Monocyte to High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio Decreased in Patients with Psoriasis Treated with Ixekizumab

ABSTRACT Background: Monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) is a novel inflammatory biomarker which has been associated with cardiovascular diseases. Objective: To study MHR in patients with psoriasis treated with biological agents. Methods: Between April 2019 and August 2022, MHR was retrospectively evaluated in patients with psoriasis before and 3 months after treatment with infliximab, adalimumab, etanercept, ixekizumab, secukinumab, and ustekinumab in a university hospital in Ankara, Turkey. Results: This study included 128 patients, 53 females and 75 males. 39 (30.5%) patients were treated with infliximab, 26 (20.3%) with adalimumab, 8 (6.3%) with etanercept, 18 (14.1%) with ixekizumab, 12 (9.4%) with secukinumab, and 25 (19.5%) with ustekinumab. The median MHR was 0.0127 (0.0086-0.0165) in females and 0.0146 (0.0119-0.0200) in males (p = 0.011). The median MHR decreased after treatment with adalimumab, ixekizumab, secukinumab, and ustekinumab, whereas it increased after treatment with infliximab and etanercept (p = 0.790, p = 0.015, p = 0.754, p = 0.221, p = 0.276, p = 0.889, respectively). Conclusion: MHR significantly decreased in patients with psoriasis after treatment with ixekizumab. Since high MHR levels have been associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with cardiovascular diseases, ixekizumab might have a positive impact in the treatment of psoriasis patients who had cardiovascular diseases. We suggest that MHR may be useful both in establishing appropriate biological agent treatment and in the follow-up of patients with psoriasis treated with biological agents.

Update in immunomodulatory drug therapy for myasthenia gravis / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an acquired autoimmune neuromuscular junction disease mediated primarily by anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody.Muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase antibody, low density lipoprotein receptor-associated protein 4 antibody and ranine receptor can also reduce the stability of acetylcholine receptors in the postsynaptic membrane and cause disease.The treatment of myasthenia gravis mainly includes symptomatic therapy, immunosuppressive therapy, immunoregulation and thymotomy.Immunosuppressive therapy is the main treatment of MG, but the long-term use of glucocorticoid (a hormone steroid) or a nonsteroidal immunosuppressant can bring about unwanted side effects and adverse events.To solve this problem, research progress of immunosuppressive drugs for treating MG was summarized in this paper.This article aims at finding the right treatment plan and explore the application value of new biological agents in MG treatment.

Efficacy and safety of omalizumab in the treatment of chronic urticaria: a retrospective analysis / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To retrospectively analyze clinical efficacy and safety of omalizumab in the treatment of chronic urticaria (CU) in southern Zhejiang, China.Methods:A retrospective observational study was conducted on CU patients who received omalizumab treatment at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from January 1st, 2018 to August 1st, 2021. Through the outpatient follow-up visits, the disease activity, condition control, and quality of life were evaluated using the 7-day urticaria activity score (UAS7) , urticaria control test (UCT) , and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) . In addition, changes in disease condition, recurrence after withdrawal, and adverse events were assessed. Independent-sample t test was used for intergroup comparisons of normally distributed measurement data, Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test or Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparisons of non-normally distributed measurement data, and chi-square test or Fisher′s exact test was used for comparisons of enumeration data. Results:A total of 252 CU patients with poor response to antihistamines were included, with a baseline UCT score of 5.0 ± 2.4 points, a UAS7 score of 25.6 ± 6.2 points, and a DLQI score of 17.5 ± 4.7 points; among them, 204 (81.0%) were treated with omalizumab at an initial dose of 300 mg, and 48 (19.0%) with omalizumab at an initial dose of 150 mg. At the end points (12.0 ± 1.4 months after the start of treatment) , an overall control rate of 90.3% (224/248) was achieved after the omalizumab treatment; concretely, 137 (55.2%) patients achieved complete control (UCT = 16 points) , 87 (35.1%) achieved partial control (12 points ≤ UCT < 16 points) , and 24 (9.7%) showed no response (UCT < 12 points) , while 10 with partial response shifted to complete control after dose increase. During the treatment period, recurrence occurred in 50 patients (36.5%) , of whom 32 patients opted for retreatment with omalizumab, and then 30 (93.8%) achieved partial or complete control. Adverse events were reported in 8 patients (3.2%) , and all were mild or moderate.Conclusion:Omalizumab was effective in the real-world treatment of CU, and could improve patients′ quality of life, with a favorable safety profile.

