin cancers.
September 1, 2005... Abstract Topical imiquimod has opened an entirely new area of dermatology that previously did not exist: medical therapy for skin cancers. While surgery will continue to play a vital role in treating more aggressive tumors and in patients...

Comparison of clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide, tretinoin plus clindamycin, and the combination of clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin plus clindamycin in the treatment of acne vulgaris: a randomized, blinded study.
September 1, 2005... Abstract In the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris, the combination of an antibiotic and benzoyl peroxide provides enhanced efficacy over the individual agents, with the potential to decrease the emergence of resistant strains of...

Successful treatment of Mycobacterium marinum infection with minocycline after complication of disease by delayed diagnosis and systemic steroids.(CASE REPORTS)
September 1, 2005... Abstract Mycobacterium marinum, an aerobic, non-tuberculous, environmental mycobacterium, is the etiologic agent responsible for "fish tank granuloma." (1) Found in aquatic environments, particularly where water is relatively still or...

Punctate palmoplantar keratoderma (Buschke-Fischer-Brauer disease) with psoriasis: a rare association showing excellent response to acitretin.(CASE REPORTS)
September 1, 2005... Abstract Hereditary punctate palmoplantar keratoderma (Buschke-Fischer-Brauer disease) is a rare disorder of keratinization. We describe here a 49-year-old male patient of this condition with many unusual features such as late onset of the...

Effective treatment of female androgenic alopecia with dutasteride.(CASE REPORTS)
September 1, 2005... Abstract Dihydrotestosterone is the main molecule responsible for androgenic alopecia. Finasteride, which reduces transformation of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone and decreases dihydrotestosterone activity, is approved for treatment...

Cutaneous leiomyomatosis and parotid pleomorphic adenoma.(CASE REPORTS)
September 1, 2005... Abstract We present a case of cutaneous leiomyomas (CL) arising in a pleomorphic adenoma (PA) of the parotid gland. PA and CL are benign tumors arising from the parotid gland and the erector pilli muscle, respectively. They both have a...

Pancytopenia after a single intradermal infiltration of methotrexate.(CASE REPORTS)
September 1, 2005... Abstract Methotrexate-related hematologic toxicity may include leakopenia, thrombocytopenia, megaloblastic anemia, and pancytopenia. We report a woman with hypertensive renal disease who was receiving hemodialysis and developed...

Reticulate hyperpigmentation secondary to 5-fluorouracil and idarubicin.(CASE REPORTS)
September 1, 2005... Abstract Although cutaneous reactions from antineoplastic therapy are common, a reticulate pattern of hyperpigmentation has not been frequently reported in the literature. We report 2 cases of reticulate hyperpigmentation associated with...

Laser and Cosmetic News.
September 1, 2005... Intense Pulsed Light-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy The use of intense pulsed light (IPL) to activate aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an exciting new area of research for the treatment of a variety of dermatologic...

Montelukast treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.(WASHINGTON WHISPERS)
September 1, 2005... Montelukast Treatment of Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis in Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial Veien NK, MD, PhD, et al. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2005; 3(1):147-149 Summary The...

Oral pimecrolimus in the treatment of moderate to severe chronic plaque-type psoriasis: a double-blind, multicentre, randomized, dose-finding trial.(WASHINGTON WHISPERS)
September 1, 2005... Oral Pimecrolimus in the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Chronic Plaque-Type Psoriasis: A Double-Blind, Multicentre, Randomized, Dose-Finding Trial Gottlieb AB, MD, PhD, et al. British Journal of Dermatology. 2005;152:1219-1227. ...

A multicentre, randomized, double-blind, controlled study of long-term treatment with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment in adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.(WASHINGTON WHISPERS)
September 1, 2005... A Multicentre, Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study of Long-Term Treatment with 0.1% Tacrolimus Ointment in Adults with Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis Reitamo S, et al. British Journal of Dermatology. 2005; 152:1282-1289. ...

Intralesional immunotherapy of warts with mumps, Candida, and Trichophyton skin test antigens.(WASHINGTON WHISPERS)
September 1, 2005... Intralesional Immunotherapy of Warts with Mumps, Candida, and Trichophyton Skin Test Antigens Horn TD, MD, et al. Archives of Dermatology. 2005; 141:589-594. Summary The authors present a single-blinded, randomized, controlled...

