Annalisa Patrizi

• full professor
• Managing Director at University of Bologna

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a condition caused by the reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the virus responsible for chickepox, which is the clinical manifestation of the primary infection. Congenital or acquired immune system deficiencies, as well as the physiological decline in immune response occurring in the elderly, known as immune senescen...

Background: Xerosis negatively impacts the quality of life (QoL) for older adults by producing pruritus (itching), burning or stinging, and an uncomfortable sensation of tightness in the skin. Furthermore, chronic illness and pharmacological therapies could worsen skin health. Severe xerosis can also result in redness or cracking of the skin. The...

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease that affects both children and adults. However, limited research has been conducted on gender differences in AD. Objectives This study aimed to assess gender differences in adult AD patients, focusing on demographic and clinical features, comorbidities, and treatment approache...

Introduction: The diagnostic delay in nail melanoma (NM) has been repeatedly emphasized. It may be related to both clinical misinterpretations and to errors in the bioptic procedure. Objectives: To assess the efficacy of histopathologic examination in different diagnostic biopsies in NM. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the diagnostic...

Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, great interest has been given to this disease, especially to its possible clinical presentations. Besides classical respiratory symptoms, dermatological manifestations occur quite often among infected and non-infected patients, particularly in children. A prominent IFN-I response, that is generally...

Background: Psoriasis is associated with comorbid psychiatric conditions. However, its relationship with suicidality is not completely understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and the correlates of depressive symptoms and suicide risk in patients with psoriasis. Methods: Adult psoriatic patients referring to the Outpatient...

Currently, there are a few detailed guidelines on the overall management of children and adolescents with moderate-severe atopic dermatitis. AD is a complex disease presenting with different clinical phenotypes, which require an individualized and multidisciplinary approach. Therefore, appropriate interaction between primary care pediatricians, ped...

Introduction: Eruptive cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC), eruptive squamous atypia (ESA) and eruptive keratoacanthomas (EKA) are different terms used to describe the occurrence of multiple cutaneous squamous neoplasms after skin surgery, laser treatment, traumas, such as tattoos, and local or systemic medical treatments. ESCC have been rep...

A 70-year-old man presented with a 2-year history of red scrotum. He had previously been treated with antibiotics due to a diagnosis of E. faecalis infection, and had received a histopathologic diagnosis of leiomyoma. After exclusion of an allergic contact dermatitis by patch testing, we performed another 4-mm punch biopsy, and Hematoxilin and Eosi...

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease often associated with a significant impairment in the quality of life of affected patients. The Italian Society of Dermatology and Venereology (SIDeMaST) planned a national information campaign, providing direct access to 27 dermatologic centers dedicated to the management of AD. The aim...

Purpose Neoplastic wounds may develop as a result of primary tumor growth in the skin, due to metastasis, or due to skin invasion by tumors emerging from deeper levels. Malignant wounds may present as a crater-like ulcer, or as raised nodules with a cauliflower-like appearance. They are associated with malodor, necrosis, pain, bleeding, and seconda...

Background: Intravenous drug users (IVDUs) represent a very small group of patients affected by chronic wounds (CWs). Objectives: To assess the risk factors for CWs in IVDUs, to improve their treatment. Methods: A retrospective review of 7 IVDUs with CWs was performed at the Dermatology of the University of Bologna. Results: A history of 10 years o...

Adult atopic dermatitis (adult AD) is a systemic inflammatory disorder, whose relationship with immune-allergic and metabolic comorbidities is not well established yet. Moreover, treatment of mild-to-moderate and severe atopic dermatitis needs standardization among clinicians. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of comorbidities,...

Background Cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) accounts for the highest mortality rate among all skin cancers. Traditional histopathologic diagnosis may be limited by the pathologists’ subjectivity. Second-opinion strategies and multidisciplinary consultations are usually performed to overcome this issue. An available solution in the future could be...

Background: Contact allergy and atopic dermatitis are both common inflammatory T cell-mediated diseases and many factors may influence prevalence of contact allergy in atopic dermatitis patients. In children their possible correlation was debated with conflicting results. Objectives: The aims of the present study were to assess the prevalence of...

Background: The European Prospective Observational Study in Patients Eligible for Systemic Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis (EUROSTAD) is an ongoing observational study aiming to describe characteristics of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) treated with systemic therapy over time and the management of their disease in a real-world setting. Method...

Background: Basal cell carcinoma can simulate melanoma and specific dermoscopic criteria have not yet been defined in a large cohort. Objective: To identify dermoscopic "trump" characteristics for differential diagnosis, identify cluster groups and assess the clinical impact of this study's findings. Methods: Retrospective, multicentric compar...

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic approaches to patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) differ among health care professionals and may be influenced by many factors. This cross-sectional survey was aimed at evaluating physicians' attitudes regarding therapeutic management of CSUin clinical practice. METHODS: A study-specific questionnaire was a...

Retronychia is an inflammatory disorder typical of the great toes characterized by arrested nail growth, ingrowth of the nail plate into the proximal nail fold and paronychia. There is no standardized treatment for retronychia, and its management should be weighed based on the severity stage, treatment modality, and clinical outcome. In this paper,...

