Background Hidradenitis suppurativa ( HS ) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease characterized by painful inflamed nodules, recurrent abscesses and fistulas located in apocrine gland–bearing body sites. The negative impact of HS on patient's quality of life (QoL) has been reported to be greater than other dermatologic conditions as psoriasis and atopic eczema, and its improvement is an important goal in disease management. Nowadays, there are no specific validated QoL instruments available for HS and generic dermatologic questionnaires are used. Objective The objective of this study was to demonstrate the validity, reliability and responsiveness of HIDRA disk, a new innovative tool designed for rapid assessment of HS burden and, at the same time, an intuitive graphic visualization of the measurement outcome. Methods A multicentre, longitudinal, observational study was conducted to validate the HIDRA disk compared with other validated questionnaires [Skindex‐16, Dermatology Life Quality Index ( DLQI ), Work Productivity and Activity Impairment–General Health (WPAI:GH)] and to evaluate its correlation with disease severity in Italian patients with any degree of HS severity, as measured by Hurley stage and HS Physician Global Assessment ( HS ‐ PGA ). Results A total of 140 patients (59% women; mean age 34.9 ± 11.0 years) were enrolled in 27 dermatologic centres. HIDRA disk showed a strong correlation with Skindex‐16 and DLQI , and a good one with WPAI:GH (correlation coefficient: 0.7568, 0.6651 and 0.5947, respectively) and a statistically significant correlation with both Hurley stage and HS ‐ PGA . Very good internal consistency (Cronbach coefficient >0.80; intraclass correlation coefficient >0.6), with correlation between the 10 items, good test–retest reliability (Spearman correlation coefficient, 0.8331; P < 0.0001) and responsiveness to changes were demonstrated. Conclusion Our study shows that HIDRA disk, a short and innovative visual HS QoL instrument, has been psychometrically validated in Italian language and it may help improve the management of HS once implemented in routine clinical practice.

Ultrasonographic pattern analysis of morphoea is a suitable technique for monitoring UVA1 phototherapy response.

Background and Objectives: The efficacy of picosecond laser (PSL) in the treatment of striae distensae (SD) has been recently reported; otherwise, the base for this improvement has not been clarified yet. The aim of this study is to treat long-lasting SD with PLS and to describe their in vivo morphological variations after treatment using three-dimensional (3D) imaging and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). Study Design/Materials and Methods: A total of 27 patients asking for treatment for SD were treated with four monthly sessions of PLS. Clinical improvement was estimated through a blinded evaluation performed by two independent dermatologists, Global Assessment Improvement Scale (GAIS), patients′ satisfaction, 3D imaging, and RCM assessments at baseline and 6 months after the last laser session. Results: Although a clinical improvement of SD was observed in 81.4% of patients according to physicians′ GAIS, only 66.6% of patients reported subjective improvement and satisfaction after treatment (P = 0.04). 3D imaging revealed a significant improvement in terms of skin texture (P < 0.001) and mean SD depth (P < 0.001). Otherwise, RCM highlighted collagen remodeling and the appearance of new dermal papillae in all the treated SD compared with baseline. Conclusions: The present study confirms that PLS represents a safe treatment option for SD; herein, we report morphological documentation of skin variations after PLS treatment. Lasers Surg. Med.

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