Journal Digest: August 12, 2026

Journal of Dermatological Treatment | Patients’ and clinicians’ perspectives on telemedicine to monitor patients on systemic treatment for psoriasis or atopic dermatitis - a mixed methods study

A mixed-methods study explored patient and clinician perspectives on telemedicine for individuals with stable psoriasis or atopic dermatitis (AD) receiving systemic therapy. Surveys included 162 patients and 152 dermatological care providers, while interviews involved 12 patients and 5 providers. Both groups generally supported telemedicine, citing convenience, reduced travel, time and cost savings, and potential environmental benefits. Patients emphasized that an established clinician relationship should precede remote monitoring, while clinicians highlighted the need for user-friendly technology, technical support, and appropriate reimbursement. Telephone visits were preferred by 68% of patients and 76% of clinicians, and many clinicians believed at least half of follow-up visits could be conducted remotely. However, in-person visits remain important for unstable disease, new symptoms, treatment initiation, suspected adverse events, or diagnostic uncertainty. Poor-quality patient photographs and difficulty assessing certain body sites were additional limitations. The findings support telemedicine as a patient-centered option for appropriately selected patients with stable disease.¹

MedComm | Reactive Cutaneous Capillary Endothelial Proliferation in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients Treated With Camrelizumab-Based Therapy: A Pooled Analysis of Two Phase 3 Trials

In this pooled analysis of 2 phase 3 trials, investigators evaluated reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (RCCEP), a distinctive dermatologic adverse event associated with camrelizumab, in 526 patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. RCCEP developed in 79.8% of patients, with 99% of cases classified as grade 1 or 2. Lesions appeared after a median of 1.18 months and lasted approximately 3.12 months, and no patients required treatment interruption or discontinuation because of RCCEP. Importantly, patients who developed RCCEP had higher objective response rates than those without RCCEP (52.4% vs 26.4%) and longer median progression-free survival (5.55 vs 1.94 months) and overall survival (13.40 vs 6.11 months). A 2-month landmark analysis supported the association with improved outcomes, particularly overall survival. For dermatology clinicians, recognizing RCCEP as a characteristic, generally manageable camrelizumab-related eruption may help reassure patients and support treatment adherence. However, the findings are exploratory and do not establish causation.²

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology | Work impact of immune-mediated inflammatory skin diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the global impact of immune-mediated inflammatory skin diseases (IMIDs) on work productivity. Researchers analyzed 100 studies involving 306,619 adults with alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriasis, or vitiligo. Across studies, skin IMIDs were consistently associated with impaired occupational functioning. Mean overall work impairment on the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) scale was 28.96%, while patients averaged 16.74 days of sick leave annually. The findings suggest that the occupational burden of these chronic conditions extends beyond visible skin manifestations and is influenced by psychosocial factors. The authors call for standardized approaches to measuring work outcomes and multidisciplinary strategies to reduce occupational disadvantage. The results highlight the importance of recognizing work-related impairment as part of the broader disease burden when assessing patients with skin IMIDs. Incorporating questions about productivity, absenteeism, and psychosocial well-being may help identify unmet needs and inform more comprehensive management.³

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology | Real-World Experience with Janus Kinase Inhibitors in Severe Refractory Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Retrospective Case Series

A recent retrospective case series evaluated the real-world use of Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) in 8 male patients with severe, treatment-refractory Hurley stage III hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Patients received tofacitinib (n=3), upadacitinib (n=4), or ivarmacitinib (n=1), with follow-up ranging from 1 week to 12 months. Seven patients demonstrated improvement in inflammatory lesions and/or pain. The median reduction in International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Score System (IHS4) was 9.5 points, while the median reduction in pain scores was 4 points. One patient experienced a disease flare after temporarily stopping upadacitinib, followed by improvement after restarting therapy. No severe infections, thromboembolic events, HBV reactivation, or treatment-limiting adverse events were reported during follow-up. These findings suggest JAK inhibition may offer a potential off-label option for select patients with refractory HS, but the small, all-male cohort, heterogeneous treatments, and variable follow-up limit conclusions about efficacy, durability, or comparative safety.⁴

Journal of Dermatological Treatment | Patient preferences for prurigo nodularis treatment: a discrete choice experiment

This discrete choice experiment of 150 adults with moderate to severe prurigo nodularis (PN) in the US and UK found that rapid itch relief was the strongest driver of treatment preferences. Participants evaluated treatment profiles based on onset of itch and lesion reduction, likelihood of being itch-free or achieving skin healing at 16 weeks, adverse events, warnings, and administration frequency. Onset of itch reduction had a conditional relative importance (CRI) of 36.91, making it 7.4 times more important than onset of lesion/nodule reduction (CRI, 5.02) and nearly twice as important as the likelihood of skin healing (CRI, 22.05) or being itch-free at 16 weeks (CRI, 20.54). Safety and dosing frequency were less influential overall, although some subgroups placed greater emphasis on these factors. The findings underscore the importance of discussing how quickly a treatment may control pruritus, alongside longer-term efficacy, safety, and convenience, when developing an individualized PN treatment plan.⁵

References

1. Henckens NFT, Pawlak ME, Wanten SAC, et al. Patients’ and clinicians’ perspectives on telemedicine to monitor patients on systemic treatment for psoriasis or atopic dermatitis - a mixed methods study. Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 37(1).2026 doi:10.1080/09546634.2026.2703354

2. Liu J, He Y, He M, et al. Reactive Cutaneous Capillary Endothelial Proliferation in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients Treated With Camrelizumab-Based Therapy: A Pooled Analysis of Two Phase 3 Trials. MedComm7. no. 8 (2026): e70917. doi:10.1002/mco2.70917

3. Kpenou FC, Han JH, Fadel M, Vo T-T, Ju HJ, El Aarbaoui T, et al. Work impact of immune-mediated inflammatory skin diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2026; 00: 1–16. doi:10.1111/jdv.70653

4. Dai Y, Han Y, Zhang S, et al. Real-World Experience with Janus Kinase Inhibitors in Severe Refractory Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Retrospective Case Series. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 19. 2026. doi:10.2147/CCID.S623786

5. Bewley A, Elmariah S, Arija P, et al. Patient preferences for prurigo nodularis treatment: a discrete choice experiment. Journal of Dermatological Treatment. 37(1).2026. doi:10.1080/09546634.2026.2710949