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Introduction. In general, chronic wounds are colonized by bacteria; however, when microorganisms start to multiply at higher levels, wounds can become infected, causing prolongation of the inflammatory phase and retardation of collagen synthesis and epithelialization. Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of infection in venous ulcers after 12 weeks of treatment with autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and determine global white blood cell counts. Materials and Methods. This case series study involved a sequential sample of 17 patients with venous ulcers treated with PRP for 12 weeks. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed using the McNemar test and χ² test. Results. At baseline, 10 patients (58.8%) had wound infection. During the sixth week of treatment with PRP, only 3 patients (17.6%) continued to exhibit wound infection. After 12 weeks of PRP treatment, only 1 patient (5.9%) continued to exhibit wound infection. McNemar and χ² tests used to assess the presence of infection in the intervention group produced a P value of .0039 for a comparison of baseline and week 6 and a P value of .0078 for a comparison of baseline and week 12. These results demonstrated significant differences from baseline at both 6 weeks and 12 weeks of treatment, with greater significance at 12 weeks. There was no relationship between global white blood cell count and the presence of infection. Conclusion. After intervention with PRP, 94% of patients experienced improvement concerning the infection of ulcers.

Interest has increased in comorbidities associated with psoriasis and their effects on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and to investigate HRQoL and the prevalence of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), obesity and dyslipidemia. In a cross‐sectional design, patients diagnosed with plaque psoriasis answered an interview and standardized questionnaires (Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire [DLQI], 36‐Item Short Form Health Survey [SF‐36] and EuroQol Five‐Dimension Questionnaire Three‐Level version [EQ‐5D‐3L]). Physical examination and several tests to assess desired outcomes were performed by a dermatologist and a rheumatologist during three visits. The prevalence of MetS and PsA was 50.0% and 41.8%, respectively. Dyslipidemia was the most prevalent (74.5%) secondary comorbidity, followed by hypertension (61.8%), obesity (52.5%) and T2DM (30.9%). The mean (standard deviation) DLQI score was 6.5 (6.9), and mean physical and mental SF‐36 measures were 45.2 (10.4) and 45.5 (12.3), respectively, and for EQ‐5D‐3L, mean utility index and EQ‐VAS scores were 0.68 (0.27) and 72.7 (19.7), respectively. PsA and MetS are important comorbidities; a reduced HRQoL is noted among plaque psoriasis patients with these comorbidities, emphasizing the relevance of diagnosis and treatment beyond the care of skin lesions.

Geographic tongue (GT) is a chronic condition of unknown aetiology, with no defined parameters to establish the protocol for evidence-based management. Validation of a newly developed and proposed clinical index to assess the severity of GT could assist in its diagnosis, especially in cases associated with systemic dermatological diseases in the form of psoriasis. Objective: To verify the applicability of the geographic tongue area and severity index (GTASI). This involved healthcare professionals from different specialties to evaluate the usefulness of the GTASI in supporting GT classification, as well as the follow-up process. Methods: One hundred cases of previously diagnosed GT were initially evaluated by three independent, experienced researchers/clinicians to obtain a standardised classification baseline. Subsequently, nine cases of GT were selected, three cases for each category—mild, moderate and severe. These stages were professionally evaluated by 51 healthcare professionals from three groups: 17 dentists (33%), 22 oral medicine specialists (43%) and 12 specialist dermatologists (24%) during a cross-sectional survey. Results: The quantitative and qualitative assessment based on experts’ opinions in the cross-sectional survey demonstrated an acceptable, similar level of GT clinical diagnosis (p > 0.05), with coherence between the various groups of professionals critically appraising the GTASI. An apparent divergence was observed for the moderate GT category, as well as in the group of less experienced evaluators. Conclusion: Whilst the validation of GTASI applicability was successfully executed, the general dental practitioners, specialists in oral medicine and dermatologists were equally capable of correct GT diagnosis and appropriately rating its severity. These coherent results were especially replicated among the experienced clinicians. The validation of the newly proposed index confirmed its reliability as a feasible instrument in oral medicine, with the prospect of its wider implementation in clinical practice.

Objective This study was designed to develop a severity index for geographic tongue (GT) based on the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Study Design This cross-sectional observational study, with a retrospective sample of 100 participants, included 5 photographs of each case (dorsum, right border, left border, apex, and lingual belly), totaling 500 images of GT, which were evaluated by 3 experienced researchers in the area of GT and psoriasis. At the end of the analysis, GT was classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Results Of the 100 patients, white women were most prevalent, accounting for 53% of cases. Of these participants, 34% had psoriasis and 24% reported a burning sensation. The values of the proposed new index obtained at time 1 (0.855) and time 2 (0.819) presented low variability, and intra- and interrater correlations produced satisfactory values ranging from 0.950 to 0.898 and 0.898 to 0.850, respectively. Conclusion The new index, Geographic Tongue Area and Severity Index, provides a better characterization of GT by assessing the severity of lesions in an easy and reliable manner, and it is indicated as a first step for interpreting the condition in clinical routines and clinical trials.

