Change of dermatological practice after the COVID-19 outbreak resolves.

AIM: Dermatological care has already been deeply impacted by the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. The consequences may continue long after the epidemic resolves. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the change of dermatological practice since the COVID-19 outbreak is almost controlled in mainland China. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients requesting a dermatology outpatient visit from January to May in 2019 and 2020 were retrospectively investigated. RESULTS: The number of patients decreased significantly shortly after the COVID-19 outbreak, and it started to increase after the spread of coronavirus was gradually controlled at the end of February in China. The three most common diseases were atopic dermatitis (11.0%), acne (10.2%), and warts (7.2%) in 2019, while acne (8.9%), warts (5.8%), and acute urticaria (5.6%) in 2020. The most statistically significant increased reasons for requesting an outpatient visit from March to May in 2020 was pet-related dermatophytoses, followed by cosmetic consultation and irritated contact dermatitis, an increase of 88.2%, 84.7%, and 58.8%, respectively, over the same period of 2019. CONCLUSION: Understanding the trends and impacts of dermatologic diseases on patients and health systems during this epidemic will allow for better preparation of dermatologists in the future.

Presentation and Management of Cutaneous Manifestations of COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: The spread of the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has instigated a fervent race of the medical community to identify its manifestations, the patients at risk, and optimal disease management. While the COVID-19 illness is largely associated with respiratory consequences, there is increased reporting of other organ-specific disease sequelae that include the skin. OBJECTIVE: To identify, describe, and classify the main skin manifestations of COVID-19 and associated protocols for management. METHODS: Forty-five patients from three clinical centers in North and South America with positive COVID-19 PCR and/or serology presenting cutaneous manifestations were included in this retrospective chart review. Medical history, biopsies, dermoscopy, laboratory findings, clinical photography, and disease management were documented. RESULTS: Seven main types of cutaneous manifestations were identified: exanthema/molbilliform, urticaria, papular/pustular/vesicular, petechiae/purpura, livedo reticularis, chilblains, and alopecia. Histopathogical analysis from skin biopsies and/or dermoscopy highlighted an inflammatory or vascular pathophysiology depending on the type of manifestation. While the first three types of COVID-19 skin manifestations preceded or coincided with other symptoms such as anosmia, fever, chills, chilblains, and livedo were found in later disease stages. All cases had a positive resolution with appropriate treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Cutaneous symptoms are part of the COVID-19 disease spectrum. Early identification, diagnosis, and management through a multidisciplinary approach can facilitate safe disease resolution for patients. J Drugs Dermatol. 2021;20(1):76-83. doi:10.36849/JDD5676.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on acute dermatology referrals in a secondary and tertiary care Central London hospital. A retrospective comparison review of pre-COVID-19 era and COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Although Dermatology is largely considered an outpatient specialty, there is an increasing need for Dermatology input in the acute and inpatient setting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dermatology services had to be reorganized to facilitate staff redeployment and minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for patients and staff. This led to an unprecedented increase in teleconsultations aided by clinical images. OBJECTIVES: The main aim of our retrospective study was to analyse the acute Dermatology referrals received in the pre-COVID-19 era and during COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed acute Dermatology referrals using the acute referral log. RESULTS: We retrospectively analysed 500 and 110 acute Dermatology referrals received in the pre-COVID-19 period and during COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. In the pre-COVID-19 era, consultations were most commonly requested by Oncology/Haemato-Oncology, Emergency Departments and General Practice, while during the COVID-19 pandemic General Practice was the most common source of referrals. A wide variety of dermatological conditions were encountered with the most common been eczematous dermatoses. CONCLUSIONS: Although Dermatology is largely an outpatient-based specialty, this study shows the demand for urgent Dermatology input the care of sick patients with severe skin diseases and in the management of skin problems in patients admitted or receiving treatment for other diseases. Re-organization of Dermatology services during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a marked increase in teleconsultations (28% versus 84.5%) and highlighted the importance of complete skin-directed physical examination by the referring clinician as well as procurement of good quality clinical images.

Development and Clinical Evaluation of an Artificial Intelligence Support Tool for Improving Telemedicine Photo Quality.

