Trends in Mohs surgery from 1995 to 2010: an analysis of nationally representative data.

BACKGROUND: In Mohs surgery, the histologic verification of tumor removal results in a lower rate of cancer recurrence compared with simple excision. Factors associated with the increased use of Mohs surgery are not well characterized. OBJECTIVE: To investigate trends in the utilization of Mohs surgery. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for patient visits associated with Mohs surgery from 1995 to 2010. The authors assessed percentage of skin cancers managed with Mohs surgery, the most common locations of skin cancer managed with Mohs surgery, and patient demographics associated with Mohs surgery. RESULTS: Although there was an upward trend in the use of Mohs surgery (p = .004), a low percentage of skin cancers (average of 10.0%) were managed with this technique. When the surgical location was specified, Mohs surgery was most commonly used for the head and neck region. Demographic groups receiving Mohs surgery at higher rates included African Americans (44.2%) and patients aged 75 to 84 years (12.4%). CONCLUSION: There has been an upward trend in the use of Mohs surgery, particularly in the head and neck region where tissue preservation is essential.

Trends in the outpatient medication management of lupus erythematosus in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and chronic cutaneous lupus (CCLE) therapy has changed little over the past 50 years. In March 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved belimumab, complementing the three preexisting approved therapies: low dose aspirin, prednisone, and hydroxychloroquine. OBJECTIVE: The objectives for this study were to evaluate trends in the medications prescribed for the management of lupus erythematosus (LE) and to assess how treatment varies among different specialists. METHODS: Outpatient visits for treatment of lupus and its comorbidities were identified in the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), a representative survey of visits to physician offices in the United States. Data was evaluated to determine patient demographics, treatments prescribed by each specialty, and comorbidities encountered during the study period of 1993-2010. RESULTS: From 1993-2004, prednisone was the most frequently prescribed medication; however, prednisone became the second most frequently prescribed medication in 2005-2010, as hydroxychloroquine became the leading medication prescribed for LE. In primary care physicians and other non-dermatology specialists, the most frequently prescribed medications for lupus were prednisone and hydroxychloroquine; whereas, hydroxychloroquine and triamcinolone were the top two medications preferred by dermatologists. LIMITATIONS: The NAMCS collects cross-sectional data, such that individual patients cannot be followed over time. Hence, it does not provide data regarding the incidence of disease, patient age at the time of diagnosis, change in individual patient's medication regimens over time, or prognosis related to patient demographics. In addition, it is possible that the physician did not always record nonprescription medication use, such as NSAIDS, since these are typically used first line. CONCLUSION: First-line treatment of LE changed minimally from 1993 to 2010, with prednisone and hydroxychloroquine serving as the primary medications utilized by most physicians for the management of LE.

Pilot randomized-control trial to assess the effect product sampling has on adherence using adapalene/benzoyl peroxide gel in acne patients.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of acne can be difficult, with suboptimal adherence resulting in poor treatment outcomes. PURPOSE: To determine whether demonstrating to patients how to properly apply a topical acne medication through the use of a sample product will improve adherence. METHODS: Subjects with mild to moderate acne were instructed to use adapalene/benzoyl peroxide gel once daily for six weeks. Subjects were randomized into sample or no sample group. Sample group received a demonstration on how to apply the medication using a product sample. The primary outcome was median adherence, recorded using electronic monitoring, and secondary outcomes were efficacy measures including the Acne Global Assessment (AGA) and lesion counts and the Perceived Medical Condition Self-Management Scale (PMCSMS). RESULTS: Data from 17 patients was collected and analyzed. Median adherence rates were 50% in the sample group and 35% in the no sample group (p=0.67). The median percent improvement in non-inflammatory lesions were 46% for the sample group and 33% for the no-sample group (p=0.10). LIMITATIONS: The small size of this pilot study limited the extent of subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Objective electronic monitoring expanded our previous observations of poor adherence in the treatment of acne. There is a considerable potential effect size on adherence for the use of samples, supporting the need for future, well powered studies to assess the value of using samples in the treatment of acne and other dermatologic skin diseases.

Measure of atopic dermatitis disease severity using actigraphy.

