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Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit resulting from androgen-induced increased sebum production, altered keratinization, inflammation, and bacterial colonization of the hair follicles of the face, neck, chest and back by Propionibacterium acnes. Overall, inflammation and immune responses are strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of acne. Although early colonization with Propionibacterium acnes and family history may play an important role in the disease, it remains unclear exactly what triggers acne and how treatment affects disease progression. The influence of diet on acne disease is a growing research topic, yet few studies have examined the effects of diet on the development and clinical severity of acne disease, and the results have often been contradictory. Interestingly, very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) has been associated with both significant reductions in body weight and inflammatory status through the production of ketone bodies and thus it has been expected to reduce the exacerbation of clinical manifestations or even block the trigger of acne disease. Given the paucity of studies regarding the implementation of VLCKD in the management of acne, this review aims to provide evidence from the available scientific literature to support the speculative use of VLCKD in the treatment of acne.

Objective: This study aims to determine the frequency of adult patients presenting to the emergency department with skin lesions, and the main diagnoses made in the ED. We aimed to investigate the reasons of patients choose the emergency department rather than dermatology outpatient clinics in non-emergency situations.Material and Method: This is a prospective study conducted on patients with dermatological conditions diagnosed in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital during a 6-month period. Basic epidemiological and clinical characteristics, and whether the situation is a "real emergency" from the perspectives of the patients and clinicians were recorded.Results: A total of 262 patients were included. The three most common diagnoses in the ED were acute urticaria (41.6%), maculopapular drug eruptions (17.2%) and pruritus (7.6%). Dermatology consultation was requested for 26 (9.9%) of all patients. When evaluating the necessity of emergency ED examination from the point of view of the patient and the physician, and asked whether the situation was emergent, 74.0% of 262 patients reported that their condition was emergent, but the physicians evaluated only 40.0% of patients has a truly emergent situation. The most important factor in the choice of ED in non-emergent patients was the lack of medical insurance (20.6%).Conclusion: Patients who presented to the ED with dermatological complaints were not always "true emergencies" and several factors may play a role preference of patients’ for the ED instead of the outpatient dermatology clinic. The most common cause was medical insurance problems according to our results., Amaç: Bu çalışmada, acil servise deri lezyonları ile gelen erişkin hastaların başvuru sıklıkları ve acil serviste konulan ana tanıların belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Acil olmayan durumlarda hastaların dermatoloji polikliniği yerine acil servisi tercih etme nedenlerini araştırmayı amaçladık.Gereç ve Yöntem: : Bu çalışma, üçüncü basamak bir hastanenin acil servisinde prospektif olarak yapıldı. Altı aylık bir süre içinde dermatolojik şikayetleri olan hastalar çalışmaya alındı. Temel epidemiyolojik ve klinik veriler ile hastaların ve klinisyenlerin bakış açısından durumun "gerçek bir acil durum" olup olmadığı kaydedilmiştir.Bulgular: Çalışmaya 262 hasta dahil edildi. Acil serviste en sık görülen üç tanı akut ürtiker (%41.6), makülopapüler ilaç döküntüleri (%17.2) ve kaşıntı (%7.6) idi. Tüm hastaların 26'sına (%9,9) dermatoloji konsültasyonu istendi. Acil servis muayenesinin hasta ve hekim açısından gerekliliği değerlendirildiğinde ve durumun gerçekten acil olup olmadığı sorulduğunda 262 hastanın %74.0'ü durumunun acil olduğunu bildirdi, ancak hekimler sadece %40.0 hastanın acil müdahale ihtiyacı olduğunu değerlendirdi. Acil olmayan hastalarda acil servis seçiminde en önemli faktör sağlık güvencesinin olmamasıdır (%20,6). Sonuç: Acil servise dermatolojik şikayetlerle başvuran hastalar her zaman "gerçek acil durumlar" değildir ve hastaların dermatoloji polikliniği yerine acil servis tercihinde çeşitli faktörler rol oynayabilir. Çalışmamızın sonucuna göre en sık acil servise başvuru nedeni sağlık sigortası sorunlarıydı.

Objective: The number of older adults has increased throughout the world. Aging affects all the organs and creates psychological, physiologic and anatomic changes. One of the most important organs of the human body is the skin, which shows the effects of aging the most. This study aims to determine whether age, gender, and season of biopsy play a significant role in skin biopsy results. Additionally, the study investigates whether the frequency of skin diseases differs before and after the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on the histopathology results of patients over 65 years old between June 2016 and September 2021. The histopathology results were obtained from the Acibadem Pathology Department. Results: Of the 677 patients, 310 (45.8\%) were male and 367 (54.2\%) were female. The most common disease in all patients were benign cutaneous neoplasms (23\%), followed by eczematous disease (18.5\%) and epithelial cutaneous cancers (16.8\%). We divided the results into 12 groups: group 1: Urticaria, erythema and purpuras, group 2: Papulosquamous and eczematous diseases, group 3: Infectious diseases, group 4: Rheumatologic diseases and alopecia, group 5: Benign cutaneous neoplasms, group 6: Precancerous lesions, group 7: Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, group 8: Cutaneous metastasis and other skin cancers, group 9: Pigmentation disorders, group 10: Pschycology related dermatological disorders, group 11: Granulomatous dermatitis, group 12: Bullous dermatitis. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the most prevalent results were group 2 (21.3\%), followed by group 5 (20.4\%) and group 7 (16.7\%) whereas, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the most frequent results were group 5 (28.4\%) followed by group 7 (17.1\%), and group 6 (14.9\%). In terms of seasons, the most common diseases were group 5 (24.1\%) in winter, group 2 (21.6\%) in spring, group 5 (30.0\%) in summer, and group 2 (18.9\%) in autumn. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the most common result was group 2 (21.3\%), followed by group 5 (20.4\%) and group 7 (16.7\%), and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the most common result was group 5 (28.4\%), followed by group 7 (17.1\%), group 6 (14.9\%). Conclusion: Many skin diseases affect the geriatric population. Geriatric patients face challenges such as multiple drug use, comorbidities, mobility problems and cognitive disorders. In our study, the most common diseases in all patients were benign cutaneous neoplasms (23\%), followed by eczematous diseases (18.5\%), and epithelial cutaneous cancers (16.8\%). Knowing about the frequency of skin diseases is critical for the early detection of precancerous and cancerous lesions.

— Dermatology is the branch of bioscience that deals with treating and diagnosing skin disorders and allergies that can be caused due to various geographical and biological factors. However, human skin is a complex and unpredictable domain to define, synthesize and analyze and to rather to distinguish disorders affecting with skin. To address this issue, Researchers are still working to figure out and model human skin behaviour to automate the process of skin disease detecting through victimization that uses vision techniques to meet the criteria of medical science. Patients in remote areas where access to quality medical facilities is still limited may ignore symptoms and exacerbate their conditions. Automated medical paradigms are necessary to effectively address these issues and provide convenient and accessible solutions to people's needs. The emergence of automated paradigms for detecting skin diseases is a promising solution to ensure accurate diagnosis of skin-related issues. A multiclass deep learning model has been proposed to develop that can differentiate between healthy skin and skin affected by a disease, and also categorize various types of skin diseases. We used Deep Learning, a type of machine learning that uses large datasets to reduce the number of classifiers required to train our model. This approach lets the machine to learn and divide the provided data into levels of predictions and in a very short period of time gives delivers accurate results, thus our work aims to promote and support development of Dermatology. The algorithm we used here is Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) as it is one of the most preferred algorithms for image classification.&nbsp

Background: Hairdressers are commonly affected by hand eczema (HE) due to skin hazardous exposure such as irritants and allergens in the work environment. Objective: To give an overview of the current prevalence, incidence, and severity, as well as the pattern of debut and the contribution of atopic dermatitis on HE in hairdressers. Methods: A systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines was performed. Studies published from 2000 to April 2021 that fulfilled predefined eligibility criteria were retrieved. Results: A pooled lifetime prevalence of 38.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 32.6-43.8), a pooled 1-year prevalence of 20.3% (95% CI 18.0-22.6), and a pooled point prevalence of 7.7% (95% CI 5.8-9.6) of HE was observed in hairdressers. The lifetime prevalence in fully trained hairdressers and hairdressing apprentices was almost identical. The pooled incidence rate of HE was 51.8 cases/1000 person-years (95% CI 42.6-61.0) and the pooled prevalence of atopic dermatitis was 18.1% (95% CI 13.6-22.5). Conclusion: HE is common in hairdressers and most hairdressers have debut during apprenticeship. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis in hairdressers is comparable with estimates in the general population, indicating that occupational exposures are the main factor in the increased prevalence of HE in hairdressers. This warrants a strategic and collective effort to prevent HE in hairdressers.