Efficacy of omalizumab in the treatment of chronic urticaria patients with poor response to antihistamines: a single-center retrospective study / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of omalizumab in the treatment of chronic urticaria (CU) patients with poor response to H1 antihistamines.Methods:CU patients, who showed poor response to H1 antihistamines and received omalizumab treatment, were collected from the Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from June 2020 to June 2021. The efficacy of omalizumab was evaluated by using the 7-day urticaria activity score (UAS7) and urticaria control test (UCT) score at weeks 4, 12 and 24 after the start of treatment. The t-test, chi-square test, and Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze the relationship between the clinical characteristics and efficacy. Results:A total of 121 CU patients who met the inclusion criteria and had relatively complete medical records were included in this study, including 54 males (44.63%) and 67 females (55.37%) , and their ages ranged from 13 to 70 years (39.88 ± 14.36 years) ; 88 patients were diagnosed with chronic spontaneous urticaria (72.73%) , 10 with chronic inducible urticaria (8.26%) , and 23 with chronic spontaneous urticaria accompanied by chronic inducible urticaria (19.01%) . At week 4 after the start of omalizumab treatment, the response rate was 50.86% (59/116) , and the complete response rate was 25.86% (30/116) ; at week 12, the response rate was 78.26% (54/69) , and the complete response rate was 34.78% (24/69) ; at week 24, the response rate was 64.71% (22/34) , and the complete response rate was 23.53% (8/34) . At week 4, CU patients with baseline serum total IgE levels of < 40 IU/ml had a lower response rate (26 cases, 30.77%) than those with baseline serum total IgE levels of ≥ 40 IU/ml (61 cases, 65.57%; χ2 = 8.93, P = 0.004) . Correlation analysis showed that the age at treatment, age at onset, allergic diseases, concomitant symptoms, baseline erythrocyte sedimentation rates, and baseline C-reactive protein levels were significantly correlated with the UCT scores (all P < 0.05) , while the course of disease, clinical types, serum total IgE levels, peripheral blood counts, dermatology life quality index scores, and UAS7 scores were not significantly correlated with the UCT scores. Among the 121 CU patients, 8 (6.61%) reported mild to moderate adverse reactions. Conclusion:Omalizumab could effectively improve clinical symptoms and signs of CU patients with poor response to H1 antihistamines, and was well tolerated;omalizumab treatment may be more beneficial to patients without allergic comorbidities such as allergic rhinitis, without concomitant symptoms such as angioedema, and with lower erythrocyte sedimentation rates and C-reactive protein levels.

Research advances in systemic lupus erythematosus in 2022 / 中华皮肤科杂志

Systemic lupus erythematosus has always been a research hotspot in the field of autoimmune diseases in China and other countries. In 2022, Chinese and international researchers have made a lot of new progress in epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and evaluation, and treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. This review mainly summarizes major representative advances.

Clinical efficacy and safety of secukinumab in the treatment of 13 cases of refractory localized pustular psoriasis / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To evaluate clinical efficacy and safety of secukinumab in the treatment of patients with localized pustular psoriasis irresponsive or intolerant to conventional treatment.Methods:Clinical data were collected from 13 patients with refractory localized pustular psoriasis, who received secukinumab treatment in Department of Dermatology, Xijing Hospital from December 2019 to April 2022. Efficacy was evaluated by comparing palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) area and severity index (PPPASI) score and physician global assessment (PGA) score in PPP patients before and after the treatment, and by comparing clinical global impression (CGI) score in patients with acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH). Adverse events were recorded during the treatment.Results:Among the 13 patients with refractory localized pustular psoriasis, 6 were diagnosed with PPP, 3 with ACH, and 4 with PPP complicated by ACH. There were 3 males and 10 females, and their age was 33.2 ± 14.6 years. After 12-week treatment, the PPPASI score decreased from 13.88 ± 3.62 points at baseline to 6.81 ± 2.31 points in 10 patients presenting with PPP lesions, 4 achieved 75% improvement in the PPPASI score (PPPASI75), and 5 achieved PGA0/1; at the same time, 6 of the 7 patients presenting with ACH lesions achieved moderate or marked improvement in the CGI score, and 4 of the 6 patients achieved marked improvement. Two patients with PPP discontinued the treatment after 3- and 5-week treatment respectively due to poor response, and 1 patient with ACH achieved mild improvement in the CGI score after 12-week treatment. No severe adverse events were reported during the treatment. However, inflammatory follicular papules occurred in 1 patient, and eczematoid lesions occurred in another 1 patient, which both regressed after symptomatic treatment.Conclusion:Secukinumab was effective and safe in the treatment of refractory localized pustular psoriasis, and may serve as a new treatment option for refractory PPP and ACH.