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic-relapsing inflammatory skin disease, burdened by various comorbidities. AD most commonly occurs in children but may persist or present in adulthood becoming a lifelong condition. Therefore, AD requires an effective long-term treatment improving disease signs and symptoms but also of patients' quality of li...

Dear Editor, A 45-year-old man presented with a large, dark, keratotic, warty, and friable plaque on the distal posterior aspect of the left leg (Figure 1, a). The patient reported that the lesion was not present at birth but had appeared approximately at the age of three as an erythematous patch that progressively grew over the time. During adoles...

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma of uncertain origin. MCC incidence varies by country and has been increasing among white populations over the last three decades. MCC occurs most commonly in elderly men and typically arises on sun-exposed areas. It is associated with a high mortality rate due to rapid growth...

Background and objectives Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis affecting 2-3% of the general population. The link between psoriasis and renal dysfunction has been investigated, demonstrating a common pro-inflammatory pathogenesis. This study is aimed at evaluating renal function in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis...

A deeper understanding of how health-related quality of life relates to the clinical and individual characteristics of patients is essential for the delivery of patient-centered dermatological care. The current study aimed to examine the role of individual differences in emotion dysregulation and social anxiety in modulating quality of life in psor...

The main subtypes of cutaneous adnexal tumors are described in this chapter in accordance with the latest classification of this complex and heterogeneous group of disorders.

Zusammenfassung CALME steht für childhood asymmetry labium majus enlargement und bezeichnet eine physiologische, nichtneoplastische Schwellung des Weichteilgewebes der Labia majora. CALME wird durch die Vergrößerung einer oder mehrerer normaler vulvärer Gewebeanteile verursacht und weist keine äußere Kapsel auf. Vereinzelte Berichte in der Literatu...

Background: Psoriasis has a significant impact on quality of life and affects the sexual sphere in 25-70% of patients. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in female patients with psoriasis and to assess the possible correlation of sexual dysfunction with disease severity, genital involvement, age and some com...

Background: Apremilast is the first small molecule approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis in adult patients; however, real-life data are still limited. We investigated the effectiveness and safety of this drug in a multicentre real-world setting. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from all psoriatic patients who receiv...

Background The short anagen syndrome (SAS) is a rare idiopathic pediatric disorder characterized by the short duration of the anagen phase. SAS mainly affects Caucasian children. Parents complain of their child's inability to grow long hair. Topical minoxidil may be an effective treatment for SAS; however, a slow spontaneous improvement is typical....

Background: Lichen sclerosus is an autoimmune dermatosis that in women typically involves vulvar area. This condition can strongly impact on the quality of life.To date, topical steroids are the most effective treatment, although adverse effects are possible, especially in long-term application. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy...

Patients with positive anamnesis of genital involvement may represent a particular sub-type of HS. In our experience, these patients reported a more severe course of disease and a worse QoL than patients without genital involvement. Moreover, the genital involvement in males was associated with a late-onset HS and a higher risk of comorbidities. Th...

Scalp dysesthesia and lichen simplex chronicus, conditions that can be associated, are both challenging and frustrating for the patient and the physician. The etiology is not well elucidated and treatment options are limited. Pathogenetic factors, diagnostic methods and therapeutic options in the management of scalp dysesthesia are reviewed accordi...

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) can sometimes affect the eyelids and in particular the eyelid margin, where it can often be misdiagnosed, mimicking other benign, more common diseases. Dermoscopy may provide additional diagnostic criteria for an earlier diagnosis of eyelid margin BCC, although the dermoscopic features of BCC affecting this anatomical sit...

Different dermoscopic presentations of typical seborrheic keratosis (SK) have been widely described1 but atypical SKs have not yet been distinguished from cutaneous neoplasms. In these cases, histopathological diagnosis is needed to rule out malignancy2. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) improves cutaneous skin differential diagnoses, also for...

CALME is the abbreviation of “childhood asymmetry labium majus enlargement” and denotes a physiological, non‐neoplastic swelling of labium majus soft tissues. It is caused by the expansion of one or more normal vulvar tissue components and is devoid of a peripheral capsule. A few reports in the literature have raised awareness of this benign condit...

Retroareolar cysts are benign breast lesions caused by the obstruction and consequent dilatation of Montgomery tubercles. Herein, we report two cases of premenarchal girls who developed retroareolar cysts. Their course and differential diagnosis are discussed.

Background: Psoriasis frequently affects partners and intimacy and sometimes leads to a break in relationships. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible negative impact of psoriasis on married life through the use of the Quality Marriage Index (QMI), a score used to assess marital satisfaction. Methods: In this prospective case-control...

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is characterized by periodic worsening of both clinical manifestations and symptoms. Objective: To investigate the role of flare outbreak as a possible predictive factor of response to Adalimumab. Material and Methods: 115 HS patients in treatment with adalimumab, with moderate-severe HS, ≥3 abscesses and i...

