MDedge Dermatology

If a patient refuses care from a health care practitioner because of their race or sex, should their request be accommodated?

In a recent blog on Medscape titled “No, You Can’t See a Different Doctor: We Need Zero Tolerance of Patient Bias,” Cleveland Francis Jr., MD, argued no.

Dr. Francis, who is Black, is a recently retired cardiologist who practiced for 50 years. He is currently Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisor at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute in Falls Church, Va.

When Francis was a medical student and was preparing to take a patient’s history and perform a medical exam, the patient refused and requested a “White doctor,” he recounted.

“I can remember the hurt and embarrassment as if it were yesterday,” he wrote.

The blog, especially the title, drew strong reactions. Close to 500 readers weighed in.

“The title of my blog sounds harsh,” Dr. Francis said, “but in reality, a simple conversation with the patient usually resolves these issues. The difference is that in the old days, there was utter silence, and the wishes of the patient would be granted”

Health care practitioners “should expect to be treated with respect,” he concluded his blog.

Readers agreed on that point, but they debated whether being uncomfortable with a health care practitioner of a different sex or race always constituted “patient bias.”

Some noted that difficulty understanding a practitioner’s accent, for example, is a legitimate reason for asking for another clinician.
 

Accents and understanding

“If I am struggling to understand you because your accent is too thick or ... because hearing aids can only do so much, I need to ask for someone else,” a reader commented.

Another chimed in: “My elderly parents changed PCPs frequently during the final years of their lives, mainly due to language barriers encountered with foreign-born providers. Due to progressive hearing loss, they simply couldn’t understand them.”

“It is important to remember that there is a Patient Bill of Rights,” she noted, “the first part of which states, ‘You have the right to safe, considerate, and respectful care, provided in a manner consistent with your beliefs.’ ”

A former charge nurse added: “If a request for change was substantive (poor communication, perceived incompetence, trauma history, etc.), I would move mountains to accommodate it, but IMHO [in my humble opinion], the belief in honoring patient preference doesn’t necessarily need to include rearranging the world in order to accommodate racism, sexism, etc.”

Bias against female doctors, male nurses

Many commenters described how they gladly traded when a patient requested a practitioner of the opposite sex.

A female hospitalist related how she contacted the senior male doctor working with her to arrange a patient trade, adding, “I do agree that racial discrimination ought to be discouraged.”

Similarly, a male ICU RN commented: “Over 13 years, I have had a handful of female (usually older) patients request a female nurse. I have always strived to make this happen.”

However, an older woman related how at first she “had some bias against a male nurse touching me and also felt self-conscious,” she said. “So, I tried to relax ... and let him do his job. He was one of the most compassionate, kind, and sensitive nurses I’ve ever had.”

“I think in some cases,” she noted, “some women have had a history of some sort of abuse by a male, whether it’s sexual or psychological,” but in other cases, “it’s often just a personal preference, not a bias.”

A physician assistant (PA) who worked in a rural ED recounted how “there was only one physician and one PA on at any given evening/night shift, both usually White males.”

“Sometimes, you just have to cope as best you can with whomever is available, and in doing so,” he said, “they might just end up being pleasantly surprised.”
 

Don’t take it personally, move on

“If a patient doesn’t want to see me for whatever reason, then I would rather not treat them,” was a common sentiment.

Patients “should feel comfortable with their provider even if it’s with someone other than myself,” a reader wrote.

A female physician chimed in: “I frequently have older male patients refuse to see me. ... While this is irritating on several levels, I recognize that it is the patient’s choice, sigh, and move on to the next patient.”

“There are many more patients who specifically ask to see me, so I don’t waste my time and energy on being bothered by those who refuse.”

Similarly, a female mental health provider and sometimes patient wrote: “If any patient tells me that they prefer a male ... or someone of a particular race or religion or whatever, I don’t take it personally.”

A female Hispanic doctor chimed in: “Honestly, if a patient does not want to see me due to my race, I’m OK with that. Patients need to feel comfortable with me for the relationship to be therapeutic and effective,” she said.

“Forcing the patient to see me is adding injury to insult to ME! Not to mention increase[d] workload since that patient will take [so] much more time.”

Similarly, an Asian American doctor commented: “There are people who choose not to see me because of my ethnicity. However, I strongly believe that it should always be the patient’s preference. Whatever the reason, do not force the patient to see you in the name of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, or whatever hurts your feeling. Let the patient go.”
 

Patient bias vs. patient preference

A physician referring to Dr. Francis’s experience suggested that “perhaps there was an opportunity to explore this misconception directly with the patient. If not, your supervising senior resident or attending should have been informed and brought into the process and conversation.”

“If/when I were rejected by a patient for whatever reason,” another physician commented, “I would gracefully accede, and hope that my colleague would tactfully point out to the patient their error.”

“Having a nurse ask the patient ... what they need style-wise (keeping race, gender, etc., out of it) might help identify whether or not the underlying issue(s) are based on style/needs mismatch match rather than bias,” a reader suggested.

A health care worker commented: “We generally assure patients that we are professionals and think nothing of situations that they might find uncomfortable, but don’t realize that our comfort does not translate to theirs.”
 

Maybe a different strategy is needed

“Having been the target of bias many times,” a reader said, “I understand the pain that is inflicted. Unfortunately, a patient bias policy, while a good idea, will not prevent patient bias. This is a much larger societal problem. But we can at least tell patients that it is not okay. On the other hand, I would not want to be the provider for a patient who was biased against me and held me in disdain.”

“I do not like Zero Tolerance policies ever. They are too absolute,” another reader commented. “Sometimes, there are reasons and we do have to listen to our patients for why. ... I do not think a policy of zero tolerance will fix the problem of racism.”

“Instead of trying to educate the general public about how not to be jerks,” another reader suggested, “perhaps it would be easier to provide elective classes for doctors and employees who believe themselves to be at-risk for discrimination, providing them with a ‘toolkit’ of strategies for responding to discrimination in the moment, processing it emotionally later on, and reporting the most egregious events through designated channels.”

Another commenter agreed and wrote that, “While we as doctors need and deserve protection, we are also called to act with compassion. So, rather than ask the system for ‘zero-tolerance’ in either direction, we could encourage our health systems to provide education, support, and mediation to any party who feels or fears that they are not being well served. Such a model would include support for physicians who have been the victims of bias and hurt.”

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

If a patient refuses care from a health care practitioner because of their race or sex, should their request be accommodated?

In a recent blog on Medscape titled “No, You Can’t See a Different Doctor: We Need Zero Tolerance of Patient Bias,” Cleveland Francis Jr., MD, argued no.

Dr. Francis, who is Black, is a recently retired cardiologist who practiced for 50 years. He is currently Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisor at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute in Falls Church, Va.

When Francis was a medical student and was preparing to take a patient’s history and perform a medical exam, the patient refused and requested a “White doctor,” he recounted.

“I can remember the hurt and embarrassment as if it were yesterday,” he wrote.

The blog, especially the title, drew strong reactions. Close to 500 readers weighed in.