Short-term effectiveness of ixekizumab in the treatment of psoriasis: a single-center retrospective study / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the real-world short-term effectiveness of ixekizumab in the treatment of psoriasis, and to investigate factors influencing the effectiveness.Methods:Baseline data and short-term effectiveness evaluation results were retrospectively collected from patients with psoriasis, who received ixekizumab treatment in Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital from November 2019 to September 2021. A descriptive analysis was performed on the baseline characteristics of patients, continuous data were described as median (lower quartile, upper quartile), and categorical data were described as percentages. Comparisons of disease severity scores before and after the treatment with ixekizumab were performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test or paired McNemar test. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore factors influencing the effectiveness of 4-week ixekizumab treatment.Results:A total of 118 patients with psoriasis were included, including 94 males and 24 females, and their age [ M ( Q1, Q3) ] was 43.4 (32.5, 53.0) years; plaque psoriasis (99 cases, 83.9%) and severe psoriasis (72 cases, 68.6%) predominated among the 118 patients, and skin lesions were mainly located on the scalp (59/116, 50.9%). Among the 49 patients who had received 2-week ixekizumab treatment, 27 (55.1%) achieved a 50% improvement in the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score (PASI50) ; after 4-week treatment, 44 (89.8%), 30 (61.2%), 13 (26.5%) and 10 (20.4%) patients achieved PASI50/75/90/100 respectively, and their PASI scores (2.1 [1.1, 7.1]), involved body surface area (3.9% [0.5%, 14.5%]), dermatology life quality index scores (1.0 [0.0, 2.0]) and physician global assessment (PGA) scores (1.0 [1.0, 3.0]) were significantly lower than the corresponding scores at baseline (12.4 [8.8, 23.2], 22.0% [11.3%, 43.4%], 6.0 [3.0, 11.0], 4.0 [3.0, 5.0], respectively; all P < 0.001]. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the baseline body mass index was significantly associated with the PASI75 response rate ( OR = 0.814, 95% CI: 0.659 - 0.958, P = 0.029) and the proportion of patients with PGA0/1 ( OR = 0.743, 95% CI: 0.562 - 0.917, P = 0.017) after 4-week ixekizumab treatment, and the baseline BSA score was significantly associated with the proportion of patients with PGA0/1 after 4-week ixekizumab treatment ( OR = 0.924, 95% CI: 0.870 - 0.968, P = 0.003) . Conclusion:The 4-week ixekizumab treatment significantly decreased the severity of psoriasis, and may be more effective in patients with lower disease severity and lower body mass index at baseline.

Biotherapy for acne inversa / 中华皮肤科杂志

With the increasing understanding of inflammatory pathogenesis of acne inversa, as well as with the development and application of biological agents in the treatment of autoimmune inflammatory diseases, some biological agents have shown good efficacy and potential for the treatment of acne inversa in clinical research and practice. This review mainly summarizes the research progress in biotherapy of acne inversa in recent years.

