Diagnosis and management of skin resurfacing-related complications

Herpes simplex virus reactivation after nonablative fractional laser to treat facial photoaging

Contemporary approaches for facial rejuvenation encompass the utilization of both ablative and nonablative laser techniques. Extensive research has elucidated the adverse consequences associated with ablative laser treatment, such as the emergence of infectious, follicular, scarring, and pigmentary alterations. Nonablative fractional lasers exhibit commendable cosmetic outcomes, characterized by a diminished incidence of complications owing to their photomechanical mechanisms, in contrast to ablative laser modalities. Nonetheless, it is imperative to acknowledge that untoward effects may still manifest. In this report, we present two cases of herpes simplex virus (HSV) reactivation subsequent to nonablative fractional resurfacing. Timely identification and the appropriate administration of antiviral agents are important, which serve as imperative measures to mitigate the long-term consequences that may arise in the event of complications.

Severe hyperpigmentation and scarring following glycolic acid peel treatment in combination with low-dose isotretinoin

BACKGROUND

The application of systemic isotretinoin in the treatment of cutaneous photoaging has been well investigated. In addition, well-recognized topical antiaging therapies such as superficial chemical peeling (CP) with α-hydroxy acids have been shown to be more helpful when combined with low-dose oral isotretinoin. Even though the combination of systemic isotretinoin and medium to deep CP has been associated with serious side effects such as delayed wound healing and enlarged incidence of scarring, to date superficial CP and concomitant systemic isotretinoin have been considered safe.

CASE PRESENTATION

In this report, we present the case of a patient receiving low-dose oral isotretinoin therapy who developed severe painful erythema and erosions that led to permanent hyperpigmentation and scarring of her face and neck after undergoing superficial CP with glycolic acid.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a potential risk of hyperpigmentation and scarring with the use of a combination of low-dose oral isotretinoin and glycolic acid peeling.

Circulating miR-210 as a Novel Hypoxia Marker in Pancreatic Cancer

MicroRNA are small noncoding transcripts involved in many cellular mechanisms, including tumorigenesis. miR-210, in particular, is induced by hypoxia and correlates with adverse outcomes in certain cancers. Because pancreatic adenocarcinomas exhibit extremely hypoxic signatures, we hypothesized that miR-210 may serve as a diagnostic marker for screening or surveillance for pancreatic cancer. Plasma samples were obtained from newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer patients and age-matched noncancer controls. miRNA was extracted directly from plasma and reverse-transcribed to complementary DNA. A known quantity of synthetic Caenorhabditis elegans miR-54 (celmiR-54) was added for normalization. miR-210 and cel-miR-54 were then measured using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. An initial cohort of 11 pancreatic cancer patients and 14 age-matched controls was used as the test set and a second cohort of 11 pancreatic cancer patients and 11 controls was used as the validating set in this study. miR-210 was reliably detected and quantified, with a statistically significant four-fold increase in expression in pancreatic cancer patients compared with normal controls (P < .00004) in the test set. This difference was confirmed in the validation group (P < .018). In summary, circulating miR-210 levels are elevated in pancreatic cancer patients and may potentially serve as a useful biomarker for pancreatic cancer diagnosis.