“The title of my blog sounds harsh,” Dr. Francis said, “but in reality, a simple conversation with the patient usually resolves these issues. The difference is that in the old days, there was utter silence, and the wishes of the patient would be granted”

Health care practitioners “should expect to be treated with respect,” he concluded his blog.

Readers agreed on that point, but they debated whether being uncomfortable with a health care practitioner of a different sex or race always constituted “patient bias.”

Some noted that difficulty understanding a practitioner’s accent, for example, is a legitimate reason for asking for another clinician.
 

Accents and understanding

“If I am struggling to understand you because your accent is too thick or ... because hearing aids can only do so much, I need to ask for someone else,” a reader commented.

Another chimed in: “My elderly parents changed PCPs frequently during the final years of their lives, mainly due to language barriers encountered with foreign-born providers. Due to progressive hearing loss, they simply couldn’t understand them.”

“It is important to remember that there is a Patient Bill of Rights,” she noted, “the first part of which states, ‘You have the right to safe, considerate, and respectful care, provided in a manner consistent with your beliefs.’ ”

A former charge nurse added: “If a request for change was substantive (poor communication, perceived incompetence, trauma history, etc.), I would move mountains to accommodate it, but IMHO [in my humble opinion], the belief in honoring patient preference doesn’t necessarily need to include rearranging the world in order to accommodate racism, sexism, etc.”

Bias against female doctors, male nurses

Many commenters described how they gladly traded when a patient requested a practitioner of the opposite sex.

A female hospitalist related how she contacted the senior male doctor working with her to arrange a patient trade, adding, “I do agree that racial discrimination ought to be discouraged.”

Similarly, a male ICU RN commented: “Over 13 years, I have had a handful of female (usually older) patients request a female nurse. I have always strived to make this happen.”

However, an older woman related how at first she “had some bias against a male nurse touching me and also felt self-conscious,” she said. “So, I tried to relax ... and let him do his job. He was one of the most compassionate, kind, and sensitive nurses I’ve ever had.”

“I think in some cases,” she noted, “some women have had a history of some sort of abuse by a male, whether it’s sexual or psychological,” but in other cases, “it’s often just a personal preference, not a bias.”

A physician assistant (PA) who worked in a rural ED recounted how “there was only one physician and one PA on at any given evening/night shift, both usually White males.”

“Sometimes, you just have to cope as best you can with whomever is available, and in doing so,” he said, “they might just end up being pleasantly surprised.”
 

Don’t take it personally, move on

“If a patient doesn’t want to see me for whatever reason, then I would rather not treat them,” was a common sentiment.

Patients “should feel comfortable with their provider even if it’s with someone other than myself,” a reader wrote.

A female physician chimed in: “I frequently have older male patients refuse to see me. ... While this is irritating on several levels, I recognize that it is the patient’s choice, sigh, and move on to the next patient.”

“There are many more patients who specifically ask to see me, so I don’t waste my time and energy on being bothered by those who refuse.”

Similarly, a female mental health provider and sometimes patient wrote: “If any patient tells me that they prefer a male ... or someone of a particular race or religion or whatever, I don’t take it personally.”

A female Hispanic doctor chimed in: “Honestly, if a patient does not want to see me due to my race, I’m OK with that. Patients need to feel comfortable with me for the relationship to be therapeutic and effective,” she said.

“Forcing the patient to see me is adding injury to insult to ME! Not to mention increase[d] workload since that patient will take [so] much more time.”

Similarly, an Asian American doctor commented: “There are people who choose not to see me because of my ethnicity. However, I strongly believe that it should always be the patient’s preference. Whatever the reason, do not force the patient to see you in the name of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, or whatever hurts your feeling. Let the patient go.”
 

Patient bias vs. patient preference

A physician referring to Dr. Francis’s experience suggested that “perhaps there was an opportunity to explore this misconception directly with the patient. If not, your supervising senior resident or attending should have been informed and brought into the process and conversation.”

“If/when I were rejected by a patient for whatever reason,” another physician commented, “I would gracefully accede, and hope that my colleague would tactfully point out to the patient their error.”

“Having a nurse ask the patient ... what they need style-wise (keeping race, gender, etc., out of it) might help identify whether or not the underlying issue(s) are based on style/needs mismatch match rather than bias,” a reader suggested.

A health care worker commented: “We generally assure patients that we are professionals and think nothing of situations that they might find uncomfortable, but don’t realize that our comfort does not translate to theirs.”
 

Maybe a different strategy is needed

“Having been the target of bias many times,” a reader said, “I understand the pain that is inflicted. Unfortunately, a patient bias policy, while a good idea, will not prevent patient bias. This is a much larger societal problem. But we can at least tell patients that it is not okay. On the other hand, I would not want to be the provider for a patient who was biased against me and held me in disdain.”

“I do not like Zero Tolerance policies ever. They are too absolute,” another reader commented. “Sometimes, there are reasons and we do have to listen to our patients for why. ... I do not think a policy of zero tolerance will fix the problem of racism.”

“Instead of trying to educate the general public about how not to be jerks,” another reader suggested, “perhaps it would be easier to provide elective classes for doctors and employees who believe themselves to be at-risk for discrimination, providing them with a ‘toolkit’ of strategies for responding to discrimination in the moment, processing it emotionally later on, and reporting the most egregious events through designated channels.”

Another commenter agreed and wrote that, “While we as doctors need and deserve protection, we are also called to act with compassion. So, rather than ask the system for ‘zero-tolerance’ in either direction, we could encourage our health systems to provide education, support, and mediation to any party who feels or fears that they are not being well served. Such a model would include support for physicians who have been the victims of bias and hurt.”

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

If a patient refuses care from a health care practitioner because of their race or sex, should their request be accommodated?

In a recent blog on Medscape titled “No, You Can’t See a Different Doctor: We Need Zero Tolerance of Patient Bias,” Cleveland Francis Jr., MD, argued no.

Dr. Francis, who is Black, is a recently retired cardiologist who practiced for 50 years. He is currently Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisor at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute in Falls Church, Va.

When Francis was a medical student and was preparing to take a patient’s history and perform a medical exam, the patient refused and requested a “White doctor,” he recounted.

“I can remember the hurt and embarrassment as if it were yesterday,” he wrote.

The blog, especially the title, drew strong reactions. Close to 500 readers weighed in.

“The title of my blog sounds harsh,” Dr. Francis said, “but in reality, a simple conversation with the patient usually resolves these issues. The difference is that in the old days, there was utter silence, and the wishes of the patient would be granted”

Health care practitioners “should expect to be treated with respect,” he concluded his blog.

Readers agreed on that point, but they debated whether being uncomfortable with a health care practitioner of a different sex or race always constituted “patient bias.”

Some noted that difficulty understanding a practitioner’s accent, for example, is a legitimate reason for asking for another clinician.
 

Accents and understanding

“If I am struggling to understand you because your accent is too thick or ... because hearing aids can only do so much, I need to ask for someone else,” a reader commented.

Another chimed in: “My elderly parents changed PCPs frequently during the final years of their lives, mainly due to language barriers encountered with foreign-born providers. Due to progressive hearing loss, they simply couldn’t understand them.”

