Pediatric Dermatology

Etanercept is effective in treating psoriasis in the pediatric population, a study has found. The research also found that patients in the study had increased levels of C-reactive protein, an inflammatory marker that may be elevated as a result of abdominal obesity.

Clinicians need to determine the underlying etiology when managing wounds that are the result of tropical infections. They can do this by culturing bacteria or taking a biopsy.

Important pediatric diagnoses for consulting dermatologists include Kawasaki disease, an expert says. It recently has been linked with a specific genetic polymorphism, which suggests that uncontrolled inflammation plays a role in its etiology.

Recent developments in pediatric atopic dermatitis include the discovery of filaggrin gene mutations and their possible role, a new appreciation of the epidermis' role in the immune system and renewed emphasis on patient education, an expert says.

Schools, sports programs, and day care centers provide ideal "breeding grounds" for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. Any suspicious lesion should be cultured early. Comprehensive education is needed to minimize risk of transmission and to quell hysteria.

San Francisco - New research suggests that rapid growth of infantile hemangiomas requires close observation in the first months of life, and that any treatment should be undertaken promptly, Reuters Health reports.

Recognizing pediatric hemangiomas that require close follow-up and aggressive treatment is critical to patient care, an expert says.

When children present with port wine stains, clinicians should consider serious conditions and underlying disease. Vascular anomalies can be classified into two major groups: vascular tumors, which infantile hemangiomas are the most frequent, and vascular malformations.

Have you ever met anybody who is plugged in and tuned out? How about the acne patient who is listening to an ipod when you enter the room and continues to listen despite your greeting? How about the acne patient and their parent who are both listening to their own separate ipods and continuing to listen despite your greeting? What should you do?

A phase 3 double-blind, placebo-controlled study shows remarkable efficacy of etanercept for treating pediatric psoriasis, bettering even those results observed in adults. The findings could help pave the way for Food and Drug Administration approval of the biologic, which could change the face of systemic treatment of psoriasis in children.

Psoriasis has a stronger genetic component when it presents in childhood than when it presents in adulthood. In children, scalp involvement is very common if they present with psoriasis. In addition, presentation in childhood is correlated with a greater tendency for more severe psoriasis over one's lifetime.

Some current therapies of psoriasis, though effective, are marred by their poor safety profile. A new experimental drug, similar in molecular structure to cyclosporine, has been shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis.

Pediatric dermatologist Elaine Siegfried, M.D., says that, about 80 percent of the time, she has to treat patients with drugs that have no FDA-approved indication or have never been formally studied in children.

Pediatric dermatology leaders are making strides toward giving their specialty the clout they believe it deserves. Not only has pediatric dermatology become a board certified subspecialty, but it now offers accredited and standardized one-year fellowships.

Modifications in existing laser technology and a combination laser can help treat various types of port-wine stains more effectively than in the past, according to Jeffrey Dover, MD,FRCPC, a dermatologist with SkinCare Physicians, of Chestnut Hill, Mass.

New research indicates that etanercept, a systemic agent, holds promise of treating moderate-to-severe psoriasis in the pediatric population and is a safe option. Clinicians currently use various off-label therapies to treat psoriasis in children and teens, including methotrexate and retinoids. One of the positive outcomes of the study was that patients did not develop a tolerance to therapy. In addition, patients who had been on placebo in the initial phase of the research did improve when they were retreated in an open-label phase of the study with etanercept. Extended follow-up of patients will establish if the therapy is safe for patients to take over the long term.

Some existing treatments used in slightly newer ways and some new treatments on the horizon can help children suffering from acne.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a good deal of media attention focused on the rising number of cosmetic-surgery procedures performed on teenagers. In 2004, for example, ABC News reported that plastic surgery on teens was on a significant rise-particularly breast augmentation, which ABC reported was up 24 percent.

The training's tough, hours can be long, and the pay ... not usually as high as what other dermatologic subspecialists make; still, pediatric dermatologists contend that the career offers doctors challenging options in dermatology and the chance to impact children's quality of life.

The overwhelming majority of pediatric cases that present in dermatology are not urgent. However, doctors must be able to identify those that are, such as Kawasaki disease.

EAST POINT, Georgia – According to the literature, new treatments for keloids and hypertrophic scars include intralesional interferon, 5-FU, doxorubicin, bleomycin, verapamil, retinoic acid, imiquimod 5 percent cream, tacrolimus, tamoxifen, botulinum toxin, TGF-beta3 and rhIL-10. Unfortunately, none of these treatments have been proven to be safe in the pediatric population. A growing body of evidence suggests, however, that imiquimod 5 percent cream is an effective and appropriate treatment for hypertrophic scars and keloids after surgery or trauma in pediatric patients.

Patient age, hemangioma location and related complications are factors to consider when treating infantile meningiomas, an expert says.

Systemic corticosteroids ormedical intervention is indicated for hemangiomas of infancy. Recenliterature reports describe favorable experience with off-label use of imiquimod cream 5 percent (Aldara, Graceway), becaplermin gel 0.01percent (Regranex, Ortho-McNeil) and vincristine.

Melbourne, Australia - An Australian study suggests that nurses may be more effective in reducing the severity of atopic eczema in infants, children and adolescents than those treated by a dermatologist, ReutersHealth reports.

A retrospective, longitudinal cohort study was undertaken to analyze the effects of the FDA advisory on off-label topical calcineurin inhibitor (TCI) treatment practice patterns for infants with atopic dermatitis (<2 years of age). The results show a reduction in overall utilization of AD-related medications and reduced utilization of TCIs coupled with early introduction of topical corticosteroid treatment after the advisory compared to the period preceding the advisory.

Vascular laser surgery for port wine stains has led the way in pediatric dermatology surgery and can significantly improve the condition. The period from six to 18 months offers a good window for treatment.

The standard treatment for uncomplicated infantile hemangiomas continues to be active nonintervention, but researchers are making headway in offering faster options than the watch-and-wait approach.

Achieving good cosmetic surgical outcomes in children can be challenging, as issues of compliance play a pivotal role in maximizing outcomes. According to one specialist, success hinges on following some tricks of the pediatric trade.

Studies to date have revealed interesting findings in the structure aInd function of healthy infant skin and how those features change during infancy. This research may lead to the development of better infant skincare products.

Novel therapeutic options for warts or atopic dermatitis include immunotherapy for the former, and cyclosporine and recombinant interferon gamma for the latter.