Antinuclear Antibody Positivity in Patients With Hair Loss After COVID-19 Infection

Introduction: Hair loss is one of the most common disorders after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between COVID-19-related hair loss and antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity and patterns. Methods: ANA positivity and patterns were analyzed in 30 female COVID-19 patients with hair loss complaints and compared in terms of the presence of autoimmunity between patients with and without COVID-19 exhibiting hair loss. Results: ANA positivity and cytoplasmic patterns were detected in 40% of the patients with COVID-19 infection and hair loss. Trichodynia and diffuse hair loss were observed in 63.3% and 53.3%, respectively. Conclusions: In patients with COVID-19-related hair loss, diffuse hair loss and ANA positivity may be related to the high antibody levels triggered by COVID-19 infection

Divergent in situ expression of IL‐31 and IL‐31RA between bullous pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV) are two major autoimmune blistering skin diseases. Unlike PV, BP is accompanied by intense pruritus, suggesting possible involvement of the pruritogenic cytokine IL-31. However, the underlying mechanisms of the clinical difference between BP and PV in terms of pruritus are not fully understood. To compare the expression levels of IL-31 and its receptor IL-31RA in the lesional skin, including peripheral nerves in BP and PV patients, immunohistochemical staining for IL-31 and IL-31RA was performed in skin samples of BP and PV patients and healthy controls (HC). The IL-31RA-expressing area in epidermis and peripheral nerves was analysed using ImageJ and the percentage of positive cells for IL-31/IL-31RA in dermal infiltrating cells was manually quantified. Quantitative analyses revealed that IL-31/IL-31RA expressions in the epidermis and dermal infiltrate were significantly increased in BP compared to PV and HC. The difference between BP and PV became more obvious when advanced bullous lesions were compared. Peripheral nerves in BP lesions presented significantly higher IL-31RA expression compared to PV lesions. In conclusion, we found significantly augmented expressions of IL-31/IL-31RA in BP lesions, including peripheral nerves, in comparison to PV. These results suggest a possible contribution of IL-31/IL-31RA signalling to the difference between BP and PV in the facilitation of pruritus and local skin inflammation, raising the possibility of therapeutic targeting of the IL-31/IL-31RA pathway in BP patients

Association between biophysical properties and anxiety in patients with sensitive skin

Background: Sensitive skin (SS) is a syndrome in which neurosensory disorders accompany epidermal barrier dysfunction. However, it is not yet clear how high anxiety levels affect the biophysical parameters of the skin in patients with SS

Genital ulcerative pyoderma gangrenosum in Behçet′s disease: A case report and review of the literature

Behçet′s disease (BD), first described by Hulusi Behcet, is a multisystemic disease characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcerations, ocular and cutaneous lesions, arthritis and vascular disease. Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare, chronic, sterile pustular and progressive ulcerative process of unknown cause; sometimes can participate in the differential diagnosis of Behcet′s ulceration. A 33-year-old woman complained a severe genital ulcer. She had a purulent oozing and stinky ulceration on the right side of labium minor measuring 5-8 cm. A punch biopsy at ulcer margin showed that the lymphocytic panniculitis was extending to the subcutaneous fat tissue without fibrin deposition or necrotic changes in the vessel wall. Based on the clinical and histological findings, she was diagnosed as genital ulcerative PG, which occurred during the exacerbation of BD

Tattoos in dermatology: demographics, motivations, tattooing practices

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