BACKGROUND: Severe psoriasis is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome; however, the genetic predictors determining susceptibility to comorbid conditions remain largely unexplored. AIM: To evaluate the association between TYK2 (rs2304255) and DDX58 (rs34085293) gene variants and comorbidities in patients with severe psoriasis. METHODS: This single-center, cross-sectional, observational study represents a secondary analysis of a cohort originally established to assess netakimab pharmacogenetics (70 patients: 45 men, 25 women; median age: 45 years). Comorbidities (dyslipidemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hyperuricemia, and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease) were cross-sectionally evaluated at screening, prior to initiating netakimab therapy. TYK2 (rs2304255) and DDX58 (rs34085293) genotyping was conducted by polymerase chain reaction. Associations were evaluated using Fisher exact test, the phi coefficient, and odds ratios (ORs), with the Benjamini–Hochberg procedure applied to adjust for multiple testing. RESULTS: Following adjustment for multiple comparisons, neither TYK2 nor DDX58 polymorphisms showed statistically significant associations with comorbidities. Noted trends for TYK2 C/C (OR = 4.67 in dyslipidemia) and DDX58 T/T (OR = 0.306 in dyslipidemia; OR = 0.405 in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease) exhibited wide 95% confidence intervals spanning unity and non-significant adjusted p-values (0.287 and 0.501, respectively). No significant associations were observed for diabetes, hyperuricemia, or hypertension. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our data provide insufficient evidence to establish the studied TYK2 and DDX58 variants as definitive genetic determinants of the evaluated comorbidities. Nonetheless, the identified trends necessitate further investigation to generate and test new hypotheses.
BACKGROUND: Rosacea is characterized by frequent relapses, resistance to conventional pharmacotherapy, and short remission periods. These challenges underscore the need for alternative therapeutic strategies, including the use of a domestically produced botulinum toxin type A. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin type A in combination with hemagglutinin for the treatment of erythematotelangiectatic rosacea of varying severity. METHODS: The study included 35 patients diagnosed with L71.8 (erythematotelangiectatic rosacea) according to ICD-10. Disease severity was assessed using the Adaskevich V.P. Scale or the Rosacea Diagnostic Assessment Scale based on the severity of subjective symptoms. Clinical efficacy was determined based on the time profile of subjective complaints and objective symptoms. Statistical analysis was performed using RStudio and the R programming language. RESULTS: Following mesotherapy with botulinum toxin type A in combination with hemagglutinin, the most frequently observed outcome regardless of severity was partial remission (61–71 %), whereas disease stabilization occurred less often (14–36 %). Complete remission was observed only in isolated cases, and there were no reports of disease progression or relapses. No adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION: Botulinum toxin type A in combination with hemagglutinin demonstrated a favorable efficacy and safety profile in patients with mild-to-moderate erythematotelangiectatic rosacea.
Aim:Compare the full-process costs of the GeneXpert® CT/NG assay and the Roche cobas® 4800 CT/NG test under different instrument configurations and daily testing volumes, so as to provide a basis for healthcare institutions to select appropriate testing options. Methods:ATime-Driven Activity-Based Costing(TDABC) model was developed, categorizing costs into labor, instrument depreciation and maintenance, consumables, space, and electricity. Cost formulas were derived for different instrument configurations under varying daily testing volumes (n). Results:Cost analysis showed that when the daily testing volume (n) is ≤9, the total cost of the 2 or 4 channel Xpert system is lower than that of the cobas 24. For the cobas 96 system, the Xpert 16 , 48 , and 80 channel systems have a cost advantage when n ≤33, n ≤27, and n ≤24, respectively. Reagents and consumables constitute the largest proportion of total costs. In addition, the Xpert system can complete up to five batches per day, whereas the cobas 24 and 96 complete a maximum of four and three batches per day, respectively, offering faster turnaround time for individual samples. Conclusion:For institutions with a daily testing volume below 9 samples, the Xpert 2 or 4 channel model is recommended for optimal cost-efficiency and reduced patient waiting time. For high-throughput settings (e.g. 100 samples/day), the cobas 96 or higher channel Xpert models (48/80) are suitable alternatives. The choice should be guided by the actual daily testing volume, workflow, and resource constraints.
BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia is a widespread disorder that presents therapeutic challenges due to patients' inflated expectations, low treatment compliance associated with inconvenient topical application, and concerns regarding adverse effects. Therefore, investigating the efficacy of non-drug multi-component agents for managing hair loss and stimulating hair growth appears highly relevant. AIM: Evaluation of the efficacy of a corrective and stimulating serum combining a minoxidil derivative and high-concentration niacinamide in women with androgenetic alopecia. METHODS: The study involved 38 female patients who applied the serum daily for 4 months. The outcomes were assessed clinically and using phototrichogram analysis. RESULTS: Upon completion of the treatment course, clinical recovery was observed in 25 patients (65.8%), significant improvement — in 4 (10.5%), and improvement — in 3 (7.9%). No effect was reported in 6 cases (15.8%). The proportion of telogen hair normalized (≤ 10%) in 27 women (71.1%). CONCLUSION: The multi-component serum applied in the study showed high efficacy and good tolerability in the treatment of female androgenetic alopecia. Its ease of use promotes better treatment compliance, allowing this product to be recommended for long-term application in the comprehensive management of this condition.
BACKGROUND: Despite the accumulated data on the significance of clinical indicators for predicting the efficacy of interleukin inhibitor therapy, the findings are contradictory. AIM: To determine the significance of clinical signs as predictors of the efficacy or failure of biologic therapy of moderate-to-severe psoriasis. METHODS: The study enrolled 156 patients with psoriasis vulgaris (L40.0 according to ICD-10). The severity of the disease was assessed using standard clinical indices — PASI and BSA. The clinical efficacy was determined by the percentage of PASI reduction 50/75/90/100: good response (PASI ≥ 75) and low efficacy/poor response (PASI ≤ 50). The findings were statistically analyzed and visualized using RStudio and the R programming language. To identify factors associated with treatment efficacy, three analytical approaches were used: multivariate logistic regression, random forest algorithm, and regularized logistic regression (LASSO). RESULTS: By Week 16, PASI scores ≥ 75 were achieved in 113 patients (72%), insufficient efficacy (PASI ≤ 50) was observed in 43 patients (27%); by Week 26 — in 129 (84%) and 24 (16%), respectively. The highest proportion of patients with insufficient responses was observed in the adalimumab and etanercept groups at Weeks 16 and 26 (46% and 57%; 27% and 25%, respectively). It has been established that the key and most consistent predictor of the efficacy of biologic therapy in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis is body mass index: an increase in this indicator is associated with a reduced likelihood of achieving a good clinical response. Arterial hypertension is also associated with lower treatment efficacy, while a higher HDL level can be considered an additional favorable prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: Consideration of the metabolic and cardiovascular patient characteristics may increase the validity of the choice of biologic therapy in clinical practice.
