Anber, T., R. Hegazy, and S. Shalaby, "extracutaneous melanocytes", vitiligo, 2019.
Weshahy, R. H., D. G. Aly, S. Shalaby, F. N. Mohammed, and K. S. Sayed, "Clinical and Histological Assessment of Combined Fractional CO Laser and Growth Factors Versus Fractional CO Laser Alone in the Treatment of Facial Mature Burn Scars: A Pilot Split-Face Study.", Lasers in surgery and medicine, 2020. Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of growth factors combined with fractional carbon dioxide (CO ) laser in comparison with fractional CO alone in a sample of patients with facial mature burn scars.

STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen Egyptian patients with bilateral facial burn scars were treated with six sessions of fractional CO laser at 6-week intervals. Following each laser session, a topical growth factors cocktail was applied to one side of the face in a split-face manner. Clinical evaluation by Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (PSOS), and photography before and 2 months after the last laser session was done. Three millimeter punch biopsies were obtained from each side of the face pre- and 1-month posttreatment to measure the mean area percent of collagen.

RESULTS: Posttreatment, both VSS and PSOS scores decreased on both sides of the face being more significant on the growth factors treated side, showing more scar pliability and shorter downtime (P = 0.001). A significant difference in the mean area percent of collagen was also noted on both sides.

CONCLUSION: Adding topical growth factors to fractional CO laser treatments is effective and safe with better results as regards scar pliability and shorter downtime than fractional CO laser alone. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tawfic, S. O., A. El-Tawdy, S. Shalaby, A. Foad, O. Shaker, S. S. Sayed, and D. Metwally, "Evaluation of Fractional CO Versus Long Pulsed Nd:YAG Lasers in Treatment of Hypertrophic Scars and Keloids: A Randomized Clinical Trial.", Lasers in surgery and medicine, 2020. Abstract

BACKGROUND: Keloids and hypertrophic scars are challenging to both patients and physicians. They can be aesthetically disfiguring, functionally debilitating, and emotionally distressing. Lasers have introduced new mechanisms to improve scars both on aesthetic and symptomatic levels.

AIM OF WORK: Comparing the efficacy of fractional CO laser, long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser and their combination in the treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids on clinical, histopathological, and biochemical basis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with hypertrophic scars and keloids were enrolled in the study. Three scars in each patient were randomly assigned to treatment modalities (i) Fractional CO , (ii) Nd:YAG laser, (iii) Combined CO and Nd:YAG lasers. For each treatment area four sessions, 4-6 weeks apart were performed. Clinical evaluation was done before and 1 month following last session using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS). Routine hematoxylin and eosin, Masson's trichrome, and Orcein stains were used to evaluate the appearance and pattern of dermal collagen and elastic fibers. Image analysis was used to quantitatively assess the density of collagen and elastic fibers. Biochemical evaluation of tissue level of transforming growth factor-β I (TGF-β I) and TGF-β III was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay studies.

RESULTS: Both VSS and POSAS showed significant improvement following treatment with the three used modalities. Collagen fibers showed significant improvement as regards appearance and pattern while it was insignificant as regards density. Elastic fibers density improvement was only significant in fractional CO (treatment area A). Hypertrophic scars showed more significant improvement with fractional CO laser, while in keloids there was no significant difference between the three modalities regarding improvement. Level of TGF-β I showed significant reduction after treatment in all treatment modalities, while TGF-β III levels showed insignificant elevation in all treatment modalities. Side effects were significantly higher in treatment area C (combined treatment).

CONCLUSION: Long pulsed Nd:YAG laser is effective and safe treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids. Fractional CO laser yields better improvement in hypertrophic scars, while in keloids both fractional CO and Nd:YAG lasers achieve comparable improvement. Combination in the same session did not add significant additional benefit and the side effects profile was higher.

LIMITATIONS: small sample size and short follow-up period. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

SAMIR, N. E. S. R. I. N., R. M. Alyafrasi, S. S. Ashour, and S. Shalaby, "Study of visfatin expression in acne patients in tissue and serum.", Indian journal of dermatology, venereology and leprology, 2020. Abstract

Background: Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous units, of multifactorial pathogenesis, one of which could be an adipokine such as visfatin.

Aim: The aim of this study was to study visfatin expression both in lesional skin and serum, of acne patients versus healthy controls. The secondary aim was to study the relationship of visfatin levels with dyslipidemia/metabolic syndrome.

