Elizabeth Lazaridou

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• Professor
• Professor (Full) at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Introduction: Onychomycosis is one of the most common nail diseases. Fingernail onychomycosis is significantly less frequent than toenail onychomycosis and it is often misdiagnosed due to its subtle clinical presentations. Objectives: We sought to analyze the clinical and onychoscopic features of culture-proven cases of fingernail onychomycosis in...

Multiple parameters define the treatment course with biologics for a psoriatic patient while treatment switches are often associated with worse prognosis. The purpose of this study was to describe the switching patterns of biologics for psoriasis in the Greek market landscape and to detect associated factors that may impact the evolvement of select...

Objective To characterize the systemic treatment patterns and current state of moderate-to-severe psoriasis patients in real-world settings in Greece. Methods CRYSTAL-Greece was a multicenter, cross-sectional and retrospective chart review study assessing Psoriasis Area and Index (PASI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and EuroQol-5-Dimensio...

Background Prospective studies identifying immunological parameters that can predict clinical relapse in pemphigus are scarce. Objective To periodically assess immunological parameters in patients with pemphigus vulgaris and foliaceous in remission to understand immunological events preceding clinical relapse. Methods A total of 105 patients were...

This literature review aims to comprehensively evaluate the clinical and dermoscopic presentations of common pediatric diseases among children with skin of color (SoC) while also addressing potential variations based on racial backgrounds. This review encompasses various conditions, such as nevi subtypes, viral infections, infestations, and inflamm...

Abstract: The dermoscopic rainbow pattern (RP), also known as polychromatic pattern, is characterized by a multicolored appearance, resulting from the dispersion of polarized light as it penetrates various tissue components. Its separation into different wavelengths occurs according to the physics principles of scattering, absorption, and interfere...

Background: Moderate to severe (M2S) atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic condition impacting individuals, society, and healthcare systems. Considering the changing M2S-AD treatment landscape, this study assesses the M2S-AD burden in patients reaching referral centers in Greece. Methods: This was a multicenter, cross-sectional study. Patients aged 1...

Introduction: Diagnosis of acral melanocytic lesions can be challenging. The BRAAFF checklist was introduced as a tool to help differentiate between acral nevi and melanoma but has not been validated. Methods: We asked raters with varying expertise in dermatoscopy to diagnose dermatoscopic images of 533 acral nevi and 144 melanomas via an online...

SERENA is an ongoing European noninterventional longitudinal study evaluating retention, effectiveness, safety, and quality of life (QoL) in secukinumab-treated patients with active moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Herein, 3-year interim results among patients with psoriasis enrolled in Greece ar...

The diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in dark phototypes can be a challenging task due to the lack of relevant clues and its variable presentation. In this regard, there is growing evidence that dermoscopy may benefit the recognition of BCC even for skin of color (SoC). The objective of this review is to provide an up-to-date overview on clin...

Background Drug persistence is a crucial aspect of treatment success in psoriasis. Objectives The scope of this manuscript is to record real-world evidence concerning drug survival of biologic agents used for psoriasis treatment and to detect associated modifying factors in Greece. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study based on data extra...

Background Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive, cutaneous tumour with high mortality and frequently delayed diagnosis. Clinically, it often manifests as a rapidly growing erythematous to purple nodule usually located on the lower extremities or face and scalp of elderly patients. There is limited available data on the dermoscopic find...

Importance Inconsistent reporting of outcomes in clinical trials of rosacea is impeding and likely preventing accurate data pooling and meta-analyses. There is a need for standardization of outcomes assessed during intervention trials of rosacea. Objective To develop a rosacea core outcome set (COS) based on key domains that are globally relevant...

Background Scarce data related to the drug survival of biologic agents in psoriasis patients aged ≥65 years is available. Objectives To evaluate the drug survival of interleukin (IL)‐23 or the IL‐17 inhibitors approved for the treatment of moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis in elderly patients (aged ≥65 years), compared with younger adult patients (aged...

Alopecia areata (AA) affects approximately 2% of the general population and is associated with significant psychosocial morbidity and poor health-related quality of life. Despite the high incidence of the disease the available clinical practice guidelines to help clinicians and improve patients’ care are very poor and of a low methodological qualit...

Introduction: The introduction of Janus Kinase inhibitors (JAKi) seems to revolutionize the field of alopecia areata (AA) therapeutics. However, real-world data are still missing. Objectives: To provide evidence about effectiveness and safety of tofacitinib and baricitinib in AA in real-world settings and describe baseline disease characteristic...

Introduction: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease with multiple skin manifestations, and in case of lesions affecting the genital area sexual health impairment and psychological distress can furthermore impair the quality of life of patients. Secukinumab is a fully humanized antagonist of IL-17A and is indicated for the treatment of moderat...