Objective: We aimed to determine the prevalence of different skin diseases and their seasonal variations at the Razi dermatology hospital from 2019 to 2020. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we obtained data from the medical records of 3120 patients visiting the dermatology clinic of Razi hospital. The prevalence of skin diseases was evaluated using meteorologically defined seasons. We looked for significant equally distributed results during each season. Results: During all seasons, women were referred to our clinic more frequently than men. Some diseases demonstrated significant seasonality with a peak during the winter, including acne, eczema, wart, seborrheic dermatitis, nevus, vitiligo, lentigo, and dermatophytosis. Atopic dermatitis was more frequent during the spring and winter compared with other seasons (p < .05). Actinic keratosis and lichen planus showed a significant seasonal trend with a peak during the summer (p < .05). Infections, including viral, bacterial, and fungal skin diseases, were more frequent during the winter than the summer (p = .001). Conclusion: This study provides an overview of the seasonal distribution of dermatology visits at our referral hospital, which will aid in developing better policies to prevent and manage skin disorders in outpatient visits.

Deep learning-based models have been employed for the detection and classification of skin diseases through medical imaging. However, deep learning-based models are not effective for rare skin disease detection and classification. This is mainly due to the reason that rare skin disease has very a smaller number of data samples. Thus, the dataset will be highly imbalanced, and due to the bias in learning, most of the models give better performances. The deep learning models are not effective in detecting the affected tiny portions of skin disease in the overall regions of the image. This paper presents an attention-cost-sensitive deep learning-based feature fusion ensemble meta-classifier approach for skin cancer detection and classification. Cost weights are included in the deep learning models to handle the data imbalance during training. To effectively learn the optimal features from the affected tiny portions of skin image samples, attention is integrated into the deep learning models. The features from the finetuned models are extracted and the dimensionality of the features was further reduced by using a kernel-based principal component (KPCA) analysis. The reduced features of the deep learning-based finetuned models are fused and passed into ensemble meta-classifiers for skin disease detection and classification. The ensemble meta-classifier is a two-stage model. The first stage performs the prediction of skin disease and the second stage performs the classification by considering the prediction of the first stage as features. Detailed analysis of the proposed approach is demonstrated for both skin disease detection and skin disease classification. The proposed approach demonstrated an accuracy of 99% on skin disease detection and 99% on skin disease classification. In all the experimental settings, the proposed approach outperformed the existing methods and demonstrated a performance improvement of 4% accuracy for skin disease detection and 9% accuracy for skin disease classification. The proposed approach can be used as a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) tool for the early diagnosis of skin cancer detection and classification in healthcare and medical environments. The tool can accurately detect skin diseases and classify the skin disease into their skin disease family.

Rosacea is a chronic progressive inflammatory disease and characterized by facial erythema, telangiectasias, papules, and pustules. The disease is more common in women than in men while affecting 2%–10% of the population. Though the pathogenesis of rosacea is not fully understood, oxidative stress is one of the asserted pathogenic factors. In this study, we purposed to assess the oxidative stress and thiol–disulfide homeostasis (TDH) in rosacea disease.Materials and Methods:Forty patients with rosacea and 40 healthy people as a control group, both in ages of 18–70 years, with the same demographic characteristics were included, who were applied to the Istanbul Training and Research Hospital Dermatology Clinic. Serum total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), total thiol (TT), and native thiol (NT) levels were evaluated by using the automated and spectrophotometric method according to Erel and Neselioglu. Oxidative stress index (OSI), disulfide (DIS) levels, and NT/TT, DIS/TT and DIS/NT percentages were calculated mathematically.Results:TAS, TT, and NT levels were decreased in rosacea patients compared with the healthy group, whereas TOS, OSI, and DIS levels were increased. Additionally, although DIS/TT and DIS/NT percentages were higher in patients, NT/TT ratio was lower than the healthy group, and these findings were statistically significant (p< 0.001).Conclusion:The results showed that oxidative stress levels were increased in rosacea patients and TDH shifted toward DIS formation. It has been thought that oxidative stress is a parameter that may be utilized in the clinical evaluation of the disease.

BackgroundThirdhand smoke (THS) exposure correlated with significant metabolism of carcinogenic chemicals and the potential to cause detrimental health effects. Human harm research of THS exposure is limited to one other study and overall, there is a general lack of knowledge of the human health responses to THS exposure.MethodsThis was a clinical investigation to evaluate the health effects of 3-h dermal THS exposure from urine and plasma. 10 healthy, non-smoking subjects were recruited for dermal exposure for 3h exposed to clothing impregnated with filtered clean air or THS. Exposures to clean air or THS occurred 20-30 days apart.FindingsIn THS-exposed group, there was a significant elevation of urinary 8-OHdG, 8-isoprostane, protein carbonyls. The THS 3-h exposure identified proteomics pathways of inflammatory response (p=2.18×10-8), adhesion of blood cells (p=2.23×10-8), atherosclerosis (p=2.78×10-9), and lichen planus (p=1.77×10-8). Nine canonical pathways were significantly activated including leukocyte extravasation signaling (z-score=3.0), and production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen in macrophages (z-score=2.1). The THS 22-h proteomics pathways revealed inflammation of organ (p=3.09×10-8), keratinization of the epidermis (p=4.0×10-7), plaque psoriasis (p=5.31×10-7), and dermatitis (p=6.0×10-7). Two activated canonical pathways were production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen in macrophages (z-score=2.646), and IL-8 signaling (z-score=2.0).InterpretationThis is a clinical study demonstrating that acute dermal exposure to THS mimics the harmful effects of cigarette smoking, alters the human plasma proteome, initiates mechanisms of skin inflammatory disease, and elevates urinary biomarkers of oxidative harm.FundingFunding was provided by the Tobacco Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) 24RT-0037 TRDRP, 24RT-0039 TRDRP, and 28PT-0081 TRDRP.

Psoriasis (PS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, and it increasingly appears also in the elderly population. There is a rising interest in drug therapy for PS, especially for people receiving care in nursing homes (NH). Which PS-related drugs are prescribed in the time before nursing home admission (NHA), and to what extent does the supply of drugs change after NHA? Which specialties prescribe PS-related drugs? Statutory health insurance data were examined for people with PS, aged ≥ 65 years, who were newly admitted to a NH in the period 2011–2014 and observed for one year before and after NHA. Changes in prescription prevalence (pre-post comparison) were examined for significant differences. Prescriptions of PS-relevant drugs were measured by defined daily dose and stratified according to the prescribing specialist group. The analysis included 718 insured persons with PS (76.2% female, mean age 83.3 years). Systemic therapeutics played a minor role (pre: 2.6% vs. post: 2.1%) in drug therapy. Topical steroids had a high share of about 40% in the pre–post comparison. Overall, the proportion of people with PS who received treatment remained at a comparable level before and after NHA. A structured assessment of the skin is crucial, specifically in people with cognitive impairment.