Background and aim High dose brachytherapy using a non sealed ¹⁸⁸Re-resin (Rhenium-SCT®, Oncobeta® GmbH, Munich, Germany) is a treatment option for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The aim of this prospective study was to assess the efficacy and the safety of a single application of Rhenium-SCT® in NMSC. Materials and method Fifty consecutive pati...

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-021-05363-7

Malignant cutaneous melanoma (CM) is a potentially lethal form of skin cancer whose worldwide incidence has been constantly increasing over the past decades. During their lifetime, about 8% of CM patients will develop multiple primary melanomas (MPMs), usually at a young age and within 3 years from the first tumor/diagnosis. With the aim of improvi...

Background: Psoriasis and lymphoma risk is widely debated, but few is known about misdiagnosis risk between erythrodermic psoriasis and lymphoma . In fact erythroderma might represent a clinical presentation of psoriasis, cutaneous T cell lymphomas and skin dissemination of systemic lymphomas. Methods: All patients referred to psoriasis outpatie...

Background: Mortality of bullous pemphigoid(BP) is a variable parameter,depending especially on the area where the study was conducted.The 1-year mortality rate and the identification of clinictherapeutic factors with potential prognostic value in patients with BP were evaluated in a cohort from a single referral center. Methods: We have reviewe...

Background: Actinic keratosis (AK) is a form of premalignant keratinocyte dysplasia. Recently, the role of photosensitizing drugs in the development of AK has been postulated. Objective: This study evaluated a possible association between the use of photosensitizing drugs and the development of AK. A secondary aim was to identify a possible asso...

We read with great interest the paper by Liccioli and colleagues concerning Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP)‐associated mucocutaneous disease in children.1 Interestingly, among a cohort of 10 patients, the clinical presentation was variable but oral mucositis was constantly present. In particular, the lip involvement reported in their pictures caught our...

We have read with great interest the scientific literature regarding the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer during COVID‐19 pandemic.1‐5 The cancellation of routine dermatologic visits could lead to the risk of neglecting cutaneous melanoma (CM), with potential consequences in terms of morbidity and mortality,1,2 even though the specific impact...

The use of the Internet is a widespread practice, for medical information as well. This habit can be detrimental as it is related both to the quality of the information and to the users’ critical analysis. Limited data are available on the attitude for Internet consultation among dermatological patients. The aim of this multicentre, observational a...

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is characterized by periodic worsening of symptoms. However, clinical parameters associated with flare are still to be established. The aim was too investigate factors associated with flare outbreak in HS patients in treatment with adalimumab. Methods: Moderate-severe HS patients were included in this re...

Microsporum gypseum is a geophilic saprophyte for which soil is the natural habitat. Tinea corporis caused by Microsporum gypseum is rare and usually occurs after direct contact with the soil or healthy carrier animals. We present a case series of eight children with tinea corporis caused by M gypseum, with unusual clinic presentations mimicking de...

Background Few and small studies have described the management of immunomodulant/immunosuppressive therapies or phototherapy in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Methods A national registry, named DA‐COVID‐19 and involving 35 Italian dermatology units, was established in order to evaluate the impa...

In cases of skin eruptions over the course of antibiotic therapy and concomitant viral infection, differential diagnosis is often challenging. Confirming or ruling out drug hypersensitivity is not always a clear-cut question. Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) cases, for example, is classified as severe cutaneous adverse...

During the COVID‐19 pandemic an outbreak of chilblain lesions has been described worldwide. The relationship with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection is still debated. Emerging literature regarding this possible correlation focuses on two hypotheses: an endothelial infection or the result of an IFN type I‐mediated immune response.

Scalp lichen simplex chronicus (LSC) is rare and can be a challenging and frustrating condition for both patient and physician. Dermoscopic features of LSC have already been described and correlated to histopathology, but diagnosis may results difficult even with the aid of dermatoscopy and the pathologic interpretation may not be diagnostic if bio...

Background: Since December 2019, the global population has been experiencing an unprecedented challenge due to Corona virus disease (COVID-19). A pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization on March 11th 2020, with an escalation of new cases worldwide. Dermatology units experienced a reorganization of regular activity, also providing cl...

The term dioxin is commonly used to describe a group of ubiquitous environmental contaminants: polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs, 209 different compounds). The best studied compound among the group in relation to its higher toxicity is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD). Polychlorinated bip...

HINTERGRUND: Lentigo maligna (LM) und das Lentigo maligna-Melanom (LMM) sind Histotypen des Melanoms, die in Hautarealen mit kumulativer Schädigung durch Sonneneinstrahlung entstehen. Atypische Melanozyten in den Haarfollikeln (Follikulotropismus) sind ein typisches Merkmal von LM/LMM. Die Bedeutung dieses Phänomens ist noch nicht vollständig aufge...

A single-center retrospective study reviewed the following sonographic features of 18 confirmed cases of localized cutaneous leishmaniasis to identify shared presentation patterns: echotexture, lesion borders, hypodermal involvement, soft-tissue changes, and vascular pattern. A second objective was to correlate these patterns with clinical characte...