Methods: This study included 30 patients with moderate and severe acne vulgaris and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Serum and tissue visfatin were estimated by enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay. Clinical and laboratory examinations were done to assess the anthropometric data and various criteria of metabolic syndrome.

Results: Tissue and serum visfatin levels were significantly higher in patients as compared to healthy controls. Tissue visfatin levels were significantly higher than its serum levels in both patients and controls. Serum visfatin was significantly higher in overweight individuals. No correlations were found between tissue and serum visfatin levels in both patients and controls. Moreover, serum and tissue visfatin levels did not correlate to any of the lipid profile parameters or criteria of metabolic syndrome in acne patients.

Limitations: The study had a small sample size and did not localize the exact source of tissue visfatin. Polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS was not evaluated.

Conclusion: Visfatin is an important proinflammatory adipokine, with significantly higher expression in acne patients. Tissue rather than serum visfatin might play a key role in acne.

Elsayed, H., S. SHALABY, M. R. E. Abdel-Halim, D. M. Aboelfadl, and N. Samir, "Efficacy of doxycycline in the treatment of early stages of mycosis fungoides: a randomized controlled trial.", The Journal of dermatological treatment, pp. 1-8, 2019. Abstract

Mycosis fungoides is the most common type of primary cutaneous T cell lymphomas. Doxycycline promoted apoptosis in different human malignant cell lines and in vivo models. To test for the therapeutic efficacy of doxycycline in comparison to PUVA in early stages of classic MF and its effect on T cell apoptosis. Thirty-six patients were randomized into either: doxycycline 200 mg daily ( = 18) or PUVA (3 weekly sessions) ( = 18) for 12 weeks. The primary outcome (therapeutic efficacy) was defined in terms of objective response rate (ORR) which was measured according to changes in the modified severity weighted assessment tool (mSWAT). Doxycycline achieved significantly less ORR (partial response) in comparison to PUVA (11.1%, 50%, respectively,  = .016). The percent reduction in mSWAT, CAILS, histopathology score and CD3 expression was significantly less in the doxycycline group ( = .001,  = .001,  ˂ .001, and  = .004, respectively). Within the doxycycline group, changes in mSWAT and CAILS showed no correlation with changes in the CD3 or Bcl-2 expression. Gastric upset was significantly more encountered in the doxycycline group ( = .001). Doxycycline is not suitable as a sole agent in the treatment of early stages of classic MF, acting mainly by anti-inflammatory rather apoptotic function. NCT03454945 ( www.clinicaltrials.gov ).

Tawfic, S., S. Sayed, A. Nada, D. Manaa, and S. Shalaby, "High- Versus Low-Density Fractional Laser in the Treatment of Hypertrophic Postburn Scars: A Randomized Clinical Trial.", Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.], 2019. Abstract

BACKGROUND: Fractional CO2 laser has been shown effective in improving pigmentation, pruritus, and tightness of hypertrophic burn scars. However, there is no consensus on the optimal treatment parameters.

OBJECTIVE: To compare effectiveness of different densities of fractional CO2 laser in the treatment of mature hypertrophic burn scars.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 25 patients, each with 3 or more mature hypertrophic burn scars. Scars were randomly assigned to treatment with low-, medium-, and high-density fractional CO2 laser. Each scar received 3 sessions of laser at 1-month interval. The degree of improvement was assessed clinically using Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) scores, and histologically through evaluation of collagen (Masson's Trichrome stain) before and 1 month after end of therapy.

RESULTS: High-density parameters showed significant higher improvement in VSS and POSAS assessment scores (p-value < .001). Pliability and relief are the most improved parameters. Histopathological evaluation revealed a significant drop in the mean area percent of collagen in the 3 used parameters, with highest improvement with high-density laser treatment (p-value < .001).

CONCLUSION: High-density fractional CO2 laser treatment provides more improvement in burn scars both clinically and histopathologically.

El-Zawahry, Bassiony, H. R. A., H. I. GAWDAT, and S. U. Z. A. N. AMIN, Rituximab treatment in pemphigus vulgaris: effect on circulating Tregs., , 2017. 10.10072fs00403-017-1754-z.pdf
Esmat, S., W. Mostafa, R. A.Hegazy, S. Shalaby, V. Sheth, R. Youssef, and M. El-Mofty, "Phototherapy: The vitiligo management pillar", Clinics in Dermatology, vol. 34, issue 5, pp. 594-602, 2016.