“It is important to remember that there is a Patient Bill of Rights,” she noted, “the first part of which states, ‘You have the right to safe, considerate, and respectful care, provided in a manner consistent with your beliefs.’ ”

A former charge nurse added: “If a request for change was substantive (poor communication, perceived incompetence, trauma history, etc.), I would move mountains to accommodate it, but IMHO [in my humble opinion], the belief in honoring patient preference doesn’t necessarily need to include rearranging the world in order to accommodate racism, sexism, etc.”

Bias against female doctors, male nurses

Many commenters described how they gladly traded when a patient requested a practitioner of the opposite sex.

A female hospitalist related how she contacted the senior male doctor working with her to arrange a patient trade, adding, “I do agree that racial discrimination ought to be discouraged.”

Similarly, a male ICU RN commented: “Over 13 years, I have had a handful of female (usually older) patients request a female nurse. I have always strived to make this happen.”

However, an older woman related how at first she “had some bias against a male nurse touching me and also felt self-conscious,” she said. “So, I tried to relax ... and let him do his job. He was one of the most compassionate, kind, and sensitive nurses I’ve ever had.”

“I think in some cases,” she noted, “some women have had a history of some sort of abuse by a male, whether it’s sexual or psychological,” but in other cases, “it’s often just a personal preference, not a bias.”

A physician assistant (PA) who worked in a rural ED recounted how “there was only one physician and one PA on at any given evening/night shift, both usually White males.”

“Sometimes, you just have to cope as best you can with whomever is available, and in doing so,” he said, “they might just end up being pleasantly surprised.”
 

Don’t take it personally, move on

“If a patient doesn’t want to see me for whatever reason, then I would rather not treat them,” was a common sentiment.

Patients “should feel comfortable with their provider even if it’s with someone other than myself,” a reader wrote.

A female physician chimed in: “I frequently have older male patients refuse to see me. ... While this is irritating on several levels, I recognize that it is the patient’s choice, sigh, and move on to the next patient.”

“There are many more patients who specifically ask to see me, so I don’t waste my time and energy on being bothered by those who refuse.”

Similarly, a female mental health provider and sometimes patient wrote: “If any patient tells me that they prefer a male ... or someone of a particular race or religion or whatever, I don’t take it personally.”

A female Hispanic doctor chimed in: “Honestly, if a patient does not want to see me due to my race, I’m OK with that. Patients need to feel comfortable with me for the relationship to be therapeutic and effective,” she said.

“Forcing the patient to see me is adding injury to insult to ME! Not to mention increase[d] workload since that patient will take [so] much more time.”

Similarly, an Asian American doctor commented: “There are people who choose not to see me because of my ethnicity. However, I strongly believe that it should always be the patient’s preference. Whatever the reason, do not force the patient to see you in the name of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, or whatever hurts your feeling. Let the patient go.”
 

Patient bias vs. patient preference

A physician referring to Dr. Francis’s experience suggested that “perhaps there was an opportunity to explore this misconception directly with the patient. If not, your supervising senior resident or attending should have been informed and brought into the process and conversation.”

“If/when I were rejected by a patient for whatever reason,” another physician commented, “I would gracefully accede, and hope that my colleague would tactfully point out to the patient their error.”

“Having a nurse ask the patient ... what they need style-wise (keeping race, gender, etc., out of it) might help identify whether or not the underlying issue(s) are based on style/needs mismatch match rather than bias,” a reader suggested.

A health care worker commented: “We generally assure patients that we are professionals and think nothing of situations that they might find uncomfortable, but don’t realize that our comfort does not translate to theirs.”
 

Maybe a different strategy is needed

“Having been the target of bias many times,” a reader said, “I understand the pain that is inflicted. Unfortunately, a patient bias policy, while a good idea, will not prevent patient bias. This is a much larger societal problem. But we can at least tell patients that it is not okay. On the other hand, I would not want to be the provider for a patient who was biased against me and held me in disdain.”

“I do not like Zero Tolerance policies ever. They are too absolute,” another reader commented. “Sometimes, there are reasons and we do have to listen to our patients for why. ... I do not think a policy of zero tolerance will fix the problem of racism.”

“Instead of trying to educate the general public about how not to be jerks,” another reader suggested, “perhaps it would be easier to provide elective classes for doctors and employees who believe themselves to be at-risk for discrimination, providing them with a ‘toolkit’ of strategies for responding to discrimination in the moment, processing it emotionally later on, and reporting the most egregious events through designated channels.”

Another commenter agreed and wrote that, “While we as doctors need and deserve protection, we are also called to act with compassion. So, rather than ask the system for ‘zero-tolerance’ in either direction, we could encourage our health systems to provide education, support, and mediation to any party who feels or fears that they are not being well served. Such a model would include support for physicians who have been the victims of bias and hurt.”

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

One-eyed, one-horned, flying purple veggie eater

Big Fruits and Vegetables is at it again. You notice how they’re always like “Oh, vegetables are good for your health,” and “Eating fruits every day makes you live longer,” but come on. It’s a marketing ploy, leading us astray from our personal savior, McDonald’s.

PxHere

Just look at this latest bit of research: According to researchers from Finland, eating purple vegetables can protect against diabetes. Considering nearly 40 million Americans have diabetes (and nearly 100 million have prediabetes), anything to reduce the incidence of diabetes (people with diabetes account for one-fourth of every dollar spent in U.S. health care) would be beneficial. So, let’s humor the fruits and veggies people this time and hear them out.

It all comes down to a chemical called anthocyanin, which is a pigment that gives fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, radishes, and red cabbages their purplish color. Anthocyanin also has probiotic and anti-inflammatory effects, meaning it can help improve intestinal lining health and regulate glucose and lipid metabolic pathways. Obviously, good things if you want to avoid diabetes.

The investigators also found that, while standard anthocyanin was beneficial, acylated anthocyanin (which has an acyl group added to the sugar molecules of anthocyanin) is really what you want to go for. The acylated version, found in abundance in purple potatoes, purple carrots, radishes, and red cabbages, is tougher to digest, but the positive effects it has in the body are enhanced over the standard version.

Now, this all a compelling bit of research, but at the end of the day, you’re still eating fruits and vegetables, and we are red-blooded Americans here. We don’t do healthy foods. Although, if you were to dye our burgers with anthocyanin and make them purple, you’d have our attention. Purple is our favorite color.
 

Manuka honey better as building material than antibiotic

Milk, according to the old saying, builds strong bones, but when it comes to patients with bone loss caused by various medical reasons, researchers found that manuka honey, produced only in New Zealand and some parts of Australia, may also do the job. They soaked collagen scaffolds used for bone implants in various concentrations of the honey and found that 5% led to higher mineral formation and osteoprotegerin production, which suggests increased bone production.

Marley Dewey

But, and this is a pretty big one, the other half of the study – testing manuka honey’s ability to ward off bacteria – wasn’t so successful. Bone implants, apparently, count for almost half of all hospital-acquired infections, which obviously can put a damper on the healing process. The hope was that a biomaterial would be more effective than something like metal in lessening bacteria formation. Nope.