Importance: Telemedicine use accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and skin conditions were a common use case. However, many images submitted may be of insufficient quality for making a clinical determination. Objective: To determine whether an artificial intelligence (AI) decision support tool, a machine learning algorithm, could improve the quality of images submitted for telemedicine by providing real-time feedback and explanations to patients. Design, Setting, and Participants: This quality improvement study with an AI performance component and single-arm clinical pilot study component was conducted from March 2020 to October 2021. After training, the AI decision support tool was tested on 357 retrospectively collected telemedicine images from Stanford telemedicine from March 2020 to June 2021. Subsequently, a single-arm clinical pilot study was conducted to assess feasibility with 98 patients in the Stanford Department of Dermatology across 2 clinical sites from July 2021 to October 2021. For the clinical pilot study, inclusion criteria for patients included being adults (aged ≥18 years), presenting to clinic for a skin condition, and being able to photograph their own skin with a smartphone. Interventions: During the clinical pilot study, patients were given a handheld smartphone device with a machine learning algorithm interface loaded and were asked to take images of any lesions of concern. Patients were able to review and retake photos prior to submitting, so each submitted photo met the patient's assumed standard of clinical acceptability. A machine learning algorithm then gave the patient feedback on whether the image was acceptable. If the image was rejected, the patient was provided a reason by the AI decision support tool and allowed to retake the photos. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome of the retrospective image analysis was the receiver operator curve area under the curve (ROC-AUC). The main outcome of the clinical pilot study was the image quality difference between the baseline images and the images approved by AI decision support. Results: Of the 98 patients included, the mean (SD) age was 49.8 (17.6) years, and 50 (51%) of the patients were male. On retrospective telemedicine images, the machine learning algorithm effectively identified poor-quality images (ROC-AUC of 0.78) and the reason for poor quality (blurry ROC-AUC of 0.84; lighting issues ROC-AUC of 0.70). The performance was consistent across age and sex. In the clinical pilot study, patient use of the machine learning algorithm was associated with improved image quality. An AI algorithm was associated with reduction in the number of patients with a poor-quality image by 68.0%. Conclusions and Relevance: In this quality improvement study, patients use of the AI decision support with a machine learning algorithm was associated with improved quality of skin disease photographs submitted for telemedicine use.

SYMPTOMATOLOGY AND TREATMENT OF COVID-19 AFFECTING SKIN APPENDAGES: A NARRATIVE REVIEW BEYOND COVID-TOES.

SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of COVID-19 disease and responsible for a pandemic since the 2020. Multiple organ involvement has been described including cutaneous symptoms. Affection of skin appendages, however, seems to be under-reported except for COVID-toes. We performed a PUBMED research for "COVID-19" OR "SARS-CoV-2" AND "skin appendages", "hair", "nails", and "skin glands" from January 2020 to April 2022. COVID toes were excluded since this symptom had extensively been discussed. The focus of this narrative review was laid on clinical presentation, association to the course of COVID-19 disease and treatment options. Skin appendages can be affected by COVID-19 disease beyond COVID-toes, both by symptomatic and asymptomatic course. Telogen effluvium, androgenetic alopecia, and alopecia areata are the most common hair disorders in COVID-19 patients. Nails are less commonly affected by COVID-19 than hair. Splinter hemorrhages and leukonychia are the most frequent findings. While sebaceous glands seem to be uninvolved, SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins have been identified in eccrine sweat glands. Alopecia areata is often seen among asymptomatic COVID-19 patients while telogen effluvium is observed in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The half-moon sign on the nails could be a red flag for a more severe course of COVID-19. Treatment options are summarized. Skin appendages are not spared by COVID-19. Their knowledge will help to identify asymptomatic patients and patients at risk for a more severe course of the viral disease.

Characteristic Distinctions Between Pre-/Post-COVID-19 Teledermatology Adoptees: A Cross-Sectional United States-based Analysis and the Implications for Dermatologic Healthcare Equity.

