In this study published in the August issue of the Journal of Investigative Dermatology the authors report what is the first study of methotrexate pharmacogenetics in psoriasis. The authors identified several polymorphisms in enzymes involved in folate, purine, and pyrimidine metabolism, especially thymidylate synthase and the reduced folate carrier, that where related to the clinical response to methotrexate (and could serve as predictive markers of methotrexate efficacy and toxicity in psoriasis in the future). In addition the authors also confirm the importance of administering folic acid supplements to patients receiving methotrexate. Those patients that did not receive folic acid supplementation were more than twice as likely to discontinue the drug, and the impact of polymorphisms associated with methotrexate-induced adverse events was attenuated or disappeared if folic acid had been prescribed. (more…)

The fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) is a member of the receptor tyrosine (FGFR1–4) involved in signal transduction regulating cell growth, differentiation, migration, wound healing and angiogenesis, depending on target cell type and developmental stage. Activating FGFR3 germline mutations cause skeletal dysplasia and craniosynostosis syndromes. Somatic FGFR3 mutations have been identified in several cancer entities such as urothelial carcinoma and multiple myeloma. Recently, somatic FGFR3 mutations have been identified in benign acanthotic skin tumors such as seborrheic keratoses and epidermal nevi that share many histological features. (more…)

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease where different immunosuppressive treatments are used (like cyclosporine or azathioprine) in severe cases. In the last years there have been some publications reporting the efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil in adult patients with severe AD. In this report form the July issue of the British Journal of Dermatology the authors reports their experience with mycophenolate mofetil for severe AD in children. This agent should probably be added to the therapeutic armamentarium of dermatologists dealing with severe cases of AD in children. (more…)

In recents years several studies have focussed on the presence of different risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in patients with psoriasis, such as obesity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and glucose intolerance. This risk factors, also known as “metabolic syndrome” have been shown in several studies to be more frequent in psoriatic patients, and therefore these patients may harbor a higher risk of myocardial infarction, diabetes, and stroke than the general population. (more…)

The 87th Annual Meeting of the BAD will be inBirmingham in July 2007. (more…)