Corgentech to test NF-[kappa]B decoy for the treatment of eczema.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... Corgentech, Inc., announced plans to start two clinical trials to evaluate the usefulness of NF-[kappa]B decoy in the treatment of eczema. The company cites favorable results in pre-clinical trials where the drug decreased inflammation in...

Psoraxine.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... Phase II clinical trials of Psoraxine (AS210), Astralis's new drug therapy for psoriasis continued to demonstrate safety in human subjects, however, preliminary results failed to show significant improvement in the PASI score of patients....

Zostavax study shows promising results.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... The Phase III Shingles Prevention Study has demonstrated favorable and promising results for the Zostavax vaccine. The phase III study conducted by the Department of Veteran Affairs, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,...

FDA approves Enbrel for psoriatic arthritis.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... The FDA recently expanded the clinical indications for Enbrel (etanercept) to include improvement of physical function in patients suffering from psoriatic arthritis. This latest approval was based on significant improvements of physical...

Merrem approved for skin infections.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... The FDA recently approved Astra Zeneca's antibiotic Merrem IV (meropenem) for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections including complicated cellulitis, skin abscesses, and peri-rectal abscesses. This approval was based...

FDA approves infliximab for psoriatic arthritis.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... The FDA recently approved Centocor's Remicade (infliximab) for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. This is the ninth indication for this drug which also enjoys approvals for treatment of Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing...

Nabi Biopharmaceuticals to test staphylococcus epidermidis vaccine.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... Nabi Biopharmaceuticals announced the initiation of a Phase I study to evaluate the efficacy of its staphylococcus epidermidis vaccine. The study will include up to 48 healthy volunteers. Staphylococcus epidermidis causes 20% of...

Generic versions of Periostat still available.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York has denied its motion seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction against pharmaceutical companies...

FDA approves Tygacil for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... The FDA recently approved Tygacil for the intravenous treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections, including infected burns, deep soft tissue infections, infected ulcers, and complicated intraabdominal infections. Tygacil is the...

ADEPT Study demonstrates that Humira improves quality of life for paatients with psoriatic arthritis.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... Humira (adalimumab) is a fully human monoclonal antibody against TNF-[alpha], which is FDA approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Recent data from the ADEPT Study also shows significant improvement in quality of life for patients...

Oracea reduces lesion count in rosacea patients.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced that 2 Phase III double-blind, placebo-controlled trials evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of Oracea, doxycycline 40 mg, modified release, demonstrated improvement in lesion count in patients...

Connetics receives FDA non-approvable letter for Velac.(PIPELINE PREVIEWS)
September 1, 2005... The FDA recently issued a non-approvable letter for Velac, Connetics Corporation's 1% clindamycin/0.025% tretinoin acne treatment. The FDA cited a positive carcinogenicity signal detected in a mouse dermal carcinogenicity study as to why Velac...

Bioengineered skin and wound healing.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). This study will look at whether a graft of bioengineered skin (BSC), known commercially as Apligraf[R],...

Comparison of telavancin and vancomycin for complicated skin and skin structure infections with a focus on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (ATLAS 1).(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by Theravance. This study compares the safety and effectiveness of an investigational drug, telavancin, and an approved drug, vancomycin, for the treatment of complicated skin and skin...

T4N5 liposomal lotion in preventing the recurrence of nonmelanoma skin cancer in patients who have undergone a kidney transplant.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. This randomized phase II trial is studying how well T4N5 liposomal lotion works in preventing the recurrence of nonmelanoma skin cancer in patients who...

Photodynamic therapy using silicon phthalocyanine 4 in treating patients with AK, Bowen's disease, skin cancer, or stage I or stage II mycosis fungoides.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsors and Collaborators: Ireland Cancer Center and National Cancer Institute (NCI). This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of photodynamic therapy using silicon...

Photodynamic therapy in treating patients with skin cancer or solid tumors metastatic to the skin.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsors and Collaborators: Ireland Cancer Center and National Cancer Institute (NCI). Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy in treating patients who have either squamous...

Celecoxib in preventing skin cancer.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsors and Collaborators: Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center and National Cancer Institute (NCI). Randomized phase II trial to study the effectiveness of celecoxib in preventing skin cancer...

Mechanisms of skin repair by topical estrogen.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsors and Collaborators: University of Michigan and Pfizer. The purpose of this study is to investigate the way by which estrogen improves the appearance of sun damaged human skin. Condition...

Photodynamic therapy in treating patients with skin cancer.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by Roswell Park Cancer Institute. This randomized phase II trial is studying how well photodynamic therapy works in treating patients with skin cancer. Condition Treatment or...

