Citations

AbstractBackgroundCalciphylaxis is a debilitating dermatological condition associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Palliative care offers a multidisciplinary approach to addressing symptoms and goals of care in patients with serious medical diagnoses. Involvement of palliative services for calciphylaxis is infrequently reported in the literature. The purpose of this report is to assess rates of palliative and pain consultation for patients with calciphylaxis.MethodsThis is a comprehensive, single‐institution retrospective chart review of 121 eligible patients with a diagnosis of calciphylaxis treated at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, from 1999 to 2016. Inclusion criteria were an indisputable diagnosis of calciphylaxis based on clinical, histopathologic, and radiographic features. One hundred twenty‐one patients met inclusion criteria.ResultsFifty‐one patients (42%) received either a palliative (n = 15) or pain (n = 20) consultation, or both (n = 16). Patients with a palliative care consultation were younger compared with those without (mean ages 57 vs. 62 years, P = 0.046). In 104 patients (86%), psychiatric symptoms were not assessed.ConclusionsIn this cohort of patients with calciphylaxis, the majority do not receive palliative and pain care consultations. Psychiatric complications are inconsistently addressed. These observations highlight practice gaps in the care of patients with calciphylaxis.

Introduction Dermatologic complaints are a common reason for emergency department visits. Methods Retrospective chart review from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2019. Patients in the Mayo Clinic Emergency Department receiving dermatology consultation were included. Results Dermatitis (24.7%, n = 113), infection (20.4%, n = 93), and drug reaction (10.3%, n = 47) accounted for the majority of diagnoses. Emergency department providers often provide no diagnosis (38%) or a differential diagnosis (22%), and dermatology consultation frequently alters diagnosis (46%) and treatment (83%). Patients receiving in-person consultations are admitted more frequently than those receiving teledermatology consultations (40% vs. 16%, p < 0.001). Primary diagnostic concordance with subsequent dermatology evaluation is high for in-person (94%) and teledermatology (88%) consultations. Discussion This is the largest study of emergency department dermatology consultations in the United States and the first to compare in-person and teledermatology emergency department consultation utilization in clinical practice. These modalities are utilized in a complementary fashion at our institution, with severe dermatologic diagnoses seen in-person. The valuable role of emergency department dermatologists is highlighted by frequent changes to diagnosis and treatment plans that result from dermatology consultation. Furthermore, our data suggest that teledermatology is an effective modality with the potential to expand access to dermatologic expertise in the emergency department setting.

AbstractBackgroundHospitalized patients with hematologic malignancies are medically complex and commonly affected by dermatologic conditions.MethodsRetrospective chart review from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018, at Rochester Methodist Hospital (Rochester, Minnesota, USA). Patients hospitalized on hematology and BMT services receiving dermatology consultation were included.ResultsIn all, 578 consultations (63% male, median age 61 years) were reviewed. Drug reactions (22%), infection (17%), and malignant neoplasm (10%) accounted for nearly half of diagnoses. Exanthematous drug reaction (10%), graft‐versus‐host disease (7%), and lymphoma or leukemia cutis (6%) were the commonest individual diagnoses. There were significantly more drug reactions in severe neutropenia (33.2% vs. 15.0%), neutrophilic dermatoses in myeloid neoplasm (5.2% vs. 0.3%), and viral infection in lymphoid neoplasm (8.3% vs. 1.2%). Consultation frequently altered treatment (68%), diagnostic workup (63%), and the primary service’s initial diagnostic impression (53%). Biopsies were performed in 52% of consultations and helped secure a diagnosis 73% of the time. A total of 16.4% of consultations did not receive a definitive final diagnosis, and 18.5% were resolved in one visit.ConclusionThis is the largest study to date of hospital dermatology consultation in hematology patients. Biopsies are utilized frequently and are diagnostically useful. The complexity of this patient population is evidenced by the fact that a final diagnosis remains elusive in a number of cases despite the multiple visits required for the vast majority of consultations. Nevertheless, dermatology consultation alters diagnosis and treatment in the majority of patients, highlighting the critical role dermatologists have in the care of these patients.

AbstractBackgroundThe purpose of this study was to retrospectively assess clinical characteristics and mortality rate of Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) in patients who developed disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).MethodsA systematic retrospective chart review of all patients with concurrent clinical diagnosis of DIC and SJS/TEN between July 1, 2012, and January 1, 2020, at the Mayo Clinic was performed.ResultsThe incidence of DIC in patients with SJS/TEN was 1.3% at our institution (5 of 396 DIC patients). Triggers of SJS/TEN included lamotrigine, clofarabine, antibiotics, and sepsis. Two patients diagnosed with SJS and two patients with TEN succumbed to the disease.ConclusionDIC is a rare underlying risk in patients with SJS/TEN and is associated with increased mortality. Early clinician awareness and aggressive intervention is advised.