Information about the prevalence of photodermatoses is lacking, despite their substantial impact on life quality. Our objective was to systematically review the literature to establish what is known regarding prevalence and incidence of photodermatoses. We searched Medline, CINAHL and Embase from inception to 2021 to identify original population-based studies in English literature reporting the prevalence and/or incidence of photodermatoses. Information was extracted according to geographical location and risk of bias was assessed using a 10-point risk of bias tool for prevalence studies. Primary outcome was the population prevalence of photodermatoses. Prevalence data for polymorphic light eruption (PLE) were used to calculate the global pooled prevalence of PLE. Twenty-six studies were included; 15 reported prevalence of photodermatoses based on samples of the general population and 11 on prevalence and/or incidence from national and international registry data. The general population studies involved PLE (nine studies), unspecified photosensitivity (2), actinic prurigo (2), juvenile spring eruption (1), chronic actinic dermatitis (1) and variegate porphyria (1), while registry studies reported on cutaneous porphyrias and genophotodermatoses (nine and two studies, respectively). Worldwide the prevalence of PLE between countries ranged from 0.65% (China) to 21.4% (Ireland). The pooled estimated prevalence of PLE was 10% (95% CI 6%–15%) among the general population (n = 19,287), and PLE prevalence increased with distance from the equator (r = 0.78, p < 0.001). While several photodermatoses are rare, photosensitivity can be prevalent at wide-ranging world locations, including Egypt where photosensitivity was found in 4% of children and 10% of adults. This study showed that PLE is highly prevalent in many populations and that its prevalence shows a highly significant correlation with increasing northerly or southerly latitude. Available population-based studies for photodermatoses suggest they can be prevalent at a range of world locations; more attention is required to this area. © 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.

— Screening for skin diseases is the identification of risk factors for the skin. It helps you know how dangerous your condition is and you can take precautions accordingly. This research describes the prediction of skin diseases using the decision tree. Diagnosing and predicting skin diseases is a lengthy process because it requires a patient history, physical examination, and appropriate laboratory diagnostic tests. Diagnosis and prediction of disease become difficult as the complexity and number of disease features increases. For this reason, a computer-aided diagnosis and recognition system is introduced. This algorithm contains some steps involving data set analysis, data pre-processing and data classification which was implemented with the help of a classifier like decision tree. The algorithm compares the test and training data set for skin disease detection. The system will bring more precision and efficiency, making it more reliable for dermatology.

Background: Treatment of psoriasis results in alteration in clinical and histopathology findings with resultant inconclusive histopathology findings and a diagnostic dilemma in resource poor settings. Objective: To document the histopathology of clinically correlated psoriasis, compare with other studies and observe any differences in features. Methodology: A retrospective cross-sectional evaluation of 60 cases histopathologically diagnosed as psoriasis was conducted at the ClinaLancet laboratory in Lagos, Nigeria over a 2-week period. Slides of 60 dermatology clinic treatment naive cases diagnosed by dermatologists with histopathological correlation as psoriasis were retrieved, observed under the microscope and the features of psoriasis were documented in a pre-designed proforma. Data was entered into a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. Simple means and frequencies were presented. Results: There were 35 females (58.3%) and 25 males (41.7%). The mean age of the patients was 41.55 ± 19.03 years; age range was 1-83 years. The commonly observed features of psoriasis were hyperkeratosis (100%), acanthosis (100%), perivascular infiltrates (100%), parakeratosis (95%), absent granular layer (83.3%), suprapapillary plate thinning (86.7%) and Munro microabscess (45%). The findings were comparable to other studies. Conclusion: The findings from this study are similar to the findings from other histopathology study of psoriasis. Iatrogenic intervention does not significantly change the histopathology features of psoriasis to the extent that a conclusive diagnosis cannot be made.

Objective: Information on the population-based prevalence study of skin diseases is still lacking. The study explores the prevalence and pattern of diagnosed skin diseases of the population in a primary care area of a university hospital in Thailand.Materials and Methods: Skin disease patients were identified using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision codes (L00-L99). Retrospective data were obtained from the hospital electronic medical record between 2015-2019. The number of clinic visits and the number of skin disease diagnoses were counted. The five-year period prevalence was calculated by dividing the number of cases by the population in the primary care area.Results: During the five-year period, in a population of 29,969, we found 3,770 patients (12.6% of 29,969 population) who made 7,433 outpatient visits with the diagnoses of skin diseases. Infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissues were the most common (37.3%), followed by dermatitis (29.7%), urticaria and erythema (13.9%), other disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (8.6%), and papulosquamous disorders (1.7%). The five-year period prevalence of skin diseases per 100,000 persons was as following: cellulitis (2,296), urticaria (1,682), psoriasis (177), atopic dermatitis (420), seborrheic dermatitis (227), alopecia areata (50), vitiligo (23), and pemphigus (10).Conclusion: Infection and dermatitis were the two most common skin diseases in the primary care area population. Atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and decubitus ulcer were less commonly found. Our prevalence data should be the “at least” prevalence of skin diseases due to possible underreporting.

The introduction of TNF blockers in the therapeutic armamentarium of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has largely advanced the way by which clinicians manage these disorders. However, some patients develop de novo immune-mediated diseases during the treatment. We here present the case of paradoxical hidradenitis suppurativa, a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by the development of recurrent nodules and abscesses in intertriginous areas, in a 20-year-old, nonsmoker, normal-weight women, with no family history of hidradenitis suppurativa or IBD, diagnosed with nonstricturing nonpenetrating ileocolonic Crohn's disease in 2013, during treatment with infliximab. Infliximab discontinuation was followed by a significant improvement of skin lesions. We also discuss 22 additional cases of paradoxical hidradenitis suppurativa in IBD patients on TNF antagonists reported in the literature with the aim to identify potential risk factors for the development of such a complication. All the patients had Crohn's disease, and the majority of them were women (19/23; 82.6%). All cases occurred during therapy with anti-TNF agents [14/23 (61%) patients were treated with adalimumab and 9/23 (39%) patients were treated with infliximab]. The therapeutic approach directed at maintaining/holding the undergoing biologic therapy is still uncertain. Further studies are needed to determine the most appropriate treatment choice toward ongoing biologic therapy.

BACKGROUND Chloracne is a rare skin condition that is caused by systemic exposure to halogenated aromatic compounds. The main characteristic of chloracne is blackhead, and in severe cases, it can be accompanied by systemic symptoms. Sodium 3,5,6-trichloropyridin-2-ol (STCP) is a necessary precursor compound for the production of chlorpyrifos and triclopyr, which are extensively used as a pesticide and herbicide, respectively. STCP is also a chlorophenol that has been associated with chloracne. STCP poisoning could induce mild myelin sheath damage. We herein report three cases with chloracne due to exposure to STCP. CASE SUMMARY Three young men, aged 29, 33, and 26 years, respectively, in the same workplace had polymorphic skin lesions, characterized mainly by comedones and cysts, and one of them also had acne like lesions in the genital area. These clinical manifestations appeared when they were exposed to STCP for 3 d, 1 wk, and 2 wk, respectively. Among them, polyneuropathy and liver damage occurred. We performed dermoscopy and clinical and laboratory tests on these patients. Additionally, histopathology was used for further diagnosis in the serious patient. These patients were diagnosed with chloracne and separated from STCP. The patients were prescribed oral viaminate capsules, topical adapalene gel, and regular hematologic follow-up for aspartate transaminase and lipids. They are still under follow-up. There was no new lesions and the laboratory tests returned to normal in two patients. Pigmentation and shallow scars remained in the original areas of papules. However, in the most serious patient, new papules still appeared intermittently. All these remind us that the treatment of chloracne caused by STCP is difficult, and we should attach great importance to this new compound related with the neuropathy and chloracne. CONCLUSION STCP is becoming a new chemical product to induce chloracne, which should attract the attention of all medical professionals, especially dermatologists. Due to the lack of knowledge on the new chemical, the diagnosis of chloracne cannot be made in time. Chloracne still deserves our attention.