Efficacy of dupilumab in the treatment of moderate and severe atopic dermatitis in the elderly: a clinical observation / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To evaluate clinical efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of moderate and severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in the elderly.Methods:An observational study was conducted, and a total of 42 elderly patients with moderate to severe AD were collected from Department of Dermatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from September 2021 to June 2022. These patients all received subcutaneous injection of dupilumab at an initial dose of 600 mg, followed by every-2-week injections at a dose of 300 mg, and the total course of treatment was 16 weeks. Clinical indicators, including eczema area and severity index (EASI) , numerical rating scale (NRS) , dermatology life quality index (DLQI) and investigator′s global assessment (IGA) , were recorded at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16, and the proportion of patients achieving more than 50% (EASI-50) and 75% (EASI-75) improvement in EASI scores were calculated; related laboratory indicators, including total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and eosinophil counts, were recorded at weeks 0, 4 and 16. During the treatment, adverse events were recorded. Statistical analysis was carried out by using chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance and t test with SPSS27 and GraphPad Prism 9.0 software. Results:Among the 42 patients, there were 25 males (59.5%) and 17 females (40.5%) , and their age was 71.82 ± 16.81 years. Among them, 17 patients (40.5%) presented with generalized eczema phenotype, 15 (35.7%) with flexor eczema phenotype, and 10 (23.8%) with prurigo nodularis phenotype. At weeks 4 and 16 after start of the treatment, the mean EASI score significantly decreased by 38.4% and 73.3% respectively, the mean NRS score significantly decreased by 53.0% and 77.4% respectively, and the mean DLQI score significantly decreased by 58.2% and 93.8% respectively compared with the corresponding scores before the treatment ( P < 0.05 or 0.001) . At weeks 4 and 16, the proportions of patients achieving an IGA score of 0 or 1 were 11.9% and 61.9% respectively, the proportions of patients achieving EASI-50 were 11.9% and 76.2% respectively, and the proportions of patients achieving EASI-75 were 2.4% and 57.1% respectively. Compared with the baseline levels, the mean total serum IgE level decreased by 23.1% and 38.2% at weeks 4 and 16 respectively ( P = 0.274, 0.395, respectively) , and the mean eosinophil count decreased by 24.4% and 37.5% at weeks 4 and 16 respectively ( P = 0.059, 0.735, respectively) . During the treatment, mild adverse events occurred in 6 (14.3%) patients, including conjunctivitis (3 cases) , fungal infection of the head and face (2 cases) , and psoriasiform dermatitis (1 case) , which subsided after symptomatic treatment. Conclusion:Dupilumab exhibited a rapid onset and marked efficacy in the treatment of moderate and severe AD in the elderly, with few and mild adverse events; however, some patients had not achieved EASI-50 or EASI-75 after 16-week treatment, and maintenance treatment was required.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of biologics versus methotrexate in the treatment of severe pediatric plaque psoriasis / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of biologics versus methotrexate in the treatment of severe pediatric plaque psoriasis.Methods:A retrospective matched case-control study was carried out. Twenty children with severe plaque psoriasis from Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University from June 2016 to November 2021 were included in this study, and the patients treated with biologics (adalimumab or secukinumab) were matched with those treated with methotrexate at a ratio of 1∶1 according to the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score and age. PASI, physician′s global assessment (PGA) , and body surface area (BSA) scores were assessed at weeks 4, 8 and 12 after the start of treatment, and adverse drug reactions were recorded. Statistical analysis was mainly carried out by using Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher′s exact test and generalized estimating equations. Results:At weeks 4 and 8, the proportions of patients achieving PASI75 and PASI90 were significantly higher in the biologics group (PASI75: 7/10, 10/10, PASI90: 5/10, 9/10, respectively) than in the methotrexate group (PASI75: 1/10, 5/10, PASI90: 0, 1/10, respectively; all P < 0.05) , while there was no significant difference between the biologics group and methotrexate group at week 12 (PASI75: 10/10 vs. 8/10, PASI90: 9/10 vs. 4/10, both P > 0.05) . There were no significant differences in the PASI, BSA or PGA scores between the two groups at baseline (all P > 0.05) , while the biologics group showed significantly decreased PASI and BSA scores at weeks 4, 8 and 12, and significantly decreased PGA score at week 8 compared with the methotrexate group (PASI: Z = 2.50, 3.56, 2.63, respectively; BSA: Z = 2.87, 3.57, 2.40, respectively; PGA: Z = 2.81; all P<0.05) . Analysis of changes over time showed that the PASI, PGA and BSA scores in the biologics group significantly decreased at weeks 4, 8 and 12 compared with those at baseline (all P<0.01) ; the PASI and PGA scores significantly decreased at weeks 8 and 12 compared with the corresponding scores at week 4 (all P<0.05) ; however, there were no significant differences in the PASI, PGA or BSA scores between week 12 and 8 (all P>0.05) . In the methotrexate group, the PASI, PGA and BSA scores at weeks 4, 8 and 12 were all significantly lower than the corresponding scores at the previous adjacent time points (all P<0.05) . There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups ( P = 0.650) , and no serious adverse reactions occurred in either group. The main adverse reaction was infection in the biologics group, while infection and elevation of transaminase levels were common in the methotrexate group. Conclusion:Biologics and methotrexate were both effective and safe for the treatment of severe pediatricplaque psoriasis, and biologics facilitated rapider achievement of PASI75 and PASI90 compared with methotrexate.