BACKGROUND: Analyzing adherence to treatment and outcomes in atopic dermatitis is limited by methods to assess continual disease severity. Atopic dermatitis significantly impacts sleep quality, and monitoring sleep through actigraphy may capture disease burden. PURPOSE: To assess if actigraphy monitors provide continuous measures of atopic dermatitis disease severity and to preliminarily evaluate the impact of a short-course, high-potency topical corticosteroid regimen on sleep quality. METHODS: Ten patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis applied topical fluocinonide 0.1% cream twice daily for 5 days. Sleep data were captured over 14 days using wrist actigraphy monitors. Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) and secondary measures of disease severity were recorded. Changes in quantity of in-bed time sleep were estimated with random effects models. RESULTS: The mean daily in-bed time, total sleep time, and wake after sleep onset (WASO) were 543.7 minutes (SEM 9.4), 466.0 minutes (SEM 7.7), and 75.0 minutes (SEM 3.4), respectively. WASO, a marker of disrupted sleep, correlated with baseline (ρ  =  .75) and end of treatment IGA (ρ  =  .70). Most patients did not have marked changes in sleep. IGA scores declined by a median change of 1 point at days 7 (p  =  .02) and 14 (p  =  .008). CONCLUSIONS: Using actigraphy, atopic dermatitis disease severity positively correlated with sleep disturbances. Actigraphy monitors were well tolerated by this cohort of atopic dermatitis subjects.

The association of skin conditions with housing conditions among North Carolina Latino migrant farm workers.

BACKGROUND: Skin conditions are common among Latino migrant farm workers. Although many skin conditions are related to occupational exposures, poor housing conditions may also contribute to skin ailments in migrant farm workers. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between housing conditions and skin conditions among Latino migrant farm workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study design using interview questionnaires, home inspections, and environmental sampling was implemented to document housing quality of farm worker camps/homes and the prevalence of self-reported skin conditions in Latino migrant farm workers. Interviews were completed with 371 farm workers residing in 186 of the 226 camps (camp response rate 82.3%). RESULTS: Self-reported pruritus (31%), rash (25%), scaling (12%), blisters (11%), and ingrown nails (10%) were common among the participants. Pruritus was more likely to be reported by farm workers living in dwellings without air-conditioning (P < 0.05). Rash was associated with dwellings reported to have a low humidity (P < 0.05). Scaling was more likely to be reported by farm workers living in dwellings with indoor temperatures in the thermal discomfort range (P < 0.05). No statistically significant associations were detected for indoor allergens and self-reported skin ailments among migrant farm workers. CONCLUSIONS: Skin conditions are common among migrant farm workers in North Carolina. The quality of housing conditions, particularly hot, dry indoor thermal environment, demonstrated significant associations with pruritus, rash, and scaling. The impact of housing characteristics on pruritus and blisters was greatest in new migrant farm workers. Further research is needed to delineate additional housing factors that could cause or exacerbate skin diseases in farm workers.

Trends in sunscreen recommendation among US physicians.

IMPORTANCE: Sunscreen is an important part of sun protection to prevent skin cancer but may not be recommended as often as guidelines dictate. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate trends in sunscreen recommendation among physicians to determine whether they are following suggested patient-education guidelines regarding sun protection, and to assess data regarding physician sunscreen recommendations to determine the association with patient demographics, physician specialty, and physician diagnosis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey was queried to identify patient visits to nonfederal outpatient physician offices at US ambulatory care practices (January 1, 1989-December 26, 2010) during which sunscreen was recommended. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Frequency of sunscreen recommendation. RESULTS: According to the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, there were an estimated 18.30 billion patient visits nationwide. Physicians mentioned sunscreen at approximately 12.83 million visits (0.07%). Mention of sunscreen was reported by physicians at 0.9% of patient visits associated with a diagnosis of skin disease. Dermatologists recorded the mention of sunscreen the most (86.4% of all visits associated with sunscreen). However, dermatologists reported mentioning sunscreen at only 1.6% of all dermatology visits. Sunscreen was mentioned most frequently to white patients, particularly those in their eighth decade of life, and least frequently to children. Actinic keratosis was the most common diagnosis associated with sunscreen recommendation. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Despite encouragement to provide patient education regarding sunscreen use and sun-protective behaviors, the rate at which physicians are mentioning sunscreen at patient visits is quite low, even for patients with a history of skin cancer. The high incidence and morbidity of skin cancer can be greatly reduced with the implementation of sun-protective behaviors, which patients should be counseled about at outpatient visits.

Most common dermatologic conditions encountered by dermatologists and nondermatologists.