Altres ajuts: European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV, No. 2016-012 to MP). Background: Itch is a common symptom in the general population. Affected individuals often do not seek medical consultation and rely on Internet searches to obtain information regarding their itch. Objectives: The aim of this study was to attain insights into common concerns of the general population regarding itch can by analysing itch-related Internet search behaviour. Methods: Google AdWords Keyword Planner was used to assess search volumes for itch-related terms in 15 European countries between September 2014 and August 2018. All identified keywords were qualitatively categorized. Itch-related terms were descriptively analysed and are shown as number of searches/100 000 inhabitants. Results: The search volume for the keyword 'itch' per 100 000 inhabitants was highest in Northern Europe, followed by Eastern, Central and Southern Europe. In 4/15 countries, itch was searched for more often in the autumn/winter months compared to in the spring/summer months. Most itch-related terms were related to dermatological conditions such as inflammatory skin diseases (e.g. psoriasis, atopic dermatitis), allergic or immunologic conditions (e.g. urticaria), and infectious diseases or infestations (e.g. scabies). In terms of body location, genitoanal itch dominated the searches. Symptoms and signs related to itch, possible non-dermatological aetiologies, and treatment options were also among the most searched terms. Conclusions: These analyses provided for the first time insights into the search behaviour patterns related to itch across Europe. People from Northern and Eastern Europe are more likely to seek online information regarding itch. Causes for the itch, especially dermatological conditions, and genitoanal itch are the most important concerns for Internet users. This unconventional and inexpensive method identifies medical needs of people beyond the medical setting, including people who do not seek medical consultation. Accordingly, the data could be used to guide public health interventions and manage respective inhabitants' medical needs.

More than one billion people are affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and many of these diseases are preventable. While the grouping of these conditions as NTDs has generated vast mapping, mass drug administration and surveillance programmes, there is growing evidence of gaps and weaknesses in purely biomedical approaches, and the need for responses that also recognise the social determinants of health. In order to unpack the social and political determinants of NTDs, it is important to view the problem from a social science perspective. Given this background, the Social Sciences for Severe Stigmatizing Skin Diseases (5S) Foundation has recently been established by the Centre for Global Health Research at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. The broad aim of the 5S Foundation is to incorporate social science perspectives in understanding and addressing the problems around three NTDs, namely, podoconiosis, mycetoma and scabies. This protocol paper sets out the aims and approaches of the 5S Foundation while activities such as research, public engagement, training and capacity building get underway.

Evidence has shown that gut microbiome plays a role in modulating the development of diseases beyond the gastrointestinal tract, including skin disorders such as psoriasis. The gut-skin axis refers to the bidirectional relationship between the gut microbiome and skin health. This is regulated through several mechanisms such as inflammatory mediators and the immune system. Dysregulation of microbiota has been seen in numerous inflammatory skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, rosacea, and psoriasis. Understanding how gut microbiome are involved in regulating skin health may lead to development of novel therapies for these skin disorders through microbiome modulation, in particularly psoriasis. In this review, we will compare the microbiota between psoriasis patients and healthy control, explain the concept of gut-skin axis and the effects of gut dysbiosis on skin physiology. We will also review the current evidence on modulating gut microbiome using probiotics in psoriasis. Published version This work is supported by the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences Strategic Grant 2021 (Vote Number: STG-000051), External Industry Grant from Biomerge Sdn Bhd (Vote no. BMRG2018-01) awarded to L.-H.L., and University of Malaya Research Grant (FRGS Grant no: FP022-2018A) awarded to K.-G.C.

BackgroundComèl-Netherton syndrome (NS) is a rare disease caused by pathogenic variants in the SPINK5 gene, leading to severe skin barrier impairment and proinflammatory upregulation. Given the severity of the disease, treatment of NS is challenging. Current treatment regimens are mainly topical and supportive. Although novel systemic treatment options for NS have been suggested in recent literature, little is known about their outcomes.Objectiveto provide an overview of systemic treatment options and their outcomes in adults and children with NS.MethodsEmbase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Google Scholar were searched up to July 22, 2021. Empirical studies published in English language mentioning systemic treatment in NS were enrolled. Studies that did not define a treatment period or report at least one outcome were excluded. Methodological quality was evaluated by the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist for case reports or case series. Overall quality of evidence of the primary outcome, skin, was assessed by the GRADE approach.Results36 case series and case reports were included. The effects of 15 systemic therapies were described in 48 patients, of which 27 were children. Therapies included retinoids, prednisolone, cyclosporine, immunoglobulins, and biologicals. In retinoids both worsening (4/15 cases) and improvement (6/15 cases) of the skin was observed. Use of prednisolone and cyclosporine was only reported in one patient. Immunoglobulins (13/15 cases) and biologicals (18/21 cases) showed improvement of the skin. Certainty of evidence was rated as very low.ConclusionNS is a rare disease, which is reflected in the scarce literature on systemic treatment outcomes in children and adults with NS. Studies showed large heterogeneity in outcome measures. Adverse events were scarcely reported. Long-term outcomes were reported in a minority of cases. Nonetheless, a general beneficial effect of systemic treatment was found. Immunoglobulins and biologicals showed the most promising results and should be further explored. Future research should focus on determining a core outcome set and measurement instruments for NS to improve quality of research.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=217933, PROSPERO (ID: 217933).

Objectives As a chronic, recurrent, immunologically mediated systemic disease and a common cause of dermatological problems, psoriasis is often a subject of scientific research. Skin changes located on the hands can cause difficulties and limitations in the performance of professional activities, especially manual ones. The main role in pathogenesis is played by immunological factors – improper functioning of the components of the immune system, among others, T lymphocytes and cytokines like interleukin-12 (IL-12), interleukin-22 (IL-22) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ). Material and Methods The obtained tissue and blood were destined for RNA isolation. The RNA was then subjected to a reverse transcription reaction. The relative gene expression level was evaluated by the real-time polymerase chain reaction for IL-12B , IL-22 and IFN-γ genes, and presented as the relative quantification (RQ) value, relative to the reference gene GAPDH . In addition, a correlation analysis of the expression level of selected genes with the clinical course of the disease, as assessed by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), the Body Surface Area (BSA) and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores was performed. Results Statistical analysis confirmed a significant increase in RQ values for IL-12B , IL-22 and IFN-γ in the group of psoriatic patients vs. the control group. A positive correlation was also found between BSA and PASI and RQ for the IL-12B gene. Conclusions Increased expression levels of IL-12B , IL-22 and IFN-γ genes in psoriatic skin confirm that selected cytokines play an important role in the initiation and sustenance of psoriasis. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(5):635–47

Activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is critical for host defense as well as the progression of inflammatory diseases through the production of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β, which is cleaved by active caspase-1. It has been reported that overactivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome contributes to the development and pathology of acne vulgaris. Therefore, inhibiting activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome may provide a new therapeutic strategy for acne vulgaris. In this study, we investigated whether auranofin, an anti-rheumatoid arthritis agent, inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation, thereby effectively treating acne vulgaris. Auranofin suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation induced by Propionibacterium acnes, reducing the production of IL-1β in primary mouse macrophages and human sebocytes. In a P. acnes-induced acne mouse model, injection of P. acnes into the ears of mice induced acne symptoms such as redness, swelling, and neutrophil infiltration. Topical application of auranofin (0.5 or 1%) to mouse ears significantly reduced the inflammatory symptoms of acne vulgaris induced by P. acnes injection. Topical application of auranofin led to the downregulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome activated by P. acnes in mouse ear skin. These results show that auranofin inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome, the activation of which is associated with acne symptoms. The results further suggest that topical application of auranofin could be a new therapeutic strategy for treating acne vulgaris by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Introduction Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease which can have a detrimental impact on the patient’s life. The correlation between depression, psoriasis and inflammation is a subject of many publications. The depressive and psoriatic symptoms, unhealthy coping strategies and stigmatization might be presented in the mechanism of the vicious circle. The appropriate understanding of this phenomenon might be extremely useful for specialists to improve their bedside manner. Objective The aim of this review is to analyze the current data about the worldwide presence of the major depressive disorder – psoriasis, and the occurrence of depression in patients suffering from psoriasis. Research and analysis were based on searching sources such as PubMed, UpToDate and World Health Organization pages for the integrative publications collected mainly from last 10 years. The data about the origin of the psoriasis disease was taken from as 1979 publication. State of knowledge The study demonstrated that the link between psoriasis and depression is bi-directional. The pro-inflammatory cytokine, such as IL-6, TNF-α, CRP and IL-17, are elevated in both cases, which provokes the exacerbation of sickness symptoms. The inflammation dangerously disturbs the functioning of neuronal system and human homeostasis. Summary According to the cited research, the prevalence of depressive disorders in psoriatic patients is higher in comparison to people without psoriasis. Inflammation plays an essential role by being a peculiar connector between psoriasis and depression. Stress and inflammation are crucial factors in pathogenesis of those two disorders and triggers the pathological mechanisms.

