Teledermatology and Inflammatory Skin Conditions during COVID-19 Era: New Perspectives and Applications
Claudio Marasca, Maria Carmela Annunziata, Elisa Camela, Adriana Di Guida, Luigi Fornaro, Matteo Megna, Maddalena Napolitano, Cataldo Patruno, Luca Potestio, Gabriella Fabbrocini
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The most frequent inflammatory skin diseases are psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and acne. Their management is challenging for dermatologists since their relapsing chronic clinical course is associated with a great impact on quality of life. Nevertheless, the recent introduction of novel therapies, such as biological drugs and small molecules has been changing the history of these diseases. METHODS: A systematic review of the scientific literature of case reports, case series, epidemiological studies, reviews, and systematic reviews regarding teledermatology and inflammatory skin disease. Studies were identified, screened, and extracted for relevant data following the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 69 cases articles were included in the review. CONCLUSIONS: As we have shown in the review, several experiences of teledermatology for patients affected by inflammatory skin diseases have been demonstrated to increase due to clinical access to hospital and specialized health care services, allowing better access to specialized dermatology care for people living in remote areas, and saving costs and money with health care.