The dermatologic conditions that are most commonly encountered by nondermatologists are not well characterized, which can hamper efforts to train them in skin disease management. The purpose of this study was to identify the 20 most common dermatologic conditions encountered by nondermatologic specialties (ie, emergency medicine, family practice, general surgery, internal medicine, otolaryngology, pediatrics). Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 2001 to 2010 were analyzed to evaluate the dermatologic diagnoses made by each specialty during this time period. The most common skin conditions reported by dermatologists were compared to those reported by nondermatologists. Nondermatologists evaluated 52.9% of cutaneous diseases that presented in the outpatient setting. Among each nondermatologic specialty included in the study, only 6 to 10 of the top 20 conditions overlapped with the top 20 conditions reported by dermatologists. This study is a retrospective review of a large database and only included skin conditions that were diagnosed in an outpatient setting. The skin conditions that most frequently presented to nondermatologists differed considerably from those most commonly seen by dermatologists. Because dermatologists often are responsible for training nondermatologists in the diagnosis and management of skin disease, curriculum content should reflect these differences to enhance the efficacy of such training opportunities.

The treatment and demographics of warts: an analysis of national trends.

BACKGROUND: Verrucae (warts) are a very common dermatologic disease. They can be of cosmetic concern, cause physical discomfort, and predispose patients to certain malignancies. Management of warts has traditionally been based on anatomic location, clinical appearance, and patient preference. PURPOSE: To investigate trends in the treatment of warts, as well as patient demographics associated with the diagnosis of warts. METHODS: The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) was queried for data regarding patient visits associated with the diagnosis of warts from 1990 to 2009. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the use of topical imiquimod during the study period, such that it became the most frequently used medication for warts. No statistically significant trends were detected regarding the frequency of treatment with medication only, procedure only, or combination treatment. In terms of patient demographics, there was an upward trend in regards to increasing patient age and the diagnosis of warts. However, there were no significant trends with respect to patient gender or race and the diagnosis of warts. LIMITATIONS: Warts not otherwise specified (NOS) was the reported diagnosis for more than eighty percent of patient visits for warts. Trends in the treatment of plantar warts could not be evaluated as the ICD-9 code designating this diagnosis was recently instituted in 2009. Data from NAMCS are cross-sectional in nature. CONCLUSIONS: The advent of a new therapy and shifts in population patterns have modified the epidemiologic profile and treatment of warts.

Adherence to a five day treatment course of topical fluocinonide 0.1% cream in atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Adherence in the treatment of chronic inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis is poor. Methods to improve adherence have proven difficult. PURPOSE: To determine whether a short course of treatment with a high-potency corticosteroid will improve adherence compared to longer treatment studies and if improvement in disease and itch continues after treatment. METHODS: 10 patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis were instructed to apply fluocinonide 0.1% cream twice daily for 5 days. Adherence was self-reported and electronically monitored. Treatment outcomes were assessed in terms of Visual Analog Scale of Itch (VAS), Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), and Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) scores. RESULTS: The median adherence rate was 40% (range of 0-100). The median percent change in VAS from baseline measures on days 7 and 14 were 90% (range -13, 100, p=0.02) and 52% (range 0, 100, p=0.004). On days 7 and 14, 20% and 70% patients achieved an EASI-75 and 40% and 60% an IGA of 0 or 1. LIMITATIONS: Small sample size limited subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence rates with short-term treatment were similar to previously reported rates in longer term treatment studies. However, even non-adherent patients had significant improvement in itch and disease severity.

Explicit and implicit copayments for phototherapy: examining the cost of commuting.

BACKGROUND: Whereas phototherapy is a safe and cost-effective treatment modality for psoriasis, economic disincentives discourage its use, including both direct and indirect costs to the patient. PURPOSE: To determine when it may be cost-effective for patients to purchase a home light unit versus driving to clinic for outpatient phototherapy sessions. METHODS: Estimates of expenses associated with 3 months of outpatient phototherapy were determined and compared to the price of a home phototherapy unit. Factors examined included the cost of gasoline (based on the national average), fuel efficiency of the vehicle, cost of owning and operating a motor vehicle, lost wages, and copayments. RESULTS: The cost for a standard 6-bulb narrowband UVB home unit is approximately $2600. Direct and indirect expenses imposed on patients increase with distance travelled to the dermatologist. If a patient lives 20 or more miles away from the dermatologist, the expenses associated with travel can total more than the out of pocket expense of purchasing a home phototherapy unit. LIMITATIONS: This small analysis only accounted for the first 3 months of treatment and likely underestimates the total costs that patients would experience over a lifetime of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: It may be beneficial for physicians to educate patients on the cost-burden of in-office versus home phototherapy because patients can use these parameters to determine which option would be more cost-effective for them.