Background Skin diseases can have high morbidity that can be costly to society and individuals. To date, there has been no comprehensive assessment of the burden of skin disease in Canada. Objectives To evaluate the burden of 18 skin and subcutaneous diseases from 1990 to 2017 in Canada using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data. Methods The 2017 GBD study measures health loss from 359 diseases and injuries in 195 countries; we evaluated trends in population health in Canada from 1990 to 2017 using incidence, prevalence, mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Data are presented as rates (per 100 000), counts, or percent change with the uncertainty interval in brackets. Results From 1990 to 2017 for all skin diseases, DALY rates increased by 8% to 971 per 100 000 (674-1319), YLD rates increased by 8% to 897 per 100 000 (616-1235), YLL rates increased by 4% to 74 per 100 000 (53-89), and death rates increased by 18% to 5 per 100 000 (3-6). DALY rates for melanoma increased by 2% to 54 per 100 000 (39-68), for keratinocyte carcinoma by 14% to 17 per 100 000 (16-19), and for skin and subcutaneous disease by 8% to 900 per 100 000 (619-1233). The observed over expected ratios were higher for skin and subcutaneous disease (1.37) and keratinocyte carcinoma (1.17) and were lower for melanoma (0.73). Conclusions The burden of skin disease has increased in Canada since 1990. These results can be used to guide health policy regarding skin disease in Canada.

The application of deep learning methods to diagnose diseases has become a new research topic in the medical field. In the field of medicine, skin disease is one of the most common diseases, and its visual representation is more prominent compared with the other types of diseases. Accordingly, the use of deep learning methods for skin disease image recognition is of great significance and has attracted the attention of researchers. In this study, we review 45 research efforts on the identification of skin disease by using deep learning technology since 2016. We analyze these studies from the aspects of disease type, data set, data processing technology, data augmentation technology, model for skin disease image recognition, deep learning framework, evaluation indicators, and model performance. Moreover, we summarize the traditional and machine learning-based skin disease diagnosis and treatment methods. We also analyze the current progress in this field and predict four directions that may become the research topic in the future. Our results show that the skin disease image recognition method based on deep learning is better than those of dermatologists and other computer-aided treatment methods in skin disease diagnosis, especially the multi deep learning model fusion method has the best recognition effect.

Skin disease is a common illness in most tropical regions where the pattern of clinical, presentations is dominated by infections. Along with common diseases such as pyodermas and fungal infections, a group of conditions known collectively as the neglected tropical diseases of the skin or Skin NTDs, which are the targets for worldwide control or elimination are also seen in health care facilities. These diseases range from the common, such a scabies, to those that are less frequent including leprosy and mycetoma. The initiative to use skin presentations of tropical diseases as a route to diagnosis by front line health workers is both logical and welcome. However, this requires training and monitoring and as the work gets under way, it is critically important that time invested in this programme is backed by firm and lasting commitment at regional and national levels.

Background Dermatological conditions are a relevant health problem. Each person has an average of 1.6 skin diseases per year, and consultations for skin pathology represent 20% of the total annual visits to primary care and around 35% are referred to a dermatology specialist. Machine learning (ML) models can be a good tool to help primary care professionals, as it can analyze and optimize complex sets of data. In addition, ML models are increasingly being applied to dermatology as a diagnostic decision support tool using image analysis, especially for skin cancer detection and classification. Objective This study aims to perform a prospective validation of an image analysis ML model as a diagnostic decision support tool for the diagnosis of dermatological conditions. Methods In this prospective study, 100 consecutive patients who visit a participant general practitioner (GP) with a skin problem in central Catalonia were recruited. Data collection was planned to last 7 months. Anonymized pictures of skin diseases were taken and introduced to the ML model interface (capable of screening for 44 different skin diseases), which returned the top 5 diagnoses by probability. The same image was also sent as a teledermatology consultation following the current stablished workflow. The GP, ML model, and dermatologist’s assessments will be compared to calculate the precision, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the ML model. The results will be represented globally and individually for each skin disease class using a confusion matrix and one-versus-all methodology. The time taken to make the diagnosis will also be taken into consideration. Results Patient recruitment began in June 2021 and lasted for 5 months. Currently, all patients have been recruited and the images have been shown to the GPs and dermatologists. The analysis of the results has already started. Conclusions This study will provide information about ML models’ effectiveness and limitations. External testing is essential for regulating these diagnostic systems to deploy ML models in a primary care practice setting.

Atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are members of a family of inflammatory skin disorders. Cellular immune responses in skin tissues contribute to the development of these diseases. However, their underlying immune mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. We developed a computational pipeline for analyzing the single-cell RNA-sequencing profiles of the Human Cell Atlas skin dataset to investigate the pathological mechanisms of skin diseases. First, we applied the maximum relevance criterion and the Boruta feature selection method to exclude irrelevant gene features from the single-cell gene expression profiles of inflammatory skin disease samples and healthy controls. The retained gene features were ranked by using the Monte Carlo feature selection method on the basis of their importance, and a feature list was compiled. This list was then introduced into the incremental feature selection method that combined the decision tree and random forest algorithms to extract important cell markers and thus build excellent classifiers and decision rules. These cell markers and their expression patterns have been analyzed and validated in recent studies and are potential therapeutic and diagnostic targets for skin diseases because their expression affects the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases.

Among the most common illnesses affecting people’s lives are skin disorders, for which a variety of therapeutic approaches has been suggested. Traditional herbal remedies can be counted among the best therapies for such diseases. Herbal shops, or “attaris” (in Persian), play a major role in the traditional therapy of each region. This study investigated the medicinal plants commonly prescribed and traded in herbal shops of Jahrom, Iran, to cure skin diseases. Ethnomedicinal data were collected using the snowball method for 38 plant species belonging to 34 families. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information from herbal shops. Asteraceae, with five species, was the most dominant medicinal family of the prescribed plants, and the fruits, seeds, and leaves of plants are the parts most used. Herbal mask (36%) was the most common mode of herbal drug preparation. The medicinal herbs prescribed by herbal healers are often used for the treatment of acne (36%) as well as for strengthening, clarifying, and giving freshness to the skin (26%). These medicinal plants may be candidates for the development of novel herbal skincare products. The findings of this research revealed that the herbal healers of Jahrom have an outstanding knowledge of traditional treatments for skin diseases. Entre las enfermedades más comunes que afectan a la vida de las personas se encuentran los trastornos de la piel, para los que se han sugerido diversos enfoques terapéuticos. Los remedios tradicionales a base de plantas pueden contarse entre las mejores terapias para estas enfermedades. Las herboristerías, o “attaris” (en persa), juegan un papel importante en la terapia tradicional de cada región. En este estudio se inventariaron las plantas medicinales comúnmente recetadas y comercializadas en las herboristerías de Jahrom, Irán, para curar enfermedades de la piel. Los datos etnomedicinales se recolectaron mediante el método de bola de nieve para 38 especies de plantas pertenecientes a 34 familias. Se utilizó un cuestionario semiestructurado para recolectar información de las herboristerías. LasAsteraceae, con cinco especies, fueron la familia botánica más citada, y los frutos, semillas y hojas de las plantas fueron las partes más utilizadas. La mascarilla a base de plantas (36%) fue la forma más común de preparación. Las plantas medicinales prescritas por los curanderos se utilizan a menudo para el tratamiento del acné (36%), así como para fortalecer, aclarar y dar frescura a la piel (26%). Estas especies pueden ser candidatas para el desarrollo de nuevos productos a base de plantas para el cuidado de la piel. Los resultados de esta investigación revelaron que los curanderos de Jahrom tienen un elevado conocimiento de los tratamientos tradicionales para las enfermedades de la piel.