Effect of biologics on cardiovascular comorbidities of psoriasis / 中华皮肤科杂志

Psoriasis is prone to be accompanied by cardiovascular diseases. Psoriasis and atherosclerosis have similar pathogenesis, involving the activation of innate immunity and autoreactive T cells. In recent years, more and more biological agents have been applied to systemic treatment of psoriasis, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-12/23 inhibitors and interleukin-17A inhibitors. The efficacy and safety of different biological agents, as well as their impact on cardiovascular diseases, have also attracted the attention of dermatologists. This review summarizes the common immunological pathogenesis of psoriasis and atherosclerosis, as well as the effects of different biological agents on cardiovascular diseases and related metabolic changes.

COVID-19 vaccination status and its impact on psoriatic lesions in patients with psoriasis treated with biologics: a single-center cross-sectional study / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To investigate COVID-19 vaccination status and relevant adverse reactions in patients with psoriasis treated with biological agents, and to explore the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on psoriatic lesions.Methods:Clinical data were collected from 572 psoriasis patients aged 18 - 60 years, who were registered in the management system of psoriasis patients treated with biological agents in the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital from May 2019 to June 2021. The COVID-19 vaccination status was investigated by telephone interviews, and the vaccination-related information was obtained by fixed healthcare workers during a fixed time period according to a predesigned questionnaire. Measurement data were compared between two groups by using t test, and enumeration data were compared by using chi-square test or Fisher′s exact test. Results:The COVID-19 vaccination coverage rate was 43.13% (226 cases) among the 524 patients who completed the telephone interview, and was significantly lower in the biological agent treatment group (30.79%, 105/341) than in the traditional drug treatment group (66.12%, 121/183; χ2 = 60.60, P < 0.001) . The main reason for not being vaccinated was patients′ fear of vaccine safety (49.66%, 148/298) , followed by doctors′ not recommending (26.51%, 79/298) . In the biological agent treatment group after vaccination, the exacerbation of psoriatic lesions was more common in patients receiving prolonged-interval treatment (42.86%, 6/14) compared with those receiving regular treatment (4.40%, 4/91; Fisher′s exact test, P < 0.001) . Skin lesions were severely aggravated in two patients after COVID-19 vaccination, who ever experienced allergic reactions and whose skin lesions did not completely subside after the treatment with biological agents. Conclusions:The COVID-19 vaccination coverage rate was relatively low in the psoriasis patients treated with biological agents, and no serious adverse reaction was observed after vaccination. Prolonged-interval treatment due to COVID-19 vaccination ran the risk of exacerbation of skin lesions.

Effects of biologics on psychological status and quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a multicenter study / 中华内科杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of biologics on psychological status and quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 42 hospitals in 22 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government) from September 2021 to May 2022. General clinical information and the use of biologics were obtained from adult patients diagnosed with IBD who voluntarily participated in the study. Psychological status was evaluated using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) assessment tools. Counts were analyzed via the Chi-square test, and datasets that were not normally distributed were analyzed via nonparametric tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:A total of 2 478 valid questionnaires were collected. The GAD-7 score of the biologics group was significantly lower than that of the non-use group [6 (2, 9) vs. 7 (3, 10), Z=-3.49, P<0.001]. IBDQ scores [183 (158, 204) vs. 178 (152, 198), Z=-4.11, P<0.001], intestinal symptom scores [61 (52, 67) vs. 58 (49, 65), Z=-5.41, P<0.001], systemic symptom scores [28 (24, 32) vs. 27 (23, 31), Z=-2.37, P=0.018], emotional ability scores [69 (58, 77) vs. 67 (56, 75), Z=-3.58, P<0.001] and social ability scores [26 (22, 29) vs. 25 (22, 29), Z=-2.52, P=0.012] in the biologics group were significantly higher than in the non-use group. GAD-7 scores [5 (2, 9) vs. 6 (3, 10), Z=-3.50, P<0.001] and PSQI scores [6 (4, 9) vs. 6 (4, 9), Z=-2.55, P=0.011] were significantly lower in the group using infliximab than in the group not using it. IBDQ scores were significantly higher in patients using vedolizumab than in those not using it [186 (159, 205) vs. 181 (155, 201), Z=-2.32, P=0.021] and were also significantly higher in the group treated with adalimumab than in the group not treated with adalimumab [187 (159, 209) vs. 181 (155, 201), Z=-2.16, P=0.030]. However, ustekinumab had no significant effect on any of the scores. Conclusion:The use of biologics is strongly associated with improvements in anxiety status and quality of life in IBD patients.

