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Noninvasive, rapid, and robust diagnostic techniques for clinical screening of tumors located in arbitrary areas of the human body are in demand. To address this challenge, we analyzed the feasibility of photoplethysmography-based angiography for assessing vascular structures within malignant and benign tumors. The proposed hardware and software were approved in a clinical study involving 30 patients with tumors located in the legs, torso, arms, and head. High-contrast and detailed vessel maps within both benign and malignant tumors were obtained. We demonstrated that capillary maps are consistent and can be interpreted using well-established dermoscopic criteria for vascular morphology. Vessel mapping provides valuable details, which may not be available in dermoscopic images and can aid in determining whether a tumor is benign or malignant. We believe that the proposed approach may become a valuable tool in the preliminary cancer diagnosis and is suitable for large-scale screening., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous platelet concentrate in plasma enriched with growth factors that may stimulate tissue regeneration, collagen formation, re-epithelization, and angiogenesis. PRP is widely used as an androgenetic alopecia treatment option. The present work aims to test the efficacy of various PRP methods, including those with single-spin and double-spin centrifugation. We performed a review of articles published from 2011 to 2021 in PubMed and ScienceDirect. The studies vary in the preparation procedure, dose, number, intervals between the procedures, and the injection technique because of low standardization of PRP preparation, complicating the evaluation of the clinical efficacy of the method. Based on the conducted statistical analysis, we came to the conclusion that the double-spin PRP preparation method was superior to the single-spin technique, which may be taken into account for AGA management., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 International Journal of Trichology.)