Human pigmentation has largely been associated with different disease prevalence among populations, but most of these studies are observational and inconclusive. Known to be genetically determined, pigmentary traits have largely been studied by Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS), mostly in Caucasian ancestry cohorts from North Europe, identifying robustly, several loci involved in many of the pigmentary traits. Here, we conduct a detailed analysis by GWAS and Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) of 13 pigmentary-related traits in a South European cohort of Caucasian ancestry (n = 20,000). We observed fair phototype strongly associated with non-melanoma skin cancer and other dermatoses and confirmed by PRS-approach the shared genetic basis with skin and eye diseases, such as melanoma (OR = 0.95), non-melanoma skin cancer (OR = 0.93), basal cell carcinoma (OR = 0.97) and darker phototype with vitiligo (OR = 1.02), cataracts (OR = 1.04). Detailed genetic analyses revealed 37 risk loci associated with 10 out of 13 analyzed traits, and 16 genes significantly associated with at least two pigmentary traits. Some of them have been widely reported, such as MC1R, HERC2, OCA2, TYR, TYRP1, SLC45A2, and some novel candidate genes C1QTNF3, LINC02876, and C1QTNF3-AMACR have not been reported in the GWAS Catalog, with regulatory potential. These results highlight the importance of the assess phototype as a genetic proxy of skin functionality and disease when evaluating open mixed populations.

Background and objective Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) plays a physiological role in melanogenesis in human skin. Vitamin D3 deficiency has become a common complication encountered in daily clinical practice. Recently, there has been growing interest in the role of vitamin D3 in the pathogenesis of vitiligo and its relevance in the treatment of the same. We have also noticed an increase in the rate of vitiligo with an associated aggressive extension of the lesions. In light of this, we conducted this study to analyze the incidence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with vitiligo and explore the effect of this deficiency on disease extension and severity. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional study involving 46 patients with vitiligo. The affected body surface area of the patients was assessed using the Vitiligo Extent Tensity Index (VETI) score. Results Most of the vitiligo patients had very low levels of vitamin D (p

Being one of the most common dermatological inflammatory disorders, psoriasis is a frequent subject of research. It is considered to be a T cell-dependent immune disease whose pathogenesis is influenced by cytokines, such as IL-10, IL-17A, IL-17RA, IL-23A and IL-23R. The present study examines whether the expression of selected genes is correlated with the clinical course of psoriasis, assessed by the PASI, BSA and DLQI scales. Skin biopsies and blood from 60 patients with psoriasis and 24 healthy controls were obtained for RNA isolation. These were subjected to RT-PCR for IL-10, IL-17A, IL-17RA, IL-23A and IL-23R genes. The results were presented as an RQ value. IL-17A and IL-23R expression levels were higher in psoriatic skin compared to controls, while IL-10 expression was lower. A positive correlation was also found between RQ for IL-23A and PASI index. Psoriatic skin is characterised by elevated expression of IL-17A and IL-23R and decreased expression of IL-10. This indicates that the selected cytokines may be one of the factors involved in the pathogenesis and pathomechanism of psoriasis, but more studies need to be made before we can elucidate the exact reason for the unbalance in cytokine expression levels.

A 29-year-old patient with Behçet’s disease based on three major criteria (i.e., oral ulceration, genital ulceration, and eye lesion) presented with intractable pruritus associated with pinpoint red nodules involving the hair follicles of the back along with steroid-refractory local treatment. Simple light microscopic examination of a skin scraping revealed fungal contamination, and culture on Sabouraud’s medium confirmed Trichophyton rubrum as the agent of folliculitis. Behçet’s disease is characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammation. Although the diagnosis of sterile folliculitis-like disorder is currently retained among patients with Behçet’s disease, especially in the lower part of the body, it resembles dermatophytic folliculitis, which can be related to immunosuppressive therapy. Hence, patients with recalcitrant folliculitis predominating on the back who are receiving immunosuppressive treatment should be evaluated for fungal infection, as recognition of this disease may enable earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic skin disease driven by a T-cell-mediated immune response, with inflammation and pruritus being its main clinical manifestations. Huanglian Jiedu decoction (HLJDT), which is an ancient Chinese medicine herbal formula derived from Wai-Tai-Mi-Yao, is a potentially effective treatment for AD. We aimed to clarify the anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritus mechanisms of HLJDT in AD treatment. We performed immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, Luminex-based direct multiplex immunoassay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and flow cytometry to address the abovementioned aims. HLJDT significantly reduced clinical symptoms and ear swelling in AD-like mice by inhibiting the production of cytokines [histamine, interleukin (IL)-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-31, and IL-33], substance P (SP), transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV-1), and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP). Additionally, HLJDT significantly suppressed the protein expression levels and positive cell percentage of CD28, CD80, CD86, CD207, CD326, MHCII, and OX40 in the lymphoid nodes. Moreover, HLJDT significantly suppressed mRNA and protein expression of tyrosine–protein kinase (JAK1), histamine H4 receptor, and IL-4Rα, as well as the protein expression of GRP, SP, and TRPV-1 in the root ganglion. Our findings indicate that HLJDT can treat AD by regulating the antigen presentation function of dendritic cells, weakening T-lymphocyte activation, and subsequently exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritus effects.

Being one of the most common dermatological inflammatory disorders, psoriasis is a frequent subject of research. It is considered to be a T cell-dependent immune disease whose pathogenesis is influenced by cytokines, such as IL-10, IL-17A, IL-17RA, IL-23A and IL-23R. The present study examines whether the expression of selected genes is correlated with the clinical course of psoriasis, assessed by the PASI, BSA and DLQI scales. Skin biopsies and blood from 60 patients with psoriasis and 24 healthy controls were obtained for RNA isolation. These were subjected to RT-PCR for IL-10, IL-17A, IL-17RA, IL-23A and IL-23R genes. The results were presented as an RQ value. IL-17A and IL-23R expression levels were higher in psoriatic skin compared to controls, while IL-10 expression was lower. A positive correlation was also found between RQ for IL-23A and PASI index. Psoriatic skin is characterised by elevated expression of IL-17A and IL-23R and decreased expression of IL-10. This indicates that the selected cytokines may be one of the factors involved in the pathogenesis and pathomechanism of psoriasis, but more studies need to be made before we can elucidate the exact reason for the unbalance in cytokine expression levels.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic and debilitating skin disease, whose lesions can range from inflammatory nodules to abscesses and fistulas in the armpits, groin, perineum, inframammary region. Diagnosis can be confused with a large number of clinical pictures, and although studies on hidradenitis suppurativa are not so scarce in the literature, doctors are often unaware of this disease and therefore its diagnosis is often late. Pharmacological treatment ranges from retinoids to immunosuppression and radiation therapy, and surgical treatment ranges from incision and drainage to more complete excisions and laser therapies. Hidradenitis suppurativa is a disease seen and treated mainly by dermatologists and general surgeons, however, it is necessary for general practitioners to have basic knowledge about this entity, as they are the first line of care in the health system., Highlights • Hidradenitis suppurativa is an entity of necessary recognition by the surgeon. • It is a preventable and treatable condition with a good prognosis. • This condition should be managed by a multidisciplinary team.

