Sunscreen, psoriasis, FDA news top dermatology reads for week

Survey results showing that dermatologists agree on sunscreen recommendations and safety was among the most-read articles of the past week on Healio.com/Dermatology.

Other widely read articles included findings that patients with psoriasis who were treated with biologics had an increased incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, and an FDA warning that rare but serious allergic reactions have been reported with skin antiseptic products containing chlorhexidine gluconate:

Survey shows dermatologists agree on sunscreen recommendations, safety

A majority of dermatologists agree that FDA-approved sunscreens protect against skin cancer and photoaging, recommend the use of sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, and often use sunscreens with an SPF of at least 50, according to survey results published in JAMA Dermatology.

A survey was provided to U.S. dermatologists attending a national educational conference on April 9, 2016. Read more

Biologics for psoriasis may increase risk of squamous cell carcinoma

Patients with psoriasis who were treated with biologics had an increased incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, according to study results published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Researchers used the Kaiser Permanent Northern California health plan to identify 5,889 adult members with psoriasis diagnosed between 1998 and 2011 who were treated with at least one systemic antipsoriatic agent. Read more

Stelara had higher retention rates than other biologics in patients with psoriasis

Stelara had better retention rates when compared with other biologics in the treatment of patients with severe psoriasis, according to study results published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Researchers used the database of Clalit Health Services, the largest public HMO in Israel, to perform survival analysis on 907 patients (40% female; mean age, 46.3 years) with severe psoriasis who received treatment of Humira (adalimumab, AbbVie), Remicade (infliximab, Janssen), Enbrel (etanercept, Amgen) and Stelara (ustekinumab, Janssen). Read more

FDA warns of rare, serious allergic reactions with skin antiseptic chlorhexidine gluconate

The FDA recently issued a warning to patients and health care professionals that rare but serious allergic reactions have been reported with skin antiseptic products containing chlorhexidine gluconate.

The agency reported in a safety announcement that while rare, the number of reports of serious allergic reactions to the products have increased over the past several years. Read more

Fingernail changes correlate with severe systemic sclerosis

There was a high frequency of fingernail changes in patients with systemic sclerosis, and the changes were correlated with more severe forms of systemic sclerosis, according to study results published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Researchers in France conducted a case-control study of 129 patients (104 women; median age, 54 years) with systemic sclerosis and 80 healthy, age-matched control subjects (65 men; median age, 55 years). Read more