Patients With Bullous Skin Disease in a High-Epidemic COVID-19 Area, Bergamo, Italy

    June 2020 in “ British Journal of Dermatology ”
    Andrea Carugno, Paolo Sena, Francesca Raponi, Elisa Robustelli Test, Pamela Vezzoli
    TLDR Oral mTOR inhibitors often cause skin and hair side effects but usually don't require stopping treatment.
    The study on patients with bullous skin disease in Bergamo, Italy, during the COVID-19 epidemic found that oral mTOR inhibitors frequently caused dermatological side effects, including painful oral ulcers and acneiform eruptions. Notably, 67% of patients experienced changes in hair growth, likely due to mTOR inhibition affecting hair follicle stem cells and cycling. While these side effects were common, they generally did not necessitate discontinuation of treatment. Management strategies included routine dermatological monitoring, dietary adjustments, topical treatments, and conventional acne therapies. In severe cases, dosage reduction or temporary discontinuation of mTOR inhibitors was considered.
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