Background: Pruritus is prevalent in psoriasis but still many features of pruritus, its response to therapy and its burden in psoriasis remain to be better characterized., Objective: To investigate characteristics and burden of pruritus in an international cohort of patients with psoriasis., Methods: This cross-sectional study included a total of 634 patients and 246 controls from Germany, Poland and Russia. Physicians examined and interviewed participants, recording clinical characteristics, such as severity, therapy and localization of psoriatic lesions. Participants filled out self-reported questionnaires including questions on pruritus severity and impact, characteristics, and response to therapy, and quality of life (QoL). Localization patterns of pruritus and skin lesions were visualized using body heat maps., Results: Most patients (82%) experienced pruritus throughout their disease, and 75% had current pruritus. The majority of patients (64%) perceived pure pruritus, and those who reported additional painful and/or burning sensations (36%) reported overall stronger pruritus. The scalp was the most frequently reported localization of pruritus, even in the absence of skin lesions. Body surface area (BSA) of pruritus was not linked to pruritus intensity, but to BSA of psoriatic lesions (rho = 0.278; P < 0.001). One third of patients (31%) reported impaired sex-life, and 4% had suicidal ideations due to pruritus. In up to one third of patients, psoriasis therapies had little or no effect on pruritus. The only therapeutic option offered to some of these patients were antihistamines, which appeared to be effective in most cases., Conclusion: Pruritus is highly prevalent in psoriasis and is linked to a significant burden. Current psoriasis therapies are frequently insufficient to control pruritus. Managing psoriasis should include the assessment and control of itch. Efficient antipruritic therapies should be developed and be made available for patients with psoriasis., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Background: Acne vulgaris (AV) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous unit that affects over 80% of adolescents and young adults. This study aimed to compare the therapeutic efficacy and tolerability of an isotretinoin treatment course with GDP-20 (granulysin-derived peptides) versus the conventional isotretinoin monotherapy prescribed to patients with mild-to-moderate acne., Methods: Our study included 60 Russian subjects affected with AV of mild-to-moderate severity divided into two therapeutic groups. Half of the patients were female; mean age was 19.5 ± 5.6 years. Group 1 was treated with topical GDP-20 twice daily to the affected skin of the face combined with systemic isotretinoin in a fixed low dose of 0.3 mg/kg/day. Group 2 was treated with systemic isotretinoin as a monotherapy., Results: The assessment of the changes of AV lesion count on the 12th week of the treatment showed that in Group 1, the mean value of open comedo number reduced from 21.4 ± 6.1 at day 0 to 4.4 ± 2.5 (p < 0.05), the mean number of closed comedo reduced from 7.6 ± 3.5 to 2.4 ± 1.05 (p < 0.05), and those of papules-pustules reduced from 6.1 ± 1.03 to 1.4 ± 0.2 (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Topical antimicrobial peptides (GDP-20) combined with low doses of systemic isotretinoin mild-to-moderate resulted in considerable improvement of clinical manifestations of mild-to-moderate AV and threefold reduction in the disease severity with IGA score 0-1 after 12 weeks. Topical application of GDP-20 antimicrobial peptides can improve the efficacy of low-dose systemic isotretinoin in combined treatment of mild-to-moderate AV., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Chronic acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH) is a rare form of pustular psoriasis predominantly affecting the distal phalanges of the fingers and toes. The disease manifests by pustular rash with marked infiltration, fissures, and often results into severe dystrophy of nail plates. ACH is refractory to most of psoriasis standard of care (SOC) therapies. Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the prospects of secukinumab therapy of ACH based on current clinical observation. Methods: We observed a female patient with ACH. Number of SOC treatments were applied in that case including local PUVA therapy, systemic retinoids, methotrexate, and biologic agents. Result: Secukinumab, a IL-17 inhibitor, demonstrated pronounced clinical effect in the case of ACH refractory to other SOC therapies. Conclusion: IL-17 inhibition provided by secukinumab was linked to clinically meaningful improvement in the heavily pretreated ACH. Further exploration and clinical studies may be important to provide more data on secukinumab effects in ACH., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Background: The term dermatitis artefacta (factitious dermatitis, pathomimia) is reserved for the most severe variant of factitious physical disorder and is characterized by exaggerated lying (pseudologia fantastica), sociopathy, geographic wandering (peregrinating) from hospital to hospital, and seeking to be in the patient role., Objective: This report aims to give attention to the importance of accurate and detailed history, and conducting an appropriate physical examination in patients with life-threatening diseases when the underlying cause is not apparent. The diagnosis of dermatitis artefacta must always be upheld., Case Presentation: We present a unique case of a 52-year-old male who presented to clinic with skin lesions on scrotum and shaft of his penis and that were very distinct and suggestive of pyoderma gangrenosum which he developed 3 months after previous discharge from the clinic. Clinical response to treatment and the absence of laboratory findings confirmed a dermatitis artefacta., Conclusion: Dermatitis artefacta is a factitious disorder that involves falsification of psychological or physical signs or symptoms caused entirely by the patients themselves, in a clear state of consciousness, in order to play the role of a sick person. The correlation of anamnestic data and clinical and para-clinical exams was essential for the diagnosis of dermatitis artefacta in this case. To the best of our knowledge, pyoderma gangrenosum-like lesions have never been reported in a patient with dermatitis artefacta. Herein, we describe a rare case report of self-inflicted genital injury in a 52-year-old male., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common primary cutaneous epidermotropic T-cell lymphoma (80%). The accurate diagnosis of MF confirmed only by clinical, histological and immunohistochemical signs amounts to 50-75%., Objective: To investigate genetic markers (FOXP3, STAT4, IL-12B) for the early diagnosis of MF, to estimate the informative value of used diagnostic techniques (histology, immunophenotyping), and to determine clonality by the T-cell receptor γ-chain genes., Material and Methods: Fifty patients with MF and plaque parapsoriasis (PP) who had been treated at the V.A. Rakhmanov Clinic of Skin and Venereal Diseases and at the National Medical Research Center for Hematology were followed up. A MF group consisted of 27 patients; a PP group included 23 patients, and a control group comprised 10 healthy individuals. The expression of the FOXP3, STAT4, and IL-12B genes was analyzed by TaqMan real time-PCR. The objectives of the study were affected skin portions from patients with MF or PP and healthy individuals., Results: The investigation revealed a increase in the expression level of STAT4 mRNA transcripts by 9 times in patients with MF compared with those with PP and by 553 times in healthy individuals. There was also a statistically significant predominance of the expression level of STAT4 mRNA transcripts in patients with spotted and plaque stages of MF (180; 318) compared with those with PP and healthy individuals, as well as a sharp decrease in those with erythrodermic MF, which was statistically significant., Conclusion: MF cannot be diagnosed without comprehensively assessing the clinical, anamnestic, histological, immunophenotypic, and molecular genetic data. The expression level of STAT4 mRNA transcripts is of great importance for the early diagnosis of MF. Inclusion of the level of STAT4 expression in the list of diagnostic signs increases the accuracy of differential diagnosis of MF and PP from 59.1 to 81.8%, respectively.

Chronic viral infections including those by hepatitis B (CHB) virus and hepatitis C (CHC) virus have been reported to be comorbidities of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Here, we performed the first comprehensive review of the peer-reviewed literature (PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar) on the prevalence of CHB and CHC in patients with CSU and vice versa. The prevalence of CHB and CHC in CSU does not appear to be increased. Less than 5% and 2% of patients with CSU have markers of CHB and CHC, respectively, according to most of the 32 studies reviewed. Urticarial rash including CSU occurs in ≤3% of patients with CHC as reported by most of 20 studies analysed. Very few patients have been assessed for the effects of antiviral hepatitis treatment on their CSU, and two but not all reportedly showed improvement. Hepatitis B/C infections appear unlikely to be linked to CSU. We suggest that routine screening for these infections in patients with CSU is not relevant or cost-effective and should not be performed unless liver function tests are abnormal, risk factors or symptoms of viral hepatitis are present, or urticarial vasculitis is suspected., (© 2018 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.)

