August 14, 2023

A study confirms that Golimumab is much less effective in Black patients, resulting in lower remission rates in Black IBD patients and much lower endoscopic healing rates when compared to White patients. To date, most studies on health disparities have focused on issues like access to healthcare, socioeconomic factors, and so on. There has also...

Medically reviewed by Dr. Shani S. Saks, D.O. on August 2, 2023 African-American Women have significantly higher pregnancy complication rates than White women. Maternal mortality rates among AAW are three times higher than for White women due to poor healthcare access, structural and medical racism, and resultant stresses. The presence of inflammatory bowel disease in...

Medically reviewed by Dr. Shani S. Saks, D.O. on August 2, 2023 A recent study examined the prevalence of vitiligo and the quality of life of vitiligo patients in the United States, Japan, and Europe.  Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder characterized by skin depigmentation, which can significantly impact the quality of life (QoL) of affected...

Medically reviewed by Dr. Shani S. Saks, D.O. on August 2, 2023 A recent case report focused on the development of vitiligo in a 71-year-old African American male with a large-cell, poorly differentiated neuroendocrine tumor while undergoing treatment with atezolizumab.  In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment by enhancing the immune...

Medically reviewed by Dr. Shani S. Saks, D.O. on August 2, 2023 Two phase 3 trials report significant repigmentation of vitiligo lesions over 52 weeks, though adverse events were common. Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by skin depigmentation. Ruxolitinib, an inhibitor of Janus kinase 1 and 2, achieved repigmentation during a phase 2...

Medically reviewed by Dr. Shani S. Saks, D.O. on August 2, 2023 African American and Latinx individuals with atopic dermatitis (AD) face a greater burden of disease than White people in the United States. A recent study explored the various factors that contribute to disparities in AD care and management among the African American and...

Medically reviewed by Dr. Shani S. Saks, D.O. on August 23, 2023 A recent literature review suggests a significant difference in care delivery and, thus, treatment outcomes between rural and urban patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This difference is mainly attributed to poor access to gastroenterologists. However, there are ways to counter these disparities. Inflammatory...