Latest Dermatology research

Top 4 this week

Week of 1 November 2026

1. 1

   Meta-analysis and network meta-analysis of time-to-event outcomes with non-proportional hazards: a Bayesian time-varying hazard ratio approach

   BMC medical research methodology · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 4 August 2026

   A Bayesian time-varying analysis of trial data found nivolumab plus ipilimumab's estimated hazard of death, relative to other treatments in the network, declined from 0.37 at one year to 0.24 at five years. The method also suggested gastric cancer chemotherapy's progression benefit waned over time, showing why a single hazard ratio can mislead; findings come from two applications of the approach.

2. 2

   Selected adverse events during the 12-week induction period of a phase III trial of vunakizumab: an exploratory post-hoc analysis

   Frontiers in immunology · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 14 October 2026

   Among 690 people with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, about 70% had an adverse event during 12 weeks, with no significant difference between vunakizumab and placebo. Injection-site reactions were more common with vunakizumab, while fewer skin events appeared largely tied to better psoriasis control. This exploratory post-hoc analysis leaves longer-term safety uncertain.

3. 3

   Cutaneous Adverse Events Associated with Semaglutide, Liraglutide and Tirzepatide: A Systematic Review

   Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 9 October 2026

   A review of 101 studies found skin sensations such as tingling or altered sensitivity in about 5% of patients taking standard-dose semaglutide, rising to as many as 20% with high-dose weight-loss formulations, often during dose increases. Most skin effects were mild, but rare serious reactions were reported; the evidence spans varied study types, so how often these uncommon harms occur remains unclear.

4. 4

   LIMIT Trial: Lidocaine with Intramuscular Injection of Benzathine Penicillin G for Treponema pallidum Treatment

   Sexually transmitted diseases · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 24 August 2026

   RCT showing lidocaine reduces penicillin injection pain

Paper of the day, last two weeks

• Baricitinib and ritlecitinib in alopecia areata: A nationwide prospective real-world registry study

  JAAD international · Q1 journal · Prospective cohort · Evidence level 2 (Moderate) · 1 October 2026

  In a prospective registry of 166 adults with severe alopecia areata, scalp hair loss scores improved over 12 months with both drugs, with no significant difference between treatments. Among patients assessed at 12 months, 64% taking baricitinib and 50% taking ritlecitinib reached a score indicating limited hair loss; the nonrandomized design leaves comparative effectiveness uncertain.

• End-of-Dose Effect as a Guide for Biologic Optimization in Hidradenitis Suppurativa

  JAMA dermatology · Q1 journal · Prospective cohort · Evidence level 2 (Moderate) · 4 November 2026

  In a single-center retrospective cohort, 50 of 93 patients (54%) with partial response to biologics had at least a 3-point reduction in disease severity after treatment was tailored to whether symptoms returned before the next injection. Overall scores and patient-reported improvement also improved; gains persisted at 6 to 12 months in 65 patients. Without a comparison group, prospective studies must confirm whether this pattern should guide treatment.

• JAK1/2 inhibition promotes aggressive cutaneous carcinogenesis through COT kinase-mediated alternative MAPK pathway activation

  The Journal of clinical investigation · Q1 journal · Cohort · Evidence level 3 (Low) · 2 November 2026

  International safety data and a large cohort linked ruxolitinib use to aggressive skin squamous cell cancer, while laboratory and animal models showed the drug can drive cancerous changes in skin cells. The researchers traced this effect mainly to COT-driven MAPK signaling and also found evidence of increased melanoma risk, but the size of the clinical risks remains unclear.

• Five-year outcomes of the STOP-AD randomised controlled trial: Long-term effects of early emollient therapy in high-risk infants

  Pediatric allergy and immunology : official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 1 November 2026

  In a five-year follow-up of 177 high-risk children, eczema affected 12.3% of those given twice-daily emollient for eight weeks from birth, compared with 24.0% receiving routine skin care; cases were also less severe. Missing follow-up data leave uncertainty about the size of the benefit, so larger studies must confirm whether this brief treatment prevents eczema long term.

• Intralesional cemiplimab for patients with early-stage cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: Results from a dose-escalation study with expansion cohorts

  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · Q1 journal · Phase 1 trial · Evidence level 4 (Very Low) · 30 October 2026

  In this 41-patient phase 1 study of early-stage skin squamous cell cancer, weekly 5-mg injections led to a complete pathologic response in 58% of patients in the expansion cohort; the every-2-week cohort had a 67% rate. Side effects in both cohorts were grade 2 or milder, but small cohorts and variable injection technique limit conclusions. Further study is needed.

