A real-world, community-based cohort study comparing the effectiveness of topical fluorouracil versus topical imiquimod for the treatment of actinic keratosis.

BACKGROUND: The most widely used topical agents for the field-based treatment of multiple actinic keratoses (AKs) are 5-fluorouracil and imiquimod, but their comparative effectiveness has not been assessed in a real-world setting. OBJECTIVE: We compared the effectiveness of 5-fluorouracil and imiquimod in reducing risk for subsequent AKs in a large, integrated health care delivery system in northern California. METHODS: In this cohort study, we identified adult health plan members who had an AK diagnosed in 2007 and who subsequently filled a prescription for 5-fluorouracil or imiquimod (N = 5700). We followed subjects for subsequent AKs identified by the International Classification of Diseases codes and estimated the 2-year (short-term) and 5-year (long-term) differences in cumulative risk while controlling for potential confounding by pretreatment variables. RESULTS: 5-Fluorouracil reduced the short-term incidence of subsequent AKs (cumulative risk difference -4.54% [95% confidence interval, -7.91% to -1.17%]), but there was no statistically significant evidence of a long-term decreased risk (cumulative risk difference -1.43% [95% confidence interval, -3.43% to 0.05%]) compared with that with imiquimod. LIMITATIONS: This is a retrospective study with limited ascertainment of all relevant potential confounding variables. CONCLUSION: We found that 5-fluorouracil appeared to be significantly more effective than imiquimod in the short-term, but not long-term, prevention of subsequent AKs.

Research Techniques Made Simple: An Introduction to Use and Analysis of Big Data in Dermatology.

Big data is a term used for any collection of datasets whose size and complexity exceeds the capabilities of traditional data processing applications. Big data repositories, including those for molecular, clinical, and epidemiology data, offer unprecedented research opportunities to help guide scientific advancement. Advantages of big data can include ease and low cost of collection, ability to approach prospectively and retrospectively, utility for hypothesis generation in addition to hypothesis testing, and the promise of precision medicine. Limitations include cost and difficulty of storing and processing data; need for advanced techniques for formatting and analysis; and concerns about accuracy, reliability, and security. We discuss sources of big data and tools for its analysis to help inform the treatment and management of dermatologic diseases.

Eruptive sebaceous hyperplasia as a side effect of oral tacrolimus in a renal transplant recipient.

Sebaceous hyperplasia, a benign proliferation ofsebaceous glands, has been well documented in organ transplant recipients treated with cyclosporine. Sebaceous hyperplasia has not been strongly associated with any other immunosuppressive medications. We report a case of eruptive sebaceous hyperplasia in a renal transplant recipient with no previous exposure to cyclosporine that was recently started on tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone. To our knowledge, this is the first report of eruptive sebaceous hyperplasia in a renal transplant recipient who was immunosuppressed with tacrolimus and had no prior exposure to cyclosporine.