When the researchers soaked paper disks in honey and added them to cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, none of the various concentrations stopped bacterial growth in the scaffolding, even when they added antibiotics.

The sticky conclusion, you could say, is more bitter than sweet.
 

It may sound like Korn, but can it play ‘Freak on a Leash’?

Like all right-thinking Americans, we love corn, corn-based products, and almost corn. Corn on the cob grilled in the husk? Mmm. Plus, we’re big fans of the band Korn. Also, we once had a reporter here named Tim Kirn. And don’t even get us started with Karn. Best Family Feud host ever.

Quorn

But what about Quorn? Oh sure, the fungi-based meat alternative is full of yummy mycoprotein, but can it prevent colorectal cancer? Can we add Quorn to our favorites list? Let’s see what Science has to say.

Researchers at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, fed a group of 20 men some meat (240 g/day) for 2 weeks – hopefully, they were allowed to eat some other food as well – and then gave them the same amount of Quorn, excuse us, fungi-derived mycoprotein equivalents, for 2 more weeks, with a 4-week washout period in between.

Levels of cancer-causing chemicals known as genotoxins fell significantly in the mycoprotein phase but rose during the meat phase. The mycoprotein diet also improved gut health “by increasing the abundance of protective bacteria such as Lactobacilli, Roseburia, and Akkermansia, which are associated with offering protection against chemically induced tumours, inflammation and bowel cancer,” they said in a statement from the university.

The meat phase, on the other hand, resulted in an increase in “gut bacteria linked with issues such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, weight gain and other negative health outcomes,” they noted.

Science, then, seems to approve of Quorn, and that’s good enough for us. We’re adding Quorn to our diet, starting with a fungi-derived mycoproteinburger tonight while we’re watching the Cornell Big Red take the court against their archrivals, the Big Green of Dartmouth College. GO RED!

One-eyed, one-horned, flying purple veggie eater

Big Fruits and Vegetables is at it again. You notice how they’re always like “Oh, vegetables are good for your health,” and “Eating fruits every day makes you live longer,” but come on. It’s a marketing ploy, leading us astray from our personal savior, McDonald’s.

PxHere

Just look at this latest bit of research: According to researchers from Finland, eating purple vegetables can protect against diabetes. Considering nearly 40 million Americans have diabetes (and nearly 100 million have prediabetes), anything to reduce the incidence of diabetes (people with diabetes account for one-fourth of every dollar spent in U.S. health care) would be beneficial. So, let’s humor the fruits and veggies people this time and hear them out.

It all comes down to a chemical called anthocyanin, which is a pigment that gives fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, radishes, and red cabbages their purplish color. Anthocyanin also has probiotic and anti-inflammatory effects, meaning it can help improve intestinal lining health and regulate glucose and lipid metabolic pathways. Obviously, good things if you want to avoid diabetes.

The investigators also found that, while standard anthocyanin was beneficial, acylated anthocyanin (which has an acyl group added to the sugar molecules of anthocyanin) is really what you want to go for. The acylated version, found in abundance in purple potatoes, purple carrots, radishes, and red cabbages, is tougher to digest, but the positive effects it has in the body are enhanced over the standard version.

Now, this all a compelling bit of research, but at the end of the day, you’re still eating fruits and vegetables, and we are red-blooded Americans here. We don’t do healthy foods. Although, if you were to dye our burgers with anthocyanin and make them purple, you’d have our attention. Purple is our favorite color.
 

Manuka honey better as building material than antibiotic

Milk, according to the old saying, builds strong bones, but when it comes to patients with bone loss caused by various medical reasons, researchers found that manuka honey, produced only in New Zealand and some parts of Australia, may also do the job. They soaked collagen scaffolds used for bone implants in various concentrations of the honey and found that 5% led to higher mineral formation and osteoprotegerin production, which suggests increased bone production.

Marley Dewey

But, and this is a pretty big one, the other half of the study – testing manuka honey’s ability to ward off bacteria – wasn’t so successful. Bone implants, apparently, count for almost half of all hospital-acquired infections, which obviously can put a damper on the healing process. The hope was that a biomaterial would be more effective than something like metal in lessening bacteria formation. Nope.

When the researchers soaked paper disks in honey and added them to cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, none of the various concentrations stopped bacterial growth in the scaffolding, even when they added antibiotics.

The sticky conclusion, you could say, is more bitter than sweet.
 

It may sound like Korn, but can it play ‘Freak on a Leash’?

Like all right-thinking Americans, we love corn, corn-based products, and almost corn. Corn on the cob grilled in the husk? Mmm. Plus, we’re big fans of the band Korn. Also, we once had a reporter here named Tim Kirn. And don’t even get us started with Karn. Best Family Feud host ever.

Quorn

But what about Quorn? Oh sure, the fungi-based meat alternative is full of yummy mycoprotein, but can it prevent colorectal cancer? Can we add Quorn to our favorites list? Let’s see what Science has to say.

Researchers at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, fed a group of 20 men some meat (240 g/day) for 2 weeks – hopefully, they were allowed to eat some other food as well – and then gave them the same amount of Quorn, excuse us, fungi-derived mycoprotein equivalents, for 2 more weeks, with a 4-week washout period in between.

Levels of cancer-causing chemicals known as genotoxins fell significantly in the mycoprotein phase but rose during the meat phase. The mycoprotein diet also improved gut health “by increasing the abundance of protective bacteria such as Lactobacilli, Roseburia, and Akkermansia, which are associated with offering protection against chemically induced tumours, inflammation and bowel cancer,” they said in a statement from the university.

The meat phase, on the other hand, resulted in an increase in “gut bacteria linked with issues such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, weight gain and other negative health outcomes,” they noted.

Science, then, seems to approve of Quorn, and that’s good enough for us. We’re adding Quorn to our diet, starting with a fungi-derived mycoproteinburger tonight while we’re watching the Cornell Big Red take the court against their archrivals, the Big Green of Dartmouth College. GO RED!

One-eyed, one-horned, flying purple veggie eater

Big Fruits and Vegetables is at it again. You notice how they’re always like “Oh, vegetables are good for your health,” and “Eating fruits every day makes you live longer,” but come on. It’s a marketing ploy, leading us astray from our personal savior, McDonald’s.

PxHere

Just look at this latest bit of research: According to researchers from Finland, eating purple vegetables can protect against diabetes. Considering nearly 40 million Americans have diabetes (and nearly 100 million have prediabetes), anything to reduce the incidence of diabetes (people with diabetes account for one-fourth of every dollar spent in U.S. health care) would be beneficial. So, let’s humor the fruits and veggies people this time and hear them out.

It all comes down to a chemical called anthocyanin, which is a pigment that gives fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, radishes, and red cabbages their purplish color. Anthocyanin also has probiotic and anti-inflammatory effects, meaning it can help improve intestinal lining health and regulate glucose and lipid metabolic pathways. Obviously, good things if you want to avoid diabetes.

The investigators also found that, while standard anthocyanin was beneficial, acylated anthocyanin (which has an acyl group added to the sugar molecules of anthocyanin) is really what you want to go for. The acylated version, found in abundance in purple potatoes, purple carrots, radishes, and red cabbages, is tougher to digest, but the positive effects it has in the body are enhanced over the standard version.