A double-blind, randomized clinical trial of 20% alpha/poly hydroxy acid cream to reduce scaling of lesions associated with moderate, chronic plaque psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Salicylic acid is a topical keratolytic agent used to reduce scaling and hyperkeratosis associated with psoriasis vulgaris. However, its use is limited due to potential systemic toxicity. Hydroxyacids also modulate keratinization and desquamation. Therefore, they may serve a beneficial role in the treatment of hyperkeratotic conditions. To date, there are no clinical studies in the literature regarding the efficacy of hydroxyacids for psoriasis treatment. PURPOSE: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of topical 20% alpha-hydroxy/polyhydroxy acid versus standard salicylic acid to reduce scaling in patients with moderate, chronic psoriasis. METHODS: Twenty-five subjects with moderate, chronic psoriasis were enrolled in a 2-week, double-blind, left-right, randomized, bilateral comparison clinical trial to compare the efficacy of 20% alpha-hydroxy/polyhydroxy acid emollient versus 6% salicylic acid cream and 24 were randomized/completed. Clinical evaluations to assess the severity of psoriasis and scaling were performed using a 6-point scale prior to treatment, as well as following 1 and 2 weeks of therapy. RESULTS: Twenty-four participants completed the study. Both 20% alpha-hydroxy/polyhydroxy acid emollient and 6% salicylic acid cream were efficacious in reducing scale of psoriatic lesions. The topical 20% alpha-hydroxy/polyhydroxyacid reduced scaling at a faster rate; however, following 2 weeks of treatment the efficacy of both products were relatively the same. CONCLUSION: 20% alpha-hydroxy/polyhydroxyacid is as efficacious as salicylic acid in regards to the de-scaling of psoriatic plaques. Additionally, 20% alpha-hydroxy/polyhydroxyacid cream may yield quicker results and less toxicity than salicylic acid.

Skin manifestations of outpatient adverse drug events in the United States: a national analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous reactions to drugs are among the most common clinical manifestations of adverse drug events (ADEs); however, data on outpatient cutaneous adverse drug events (CADEs) are limited. PURPOSE: To provide national estimates of outpatient CADEs and determine their most frequent causes. METHODS: Outpatient CADEs recorded in the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) between 1995 and 2005 were analyzed. The national incidence of outpatient CADEs in those seeking medical attention in the United States was estimated, and the common medication classes implicated with CADEs were identified. RESULTS: There were a mean annual total of 635,982 CADE-related visits, resulting in an annual incidence of 2.26 CADEs per 1,000 persons. Patients took an average of 2.2 medications in addition to the one causing the CADE. The incidence of CADEs increased with age, with a peak in the age group from 70 to 79 years. The medications most frequently causing a CADE were antimicrobial agents. Dermatitis and urticaria were the two main types of skin reactions reported. CONCLUSIONS: CADEs occur less frequently in outpatients than in inpatients and result in few hospital admissions. Physicians must be particularly cognizant of the occurrence of CADEs when prescribing antimicrobial agents.

Treatment of preadolescent acne in the United States: an analysis of nationally representative data.

The prevalence of acne in younger children is increasing. Of the acne treatments that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for ages 12 years and older, it is unclear which medications are being prescribed off-label for this younger patient population. The purpose of this study is to compare the therapies being prescribed to preadolescent patients with acne (defined in this study as ages 7 to 11 years) with those being prescribed to adolescent patients (ages 12 to 18 years) and to determine whether prescribing patterns differ between dermatologists and pediatricians. Leading therapies for the treatment of children with a diagnosis of acne were collected from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) from 1993 to 2009. Data were stratified according to age group and physician specialty. Physicians prescribed a wide variety of FDA-approved and off-label medications to preadolescent patients with acne. The leading medications were topical treatments, including adapalene (14.4%), benzoyl peroxide (12.8%), and tretinoin (12.5%). Treatment of this age group differed substantially between specialties, with dermatologists frequently prescribing topical retinoids and primary care physicians preferring antibiotics, particularly oral antibiotics. Limitations included a lack of data on acne severity and morphology through NAMCS, as well as the absence of longitudinal data. With the limited number of FDA-approved treatment options, off-label prescribing for acne in preadolescent patients is common. Furthermore, this study identified a potential knowledge gap between pediatricians based on their prescribing patterns in this patient population.