New progress on the use of Dual Biologic Therapy for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease / 中国综合临床

At present, the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in China is increasing. Although new biological agents continue to emerge, which induce a higher clinical remission rate in moderate and severe patients than traditional drugs and have much advantages in reducing the risk of surgery and changing the natural history, the remission rate of biological agents monotherapy is still not enough. In this context, dual biologic therapy is a viable strategy. Dual biologic therapy is mainly indicated for patients with inflammatory bowel disease that is refractory or complicated with extraintestinal manifestations.It is often used in combination with clinical practice according to the characteristics of drugs, showing relatively great efficacy and safety, but a series of key questions still need a high level of research evidence to explore.

Bioseguridad y autocuidado: prioridad en la formación universitaria en momentos de pandemia / Biosafety and self-care: a priority in university training during pandemic times

Introducción: La bioseguridad y el autocuidado son dos prácticas importantes en el proceso de formación. Estas deben reforzarse permanentemente, ya que se relacionan de manera directa no solo con el riesgo de infecciones, sino con la calidad de la atención. Objetivo: Identificar la evidencia científica sobre los procesos de formación en bioseguridad y autocuidado en el marco de la pandemia. Métodos: Se hizo una revisión de la literatura científica publicada entre 2016 y 2020 sobre medidas de bioseguridad y autocuidado. La búsqueda se realizó en español, inglés y portugués, en la Biblioteca Virtual en Salud, Pubmed, Science Direct y el motor de búsqueda de Google Académico. Se aplicó la metodología PRISMA y se evaluaron en total 25 artículos científicos. Resultados: El año 2020 tuvo mayor frecuencia. La generalidad de los estudios se realizó en el contexto universitario en programas de salud. La higiene de las manos y el uso de guantes fueron las medidas de bioseguridad más informadas; mientras que las medidas de precaución se conocen e implementan. Las publicaciones denotan moderado conocimiento en cuanto a prevención de factores de riesgos biológicos, especialmente en prácticas clínicas. Conclusiones: En los procesos de formación debe tenerse en cuenta la relevancia de reforzar las medidas de bioseguridad y autocuidado para favorecer el ejercicio profesional. Es importante diseñar y repensar estos procesos, tanto en docentes como estudiantes, a través de nuevos métodos y cambios curriculares. La salud mental puede verse afectada no solo por la situación, sino por desconocimiento, miedo a infectarse y sobrecarga laboral(AU)

Introduction: Biosafety and self-care are two important practices in the training process. These should be permanently reinforced, since they are directly related not only to the risk of infections, but also to the quality of care. Objective: To identify the scientific evidence on the biosafety and self-care training processes in the context of the pandemic. Methods: A review of the scientific literature published between 2016 and 2020 on biosafety and self-care measures was carried out. The search was performed in Spanish, English and Portuguese, in the Virtual Health Library, PubMed, Science Direct, and the Google Scholar search engine. The PRISMA methodology was applied and a total of 25 scientific articles were assessed. Results: The year 2020 had the highest frequency. Most of the studies were carried out in the university context in health programs. Hand hygiene and glove-wearing were the most reported biosafety measures, while warning measures are known and implemented. The publications are indicative of moderate knowledge regarding prevention of biological risk factors, especially in clinical practices. Conclusions: The relevance of reinforcing biosafety and self-care measures to favor professional practice should be taken into account in training processes. It is important to design and rethink these processes, both in professors and students, through new methods and curricular changes. Mental health may be affected not only by the situation, but also by ignorance, fear of infection and work overload(AU)

