Liver cirrhosis is a concern for patients with psoriasis that are treated long-term with methotrexate (MTX). Previous studies have shown that patients with psoriasis who received long-term MTX were more likely to develop severe liver fibrosis or cirrhosis. Based on this data, a recent study from Taiwan sought to explore the effects of MTX on …
Isotretinoin is frequently prescribed to treat and prevent severe inflammatory or scarring acne, but due to teratogenic risk, isotretinoin therapy is closely regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) via the iPLEDGE program. The iPLEDGE program requires patients to identify as either male, a female who can get pregnant, or a female who cannot …
Actinic keratosis (AKs) is one of the most common diagnoses patients receive from the dermatologist, and the medical cost to treat AKs is close to 2 billion dollars annually. AKs are treated with destructive procedures, such as cryotherapy, curettage, electrocautery, and chemical peels, to prevent malignant transformation, relieve patient symptoms, and improve quality of life …
Androgen-mediated cutaneous disorders (AMCDs) in women, such as acne, hirsutism, and female pattern hair loss (FPHL) are routinely treated with hormone-modulating therapies, both off-label and with FDA-approved medications. However, a recent review emphasized that despite the common use of these treatments, there should be more rigorous study of the evidence supporting their use. The authors …
Psoriasis has many effects on quality of life that extend beyond day-to-day management of the skin condition. A recent study sought to determine whether patients with psoriasis have a higher risk of sexual dysfunction (SD) or erectile dysfunction (ED) compared with the healthy population, and to review the available scientific evidence regarding the associations between …
Venous leg ulcerations (VLU) occur with chronic venous insufficiency and lead to increased pain, impaired sleep, and reduced mobility. Typically, VLU is treated with compression (i.e. multi-layered bandages). A recent review looked at whether adding prescribed exercises would have an impact on VLU healing. The authors identified 5 randomized clinical trials where both exercise and …