This article is based on a study aimed to determine physiochemical parameters, fecal coliform, total coliforms, heterotrophic plate count, arsenic, iron and lead of water to evaluate their effects on human health. Analysis was carried out on tube-well water collected from Nalitabari township of Sherpur District in Bangladesh. The dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity and electrical conductivity were in the ranges of 4.30 to 7.30 ppm, 350 to 792 mg/l, 0.2 to 0.5%, and 715 to 1,970 μS/cm. The pH values were slightly lesser or more than permissible value. Due to the vicinity to the latrines, 17 tube-wells’ water was contaminated by fecal coliforms. The highest heterotrophic plate count was 7.5×103 cfu/ml in ward-8 of the town. Eschericia coli and Vibrio cholerae were identified in ratio of 30.56% and 18.06%, respectively, in the tube-well water, resulting into diarrhea among children. About 6.94% of tube-well water was contaminated with arsenic. 3.25% and 4.5% respondents were suffering from skin diseases and headache, respectively. So, an alternative source of drinking water should be arranged for a better public health of present and next generations.

Among the enduring enigmas of 4QMMT are the organizational principles which govern its halakhic section. Focusing primarily on the halakhah concerning skin disease in B 64–72, this article argues that the arrangement of MMT’s halakhot was influenced, at least in part, by similar collocations of topics in Leviticus 21–22 and possibly Ezek 44:15–31. It seems that the selection of sources is attributable to a specific focus on priestly conduct in the halakhah. By recognizing the nature and extent of this dependence it is possible to better understand MMT’s origin and the writers’ exegetical and halakhic methods.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia placing a heavy burden on the healthcare system worldwide. Skin diseases are also one of the most common health problems. Several skin diseases are associated with Alzheimer’s disease through different mechanisms. This review summarizes the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and several types of skin diseases, including bullous pemphigoid, hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriasis, skin cancer, and cutaneous amyloidosis, and provides suggestions based on these associations. Neurologists, dermatologists, and general practitioners should be aware of the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and skin diseases. Dermatology/neurology consultation or referral is necessary when needed.

Our skin influences our physical and mental health, and its chemical composition can reflect environmental and disease conditions. Therefore, through sampling the skin metabolome, we can provide a promising window into the mechanisms of the body. However, the broad application of skin metabolomics has recently been hampered by a lack of easy and widely applicable sampling methods. Here, we present a novel rapid, simple, and, most importantly, painless and non-invasive sampling technique suitable for clinical studies of fragile or weakened skin. The method is called WET PREP and is simply a lavage of the skin which focuses on capturing the metabolome. We systematically evaluate WET PREPs in comparison with the non-invasive method of choice in skin metabolomics, swab collection, using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS2) on two complementary chromatographic columns (C18 reversed phase and hydrophilic interaction chromatography). We also integrate targeted analyses of key metabolites of skin relevance. Overall, WET PREP provides a strikingly more stable shared metabolome across sampled individuals, while also being able to capture unique individual metabolites with a high consistency in intra-individual reproducibility. With the exception of (phospho-)lipidomic studies, we recommend WET PREPs as the preferred skin metabolome sampling technique due to the quick preparation time, low cost, and gentleness for the patient.

Neutrophils are the most abundant circulating innate immune cells and comprise the first immune defense line, as they are the most rapidly recruited cells at sites of infection or inflammation. Their main microbicidal mechanisms are degranulation, phagocytosis, cytokine secretion and the formation of extracellular traps. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are a microbicidal mechanism that involves neutrophil death. Since their discovery, in vitro and in vivo neutrophils have been challenged with a range of stimuli capable of inducing or inhibiting NET formation, with the objective to understand its function and regulation in health and disease. These networks composed of DNA and granular components are capable of immobilizing and killing pathogens. They comprise enzymes such as myeloperoxidase, elastase, cathepsin G, acid hydrolases and cationic peptides, all with antimicrobial and antifungal activity. Therefore, the excessive formation of NETs can also lead to tissue damage and promote local and systemic inflammation. Based on this concept, in this review, we focus on the role of NETs in different infectious and inflammatory diseases of the mucosal epithelia and skin.

Background Ichthyosis is a heterogeneous group of diseases caused by genetic disorders related to skin formation. They are characterized by generalized dry skin, scaling, hyperkeratosis and frequently associated with erythroderma. Among its different types, harlequin ichthyosis (HI) stands out due to its severity. HI is caused by mutations in the ABCA12 gene, which encodes essential proteins in epidermal lipid transport, and it helps maintain the homeostasis of the stratum corneum of the epidermis. However, due to the wide spectrum of genetic alterations that can cause ichthyosis, holistic medical care, and genetic studies are required to improve the diagnosis and outcomes of these diseases. Case presentation Here, we presented the case of a 19 years old male patient who was a premature infant and exhibited clinical features consistent with HI, including bright yellow hyperkeratotic plates with erythematous fissures that covered his entire body like a collodion baby. Currently, he exhibited erythroderma, photosensitivity, ectropion, auricular pavilion alterations, and musculoskeletal disorders, such as equinovarus feet, fingers, hands, and hypoplastic feet with contractures in flexion and marked difficulty in fine motor skills. In addition, he presented dyschromatopsia, Achilles reflex hyporeflexia, slight speech, dental alteration and deficient cognitive performance. After the genetic sequencing, variants were found in ABCA12 and HRNR which are related to several skin diseases, including ichthyosis. Conclusions Although in clinical practice, ichthyosis is a common entity, a severe type of ichthyosis is presented, highlighting the importance of appropriate genetic diagnosis, given the broad spectrum of genetic alterations with similar phenotypic and clinical characteristics. These pathologies must be known to guarantee initial support measures to prevent complications and offer multidisciplinary management to those patients.

Background Oxylipins are biological lipids that have been implicated in inflammation. We previously found that certain oxylipins correlated with clinical manifestations in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients. Here, we compare oxylipin profiles in PsA patients and those with psoriasis (PsO) without inflammatory arthritis to identify oxylipins that associate with specific disease manifestations to better understand disease pathogenesis and identify new biomarkers. Methods Consecutive patients with PsA (who met the CASPAR classification criteria for PsA) and PsO were recruited from the Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic. A thorough clinical examination was performed, including entheseal (Leeds enthesitis index (LEI)) and joint involvement (SJC/TJC 66/68). Patients were evaluated for pain and global disease activity on a visual analog scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 100. This was followed by disease activity scores calculation: cDAPSA (Disease Activity Index for Psoriatic Arthritis) and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Serum oxylipins were determined by mass spectrometry and their association with clinical characteristics (PASI/LEI and cDAPSA) was analyzed using Metaboanalyst 4.0 and R version 3.6.1. Results Twenty PsO (average age 52 [10.8], 55% males) and 19 PsA patients (average age 60.5 [11.4], 63.1% males) were included. PsO patients had an average body mass index (BMI) of 33.7 (6.84) and an average PASI of 3.8 (4.2). PsA patients had an average BMI of 31.9 (5.6), TJC of 9.3 (10.41), SJC of 3.7 (4.23), with an average cDAPSA of 23.3 (11.4). 63.1% of PsA patients had enthesitis (average LEI 2.2 [3]) and the same percentage had psoriasis (average PASI 3(5]). Sera were analyzed for oxylipin levels. PsO and PsA patients with higher PASI score (> 2.5) had significantly lower serum concentrations of pro-inflammatory oxylipins, most of them arachidonic acid derived (AA). Oxylipin profiling did not associate with cDAPSA. Interestingly, several AA-derived oxylipins (5,15 di-HETE (5S,15S-dihydroxy-6E,8Z,10Z,13E-eicosatetraenoic acid), 5-oxoETE (5-Oxo-eicosatetraenoic acid), PGE2 (prostaglandin E2), 11bPGE2 (11 beta prostaglandin D2), and LTB4 (leukotriene B4)) were significantly increased in PsA patients with enthesitis compared to those without. Conclusions The AA-derived proinflammatory oxylipins were lower in both PsO and PsA patients with higher skin scores. Joint disease activity was not associated with the concentrations of oxylipins. Yet, enthesitis was associated with an increase of AA-derived pro-inflammatory oxylipins in PsA patients. Further studies are needed to determine whether oxylipin profiling can be a good biomarker of enthesitis in PsA patients.