Background Few studies have examined the clinical features of geographic tongue (GT), an inflammatory lesion, making diagnosis and the investigation of oral psoriasis difficult. Purpose To investigate the clinical features of GT to facilitate its identification and understand its relationship with psoriasis. Methods A total of 96 participants diagnosed with GT underwent stomatological and dermatological examinations. The parameters assessed were burning sensation; number, classification, and location of lesions; loss of papillae; severity of GT lesions; and association with fissured tongue (FT). Psoriatic patients (PS) and those without psoriasis (NPS) were compared. Results Burning sensation was reported by 45 (47%) patients, 67 (70%) patients showed active GT, 68 (71%) presented with typical lesions, and 59 (61%) exhibited moderate lesions. GT was associated with FT in 75% of the cases and exhibited a diffused pattern associated with severe lesions. It was also more frequent in the PS group. The comparative analysis between the PS and NPS groups showed significant differences between the groups with regard to gender, presence of burning sensation, and GT severity. Conclusion GT is a symptomatic lesion with a thick halo. In contrast, psoriatic patients are frequently asymptomatic and exhibit severe lesions with greater loss of papillae that are associated with severe FT. The present study is the first to demonstrate clinical differences in the GT of patients with and without psoriasis, suggesting that some GT cases may represent true oral psoriasis and some cases may represent only GT.

Objetiva-se avaliar a efetividade do Plasma Rico em Plaquetas (PRP) no processo de cicatrização de feridascrônicas. Trata-se de um estudo de série de casos. Desfechos primários: percentual de feridas cicatrizadas;taxa de redução da área das feridas. Desfechos secundários: alteração do tecido no leito das feridas;quantidade de exsudato da lesão, odor e dor. Os dados foram coletados entre os meses de novembro de 2013a março de 2014, com tempo de seguimento de 12 semanas. O procedimento de coleta de dados foi realizadoem três etapas: anamnese, coleta e tratamento do sangue e a realização do curativo com utilização do PRP. Aamostra foi composta por 5 pacientes com úlceras de perna. Houve uma ferida completamente cicatrizada eas demais feridas apresentaram taxa de redução da área de 34%, 30%, 12% e 11%. Conclui-se que o PRPfavoreceu o processo de reparo tecidual.Palavras-chave: Ferimentos e Lesões; Cicatrização; Fator de Crescimento Derivado de Plaquetas. AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in the healing process ofchronic wounds. This is a cases series study. Primary outcomes: percentage of healed wounds; reduction rateof the wound area. Secondary outcomes: alteration of tissue in the wound bed; amount of exudate from thewound, odor and pain. Data were collected from November 2013 to March 2014, with a follow-up time of 12weeks. The data collection procedure was performed in three stages: anamnesis, blood collection andtreatment and dressing using PRP. The sample consisted of 5 patients with leg ulcers. There was a completelyhealed wound and the remaining wounds presented an area reduction rate of 34%, 30%, 12% and 11%. It isconcluded that PRP favored the tissue repair process.Keywords: Injury and Wounds; Healing; Growth Factor Derived from Platelets.

The platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has proved promising regarding its applicability in dermatology, especially in the healing of chronic ulcers. The autologous platelet-rich plasma is obtained by centrifuging the blood, so that the components are separated by density gradient. The final product is a gel rich in growth factors that act in tissue repair by activating fibroblasts and inducing extracellular matrix remodeling.

Background Infections are known to trigger and exacerbate psoriasis. Although oral candidiasis is often clinically diagnosed, it is not always confirmed by laboratory tests such as oral cytopathology. Objectives The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of oral candidiasis in patients with psoriasis through clinical and cytopathological diagnosis and to investigate the association between oral candidiasis and psoriasis with regards to the severity of the clinical presentation and the type of treatment for psoriasis. Methods A total of 140 patients with psoriasis and 140 healthy control subjects received an oral examination. Scrapings of the tongue were also obtained for a cytopathological examination. Results The oral examination and the results of the cytopathological smear revealed 37 (26%) cases of candidiasis in the patients with psoriasis and no cases of candidiasis in the healthy control subjects. There was no correlation between the type of psoriasis treatment and the presence of oral candidiasis ( P = .616). There was a statistically significant association ( P = .033) between the clinical severity of psoriasis and the presence of Candida . Limitations This study was limited by the small number of subjects and the lack of follow-up to determine the development of psoriasis after treatment for oral candidiasis. Conclusions The presence of oral candidiasis is higher in patients with psoriasis and it is associated with disease severity. This increased presence of oral candidiasis was apparent despite any type of treatment for the psoriasis. Cytopathology to rule out oral candidiasis should be used in the routine medical workup of patients with psoriasis.

Recently, the world is facing an escalate in the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Databases containing information about patients in end stage renal disease (ESRD), especially in the United States, were the sources of initial information about it. Brazil has the third largest population on dialysis in the world, and there are about 680 dialysis centers, spread across all units of the federation in the present, providing treatment to an estimated population of almost 90,000 patients. Cutaneous involvement in the chronic renal failure is characterized by a number of manifestations, which may be related to three processes: the primary renal disease, the uremic state, or the therapeutic measures used in their handling. The skin changes in these two classes of patients, dialysis and transplant recipients, have been the subject of several studies. n recent years, however, great progress has been achieved in these two therapeutic modalities, which may have changed not only the type of the dermatologic disorders associated with these two conditions, but also their intensity or frequency. This article aims to yield an update as to the topic skin diseases in hemodialysis and kidney transplant patients.