• Site-Specific Treatment and Remission Patterns in Multisite Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid

  JAMA dermatology · Q1 journal · Retrospective cohort · Evidence level 4 (Very Low) · 28 October 2026

  In this single-center study, 35 of 77 patients with multisite mucous membrane pemphigoid achieved complete remission across all affected sites, typically after about 32 months. Although 83% reached remission at one or more sites, persistent or relapsing oral and eye disease often blocked overall control, underscoring the need to measure remission across all involved sites.

• Real-World Outcomes After Switching from Baricitinib to Ritlecitinib in Alopecia Areata: A Multicentre Retrospective Cohort Study

  American journal of clinical dermatology · Q1 journal · Prospective cohort · Evidence level 2 (Moderate) · 30 October 2026

  In this retrospective Italian cohort, 30 of 138 patients who switched from baricitinib reached a Severity of Alopecia Tool score of 20 or less during ritlecitinib follow-up. The finding suggests some patients may respond after switching, but sparse late follow-up and the nonrandomized design limit conclusions about how much ritlecitinib itself contributed.

• Targeted and Immune-Based Therapies in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

  JAMA dermatology · Q1 journal · SR of cohorts · Evidence level 2 (Moderate) · 28 October 2026

  A meta-analysis of 41 studies and 1,660 patients found response rates varied across targeted and immune-based therapies, from 34% with pembrolizumab to 69% with brentuximab vedotin. Responses typically lasted months, and severe side-effect rates also differed; because these pooled results are not head-to-head comparisons and outcomes varied by lymphoma subtype, treatment choice remains individualized.

• Hypogammaglobulinemia and Infection After Rituximab in Pemphigus, With Divergent Desmoglein Antibody and Immunoglobulin Kinetics: A Retrospective Cohort Study

  The Journal of dermatology · Q1 journal · Retrospective cohort · Evidence level 3 (Low) · 25 October 2026

  In this retrospective cohort, desmoglein antibody levels fell sharply six months after rituximab, but total immunoglobulin G barely changed. New low IgG developed in 10% of patients with normal baseline levels; none became severely low, and 7% had an infection. Older age and lower starting immunoglobulin levels flagged possible risk, but the single-center findings need confirmation.

• A phase 1 study of PF-07242813, an anti-CD1a antibody, in healthy participants and in patients with atopic dermatitis

  JID innovations : skin science from molecules to population health · Q1 journal · Phase 1 trial · Evidence level 4 (Very Low) · 10 August 2026

  In this phase 1 study, PF-07242813 was generally well tolerated, with mostly mild adverse events among 122 participants, but a single dose showed no clinical benefit in 25 patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. The result suggests blocking CD1a alone is not enough to improve the disease; whether the pathway has a role in other settings remains open.

• Upadacitinib for the Management of Atopic Dermatitis in Patients Aged ≥60 Years: A Long-Term Multicenter Real-World Study

  Dermatitis : contact, atopic, occupational, drug · Q1 journal · Retrospective cohort · Evidence level 4 (Very Low) · 22 October 2026

  In this retrospective study of 72 adults aged 60 and older, average eczema severity scores fell from 23.9 at treatment start to 0.9 after 104 weeks, while itch scores dropped from 8.2 to 1.0. Side effects were mostly manageable, but 15% stopped treatment because of them; the findings support long-term use with monitoring, though larger controlled studies are needed.

• Relatlimab plus nivolumab versus nivolumab for advanced melanoma: 5-year survival and biomarker analyses of the phase 3 RELATIVITY-047 trial

  Nature medicine · Q1 journal · Phase 2 RCT · Evidence level 2 (Moderate) · 24 October 2026

  After at least 4.8 years of follow-up, patients given nivolumab plus relatlimab had about 22% lower hazard of death and 23% lower hazard of disease progression than those given nivolumab alone. Safety remained consistent with earlier reports; exploratory biomarker findings suggest relatlimab may help counter treatment resistance, but need further validation.

• Beyond pharmacology: The mediating role of expectations in the experience of side effects in anxious patients treated with secukinumab

  Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 5 October 2026

  In a post-hoc analysis of 104 adults with psoriasis, higher trait anxiety was associated with more self-reported side effects at week 4 of secukinumab treatment, and baseline expectations about side effects mediated that link. The association was absent by week 16; patient-centered communication could help address concerns, but this analysis cannot prove expectations caused symptoms.

Evidence summaries in Dermatology

• Atopic Dermatitis
• Acne
• Hidradenitis Suppurativa
• Psoriasis
• Pyoderma Gangrenosum