ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patients affected by pre-existing chronic spontaneous/Inducible urticaria (CSU/CIU) still feel unsafe due to the potential risk of an Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) and Cutaneous Adverse Reactions (CARs) of COVID-19 vaccines. The appropriate management in this field remains debated and evidence is still lacking. METHODS: We considered 160 CSU/CIU patients in Omalizumab/antihistamine therapy who received two doses of Comirnaty/Moderna mRNA vaccines; 20 of them also received a booster dose. Urticaria Activity Score-7 (UAS7) was used to assess the severity of the disease. Demographics, medical history, AEFI and CARs outcome after vaccination were collected by administering a web-based questionnaire completed by phone interview. RESULTS: In total, 147 patients did not show urticaria relapse (91.88%). Worsening cutaneous symptoms were experienced by 13 of our patients (8.12%). Exacerbation had a mean duration of 2 days and 11 h and mostly occurred after the first dose (69.23%). Systemic mild side effects were experienced by 9 patients (5.62%). No severe reactions were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Omalizumab can potentially prevent CARs and AEFI; however, major problems were registered during the 2-month stop period scheduled in the treatment. We suggest patients should not undergo vaccination during this period. CSU/CIU exacerbations appear to be transient and can be managed by antihistamines.
ABSTRACT
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequently occurring type of all cancers, and represents 80% of all skin cancer. The estimated lifetime risk for BCC in the white population is between 33% and 39% for men and 23% and 28% for women. Its incidence doubles every 25 years and is increasing in the young population. Death is uncommon and seems to decrease in the last years, probably due to early and better diagnosis. BCC arises from abnormal and uncontrolled growth of basal cells. It is a slow-growing tumor, therefore usually curable at an early stage with surgery or alternative treatment, such as cryotherapy, laser, photodynamic therapy, retinoids and topical agent like 5-Fluorouracil cream, imiquimod cream, and so forth. Topical treatment of superficial basocellular carcinoma is a viable option, when surgery is not an advisable treatment, especially in the case of giant basocellular carcinoma. In this subtype, imiquimod 5% cream can be a safe and effective treatment, but there are few reports in available literature. We present our case series of eight patients with superficial giant basocellular carcinoma successfully treated with imiquimod 5% cream, which showed clinical improvement after 8 weeks of treatment.
ABSTRACT
Background: Patients affected by pre-existing chronic spontaneous/Inducible urticaria (CSU/CIU) still feel unsafe due to the potential risk of an Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) and Cutaneous Adverse Reactions (CARs) of COVID-19 vaccines. The appropriate management in this field remains debated and evidence is still lacking. Methods: We considered 160 CSU/CIU patients in Omalizumab/antihistamine therapy who received two doses of Comirnaty/Moderna mRNA vaccines;20 of them also received a booster dose. Urticaria Activity Score-7 (UAS7) was used to assess the severity of the disease. Demographics, medical history, AEFI and CARs outcome after vaccination were collected by administering a web-based questionnaire completed by phone interview. Results: In total, 147 patients did not show urticaria relapse (91.88%). Worsening cutaneous symptoms were experienced by 13 of our patients (8.12%). Exacerbation had a mean duration of 2 days and 11 h and mostly occurred after the first dose (69.23%). Systemic mild side effects were experienced by 9 patients (5.62%). No severe reactions were observed. Conclusions: Omalizumab can potentially prevent CARs and AEFI;however, major problems were registered during the 2-month stop period scheduled in the treatment. We suggest patients should not undergo vaccination during this period. CSU/CIU exacerbations appear to be transient and can be managed by antihistamines.