Introduction: Psoriasis is a systemic disease of the skin and nails associated with a wide range of comorbidities such as depression, psoriatic arthritis and metabolic syndrome. Objectives: The study aimed to examine a potential association between inflammatory markers (C- reactive protein [CRP] and erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]) and depr...

Background Lentigo maligna (LM) exhibits a particular epidemiological profile compared to other histopathologic subtypes of melanoma, with a propensity for the head and neck area and a higher mean age at diagnosis. Few small‐scale studies have exclusively evaluated the risk factors for the development of LM. Objective This study aims to compare LM...

Plaque psoriasis is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease that is associated with extensive disease burden that often requires long-term therapy. Treatment of psoriasis with 4 weeks of the aerosol foam formulation of calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate (Cal/BD; Enstilar®, LEO Pharma) has been demonstrated to be effective, well tolerated...

Background: Dermatoscopy has been established as an important diagnostic tool for a wide range of skin diseases. This study aims to evaluate the use of dermatoscopy in clinical practice among Greek dermatologists. Methods: A nationwide questionnaire-based survey was conducted collecting data on the frequency of dermatoscopic examinations, the types...

Background Despite that brodalumab's efficacy and safety have been assessed in randomized clinical trials, real‐life data remain scarce. BrIDGE was an observational, prospective, single‐cohort, multicentre study that recruited patients with moderate‐to severe plaque psoriasis in Greece. Objectives The primary objective was to assess the proportion...

Tuberculosis has a major global impact. Immunocompetent hosts usually control this disease, resulting in an asymptomatic latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Because TNF inhibitors increase the risk of tuberculosis reactivation, current guidelines recommend tuberculosis screening before starting any biologic drug, and chemoprophylaxis if LTBI is d...

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune form of non‐scarring hair loss. It is usually characterized by limited areas of hair loss. However, the disease may progress to complete scalp and body hair loss (alopecia totalis , alopecia universalis ). In patients with alopecia areata hair loss significantly impacts the quality of life. Children and adolescents...

Background Limited studies have explored pemphigus variations among different ethnic groups residing in their respective geographical locations. Objectives This bicontinental study aimed to compare clinical and immunological parameters in Indian and European pemphigus patients in complete remission, off therapy, or on minimal therapy. Materials &...

A furuncle is a deep, necrotizing form of folliculitis with involvement of the subcutaneous tissue. Several furuncles may coalesce to form a carbuncle. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is the causative agent. Predisposing factors are obesity, diabetes, prolonged sitting, tight irritating pants, or immunodeficiencies. Recurrent furunculosis is the...

Introduction: Individuals with melanin-rich skin account for the majority of the world's population. However, literature data regarding dermatoscopic characteristics of skin cancer in skin of color (SoC) are scarce. The dermatoscopic characteristics of cutaneous tumors might differ among skin types due to heterogeneity in composition and pigmentat...

Eccrine poroma (EP) is a relatively rare benign adnexal neoplasm that usually affects elderly patients. Its pathogenesis is still under investigation, but recent gene studies have revealed gene fusions as key incidences resulting in oncogenetic pathways. It often presents as a solitary, firm papule, mostly asymptomatic, located on the soles or palm...

Background: Results of randomized clinical trials show great variation in response to treatment with adalimumab (ADA) in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). This varied response may be associated with genetic polymorphisms. Objectives: The aim of the study was to study the association between carriage of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the...

Background: Limited data on immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-induced pruritus per se and efficacy of different therapeutic modalities in its management exist. Objective: To study the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of ICI-induced pruritus per se and to assess the efficacy of the therapeutic modalities usually applied. Methods: We...

Under the umbrella of cutaneous sarcomas (CS) we include a heterogeneous group of rare, malignant, mesenchymal neoplasia, such as dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, atypical fibroxanthoma, cutaneous undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, cutaneous angiosarcoma and leiomyosarcoma. Clinical presentation and histopathological examination are the cornerst...

Brodalumab’sprofile for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis inthe Greek everyday clinical practice: Results of the BrIDGEstudy

Unlabelled: Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD) is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory condition accompanied by erythema, flaking and itching. Dandruff is a milder form of SD. Selenium disulfide (SeS2) is beneficial in both conditions. Objectives: to assess the efficacy of SeS2-based shampoo in dandruff/SD. Materials & methods: an international, multi...

Introduction: Nail toxicity represents one of the most common cutaneous adverse effects of both classic chemotherapeutic agents and new oncologic drugs, including targeted treatments and immunotherapy. Objectives: We aimed to provide a comprehensive literature review of nail toxicities derived from conventional chemotherapeutic agents, targeted...

Background: Previously, a new dichotomous outcome was developed, calculated as 55% reduction in the International Hidradenitis Suppurativa 4 score (IHS4-55). It was validated in datasets of adalimumab and placebo treated HS patients. External validation is an important aspect of clinical outcomes. Objectives: We aimed to externally validate the...

