Novel therapeutic approaches on molecular pathways are being developed to treat inflammatory and autoimmune cutaneous dermatoses. Apremilast is an orally administered small-molecule phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor that upregulates intracellular cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels to mediate a large array of proinflammatory cytokines as well as exerts its anti-inflammatory functions and therapeutic efficacy in skin diseases rather than an immunosuppressive mode of action. Early-phase clinical trials have demonstrated its favorable efficacy such that the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has approved its use for the treatment of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and Behçet’s syndrome. Compared to conventional immunosuppressive therapies, apremilast has better safety and tolerability profiles that significantly reduce the risk of serious adverse reactions from long-term usage. Apremilast shows easier and faster absorption even by special areas of the body, such as nails, scalp, palms and soles of feet, and genitals, along with clinically meaningful improvements. More recently, accumulating real-world evidence has revealed that it is highly effective for treating multiple immune-mediated inflammatory skin diseases in an off-label manner; it also appears to be useful either alone or as an add-on treatment against some chronic inflammatory skin disorders recalcitrant to conventional therapies. Thus, further large-scale studies and real-life trials are necessary to better elucidate its role in dermatology. The present narrative review provides an overview of apremilast as a novel therapeutic option for skin disorders, including a comprehensive look at its pharmacology, clinical efficacy, and safety profile, with the aim of enlightening clinicians on the broad applications and full potential of this small-molecule drug based on currently available evidence.

Background: Hand eczema is a common, debilitating condition affecting quality of life. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of patients with hand eczema in Guangdong, China, toward their condition. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at our hospital from September 21, 2023, to July 31, 2024, using a self-designed KAP questionnaire. Results: A total of 612 valid questionnaires were collected. The mean (SD) scores for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 9.25 (2.55) (possible range: 0–23), 35.68 (6.02) (possible range: 10–50), and 24.03 (5.18) (possible range: 8–40), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that a higher attitude score (OR = 1.209, p < 0.001) was independently associated with more proactive practices. The path analysis revealed that knowledge directly influenced attitude ( β = 0.191, p < 0.001), and attitude had a direct effect on practice ( β = 0.591, p < 0.001). Additionally, knowledge indirectly affected practice through attitude ( β = 0.113, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our findings highlight a significant gap in patient knowledge, suggesting that targeted educational interventions may be a valuable strategy to improve self-management. Future research should test the efficacy of such interventions.

Background: Conventional treatments for common and plantar warts often have limited efficacy and high recurrence rates. 5‐Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (5‐ALA‐PDT) has attracted increasing attention as an alternative therapeutic option for these lesions. This study investigated the potential of 5‐ALA‐PDT as an alternative treatment option for patients with refractory common and plantar warts. Objective: To explore the clinical efficacy of 5‐ALA‐PDT and recombinant human interferon alpha 2b (rhIFN‐α2b) spray combination therapy against common and plantar warts. Methods: We enrolled 104 patients with common or plantar warts and randomly assigned them to the intervention (5‐ALA‐PDT combined with rhIFN‐α2b spray; n = 51) or control (cryotherapy; n = 53) group to compare treatment efficacy, recurrence rate, and adverse events. Results: After three consecutive treatment cycles, the 4‐week complete recovery and total effective rates were 90.20% and 96.08% in the intervention group, versus 62.26% ( p = 0.002) and 77.36% ( p = 0.013) in the control group. Recurrence rates were significantly lower in the intervention group at 8 weeks (2.17% vs. 24.24%), 12 weeks (4.35% vs. 33.33%), and 6 months (4.35% vs. 39.39%; all p < 0.05). All adverse events were mild to moderate and localized. Conclusion: 5‐ALA‐PDT combined with rhIFN‐α2b spray exhibited superior clinical efficacy in treating common and plantar warts, significantly improving treatment efficacy, reducing medium‐term recurrence, and demonstrating good safety and tolerability.