ZD1839 (iressa) for recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Patients will receive 250 mg ZD1839 daily by mouth (1 course = 4 weeks). Patients will receive 6 courses of treatment. A patient may continue to receive...

Oral acyclovir for neonatal HSV disease of the skin, eyes and mouth.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... The purpose of this study is to test whether long-term treatment with oral acyclovir improves the outcome for infants with HSV disease of the skin, eyes, and mouth (SEM disease). Condition Treatment or Intervention Phase ...

Topical imiquimod compared with surgery in treating patients with basal cell skin cancer.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by Cancer Research UK. This randomized phase III trial is studying how well topical imiquimod works compared to surgery in treating patients with basal cell skin cancer. Condition ...

Linezolid in the treatment of complicated skin and soft tissue due to methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by Pfizer. This is a Phase IV randomized, multi-center, open-label trial to compare the clinical safety and efficacy of linezolid to vancomycin in the treatment of complicated skin and soft...

Infliximab (Remicade[R]) to treat dermatomyositis and polymyositis.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). This study will examine whether infliximab (Remicade) is safe and effective for the treatment of...

Safety study of S-Caine Peel (skin numbing cream) before a painful dermatologic procedure in adults.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by ZARS, Inc. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of one treatment of S-Caine[TM] Peel (skin numbing cream) applied on healthy skin before a painful dermatologic procedure...

Study of talabostat and cisplatin in advanced melanoma.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by Point Therapeutics. The purpose of this study is to assess the antitumor activity and safety of the combination of talabostat and cisplatin in patients with metastatic melanoma. ...

Etanercept for treatment of hidradenitis.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsors and Collaborators: University of Pennsylvania and Amgen. This study is being done to test a drug called etanercept (Enbrel[R]). Etanercept has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug...

Open-label safety study to evaluate imiquimod cream 5% for large areas of AK.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by 3M Pharmaceuticals. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of one, two, or three cycles of imiquimod for the treatment of AK. Condition Treatment or Intervention...

Study of the use of humanized CD25 in preventing the relapse of psoriasis vulgaris.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsors and Collaborators: Rockefeller University and Protein Design Labs. This study is designed to study disease relapse after NBUVB and how the administration of Daclizumab/placebo alters disease...

Utilization of narrow band ultraviolet B (UVB) light therapy and etanercept for the treatment of psoriasis.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by Amgen. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of combination therapy with etanercept and narrow-band (NB) UVB phototherapy for the treatment of psoriasis...

Phase II randomized bilateral comparison of topical targretin gel 1% in alopecia areata.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsors and Collaborators: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Ligand Pharmaceuticals. The rationale for the use of bexarotene in alopecia areata comes from the drug's immunomodulatory effects. It has...

Bevacizumab to treat Kaposi's sarcoma in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI). This study will examine the safety and effectiveness of the experimental drug bevacizumab for treating both non-AIDS and AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma...

A multi-center study of short and long-term use of Protopic Ointment in patients with atopic dermatitis.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by Astellas Pharma US, Inc. The purpose of the study is to determine the impact of topical corticosteroids on the safety and effectiveness of Protopic Ointment in the short-term treatment...

Treatment of cholestatic pruritus with sertraline.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The goal of this study is to find an effective and well-tolerated medical therapy for itching due to liver...

Etanercept (Enbrel[R]) in Psoriasis pediatrics.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by Amgen. This study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of etanercept (Enbrel) in children with Psoriasis. This is a Phase 3 blinded, placebo-controlled study. Condition Treatment...

Hydroxychloroquine vs. clobetasol rinse to treat oral lichen planus.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). This study will compare two treatments for oral lichen planus: hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) tablets and clobetasol oral...

Terbinafine compared to griseofulvin in children with tinea capitis.(CLINICAL TRIAL REVIEW)
September 1, 2005... This study is currently recruiting patients. Sponsored by Novartis. Tinea capitis is a dermatophyte infection of the scalp hair follicles, which occurs primarily in children. Hair loss, hair breakage, scaling, plus various degrees of erythema,...

Immunotherapy today: the story of a vaccine.(SKIN CANCER FOUNDATION UPDATE)
September 1, 2005... Efforts to harness the immune system against melanoma are based on the presence of natural immune responses to this cancer. These natural reactions are the most likely explanation for occasional spontaneous regression of primary melanoma. Major...