BACKGROUND: Studies suggest potential heterogeneity in telemedicine adoption with potential to exacerbate healthcare access inequity. METHODS: A pre-validated survey was electronically sent to a proprietary listserv of practicing US-based dermatologists. Results were stratified by when teledermatology was adopted. Chi-square and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were used to analyze categorical data while single-factor ANOVA with posthoc Tukey-Kramer was used for continuous data. RESULTS: 338 practicing US-based dermatologists completed the questionnaire. Academic/Government dermatologists were 4-times more likely (OR 4.08, 95%CI 2.37-7.03) to adopt teledermatology pre-COVID than private-practice dermatologists. Dermatologists with ≤10 years of experience were 1.8-times (OR 1.8, 95%CI 1.01-3.18) and 2.82-times more likely (OR 2.82, 95%CI 0.78-10.25) to adopt teledermatology pre-COVID-19 or at all, respectively, compared to dermatologists with ≥20 years of experience. Teledermatology adopters practiced more medical-dermatology (P<.0001) than non-adopters, who reported practicing more dermatologic surgery (P=.003; Tukey-Kramer α<.05) and dermatopathology (P<.0001; Tukey-Kramer α<.05). Pre-COVID-19 adopters were 4-times more likely (OR 4.69, 95%CI 1.46-15.07) to switch/incorporate live-interactive-only teledermatology (LI) post-COVID-19. Post-COVID-19 adopters were 6-times more likely (OR 6.09, 95%CI 3.36-11.06) to utilize LI than Pre-COVID-19 adopters. Pre-COVID-19 adopters use teledermatology for a larger proportion of patient visits than Post-COVID-19 adopters (19.6% v 10.4%, P<.0001), but also are 3.43-times more likely (OR 3.43, 95%CI 1.82-6.46) to report future decreases in usage. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional retrospective survey and potential response bias. CONCLUSION: Current teledermatology usage may be a suitable tool for medical-dermatology-focused practices. Material hurdles still exist for procedurally-oriented practices and future studies should investigate these barriers to maximize equitable access to dermatological care. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;21(1):101-104. doi:10.36849/JDD.7169.

Comparison of Pediatric Dermatology Conditions Across Telehealth and In-Person Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Understanding the utility of virtual visits in pediatric dermatology practice has become increasingly important in the telehealth era. We compared the conditions diagnosed in pediatric dermatology between traditional in-person visits and virtual telehealth visits during the initial 8-month phase of the COVID-19 pandemic at an urban medical institution. When given the option, pediatric dermatology patients and their families were more likely to choose telehealth visits for the diagnosis and/or management of acne, hemangiomas, and contact dermatitis; however, they were more likely to choose in-person visits for atopic dermatitis, viral warts, and alopecia areata. These differences may be attributed to clinical features of pediatric skin conditions, treatment options, and other factors which may influence patient preference for telehealth or in-person care for their condition. J Drugs Dermatol. 2022;21(11):1260-1263. doi:10.36849/JDD.6843.

Teledermatology in South Dakota: Uses and Patient Centered Improvement in a Rural Setting.

Dermatologic conditions account for a large proportion of healthcare visits in the United States, yet there continues to be barriers to dermatologic care particularly among the rural and underserved populations. Patients among these populations are particularly vulnerable to poor outcomes and increased morbidity. Teledermatology offers a potential solution to increase access to high-quality dermatologic care. Studies have previously examined the convenience, cost-effectiveness, and clinical efficacy of teledermatology compared to in-person dermatology visits. There is a need to assess which populations are appropriate and in what settings teledermatology can be most effective. We surveyed patients of a South Dakota dermatology practice to assess perceptions and experiences with teledermatology visits in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant factors leading patients to prefer in-person visits compared to teledermatology were being over the age 65 (OR 2.9 95 percent CI 1.9,3.8 and p-value 0.036) or experiencing technical difficulties during the visit (OR 2.9 95 percent CI 1.9,3.9 and p-value 0.048). We found the chief complaint played an important role in patient preference for visit modality. Patients with acne or acne follow up compared to all other chief complaints had a strong preference for teledermatologic visits (OR 4.7 95 percent CI 4.0,5.4 and p-value 0.000018) whereas patients with possible malignant lesions strongly preferred having an in-person visit (OR 6.6 95 percent CI 5.5,7.8 and p-value 0.0004). Based on these results, we suggest a targeted use of teledermatology with pre-visit screening measures to maintain a patient center approach and avoid redundant visits.

Can a Correct Diagnosis Be Established Using the Teledermatology Method?