Now, this all a compelling bit of research, but at the end of the day, you’re still eating fruits and vegetables, and we are red-blooded Americans here. We don’t do healthy foods. Although, if you were to dye our burgers with anthocyanin and make them purple, you’d have our attention. Purple is our favorite color.
 

Manuka honey better as building material than antibiotic

Milk, according to the old saying, builds strong bones, but when it comes to patients with bone loss caused by various medical reasons, researchers found that manuka honey, produced only in New Zealand and some parts of Australia, may also do the job. They soaked collagen scaffolds used for bone implants in various concentrations of the honey and found that 5% led to higher mineral formation and osteoprotegerin production, which suggests increased bone production.

Marley Dewey

But, and this is a pretty big one, the other half of the study – testing manuka honey’s ability to ward off bacteria – wasn’t so successful. Bone implants, apparently, count for almost half of all hospital-acquired infections, which obviously can put a damper on the healing process. The hope was that a biomaterial would be more effective than something like metal in lessening bacteria formation. Nope.

When the researchers soaked paper disks in honey and added them to cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, none of the various concentrations stopped bacterial growth in the scaffolding, even when they added antibiotics.

The sticky conclusion, you could say, is more bitter than sweet.
 

It may sound like Korn, but can it play ‘Freak on a Leash’?

Like all right-thinking Americans, we love corn, corn-based products, and almost corn. Corn on the cob grilled in the husk? Mmm. Plus, we’re big fans of the band Korn. Also, we once had a reporter here named Tim Kirn. And don’t even get us started with Karn. Best Family Feud host ever.

Quorn

But what about Quorn? Oh sure, the fungi-based meat alternative is full of yummy mycoprotein, but can it prevent colorectal cancer? Can we add Quorn to our favorites list? Let’s see what Science has to say.

Researchers at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, fed a group of 20 men some meat (240 g/day) for 2 weeks – hopefully, they were allowed to eat some other food as well – and then gave them the same amount of Quorn, excuse us, fungi-derived mycoprotein equivalents, for 2 more weeks, with a 4-week washout period in between.

Levels of cancer-causing chemicals known as genotoxins fell significantly in the mycoprotein phase but rose during the meat phase. The mycoprotein diet also improved gut health “by increasing the abundance of protective bacteria such as Lactobacilli, Roseburia, and Akkermansia, which are associated with offering protection against chemically induced tumours, inflammation and bowel cancer,” they said in a statement from the university.

The meat phase, on the other hand, resulted in an increase in “gut bacteria linked with issues such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, weight gain and other negative health outcomes,” they noted.

Science, then, seems to approve of Quorn, and that’s good enough for us. We’re adding Quorn to our diet, starting with a fungi-derived mycoproteinburger tonight while we’re watching the Cornell Big Red take the court against their archrivals, the Big Green of Dartmouth College. GO RED!

Key clinical point: Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have an increased risk of developing food allergy (FA), food sensitivity (FS), and challenge-proven food allergy (CPFA), and vice versa.

Major finding: AD was significantly associated with an increased risk for FS (pooled odds ratio [pOR] 4.17; 95% CI 3.03-5.75), FA (pOR 3.91; 95% CI 3.44-4.45), and CPFA (pOR 4.99; 95% CI 2.20-11.35). A significantly increased risk for AD was observed in individuals with FS (pOR 3.92; 95% CI,2.88-5.33), FA (pOR 4.06; 95% CI 3.54-4.65), and CPFA (pOR 4.93; 95% CI 2.74-8.84).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 465 studies involving patients with AD (n = 225,568); reference individuals without AD (n = 1,128,322); individuals with FS, FA, and CPFA (n = 1,357,793); and reference individuals without FS, FA, and CPFA (n = 1,244,596).

Disclosures: This study did not receive any funding. Some authors declared serving as advisors, speakers, or consultants for or receiving speaking or consulting fees from various sources.

Source: Christensen MO et al. Prevalence of and association between atopic dermatitis and food sensitivity, food allergy and challenge-proven food allergy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2023 (Jan 25). Doi: 10.1111/jdv.18919

Key clinical point: Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have an increased risk of developing food allergy (FA), food sensitivity (FS), and challenge-proven food allergy (CPFA), and vice versa.

Major finding: AD was significantly associated with an increased risk for FS (pooled odds ratio [pOR] 4.17; 95% CI 3.03-5.75), FA (pOR 3.91; 95% CI 3.44-4.45), and CPFA (pOR 4.99; 95% CI 2.20-11.35). A significantly increased risk for AD was observed in individuals with FS (pOR 3.92; 95% CI,2.88-5.33), FA (pOR 4.06; 95% CI 3.54-4.65), and CPFA (pOR 4.93; 95% CI 2.74-8.84).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 465 studies involving patients with AD (n = 225,568); reference individuals without AD (n = 1,128,322); individuals with FS, FA, and CPFA (n = 1,357,793); and reference individuals without FS, FA, and CPFA (n = 1,244,596).

Disclosures: This study did not receive any funding. Some authors declared serving as advisors, speakers, or consultants for or receiving speaking or consulting fees from various sources.

Source: Christensen MO et al. Prevalence of and association between atopic dermatitis and food sensitivity, food allergy and challenge-proven food allergy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2023 (Jan 25). Doi: 10.1111/jdv.18919

Key clinical point: Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have an increased risk of developing food allergy (FA), food sensitivity (FS), and challenge-proven food allergy (CPFA), and vice versa.

Major finding: AD was significantly associated with an increased risk for FS (pooled odds ratio [pOR] 4.17; 95% CI 3.03-5.75), FA (pOR 3.91; 95% CI 3.44-4.45), and CPFA (pOR 4.99; 95% CI 2.20-11.35). A significantly increased risk for AD was observed in individuals with FS (pOR 3.92; 95% CI,2.88-5.33), FA (pOR 4.06; 95% CI 3.54-4.65), and CPFA (pOR 4.93; 95% CI 2.74-8.84).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 465 studies involving patients with AD (n = 225,568); reference individuals without AD (n = 1,128,322); individuals with FS, FA, and CPFA (n = 1,357,793); and reference individuals without FS, FA, and CPFA (n = 1,244,596).

Disclosures: This study did not receive any funding. Some authors declared serving as advisors, speakers, or consultants for or receiving speaking or consulting fees from various sources.

Source: Christensen MO et al. Prevalence of and association between atopic dermatitis and food sensitivity, food allergy and challenge-proven food allergy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2023 (Jan 25). Doi: 10.1111/jdv.18919

Key clinical point: In patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), itch was more closely associated with patient-reported outcome measures than with objective assessments by the physician.

Major finding: Itch severity had a weak positive correlation with objective Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (rho (ρ) 0.44; 95% CI 0.39-0.48), Eczema Area and Severity Index (ρ 0.41; 95% CI 0.36-0.46), and Investigator Global Assessment (ρ 0.46; 95% CI 0.42-0.51) scores, but a strong positive correlation with Patient Global Assessment score (ρ 0.68; 95% CI 0.65-0.71), Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure sum score (ρ 0.66; 95% CI 0.63-0.69), and Dermatology Life Quality Index score (ρ 0.61; 95% CI 0.57-0.65).