AbstractBackgroundTo retrospectively review the outcomes of two rare cutaneous diseases, Stevens‐Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and to question the practice of averaging the mortality rate on the assumption that they are one disease.MethodsA retrospective chart review of all patients diagnosed with SJS and TEN by a dermatologist between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2020, at our institution was performed. Seventy‐one patients were identified (21 pediatric and 50 adults). Pathology slides from 32 adult patients (64%) were evaluated by a blinded board‐certified dermatopathologist.ResultsOf the adult patients, 31 had SJS, two had SJS‐TEN overlap, and 17 had TEN. All 21 patients in the pediatric group were diagnosed with SJS mainly caused by Mycoplasma. Mortality rates were 6.5% for SJS among adults and 35.3% for TEN. Chemotherapy‐induced TEN is a trigger with 50% mortality.ConclusionsSJS was more common in adults and pediatric cases than TEN (3:1) and had a much better prognosis and outcome. Combining and averaging the mortality rates of TEN and SJS are not advised as SJS is mainly a mucocutaneous disorder with good prognosis versus TEN, a systemic toxicity of multiple organs with deep skin detachment.

Background A major question in patch testing is when to perform the final reading. Our current standard practice is to place patches on day 1, remove them on day 3, and perform readings on days 3 and 5. For certain allergens, another reading is performed sometime from days 7 to 14≥. Objectives The aim of the study was to identify allergens with positive reactions on day 5 that were negative on day 7 or later and allergens with negative reactions on day 5 that were subsequently positive on day 7 or later. Methods We reviewed records of patients who underwent patch testing from January 2007 to December 2016 at Mayo Clinic with readings on day 5 and day 7 or later. Conclusions In total, 131 allergens had positive reactions on day 5 that were negative on day 7 or later, and 58 allergens had negative reactions on day 5 that were positive on day 7 or later. Twenty-five allergens had significantly higher reaction rates on day 5 than day 7 or later. Our standard practice is to perform readings on days 3 and 5 and on days 3, 5, and 7 or later for series containing metals. Readings on days 3, 5, and 7 or later should also be considered for acrylates.

Abstract Background Voriconazole is a common antifungal medication used in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) patients. In solid organ transplantation, multiple studies have associated the use of voriconazole with the development of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) post-transplant, but its association with SCC in allo-HSCT patients is unknown. We sought to determine this association. Methods After IRB approval, Mayo Clinic’s transplant database (2007-2012) was accessed and electronic charts of allo-HSCT patients were retrospectively reviewed. Voriconazole exposure was defined as exposure to voriconazole at any time during treatment of primary disease, prior to or following HSCT. Cumulative voriconazole exposure was defined as total days of voriconazole use following HSCT; days were not required to be consecutive. Two time-dependent voriconazole exposure variables were defined: (1) history of voriconazole exposure (yes/no) over time, and (2) cumulative days on voriconazole over time. Results 404 patients underwent allo-HSCT during this timeframe, and 381 patients (table 1) were included in the final analysis. 23 patients were excluded (8 patients received multiple transplants, 9 patients were treated under pediatric protocols, 6 patients lacked research consent). 312/381 received voriconazole; other antifungal therapy included fluconazole (n=40), posaconazole (n=23), anidulafungin (n=1), and caspofungin (n=5). Median duration of cumulative days of voriconazole was 214 (range 2 -1553). SCC developed in 26/312 exposed to voriconazole and in 1/69 who received alternative antifungals. Cumulative incidence of SCC at 1 year was 3%, 2 years was 8%, 3 years was 13%, 4 years was 14%, and at 5 years was 19% (figure 1). Cumulative days of voriconazole use was found to be a risk factor for the development of SCC, and this relationship persisted in a multivariate model using previously identified risk factors (gender, age at transplant, TBI conditioning regimen, skin cancer pre-HSCT, chronic GVHD) as covariates (HR 1.859 for each 180 days of use, p<0.001). History of prior voriconazole exposure was not associated with an increased risk of SCC after covariate adjustment (HR 2.436, p=0.2369). Conclusion This is the first study to establish cumulative days of voriconazole use as a risk factor for SCC development following allo-HSCT, and may help guide appropriate antifungal prophylaxis in this patient population which is already at an increased risk of developing skin cancers. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.