Diagnosis of Mycosis Fungoides (MF) may be challenging, due to its polymorphic nature. The use of miRNAs as biomarkers to assist in diagnosis has been investigated, mainly in skin lesion biopsies. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the plasma levels of miR-146a and miR-155 in MF patients and to investigate their association with SNPs of their...

Introduction: Despite advances in treatment options and the management of patients with psoriasis, considerable unmet needs remain. Our objective was to identify ways to elevate the standard of care for patients with psoriasis by combining the perspectives of three important stakeholders: patients, clinicians and payors, and define 'Calls to Actio...

Psoriasis is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Endothelial, platelet, and erythrocyte microvesicles (MVs) are novel biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and thromboinflammation. We explored whether MVs of different cell types are elevated in patients with psoriasis, and investigated potential associations with disease severity and mac...

Objective To assess the real-world clinical treatment outcomes with brodalumab in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in Greece. Materials and methods This was a longitudinal, retrospective, real-world analysis of data from medical records of 106 patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, treated with brodalumab for up to 24...

Background Drug survival, defined as the length of time from initiation to discontinuation of a given therapy, allows comparisons between drugs, helps to predict patient’s likelihood of remaining on a specific treatment, and achieving the best decision for each patient in daily clinical practice.Objective The aim of this study was to provide data o...

Background: Cutaneous immune-related adverse events (irAEs) represent the most frequent toxicities induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Objectives: To investigate clinical associations of cutaneous toxicities induced by different ICI therapies. Methods: Multi-centric retrospective international cohort study of cancer patients, who de...

Syndecans act as independent co-receptors to exert biological activities and their altered function is associated with many pathophysiological conditions. Here, syndecan-1 and -4 were examined in lesional skin of patients with psoriasis. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed altered syndecan-1 distribution and revealed absence of syndecan-4 expres...

Although psoriasis is predominantly a chronic inflammatory skin disorder, epidemiological data provide a solid link between psoriasis, especially in its more severe forms, and increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Apart from the increased prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, chronic inflammation appears to act...

Objective: Psoriasis is associated with increased rates of cardiovascular complications. Altered microvascular responses in divergent vascular beds are considered as an early precursor of cardiovascular disease and have been well-described in patients with cardiovascular risk factors and chronic inflammatory diseases. Laser Speckle Contrast Imagin...

Background: Fixed combination calcipotriol/betamethasone (Cal/BD) aerosol foam has been shown to be effective in psoriasis treatment in clinical trials, but real-world evidence is currently sparse. The real-world CELSUS study in Greece found that Cal/BD aerosol foam treatment was effective and associated with satisfaction in psoriasis patients. M...

Treatment of alopecia areata is often challenging, especially for patients with extended disease. Contact immunotherapy with diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) has been reported as an effective topical treatment but the exact immunologic mechanism of diverting the immune response is still unknown. We investigated the efficacy of topical immunotherapy wi...

Background: Real-world data in patients with moderate psoriasis treated with apremilast is limited. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of apremilast in bio-naïve patients with moderate psoriasis in real-world clinical settings. Methods: This was a 52-week multicenter, observational, prospective study of adult outpatients with...

The relationship between psoriasis and onychomycosis is controversial, and the exact nature of this association remains to be clearly elucidated. In healthy nails, the compact nail plate acts as a barrier, preventing any infection. In psoriatic nails, the nail plate involvement, together with abnormalities in the blood capillaries, may lead to decr...

The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) opened a new era in oncologic therapy. The favourable profile of ICIs in terms of efficacy and safety can be overshadowed by the development of immune‐related adverse events (irAEs). Dermatologic irAEs (dirAEs) appear in about 40% of patients undergoing immunotherapy and mainly include maculop...

Basosquamous carcinoma is a rare, aggressive non-melanoma skin cancer with features that lie between those of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. A lot of controversy has been raised around the classification, pathogenesis, histologic morphology, biologic behavior, prognosis and management of this tumor. This is a narrative review bas...

IFN‐α with its cytotoxic effects on tumorous T cells was introduced in the treatment of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma in the 1980s and is included as an option in CTCL guidelines. (1) However, recombinant IFN a‐2a or IFN a‐2b interferon regimens are no longer available and therefore, the pegylated analogue (pegylated IFN a‐2a, Pegasys; Hoffmann‐La Roch...

Background Squamous cell carcinoma of the lip accounts for 20% of all oral carcinomas. Its diagnosis may be challenging because it clinically resembles actinic cheilitis and inflammatory lesions of the lips. Objectives To determine clinical and dermatoscopic predictors of squamous cell carcinoma of the lip vs. other lip lesions. Methods Multicent...