Study details: This study analyzed the data of 1134 adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD from the multicenter prospective TREATgermany registry, of which 1121 had provided data on their itch.

Disclosures: TREATgermany is sponsored by AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Galderma S.A., and others. Some authors reported ties with various organizations, including TREATgermany sponsors.

Source: Weisshaar E et al. Itching in atopic dermatitis: Patient- and physician-reported outcomes in the German atopic dermatitis registry TREATgermany. Acta Derm Venereol. 2023;103:adv00854 (Jan 23). Doi: 10.2340/actadv.v103.4426

Key clinical point: In patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), itch was more closely associated with patient-reported outcome measures than with objective assessments by the physician.

Major finding: Itch severity had a weak positive correlation with objective Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (rho (ρ) 0.44; 95% CI 0.39-0.48), Eczema Area and Severity Index (ρ 0.41; 95% CI 0.36-0.46), and Investigator Global Assessment (ρ 0.46; 95% CI 0.42-0.51) scores, but a strong positive correlation with Patient Global Assessment score (ρ 0.68; 95% CI 0.65-0.71), Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure sum score (ρ 0.66; 95% CI 0.63-0.69), and Dermatology Life Quality Index score (ρ 0.61; 95% CI 0.57-0.65).

Study details: This study analyzed the data of 1134 adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD from the multicenter prospective TREATgermany registry, of which 1121 had provided data on their itch.

Disclosures: TREATgermany is sponsored by AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Galderma S.A., and others. Some authors reported ties with various organizations, including TREATgermany sponsors.

Source: Weisshaar E et al. Itching in atopic dermatitis: Patient- and physician-reported outcomes in the German atopic dermatitis registry TREATgermany. Acta Derm Venereol. 2023;103:adv00854 (Jan 23). Doi: 10.2340/actadv.v103.4426

Key clinical point: In patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), itch was more closely associated with patient-reported outcome measures than with objective assessments by the physician.

Major finding: Itch severity had a weak positive correlation with objective Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (rho (ρ) 0.44; 95% CI 0.39-0.48), Eczema Area and Severity Index (ρ 0.41; 95% CI 0.36-0.46), and Investigator Global Assessment (ρ 0.46; 95% CI 0.42-0.51) scores, but a strong positive correlation with Patient Global Assessment score (ρ 0.68; 95% CI 0.65-0.71), Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure sum score (ρ 0.66; 95% CI 0.63-0.69), and Dermatology Life Quality Index score (ρ 0.61; 95% CI 0.57-0.65).

Study details: This study analyzed the data of 1134 adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD from the multicenter prospective TREATgermany registry, of which 1121 had provided data on their itch.

Disclosures: TREATgermany is sponsored by AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Galderma S.A., and others. Some authors reported ties with various organizations, including TREATgermany sponsors.

Source: Weisshaar E et al. Itching in atopic dermatitis: Patient- and physician-reported outcomes in the German atopic dermatitis registry TREATgermany. Acta Derm Venereol. 2023;103:adv00854 (Jan 23). Doi: 10.2340/actadv.v103.4426

Key clinical point: Children who were hospitalized for atopic dermatitis (AD) exacerbation had significantly higher serum total IgE levels than those hospitalized for AD-associated infectious complications.

Major finding: Children with AD exacerbation vs an infectious complication had significantly higher mean serum total IgE levels (9603 ± 15,873 vs 3167 ± 5486 kU/L; P = .029). The likelihood of AD exacerbation vs an infectious complication was significantly greater in children with an age-adjusted IgE level (serum total IgE level/maximum reference IgE value for their age) of >4.

Study details: This retrospective chart review study included 68 children hospitalized for AD exacerbations (n = 34) or AD-associated infectious complications (n = 34) over a 17-year period.

Disclosures: This study did not report the source of funding. PY Ong declared serving as a consultant for and receiving research funding from various organizations.

Source: Atwal S, Ong PY. Elevated serum total IgE is associated with eczema exacerbation in children hospitalized for atopic dermatitis. Pediatr Dermatol. 2023 (Jan 19). Doi: 10.1111/pde.15245

Key clinical point: Children who were hospitalized for atopic dermatitis (AD) exacerbation had significantly higher serum total IgE levels than those hospitalized for AD-associated infectious complications.

Major finding: Children with AD exacerbation vs an infectious complication had significantly higher mean serum total IgE levels (9603 ± 15,873 vs 3167 ± 5486 kU/L; P = .029). The likelihood of AD exacerbation vs an infectious complication was significantly greater in children with an age-adjusted IgE level (serum total IgE level/maximum reference IgE value for their age) of >4.

Study details: This retrospective chart review study included 68 children hospitalized for AD exacerbations (n = 34) or AD-associated infectious complications (n = 34) over a 17-year period.

Disclosures: This study did not report the source of funding. PY Ong declared serving as a consultant for and receiving research funding from various organizations.

Source: Atwal S, Ong PY. Elevated serum total IgE is associated with eczema exacerbation in children hospitalized for atopic dermatitis. Pediatr Dermatol. 2023 (Jan 19). Doi: 10.1111/pde.15245

Key clinical point: Children who were hospitalized for atopic dermatitis (AD) exacerbation had significantly higher serum total IgE levels than those hospitalized for AD-associated infectious complications.

Major finding: Children with AD exacerbation vs an infectious complication had significantly higher mean serum total IgE levels (9603 ± 15,873 vs 3167 ± 5486 kU/L; P = .029). The likelihood of AD exacerbation vs an infectious complication was significantly greater in children with an age-adjusted IgE level (serum total IgE level/maximum reference IgE value for their age) of >4.

Study details: This retrospective chart review study included 68 children hospitalized for AD exacerbations (n = 34) or AD-associated infectious complications (n = 34) over a 17-year period.

Disclosures: This study did not report the source of funding. PY Ong declared serving as a consultant for and receiving research funding from various organizations.

Source: Atwal S, Ong PY. Elevated serum total IgE is associated with eczema exacerbation in children hospitalized for atopic dermatitis. Pediatr Dermatol. 2023 (Jan 19). Doi: 10.1111/pde.15245

Key clinical point: Dupilumab demonstrated good 4-year drug survival in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD); however, early-onset AD (at <18 years of age) was a risk factor for a shorter drug survival.

Major finding: The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year overall dupilumab drug survival rates were 90.5%, 82.9%, 78.8%, and 76.4%, respectively. Early onset of AD may serve as a significant predictor of shorter overall drug survival (hazard ratio, 1.32; P = .04).

Study details: This real-world prospective cohort study included 363 patients with moderate-to-severe AD who had received dupilumab for ≥4 weeks.

Disclosures: This study did not receive any funding. Some authors declared serving as consultants and/or speakers for various organizations.

Source: Pezzolo E et al. Long-term drug survival of dupilumab and associated predictors in moderate to severe atopic dermatitis: A real-world prospective cohort study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2023 (Jan 20). Doi: 10.1111/jdv.18889

Key clinical point: Dupilumab demonstrated good 4-year drug survival in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD); however, early-onset AD (at <18 years of age) was a risk factor for a shorter drug survival.