Teledermatology is a remote method of diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of the patient with visual communication technologies. It has been a research subject for many years, but its reliability has not been fully explained. With the emergence of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2019, the need for teledermatology increased. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of teledermatology. Material and Method: A total of 595 lesions of 546 patients who visited the dermatology outpatient clinic were included in the study. Two physicians evaluated the patients, one face-to-face and the other via multimedia messaging, and the diagnoses were compared with each other. Diagnoses were in total agreement if the first diagnoses were the same, in partial agreement if the second and third diagnoses were the same, and in no agreement if all diagnoses differed. The first diagnoses of Physicians 1 and 2 matched in 468 (total agreement rate: 76.8%) patients, and the second and third diagnoses matched in 44 and 8 patients, respectively (partial agreement rate: 8.7%). There was no agreement in the diagnoses of 75 patients (12.7%). In total, an agreement was reached in 520 patients (87.3%). Common diseases in dermatology practice, such as papulopustular and urticarial lesions, nails and hair diseases, infectious diseases, erythematous squamous diseases, those with pruritus, and skin malignancies, were diagnosed teledermatologically at a high rate of accuracy. In contrast, eczematous diseases, premalignant lesions, and other groups of diseases were less accurately diagnosed. In the last year, the importance of teledermatology has greatly increased with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study shows that the store and forward (asynchronous) method of teledermatology can diagnose dermatological diseases with a high rate of accuracy.

Pathobiology of Cutaneous Manifestations Associated with COVID-19 and Their Management.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a rising concern since its declaration as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on 11 March 2020. Recently, its association with multiple underlying organs has been identified that includes cardiac, renal, gastrointestinal, nervous systems, and cutaneous manifestations. Cutaneous COVID-19 findings have been supposedly classified into the following categories: vesicular (varicella-like), papulo-vesiculsar, chilblains-like ("COVID toes") maculopapular, and urticarial morphologies. In this review, we aim to focus on the proposed pathophysiology behind the various dermatological manifestations associated with COVID-19 and their associated management. We also included prevalence and clinical features of the different COVID-19-related skin lesions in our review. A comprehensive narrative review of the literature was performed in PubMed databases. Data from case reports, observational studies, case series, and reviews till June 2022 were all screened and included in the review.

The Utilization and Impact of Live Interactive and Store-and-Forward Teledermatology in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: Teledermatology has emerged as a promising method of continuing dermatologic care during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Analysis of the utilization and impact of teledermatology within the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System (SFVAHCS) may elucidate the ways that teledermatology programs can continue to be optimized. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of live interactive encounters, Veterans Affairs Video Connect (VVC), store-and-forward telehealth (SFT), and face-to-face (FTF) consultations, performed within the SFVAHCS from March 2020 to December 2020. To assess utilization, we analyzed numbers of encounters throughout 2020. To assess impact, we analyzed primary diagnoses for each encounter and rates of recommendations for medications and lesion biopsies. Additionally, we assessed diagnostic accuracy associated with each teledermatology type by measuring concordance between teledermatologists' clinical diagnoses and histopathological diagnoses. Results: Two thousand two hundred fifty FTF, 347 VVC, and 470 SFT encounters were conducted from March to December 2020. More female patients utilized VVC, and patients who utilized VVC were younger than SFT and FTF users (p < 0.01). SFT was utilized more by patients from rural areas (p < 0.01). Diagnoses addressed were significantly different between VVC and SFT. A majority of VVC encounters involved referrals for inflammatory conditions; primary diagnoses associated with SFT consultations were most frequently neoplasms. Comparison of VVC and SFT outcomes showed that more VVC visits resulted in a medication recommendation, while more SFT consultations resulted in a biopsy recommendation. Conclusions: Teledermatology contributed to meeting patient needs throughout 2020 and created an impact on clinical management. Patient characteristics, diagnoses, and type of impact associated with encounters varied between SFT and VVC. This analysis provides insight into teledermatology utilization within the VA system and can contribute to efforts to improve the quality of teledermatology care for veterans.