Canine cutaneous epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma (CETL) and immune-mediated T-cell predominant dermatoses (IMD) share several clinical and histopathological features, but differ substantially in prognosis. The discrimination of ambiguous cases may be challenging, as diagnostic tests are limited and may prove equivocal. This study aimed to investigate transcriptional differences between CETL and IMD, as a basis for further research on discriminating diagnostic biomarkers. We performed 100bp single-end sequencing on RNA extracted from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded skin biopsies from dogs with CETL and IMD, respectively. DESeq2 was used for principal component analysis (PCA) and differential gene expression analysis. Genes with significantly different expression were analyzed for enriched pathways using two different tools. The expression of selected genes and their proteins was validated by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. PCA demonstrated the distinct gene expression profiles of CETL and IMD. In total, 503 genes were upregulated, while 4986 were downregulated in CETL compared to IMD. RT-qPCR confirmed the sequencing results for 5/6 selected genes tested, while the protein expression detected by immunohistochemistry was not entirely consistent. Our study revealed transcriptional differences between canine CETL and IMD, with similarities to human cutaneous lymphoma. Differentially expressed genes are potential discriminatory markers, but require further validation on larger sample collections.

The nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich-repeat-containing family (NLRs) (sometimes called the NOD-like receptors, though the family contains few bona fide receptors) are a superfamily of multidomain-containing proteins that detect cellular stress and microbial infection. They constitute a critical arm of the innate immune response, though their functions are not restricted to pathogen recognition and members engage in controlling inflammasome activation, antigen-presentation, transcriptional regulation, cell death and also embryogenesis. NLRs are found from basal metazoans to plants, to zebrafish, mice and humans though functions of individual members can vary from species to species. NLRs also display highly wide-ranging tissue expression. Here, we discuss the importance of NLRs to the immune response at the epidermal barrier and summarise the known role of individual family members in the pathogenesis of skin disease.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with an adverse impact on patients' quality of life (QoL). Objectives: To quantify QoL impairment in patients in Germany suffering from HS and to identify the parameters associated with QoL impairment. Methods: A non-interventional, cross-sectional, mono-centric study with 500 HS patients. QoL data (measured using the Dermatology Life Quality Index; DLQI) and demographic, anamnestic, clinical, and blood parameters were collected. All patients were examined by dermatologists that documented the skin alterations. QoL data from 462 HS patients were available and evaluated. Results: The mean (+/- standard deviation) DLQI score of HS patients was 13.18 +/- 7.99. Approximately 40% and 20% of HS patients declared very large and extremely large QoL impairment, respectively. The degree of QoL disturbance correlated with the severity of skin alterations, blood leucocyte count and, in particular, with anogenital localization and the presence of nodules and fistulas. Furthermore, QoL impairment was associated with specific comorbidities, such as adiposity and back pain, but not with HS family history. QoL impairment was not influenced by whether or not the patients had undergone resection surgery or antibiotic treatment but was more severe in HS patients that had undergone abscess lancing compared to patients without such treatment in the past. Limitations: It was a mono-centric study and most data were obtained from self-administered patient questionnaires. The association of QoL with type of treatment was analyzed for abscess lancing, resection surgery, and antibiotic treatment. Further therapeutic modalities recommended in the guidelines were not investigated. Conclusion: A profound impairment in QoL was present in patients with HS, and this was higher than that observed in other studied dermatoses. The degree of impairment correlated with the extent of cutaneous and some extra-cutaneous alterations. Surgical and conventional medicamentous therapies of HS were not associated with long-lasting reduction of QoL impairment. Our data support the implementation of patient-reported outcome measures for the assessment of therapy responses.

Pruritus is a common, but very challenging symptom with a wide diversity of underlying causes like dermatological, systemic, neurological and psychiatric diseases. In dermatology, pruritus is the most frequent symptom both in its acute and chronic form (over 6 weeks in duration). Treatment of chronic pruritus often remains challenging. Affected patients who suffer from moderate to severe pruritus have a significantly reduced quality of life. The underlying physiology of pruritus is very complex, involving a diverse network of components in the skin including resident cells such as keratinocytes and sensory neurons as well as transiently infiltrating cells such as certain immune cells. Previous research has established that there is a significant crosstalk among the stratum corneum, nerve fibers and various immune cells, such as keratinocytes, T cells, basophils, eosinophils and mast cells. In this regard, interactions between receptors on cutaneous and spinal neurons or on different immune cells play an important role in the processing of signals which are important for the transmission of pruritus. In this review, we discuss the role of various receptors involved in pruritus and inflammation, such as TRPV1 and TRPA1, IL-31RA and OSMR, TSLPR, PAR-2, NK1R, H1R and H4R, MRGPRs as well as TrkA, with a focus on interaction between nerve fibers and different immune cells. Emerging evidence shows that neuro-immune interactions play a pivotal role in mediating pruritus-associated inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis or chronic spontaneous urticaria. Targeting these bidirectional neuro-immune interactions and the involved pruritus-specific receptors is likely to contribute to novel insights into the underlying pathogenesis and targeted treatment options of pruritus.

COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on public health, whether directly or indirectly. The first case was seen in Turkey on March 11, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic on March 12, 2020. The study aimed to document the effect of pandemic on dermatology outpatient clinics in Turkey. 15 tertiary hospitals from 13 provinces were included in the study, which was conducted between January 12 and May 12, 2020. The International Codes of Diseases (ICD-10) categories and patients' characteristics were evaluated before and after the pandemic. A total of 164878 patients, 133131 before and 31747 after the pandemic, were evaluated. The daily hospital applications were found reduced by 77%. The three of the most frequent diagnoses; dermatitis, acne, and psoriasis remained unchanged after the pandemic. While the frequency of herpes zoster, scabies, urticaria, pityriasis rosea and sexually transmitted diseases increased significantly; allergic and irritant contact dermatitis decreased after the pandemic. The applications regarding cutaneous neoplasms were considerably reduced during the pandemic, and this effect was more pronounced in cities with higher COVID incidence. The pandemic caused a noteworthy reduction in the number of patients accessing dermatological care. The pandemic caused significant changes in the frequency of a wide range of dermatological diseases. The application of cutaneous neoplasms is considerably reduced after the pandemic, and this effect was more pronounced in cities where pandemics are frequent. Therefore, the pandemic has resulted on numerous impacts on many critical issues in dermatology and dermatological care. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Leptin is an adipokine, adipocyte-derived compound, which acts both as a hormone and cytokine. It is mainly synthesized by adipocytes of white adipose tissue. Leptin possesses pleiotropic functions including, among others, stimulation of angiogenesis and production of proinflammatory cytokines. The various types of leptin activity are related to the wide distribution of leptin receptors. This adipokine acts by activating intracellular signaling cascades such as JAKs (Janus kinases), STATs (signal transducers and activators of transcription), and others.In a course of obesity, an increased serum level of leptin coexists with tissue receptor resistance. It has been reported that enhanced leptin levels, leptin receptor impairment, and dysfunction of leptin signaling can influence skin and hair. The previous studies revealed the role of leptin in wound healing, hair cycle, and pathogenesis of skin diseases like psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, and skin cancers. However, the exact mechanism of leptin’s impact on the skin is still under investigation. Herein, we present the current knowledge concerning the role of leptin in psoriasis and selected skin diseases.

Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for automated classification of skin diseases are available to the consumer market. Studies of their diagnostic accuracy are rare. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of an open-access AI application (Skin Image Search™) for recognition of skin diseases. Clinical images including tumours, infective and inflammatory skin diseases were collected at the Department of Dermatology at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital and uploaded for classification by the online application. The AI algorithm classified the images giving 5 differential diagnoses, which were then compared to the diagnoses made clinically by the dermatologists and/or histologically. We included 521 images portraying 26 diagnoses. The diagnostic accuracy was 56.4% for the top 5 suggested diagnoses and 22.8% when only considering the most probable diagnosis. The level of diagnostic accuracy varied considerably for diagnostic groups. The online application demonstrated low diagnostic accuracy compared to a dermatologist evaluation and needs further development.