Shave frequency and regimen variation effects on the management of pseudofolliculitis barbae.

BACKGROUND: Pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) is an inflammatory condition of the face with a clinical presentation of papules in the beard area with occasional pustules or hypertrophic scarring, all of which develop in response to shaving. Prevalent in African American men, a limited amount of data have been published on the shave outcomes as they relate to clinically measurable responses and patient satisfaction scoring. The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a daily shaving regimen and advanced shaving products on exacerbation of lesions and symptoms in patients with PFB. METHODS: Ninety African American men were randomized to 1 of 3 treatment groups shaving 2 to 3 times per week with standard products (control group), shaving daily with standard products (daily standard group) or shaving daily with advanced products (daily advanced). The number of pustules, papules, ingrown hairs, and investigator's assessment of severity and subjective symptoms of itching and burning/stinging were assessed at baseline, week 6, and week 12. The response to treatment was also assessed by the investigator and the subject at weeks 6 and 12. Secondary measures including questionnaires regarding baseline shave practices were also correlated with outcomes variables. RESULTS: There were no significant differences noted between the 3 groups for papule (P=.32) or pustule (P=.46) count for the 12-week study. However, there was a significant mean papule reduction from baseline detected for both the control and daily advanced groups. In addition, compared to baseline, there was a significant reduction in ingrown hairs for the control group, and a directional reduction in ingrown hairs for the daily advanced group. There were significant group differences between the control group and both daily shaving groups, with the control group seeing significantly fewer ingrown hairs (P=.005 for control vs daily standard group and P=.04 for control vs daily advanced group). There were no significant group differences among the 3 groups for investigator-graded severity (P=.43) and response to treatment (P=.51). There was a significant perceived improvement in the response to treatment (P=.007) and itching (P=.002) for the daily advanced group vs the control group.

Cost effectiveness of biologic therapies for plaque psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: During the last decade, the implementation of biologic agents has changed the therapeutic management of severe psoriasis. Biologic agents have clinically proven efficacy, but their use is associated with a much higher cost compared with traditional treatment options. Therefore, when assessing the use of these drugs for the treatment of psoriasis, it is important to consider their cost effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine and compare the cost effectiveness of biologic agents with regard to the cost per patient achieving a minimally important difference (MID) in the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the cost per patient achieving a 75% improvement in the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI-75). METHODS: A PubMed literature search was conducted to identify studies describing the efficacy of all currently US FDA-approved biologic therapies. The cost effectiveness of each agent over a 12-week period was determined and a sensitivity analysis was performed. Based on clinical efficacy at 12 weeks, treatment paradigms were extrapolated to estimate cost-effectiveness ratios after 1 year of treatment. Pooled data on each biologic agent at different doses were compared in a one-way sensitivity analysis and in an extreme case scenario analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies were included in the analysis. Intravenous (IV) infliximab 3 mg/kg was the most cost-effective biologic agent with respect to both the cost per patient achieving PASI-75 and the cost per patient achieving a DLQI MID. The next most cost-effective agents in terms of cost per patient achieving PASI-75 were subcutaneous (SQ) adalimumab 40 mg administered every other week (eow) after an 80-mg loading dose, SQ adalimumab 40 mg eow, and IV infliximab 5 mg/kg. In terms of cost per patient achieving DLQI MID, IV infliximab 5 mg/kg, SQ etanercept 25 mg once weekly, SQ etanercept 50 mg once weekly, and SQ adalimumab 50 mg eow after an 80-mg loading dose were the next most cost-effective agents behind IV infliximab 3 mg/kg. For both costs per patient achieving DLQI MID and PASI-75, alefacept was the least cost-effective agent up to a 10% level of variation at all doses except 0.025 mg/kg once weekly. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by the use of efficacy data from 12-week clinical trials that did not compare treatments head to head to determine relative efficacy and may not be generalizable to longer treatment periods. Additionally, the estimated cost of treatment did not take into account indirect costs or variations in costs due to insurance company price contracting. CONCLUSIONS: Biologic treatments that were most cost effective were so in respect to both the cost per patient achieving DLQI MID and per patient achieving PASI-75. This suggests that the same agents that are effectively clearing the disease are also effective in improving the patients' subjective assessment of dermatology-related quality of life.