The impact of the first COVID-19 wave on office-based dermatological care in Germany: a focus on diagnosis, therapy and prescription of biologics

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread changes in medical care. However, it is still unclear to what extent the care of patients suffering from moderate-to-severe psoriasis, chronic spontaneous urticaria or atopic dermatitis has been affected. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on medical care in dermatological practices, focusing on physicians' concerns related to susceptibility to infections in combination with different treatment modalities. Materials & Methods: Dermatologists working in medical offices in the German federal states of Bavaria and Lower Saxony participated in a cross-sectional, non-interventional, questionnaire-based study investigating the influence of COVID-19 on dermatological care. The study was performed after the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic in July/August, 2020. Results: A total of 195 dermatologists participated in the study. Almost one in five practices were closed for at least one week during the pandemic. The care of patients with chronic inflammatory skin diseases was impaired, affecting diagnostic investigation. Physicians stated that the pandemic substantially influenced systemic therapy. Nearly half of physicians surveyed were concerned about increased susceptibility to infections under biological therapy. No significant differences were identified between the German federal states of Bavaria and Lower Saxony in the south and north of Germany, respectively. Conclusion: This study reveals a significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care of dermatological patients in medical offices in Germany. New management modalities and continuous education are needed to improve care in pandemic situations.

Teledermatology and Skin of Color Patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic popularized telemedicine for many medical systems around the world. Although it came with many advantages for some individuals, it created challenges for other populations, particularly patients with skin of color and minority populations (largely comprised of patients with skin of color). The social determinants of health (SODH) are defined as individuals' living, working, and learning circumstances that can affect their health and quality of life.

Assessing Patient Satisfaction with Teledermatology Implementation During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The aim of this study was to assess the patient experience with teledermatology among new versus existing clinic patients in the context of the rapid practice shift to teledermatology during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed survey responses from 184 teledermatology patients seen during COVID-19 at a major Southeastern medical center from May 13th to June 5th 2020. Overall patient-reported satisfaction with teledermatology was high with the majority of respondents rating their overall satisfaction as excellent (68%) or very good (18%). As teledermatology experiences wider adoption with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential to examine patient experience and satisfaction with teledermatology.

Direct-to-Consumer Teledermatology Growth: A Review and Outlook for the Future.

The direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine industry, including teledermatology, has seen rapid expansion in recent years, partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The shortage of dermatologists and the visual nature of dermatologic conditions attracted DTC companies to dermatology. As more patients continue to seek medical consultations and prescription medications from these for-profit companies, we must approach their growth with healthy skepticism. Shortcomings of DTC teledermatology include concerns about conflicts of interest (COIs), overdiagnosis, and overprescribing. Although DTC teledermatology is certainly here to stay, an appropriate understanding of this industry will allow dermatologists to advise patients and advocate for best practices.

Home treatment of single cutaneous warts combining face-to-face and teledermatology consultation: A new perspective.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, teledermatology services were set up and enhanced to take care of those benign conditions like cutaneous warts (CWs) which, if undiagnosed or treated with delay, could have worsened, enlarged, and potentially spread to the community. The aim of this hybrid exploratory trial was to combine face-to-face clinical and dermoscopic evaluation with teledermatology follow-up in the management of CWs with a cryogenic pen based on nitrous oxide for home treatment. Twelve adult patients affected by CWs were enrolled. During the first face-to-face visit, single CWs were selected for the study by clinical and dermoscopic evaluation. The home schedule consisted of one application to be repeated after 2 weeks, when signs of CWs were still evident. Patients were also asked to send a clinical photo of the treated lesion at weekly intervals. A final face-to-face evaluation was scheduled to verify the response to home treatment by clinical and dermoscopy evaluation. A total of 20 CWs located on the trunk and the extremities were treated: a complete clinical and dermoscopic resolution was observed in 16 out of 20 lesions (80%), and a partial response in two cases. The adverse events observed during treatment were comparable to those normally observed with cryotherapy of CWs. In conclusion, home treatment of CWs with the cryogenic pen, that should be always preceded by dermatologist diagnosis and prescription, is safe and effective, especially if combined with face-to-face and teledermatology consultations, pointing out its important role during pandemic times or in any other environmental limitations that may impair the access to medical care services. The combination of face-to-face consultations for initial and final visits and teledermatology during the treatment phase could represent a model for other dermatologic conditions as well (e.g., acne, rosacea, psoriasis, atopic eczema etc.).