Introduction Mycosis fungoides (MF), the most common form of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas presents with a broad spectrum of clinical and histopathologic manifestations. Diagnosis is often delayed, especially at the early stages. Clinicopathologic correlation and integration of molecular data is essential for a timely diagnosis and treatment. The use...

Introduction IFN a with its cytotoxic and immunological effects on tumorous T cells has been introduced in the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma since the 1980s. The reported experience (average response rates 45–80%, further improved with combination schemes) is mostly based on the use of the recombinant IFN a-2a or IFN a-2b. However, these i...

Alopecia areata (ΑΑ) is an inflammatory disease of the hair follicle unit characterised by non‐scarring hair loss. The complex interplay and communication between cells of the immune system and the microenvironment around the hair follicle ensure a homeostasis which is compromised in AA.

Patients with psoriasis in difficult‐to‐treat areas experience substantial impairment in their welfare.1 Despite the remarkable efficacy of biologics, some patients may still suffer from residual disease in those sites affecting their everyday life.2,3 Therefore, we aimed to analyze the percentage of “very much” and “a lot” responses, identified as...

Plaque psoriasis (psoriasis) is a chronic, inflammatory disorder with symptoms including scaling, itching, erythema and burning¹. Psoriasis has a negative impact on the patients’ quality of life (QoL)². For mild-to-moderate cases, topical treatment remains the gold standard³. Calcipotriol/Betamethasone (Cal/BD) aerosol foam demonstrated a more effe...

Erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp (EPDS) is an inflammatory dermatosis, characterized by erosions, pustules and crusts.1‐7 Risk factors include elderly age, actinic damage, androgenetic alopecia and preceding trauma. 1‐7

Challenges in differential diagnosis of psoriasis from its mimickers is a possible scenario in clinical routine. Accurate dermoscopic criteria of various skin diseases exist, but the extent to which they improve diagnosis over the unaided‐eye examination in the real clinical setting remains unclear. To this extent, we sought to determine the contri...

Linked article: A. Pampín–Franco et al. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2021; 35: 1133–1142. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.17105.

Background Apremilast is an oral phosphodiesterase‐4 inhibitor indicated for patients with moderate‐to‐severe chronic plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis. Objectives To examine the effectiveness of apremilast on Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and nail, scalp and palmoplantar involvement,...

Background: Advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) can easily be discriminated from actinic keratosis (AK), based on clinical and dermatoscopic features. However, at the initial stage of dermal invasion, an SCC might still be clinically flat and its discrimination from AK remains challenging, even with the addition of dermatoscopy. Objective: Th...

Plaque psoriasis (psoriasis) is a chronic, immune‐mediated inflammatory disorder, with a prevalence of approximately 2% in Europe and North America1. Psoriasis is classified as mild, moderate and severe2, while ⁓70–80% of patients suffer from mild disease1. The European S3 Guidelines recommend the use of vitamin D3 derivatives and steroids combinat...

The COVID‐19 crisis represents a tipping point for teledermatology. Yet, many patients and physicians perceive teleconsultations as impersonal, while privacy concerns remain salient.1 Such issues may be addressed by a hybrid model of in‐person visits by primary care physicians (general practitioners or dermatologists) who may occasionally seek for...

Psoriasis constitutes a chronic inflammatory disease that affects 0.5‐3% of the population with a serious negative impact on patients' quality of life¹. Beyond its correlation with known cardiovascular risk factors, psoriasis is considered an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular events.

Background: Though androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is one of the most common diseases affecting both sexes and all races, its pathogenesis is not completely clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the four major prostaglandins (PGs) (PGE2 , PGD2 , PGF2α , and PI2 or prostacyclin) in the pathogenesis of AGA in males and females....

Scleredema diabeticorum is an uncommon skin disorder which is characterized by stiffness and hardening of the subcutaneous tissues located on the upper back and posterior neck. Patients with this skin disease typically experience pain and stiffness on the neck. Scleredema associated with diabetes mellitus may often go unrecognized. We report a case...

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) are targeted molecules that modulate the immune system, assist with self-tolerance, and minimize collateral tissue damage when immune responses are activated. Although they are characterized by a favorable risk/benefit ratio, immune checkpoint blockade has been associated with a new subset of autoimmune-like toxi...

Background Tetracyclines and clindamycin plus rifampicin combination therapy are both considered first-line therapy in current Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) guidelines. However, evidence for their efficacy is drawn from small studies, often without validated outcomes. Objective To assess the 12-week efficacy of oral tetracyclines and a combination...

Introduction The COVID‐19 pandemic dramatically disrupts health care around the globe. The impact of the pandemic on chronic urticaria (CU) and its management are largely unknown. Aim To understand how CU patients are affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic; how specialists alter CU patient management; and the course of CU in patients with COVID‐19. Ma...