Patterns of disease and treatment of cold sores.

BACKGROUND: Cold sores are a common condition that can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Antivirals are the typical treatment for cold sores, but the ways in which these medications are used to treat cold sores are not well studied. PURPOSE: To determine the main treatments prescribed for cold sores and trends in their management over time. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey database was used to analyze outpatient visits for cold sores from 1993 to 2009. Patients were included in the data analysis if they had one of the following three diagnoses reported for their reason-for-visit codes: cold sores (CS), herpes simplex (HS) or herpes simplex with cold sores (HS/CS). RESULTS: There was a decreasing trend in the number of annual patient visits for cold sores. The majority of patients were mainly young to middle adulthood, white women. The top two most commonly prescribed medications were acyclovir followed by valacyclovir. Valacyclovir use increased in all three populations, while acyclovir use decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The trends observed may indicate that physicians are evolving their treatment strategies to implement newer antiviral medications. This may prove more efficacious for the treatment of cold sores.

Psoriasis and cardiovascular screening rates in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines to screen for cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in psoriasis patients have been established. However, the frequency with which dermatologists and nondermatologists screen psoriasis patients for CV risk factors is not well characterized. PURPOSE: To determine how frequently psoriasis patients are screened for CV risk factors in the ambulatory care setting and to identify factors affecting screening rates. METHODS: Data from the 2005 to 2009 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) were analyzed to determine screening rates for blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, and body mass index (BMI). The probability of a patient having at least 1 of the 4 risk factors screened was determined and was termed the "composite" score. Screening rates were assessed by physician specialty, patient demographics, and clinical practice characteristics. RESULTS: There were an estimated 11.4 million psoriasis patient visits from 2005 to 2009. Blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, and BMI were evaluated at 32.2%, 5.9%, 9%, and 26% of psoriasis visits, respectively, with a composite score of 41.2%. Patients without psoriasis were screened for these CV risk factors at 59.0%, 6%, 8%, and 38.1% of outpatient visits, respectively, with a composite score of 66.3%. The results of a multivariate analysis accounting for patient age differences indicated psoriasis had a statistically significant effect on rates of blood pressure and BMI screening. In general, screening rates were higher if the patient was male, African American, or non-Hispanic, and screening rates were relatively equal across age groups. Higher screening rates were also associated with primary care specialties, faculty practice or community health clinics with contracted physicians, clinics that utilized electronic medical records, practices with a higher percentage of revenue from a Medicare/Medicaid payer, or offices with discounted fees and capitation payment structures. LIMITATIONS: Data from NAMCS are cross-sectional, permitting assessment of screening rates based on visits but not on patients. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for high blood pressure, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity are not performed at most outpatient visits for psoriasis. Care should be taken to ensure that patients do receive appropriate screening for the comorbidities associated with psoriasis.

Combination therapy in psoriasis: an evidence-based review.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory condition for which a variety of treatment modalities exist. Combinations of therapies are used often in clinical practice to enhance efficacy and reduce drug toxicities. PURPOSE: The purpose of this review is to assess the literature on the efficacy and safety of combination therapy in the treatment of psoriasis. METHODS: MEDLINE was reviewed to identify English-language publications from 1966 to 2011 examining combination therapy in psoriasis. Fifty-three articles met inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Randomized controlled trials addressing various combinations of treatment modalities for psoriasis were included. Data from these clinical studies were summarized and the outcomes were discussed. RESULTS: Large-scale, randomized controlled trials investigating the use of various combination therapies in psoriasis are limited. The strongest data support the use of combinations of vitamin D derivatives and corticosteroids as topical combinations and, to a lesser extent, the combination of other topical agents. Phototherapy and topical vitamin D derivatives as well as phototherapy in combination with oral retinoids are well supported in the literature. Combinations of systemic medications, though often used clinically, have little data to support their efficacy or safety. LIMITATIONS: Our data were limited by the small number of clinical trials examining the multiple available combinations that are used in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: The use of combination treatments falls within the standard of care for psoriasis, even if these combinations have not been extensively studied in clinical trials.