Major finding: The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year overall dupilumab drug survival rates were 90.5%, 82.9%, 78.8%, and 76.4%, respectively. Early onset of AD may serve as a significant predictor of shorter overall drug survival (hazard ratio, 1.32; P = .04).

Study details: This real-world prospective cohort study included 363 patients with moderate-to-severe AD who had received dupilumab for ≥4 weeks.

Disclosures: This study did not receive any funding. Some authors declared serving as consultants and/or speakers for various organizations.

Source: Pezzolo E et al. Long-term drug survival of dupilumab and associated predictors in moderate to severe atopic dermatitis: A real-world prospective cohort study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2023 (Jan 20). Doi: 10.1111/jdv.18889

Key clinical point: Dupilumab demonstrated good 4-year drug survival in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD); however, early-onset AD (at <18 years of age) was a risk factor for a shorter drug survival.

Major finding: The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year overall dupilumab drug survival rates were 90.5%, 82.9%, 78.8%, and 76.4%, respectively. Early onset of AD may serve as a significant predictor of shorter overall drug survival (hazard ratio, 1.32; P = .04).

Study details: This real-world prospective cohort study included 363 patients with moderate-to-severe AD who had received dupilumab for ≥4 weeks.

Disclosures: This study did not receive any funding. Some authors declared serving as consultants and/or speakers for various organizations.

Source: Pezzolo E et al. Long-term drug survival of dupilumab and associated predictors in moderate to severe atopic dermatitis: A real-world prospective cohort study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2023 (Jan 20). Doi: 10.1111/jdv.18889

Key clinical point: Coadjuvant treatment with a specific probiotic preparation reduced disease severity in children and adolescents with atopic dermatitis (AD), as evidenced by a decrease in Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) and Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) scores.

Major finding: At 12 weeks, patients receiving the probiotic preparation vs placebo had a significantly higher rate of achieving at least a 1-point improvement in IGA score (90.5% vs 56.7%; P < .002) and lower SCORAD score (13.52 vs 18.96; P = .041).

Study details: This study included 70 patients aged 4-17 years with AD who were randomly assigned to receive the probiotic preparation (containing Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, and Lactobacillus casei; n = 35) or placebo (n = 35) daily for 12 weeks.

Disclosures: This study was funded by Biopolis SL. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Feíto-Rodríguez M et al. Randomised double blind placebo controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effect of a mixture of probiotic strains on symptom severity and the use of corticosteroids in children and adolescents with atopic dermatitis. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2023 (Jan 13). Doi: 10.1093/ced/llad007

Key clinical point: Coadjuvant treatment with a specific probiotic preparation reduced disease severity in children and adolescents with atopic dermatitis (AD), as evidenced by a decrease in Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) and Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) scores.

Major finding: At 12 weeks, patients receiving the probiotic preparation vs placebo had a significantly higher rate of achieving at least a 1-point improvement in IGA score (90.5% vs 56.7%; P < .002) and lower SCORAD score (13.52 vs 18.96; P = .041).

Study details: This study included 70 patients aged 4-17 years with AD who were randomly assigned to receive the probiotic preparation (containing Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, and Lactobacillus casei; n = 35) or placebo (n = 35) daily for 12 weeks.

Disclosures: This study was funded by Biopolis SL. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Feíto-Rodríguez M et al. Randomised double blind placebo controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effect of a mixture of probiotic strains on symptom severity and the use of corticosteroids in children and adolescents with atopic dermatitis. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2023 (Jan 13). Doi: 10.1093/ced/llad007

Key clinical point: Coadjuvant treatment with a specific probiotic preparation reduced disease severity in children and adolescents with atopic dermatitis (AD), as evidenced by a decrease in Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) and Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) scores.

Major finding: At 12 weeks, patients receiving the probiotic preparation vs placebo had a significantly higher rate of achieving at least a 1-point improvement in IGA score (90.5% vs 56.7%; P < .002) and lower SCORAD score (13.52 vs 18.96; P = .041).

Study details: This study included 70 patients aged 4-17 years with AD who were randomly assigned to receive the probiotic preparation (containing Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, and Lactobacillus casei; n = 35) or placebo (n = 35) daily for 12 weeks.

Disclosures: This study was funded by Biopolis SL. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Feíto-Rodríguez M et al. Randomised double blind placebo controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effect of a mixture of probiotic strains on symptom severity and the use of corticosteroids in children and adolescents with atopic dermatitis. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2023 (Jan 13). Doi: 10.1093/ced/llad007

Key clinical point: Upadacitinib can serve as an effective treatment option for atopic dermatitis (AD) and concomitant hand eczema (HE) in daily practice.

Major finding: At week 16, the mean Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score decreased significantly from 17.2 (at baseline) to 4.8 (P < .001) and 50.0%, 40.6%, 59.3%, and 74.1% of patients achieved EASI-75, an Investigator’s Global Assessment score of (almost) clear, Hand Eczema Severity Index-75, and a score of (almost) clear on the photographic guide, respectively. Adverse events were generally mild in severity.

Study details: This multicenter prospective observational study included 38 patients with AD from the BioDay registry who received once-daily upadacitinib over 16 weeks, of which 32 patients had concomitant HE.

Disclosures: The BioDay registry is funded by Sanofi/Regeneron and others. Some authors declared serving as advisors, speakers, or consultants for or receiving consulting fees from various sources, including the registry funders.

Source: Kamphuis E, Loman L, et al. Experiences from daily practice of upadacitinib treatment on atopic dermatitis with a focus on hand eczema: Results from the BioDay registry. Contact Dermatitis. 2023 (Jan 9). Doi: 10.1111/cod.14276

Key clinical point: Upadacitinib can serve as an effective treatment option for atopic dermatitis (AD) and concomitant hand eczema (HE) in daily practice.

Major finding: At week 16, the mean Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score decreased significantly from 17.2 (at baseline) to 4.8 (P < .001) and 50.0%, 40.6%, 59.3%, and 74.1% of patients achieved EASI-75, an Investigator’s Global Assessment score of (almost) clear, Hand Eczema Severity Index-75, and a score of (almost) clear on the photographic guide, respectively. Adverse events were generally mild in severity.

Study details: This multicenter prospective observational study included 38 patients with AD from the BioDay registry who received once-daily upadacitinib over 16 weeks, of which 32 patients had concomitant HE.

Disclosures: The BioDay registry is funded by Sanofi/Regeneron and others. Some authors declared serving as advisors, speakers, or consultants for or receiving consulting fees from various sources, including the registry funders.

Source: Kamphuis E, Loman L, et al. Experiences from daily practice of upadacitinib treatment on atopic dermatitis with a focus on hand eczema: Results from the BioDay registry. Contact Dermatitis. 2023 (Jan 9). Doi: 10.1111/cod.14276

Key clinical point: Upadacitinib can serve as an effective treatment option for atopic dermatitis (AD) and concomitant hand eczema (HE) in daily practice.