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is defined as persistent wheals, angioedema, or both lasting for >6 weeks due to known or unknown causes. Some epidemiological studies and case reports suggest that internal parasite infections (PI) can cause CSU. Here, we provide a systematic overview of published findings on the prevalence and relevance of PI in CSU and we discuss possible pathomechanisms. The prevalence of PI in CSU was investigated by 39 independent studies and comorbidity reportedly ranged from 0 to 75.4% (two-thirds of these studies reported infection rates of 10% or less). The prevalence of PI in adult and pediatric CSU patients ranged from 0% to 75.4% and from 0% to 37.8%, respectively. CSU patients were more often diagnosed with protozoa and had a significantly higher risk of toxocariasis seropositivity and Anisakis simplex sensitization when compared to healthy controls. Patients with chronic urticaria more frequently had seropositivity of fasciolosis, Anisakis simplex sensitization, and the presence of Blastocystis hominis allele 34 (ST3) as compared with control subjects. In 21 studies, efficacy of treatment with antiparasitic drugs ranged from 0 to 100% (35.7% of 269 CSU patients benefitted). In 9 (42.8%) of 21 studies, more than 50% of efficacy was observed. The reported rate of urticaria comorbidity in PI patients in 18 independent studies is 1-66.7%. Urticaria including CSU might be a quite common symptom of strongyloidiasis and blastocystosis. Pathogenic mechanisms in CSU due to PI may include specific IgE, Th2 cytokine skewing, eosinophils, activation of the complement, and the coagulation systems., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a common mast cell-driven disease characterized by the development of wheals (hives), angioedema (AE), or both for > 6 weeks. It is thought that autoimmunity is a common cause of CSU, which is often associated with autoimmune thyroiditis, whereas the link to other autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has not been carefully explored. Here, we systematically reviewed the existing literature for information on the prevalence of CSU in SLE (and vice versa) and we examined the possible clinical and pathogenetic relationship between CSU and SLE. The prevalence of CSU and CSU-like rash in SLE was investigated by 42 independent studies and comorbidity in adult patients reportedly ranged from 0% to 21.9% and 0.4% to 27.5%, respectively (urticarial vasculitis: 0-20%). In children with SLE, CSU was reported in 0-1.2% and CSU-like rash in 4.5-12% (urticarial vasculitis: 0-2.2%). In contrast, little information is available on the prevalence of SLE in patients with CSU, and more studies are needed to determine the rate of comorbidity. Recent insights on IgG- and IgE-mediated autoreactivity suggest similarities in the pathogenesis of CSU and SLE linking inflammation and autoimmunity with the activation of the complement and coagulation system. Future studies of patients with either or both conditions could help to better define common pathomechanisms in CSU and SLE and to develop novel targeted treatment options for patients with CSU and SLE., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Schnitzler syndrome (SS) is a rare clinical entity characterized by chronic recurrent urticarial rash, monoclonal IgM gammopathy, intermittent fever and other symptoms. In this report, we present the cases of two patients with SS: a male and a female aged 50 and 49 years, respectively. Both patients had hyperimmunoglobulinemia E and showed good response to elimination diet., Methods: The patients had chronic urticaria, IgM gammopathy and an elevation of the serum levels of inflammation markers. Total IgE levels were found to be high (2000 U/ml and 540 U/ml, respectively). No underlying causes for hyperimmunoglobulinemia E (allergy, parasites, etc.) were revealed. The first patient did not respond to the treatment with antihistamines, while the second one responded only to high doses. The response to prednisolone in the second patient was incomplete., Results: Following a strict elimination diet resulted in marked improvement in skin lesions in both patients. In one of our patients we observed a decrease in IgE and IgM levels after a 3 week diet. The systemic symptoms persisted and improved only after adding pefloxacin, followed by a 3-day empirical course of intravenous prednisone in the first patient and a course of plasmapheresis in the second one., Conclusion: The high serum levels of total IgE may be associated with chronic urticaria activity, severe disease course and a poor response to treatment with antihistamines, and may be considered a possible marker of a subset of patients with SS showing a good response to the restriction diet. In general, we can assume that elimination diet can have an influence on the skin lesions and other symptoms of SS as well as on total IgE and IgM levels, but such association, the underlying mechanisms and the reasons for excessive IgE synthesis should be investigated in further studies.