Research progress of biological targeted therapy for bronchial asthma / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Bronchial asthma (hereinafter referred to as asthma) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways composed of multiple cells (eosinophils, mast cells, T-lymphocytes, airway epithelial cells, etc.) and cellular components. Severe asthma is often recurrent and prolonged, and symptoms such as cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing are difficult to relieve, which seriously affects the patient's quality of life. At present, standard treatment with a combination of high-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and long-acting bronchodilators is recommended, but some patients still cannot be adequately controlled. This increases the patients' physical and mental burden and treatment costs. Asthma is a heterogeneous disease with multiple phenotypes, with wide variation in disease severity, type of airway inflammation, and therapeutic drugs, caused by a variety of pathophysiological mechanisms or endotypes. Individualized treatment for different individual pathogenesis in asthma patients is required, and targeted biological agents provide new hope for asthma patients. In this paper, the research progress of biological targeting agents in the treatment of asthma was reviewed.

Efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of 123 cases of atopic dermatitis / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To investigate clinical efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) .Methods:An ambispective study was conducted on 123 AD patients treated with dupilumab in Department of Dermatology, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from July 2020 to March 2022, clinical data were collected, and efficacy and safety of dupilumab were evaluated. Primary outcomes included scores of eczema area and severity index (EASI) , patient-oriented eczema measure (POEM) , peak pruritus numerical rating scale (NRS) and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) before and after 4-, 8-, 12- and 16-week treatment, and adverse reactions and events were recorded. Comparison of scores before and after treatment was performed using paired t test or repeated measures analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney U test was used for the comparison of efficacy among patients with different types of skin lesions or different IgE levels, and multiple regression model based on robust standard errors was used to analyze factors influencing the efficacy. Results:Among the 123 AD patients, 107 were enolled into the efficacy analysis, and 85 (79.44%) completed at least 4 weeks of treatment, including 6 (7.06%) achieving EASI75 and 23 (27.06%) achieving EASI50, and the EASI, NRS, POEM, DLQI scores (10.41 ± 6.72, 4.12 ± 1.74, 8.60 ± 4.29, 7.81 ± 4.38, respectively) significantly decreased compared with those before treatment (18.08 ± 10.69, 7.21 ± 2.01, 16.88 ± 5.74, 12.95 ± 5.95, respectively; all P < 0.001) in the 85 patients. Among the 107 patients, 47 (43.93%) completed at least 16 weeks of treatment. Among the 47 patients, 23 (82.14%) of 28 adults and 17 (89.47%) of 19 adolescents and children achieved 75% or greater improvement in EASI score; the EASI, NRS, POEM and DLQI scores before the treatment all significantly differred from those 4, 8, 12, 16 weeks after the treatment (all P < 0.001) , and all the scores were significantly lower at weeks 4, 8, 12 and 16 than at the previous adjacent time points (all P < 0.05) . At week 4 during the treatment, the EASI improvement rate was significantly lower in the AD patients with prurigo nodularis than in those without ( U = 151.00, P = 0.006) , while there was no significant difference in the EASI improvement rate between the AD patients with xeroderma and those without ( P > 0.05) ; at week 16 during the treatment, there was no significant difference in the EASI improvement rate between patients with prurigo nodularis or xeroderma and those without (both P > 0.05) . Multiple regression analysis based on robust standard errors at week 16 showed that the improvement degree in the EASI score was not correlated with the type of skin lesions ( β = 3.20, P = 0.075) , but correlated with age ( β = -0.22, P = 0.030) , whether patients were in adulthood ( β = 9.54, P = 0.049) , immediate family history ( β = 7.46, P = 0.017) ; the improvement degree in the NRS score was correlated with the type of skin lesions ( β = 0.55, P = 0.032) , age ( β = -0.04, P = 0.033) , weight ( β = -0.05, P = 0.020) , whether patients were in adulthood ( β = 2.06, P = 0.003) and whether patients received combined treatment with antihistamines ( β = -1.91, P = 0.001) . Adverse reactions: among the 123 patients, 6 (4.88%) developed conjunctivitis, and 2 (1.63%) developed facial erythema. Adverse events: vitiligo-like changes occurred on the right forehead of 1 patient, and 3 patients discontinued the treatment with dupilumab due to Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura, distal axonal damage in peripheral nerves in both upper limbs, and epilepsy, respectively. The causal relationship between these adverse events and dupilumab was unclear. Conclusion:Dupilumab is effective in the treatment of AD with high overall safety, and can serve as a new treatment option for AD patients with an unsatisfactory response to traditional treatment.

Efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of 21 cases of bullous pemphigoid: a retrospective study / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To retrospectively analyze the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of bullous pemphigoid (BP) .Methods:Clinical data were collected from BP patients who received injections of dupilumab at an initial dose of 600 mg followed by an every-2-week regimen at a dose of 300 mg (the frequency of injections could be increased if necessary) in Department of Dermatology, Peking University First Hospital from October 2020 to October 2021, and their clinical manifestations and changes in laboratory indices were analyzed.Results:A total of 21 BP patients treated with dupilumab were included in this study. Nineteen (90.5%) patients achieved complete or marked disease control after 2-week treatment with dupilumab; 12 patients were followed up for 16 weeks, and all maintained complete disease control at 16 weeks. All patients had a bullous pemphigoid disease area index (BPDAI) score of 122.5 ± 51.1 points at baseline, which decreased to 30.6 ± 27.4 points after 2-week treatment with dupilumab ( t = 8.53, P < 0.001) , and continued to decrease to 12.7 ± 9.1 points after 4-week treatment ( t = 9.73, P < 0.001) . Pruritus was markedly relieved in all the 21 patients within 4-week treatment with dupilumab. Among 10 patients with elevated eosinophil counts at baseline, the eosinophil counts markedly decreased in 9 after treatment. The serum IgE level was elevated in 7 patients at baseline, which markedly decreased in 6 after treatment. Viral conjunctivitis occurred in 1 (4.8%) patient, and no adverse reactions were observed in other patients. Conclusion:Dupilumab is effective in the control of BP and relief of pruritus, with a favorable safety profile.

Research advances in systemic lupus erythematosus in 2021 / 中华皮肤科杂志

In 2021, Chinese and international researchers have made a lot of new progress in pathogenesis, diagnosis and evaluation, and treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. This review summarizes major representative advances.

Analysis of short-term efficacy and safety of the first subcutaneous injection of dupilumab in the treatment of moderate-to-severe childhood atopic dermatitis / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective:To investigate short-term efficacy and safety of subcutaneous injection of dupilumab in the treatment of moderate-to-severe childhood atopic dermatitis (AD) .Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on clinical data from children who were diagnosed with moderate-to-severe AD and subcutaneously injected with dupilumab in Department of Dermatology, Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University from March 2021 to August 2021. Changes in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), itch Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score, SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index, and Dermatology Family quality of life Index (DFI) were analyzed before and 4 weeks after the first subcutaneous injection of dupilumab. Adverse events were collected during the first injection to the first follow-up visit at week 4 after the start of treatment. Normally distributed measurement indices were compared by using paired t test, non-normally distributed measurement indices were compared by using signed rank test, and logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of disease duration, eosinophil counts, IgE levels, personal and family history of allergic diseases on EASI50 (≥ 50% decrease in the EASI score) after dupilumab treatment. Results:A total of 39 children were enrolled in this study, including 21 males and 18 females. Twenty-one patients were aged 2 to < 6 years, 18 were aged 6 to < 18 years, and their median age ( Q1, Q3) was 65.0 (53.0, 111.0) months. Four weeks after the single-dose subcutaneous injection of dupilumab, 18 patients (84.85%) achieved ≥ 50% decrease in EASI score, 13 (60.61%) ≥ 75% decrease in EASI score; 18 (75.76%) experienced a decrease of ≥ 4 points in peak NRS, and 20 (81.82%) ≥ 3 points in peak NRS; the SCORAD score decreased by ≥ 50% in 15 (68.75%) patients, and by ≥ 75% in 7 (18.75%). Neither common adverse events such as conjunctivitis, skin infections, injection site reactions, nor serious adverse events were observed in any of the children from the first injection to the first follow-up visit at week 4. Logistic regression analysis showed no significant effect of the disease duration, eosinophil counts, IgE levels, personal or family history of allergic diseases on EASI50 (all P > 0.05) . Conclusion:A single-dose subcutaneous injection of dupilumab can markedly improve pruritus and severity of skin lesions in children with moderate-to-severe AD, and enhance the family quality of life, with favorable short-term safety.