Major finding: At week 16, the mean Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score decreased significantly from 17.2 (at baseline) to 4.8 (P < .001) and 50.0%, 40.6%, 59.3%, and 74.1% of patients achieved EASI-75, an Investigator’s Global Assessment score of (almost) clear, Hand Eczema Severity Index-75, and a score of (almost) clear on the photographic guide, respectively. Adverse events were generally mild in severity.

Study details: This multicenter prospective observational study included 38 patients with AD from the BioDay registry who received once-daily upadacitinib over 16 weeks, of which 32 patients had concomitant HE.

Disclosures: The BioDay registry is funded by Sanofi/Regeneron and others. Some authors declared serving as advisors, speakers, or consultants for or receiving consulting fees from various sources, including the registry funders.

Source: Kamphuis E, Loman L, et al. Experiences from daily practice of upadacitinib treatment on atopic dermatitis with a focus on hand eczema: Results from the BioDay registry. Contact Dermatitis. 2023 (Jan 9). Doi: 10.1111/cod.14276

Key clinical point: Dupilumab provides rapid improvement in atopic dermatitis (AD) signs and symptoms and is well tolerated in patients with moderate-to-severe AD in a real-world setting.

Major finding: At week 12, the percentages of patients who achieved ≥75% improvement in the Eczema Area and Severity Index, an Investigator’s Global Assessment score of 0/1 with a ≥2-point reduction from baseline, and a ≥4-point decrease in itch-numerical rating scale score were 59.4%, 33.0%, and 57.0%, respectively. Adverse event rates were lower than those reported in previous phase 3 trials.

Study details: Findings are from a 12-week analysis of the multicenter prospective real-life study PROLEAD including 828 dupilumab-naive adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD who received dupilumab.

Disclosures: This study was funded by Sanofi. Some authors reported ties with various organizations, including Sanofi. Three authors declared being employees of or holding stock or stock options in Sanofi.

Source: Augustin M et al. Dupilumab demonstrates rapid onset of action in improving signs, symptoms and quality of life in adults with atopic dermatitis. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2023 (Feb 4). Doi: 10.1007/s13555-023-00894-3

Key clinical point: Dupilumab provides rapid improvement in atopic dermatitis (AD) signs and symptoms and is well tolerated in patients with moderate-to-severe AD in a real-world setting.

Major finding: At week 12, the percentages of patients who achieved ≥75% improvement in the Eczema Area and Severity Index, an Investigator’s Global Assessment score of 0/1 with a ≥2-point reduction from baseline, and a ≥4-point decrease in itch-numerical rating scale score were 59.4%, 33.0%, and 57.0%, respectively. Adverse event rates were lower than those reported in previous phase 3 trials.

Study details: Findings are from a 12-week analysis of the multicenter prospective real-life study PROLEAD including 828 dupilumab-naive adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD who received dupilumab.

Disclosures: This study was funded by Sanofi. Some authors reported ties with various organizations, including Sanofi. Three authors declared being employees of or holding stock or stock options in Sanofi.

Source: Augustin M et al. Dupilumab demonstrates rapid onset of action in improving signs, symptoms and quality of life in adults with atopic dermatitis. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2023 (Feb 4). Doi: 10.1007/s13555-023-00894-3

Key clinical point: Dupilumab provides rapid improvement in atopic dermatitis (AD) signs and symptoms and is well tolerated in patients with moderate-to-severe AD in a real-world setting.

Major finding: At week 12, the percentages of patients who achieved ≥75% improvement in the Eczema Area and Severity Index, an Investigator’s Global Assessment score of 0/1 with a ≥2-point reduction from baseline, and a ≥4-point decrease in itch-numerical rating scale score were 59.4%, 33.0%, and 57.0%, respectively. Adverse event rates were lower than those reported in previous phase 3 trials.

Study details: Findings are from a 12-week analysis of the multicenter prospective real-life study PROLEAD including 828 dupilumab-naive adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD who received dupilumab.

Disclosures: This study was funded by Sanofi. Some authors reported ties with various organizations, including Sanofi. Three authors declared being employees of or holding stock or stock options in Sanofi.

Source: Augustin M et al. Dupilumab demonstrates rapid onset of action in improving signs, symptoms and quality of life in adults with atopic dermatitis. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2023 (Feb 4). Doi: 10.1007/s13555-023-00894-3

Key clinical point: Tralokinumab was effective and safe in a real-world cohort of patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) who had failed prior systemic therapy.

Major finding: At last review (24 weeks of maximum follow-up), 59% of patients were still on tralokinumab therapy and showed a decrease in the median Numeric Rating Scale Peak Pruritus Score over the past 7 days (from 5 at baseline to 2) but without any change in the median Investigator Global Assessment score. Treatment-related adverse events were mostly mild in severity.

Study details: Findings are from an observational, prospective cohort study including 37 patients aged ≥15 years with moderate-to-severe AD who had failed prior therapy with immunosuppressants, biologics, or a Janus kinase inhibitor and received subcutaneous tralokinumab.

Disclosures: This study did not receive any funding. DJ Hijnen declared serving as an investigator for and receiving consulting fees from various sources.

Source: Schlösser AR et al. Tralokinumab for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis patients: First daily practice results. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2023 (Jan 26). Doi: 10.1093/ced/llad038

Key clinical point: Tralokinumab was effective and safe in a real-world cohort of patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) who had failed prior systemic therapy.

Major finding: At last review (24 weeks of maximum follow-up), 59% of patients were still on tralokinumab therapy and showed a decrease in the median Numeric Rating Scale Peak Pruritus Score over the past 7 days (from 5 at baseline to 2) but without any change in the median Investigator Global Assessment score. Treatment-related adverse events were mostly mild in severity.

Study details: Findings are from an observational, prospective cohort study including 37 patients aged ≥15 years with moderate-to-severe AD who had failed prior therapy with immunosuppressants, biologics, or a Janus kinase inhibitor and received subcutaneous tralokinumab.

Disclosures: This study did not receive any funding. DJ Hijnen declared serving as an investigator for and receiving consulting fees from various sources.

Source: Schlösser AR et al. Tralokinumab for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis patients: First daily practice results. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2023 (Jan 26). Doi: 10.1093/ced/llad038

Key clinical point: Tralokinumab was effective and safe in a real-world cohort of patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) who had failed prior systemic therapy.

Major finding: At last review (24 weeks of maximum follow-up), 59% of patients were still on tralokinumab therapy and showed a decrease in the median Numeric Rating Scale Peak Pruritus Score over the past 7 days (from 5 at baseline to 2) but without any change in the median Investigator Global Assessment score. Treatment-related adverse events were mostly mild in severity.

Study details: Findings are from an observational, prospective cohort study including 37 patients aged ≥15 years with moderate-to-severe AD who had failed prior therapy with immunosuppressants, biologics, or a Janus kinase inhibitor and received subcutaneous tralokinumab.

Disclosures: This study did not receive any funding. DJ Hijnen declared serving as an investigator for and receiving consulting fees from various sources.

Source: Schlösser AR et al. Tralokinumab for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis patients: First daily practice results. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2023 (Jan 26). Doi: 10.1093/ced/llad038