In acne vulgaris, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) could play a dual role; i.e., protective by acting against Propionibacterium acnes, pro-inflammatory by acting as signalling molecules. The cutaneous expression of 15 different AMPs was investigated in acne patients; furthermore, the impact of isotretinoin therapy on AMP expression was analysed in skin biopsies from 13 patients with acne vulgaris taken before, during and after a 6-month treatment cycle with isotretinoin using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cutaneous expression of the AMPs cathelicidin, human β-defensin-2 (HBD-2), lactoferrin, lysozyme, psoriasin (S100A7), koebnerisin (S100A15), and RNase 7 was upregulated in untreated acne vulgaris, whereas α-defensin-1 (HNP-1) was downregulated compared to controls. While relative expression levels of cathelicidin, HBD-2, lactoferrin, psoriasin (S100A7), and koebnerisin (S100A15) decreased during isotretinoin treatment, only those of cathelicidin and koebnerisin returned to normal after 6 months of isotretinoin therapy. The increased expression of lysozyme and RNase 7 remained unaffected by isotretinoin treatment. The levels of granulysin, RANTES (CCL5), perforin, CXCL9, substance P, chromogranin B, and dermcidin were not regulated in untreated acne patients and isotretinoin had no effect on these AMPs. In conclusion, the expression of various AMPs is altered in acne vulgaris. Isotretinoin therapy normalizes the cutaneous production of distinct AMPs while the expression of others is still increased in healing acne. Considering the antimicrobial and pro-inflammatory role of AMPs, these molecules could serve as specific targets for acne therapy and maintenance of clinical remission.

Chronic urticaria (CU) is a widespread skin disease, characterized by the recurrence of transient wheals and itch for more than 6 weeks. Besides autoimmune mechanisms, coagulation factors, in particular tissue factor and thrombin, might also participate in the disease pathophysiology. Tissue factor expressed by eosinophils can induce activation of blood coagulation generating thrombin which in turn can increase vascular permeability both directly, acting on endothelial cells, and indirectly, inducing degranulation of mast cells with release of histamine, as demonstrated in experimental models. D-dimer, a fibrin degradation product, generated following activation of the coagulation cascade and fibrinolysis, has been found to be increased during urticaria exacerbations; moreover, it has been proposed as a biomarker of severity and resistance to H1-antihistamines in CU patients. The possible role of coagulation in CU is also supported by case reports, case series and a small controlled study showing the efficacy of anticoagulant therapy in this disease. The purpose of this review was to summarize the available data on the possible contribution of coagulation to the pathophysiology of CU focusing on clinical aspects and possible future therapeutic developments., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Cosmetic defects in acne may provoke a wide range of mental disorders (depressive, social-phobic, etc.). Isotretinoin is a very effective acne treatment; hence, it usually resolves the associated mental disorders. However, more available data show the possible association of taking isotretinoin and the onset of a depressive syndrome that includes frank depression and even suicidal ideation. The frequency of depressive disorders during isotretinoin treatment varies from 1% to 11% in different studies, and it is unclear whether this is a consequence of isotretinoin therapy. Since it crosses the blood-brain barrier, isotretinoin affects the expression of a broad spectrum of genes in the limbic structures, thus affecting the function of the dopaminergic, serotonergic, and noradrenergic neurons involved in the regulation of mood and emotion. It was suggested that isotretinoin in high concentrations inhibits hippocampal neurogenesis and induces apoptosis of hippocampal cells. However, some studies do not confirm this pathogenic role, and isotretinoin was even reported to have a therapeutic effect in acne-associated depression. In this review, we highlight epidemiological data, the underlying molecular pathogenesis, and the aspects of prevention concerning retinoid-induced depression in acne from the practical point of view of a dermatologist., (© 2013 The International Society of Dermatology.)

This paper reports the results of the treatment of 70 patients presenting with atopic dermatitis using a variant of phototherapy (polarized light generated by Bioptron-2 and Bioptron compact medical lamps). The efficacy of the treatment was estimated based on the dynamics of the skin conditions and variations of the dermatological index of the quality of life.

The paper deals with the origin of parapsoriasis nodularis, which in its micronodular variant belongs to chronic dermatosis and has a clear-cut clinical and histological appearance. The disease arises most frequently after stress and occurs for the most part in middle-aged males. The leading role in pathogenesis of parapsoriasis nodularis is played by cellular immunity as indicated by reduced count of T-lymphocytes, active T-lymphocytes as well as the emergence of delayed hypersensitivity.