Deciphering the Complex Immunopathogenesis of Alopecia Areata.

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune-mediated disorder in which the proximal hair follicle (HF) attack results in non-scarring partial to total scalp or body hair loss. Despite the growing knowledge about AA, its exact cause still needs to be understood. However, immunity and genetic factors are affirmed to be critical in AA development.

Comprehensive Insight into Lichen Planus Immunopathogenesis.

Lichen planus is a chronic disease affecting the skin, appendages, and mucous membranes. A cutaneous lichen planus is a rare disease occurring in less than 1% of the general population, while oral illness is up to five times more prevalent; still, both forms equally impair the patient's quality of life. The etiology of lichen planus is not entirely understood.

Current Concepts of Vitiligo Immunopathogenesis.

Vitiligo is an acquired immune-mediated disorder of pigmentation clinically characterized by well-defined depigmented or chalk-white macules and patches on the skin. The prevalence of vitiligo varies by geographical area, affecting 0.5% to 2% of the population.

International eDelphi Study to Reach Consensus on the Methotrexate Dosing Regimen in Patients With Psoriasis.

Importance: A clear dosing regimen for methotrexate in psoriasis is lacking, and this might lead to a suboptimal treatment. Because methotrexate is affordable and globally available, a uniform dosing regimen could potentially optimize the treatment of patients with psoriasis worldwide.

Objective: To reach international consensus among psoriasis experts on a uniform dosing regimen for treatment with methotrexate in adult and pediatric patients with psoriasis and identify potential future research topics.

Current Concepts of Psoriasis Immunopathogenesis.

Psoriasis is a recurrent, chronic, immune-mediated, systemic inflammatory disease of the skin, joints, and other organic systems. After atopic dermatitis, chronic stationary psoriasis is the most common inflammatory skin disease, affecting an average of 2-4% of the world's population. The disease carries a significant burden due to its numerous comorbidities and the major impact on patients' social and emotional aspects of life.

The possible involvement of granulysin mediated cytotoxicity in keratinocytes disruption in lichen planus.

Lichen planus is a chronic mucocutanous disorder histopathologically characterized with a keratinocytes apoptosis, subsequent basal cell layer liquefaction and accumulation of the inflammatory infiltrate in papillary dermis. A formation of apoptotic bodies in basal cell layer is due to a cytotoxic lymphocyte attack to the basal keratinocytes. It has been demonstrated that the cytotoxic molecules included in this attack are perforin and granzyme B.

Biologic and Targeted Therapy in the Treatment of Psoriasis - A Retrospective Study from a National Referral Center.

Psoriasis is one of the most common chronic inflammatory skin disorders worldwide with a significant number of patients suffering from moderate to severe disease and requiring systemic therapy. Over the past two decades, better knowledge of disease pathophysiology has translated into treatment advances for both primary disease and its associated comorbidities. However, it is important to review the use of biologic or targeted therapy in a clinical setting in order to understand how to optimize therapeutic results and recognize any unmet needs in this patient subpopulation.

Tumor Necrosis Factor Antagonists in the Treatment of Pyoderma Gangrenosum, Acne, and Suppurative Hidradenitis (PASH) Syndrome.

The clinical triad of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG), acne and suppurative hidradenitis (HS) has been described under the acronym PASH syndrome and is considered to represent a distinct entity in the group of autoinflammatory diseases. It is a fairly new, only recently recognized disorder with a limited number of reported cases and without defined treatment recommendations. We aimed to summarize currently available data on the use of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists in the management of PASH syndrome and report on our own experience with the use of adalimumab in a patient presenting with this specific constellation of clinical signs and symptoms.

Satisfaction with life and coping skills in the acute and chronic urticaria.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in satisfaction with life and coping strategies between patients with acute and chronic urticaria.

Subjects And Methods: Sixty patients with urticaria were divided into 2 groups after 6 weeks of standardized dermatology treatment (33 patients with acute and 27 patients with chronic urticaria). At baseline, all patients answered the following questionnaires: Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI-A), The Multidimensional Coping Inventory (COPE) and General questionnaire (age, gender, education, employment, marital status).

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes as a potential brake of keratinocyte proliferation in psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic papulosquamous skin disease, histologically characterized by epidermal hyperproliferation and dermal infiltration of inflammatory cells. The majority of T lymphocytes infiltrating dermis are CD4+ T lymphocytes secreting type 1 and type 17 cytokines. These cytokines are responsible for triggering keratinocyte proliferation as well as chemokine secretion and subsequent migration of other inflammatory cells in the skin.

Dermatophyte Infections in Primorsko-Goranska County, Croatia: a 21-year Survey.

This study examined the frequency of dermatophytoses in the Primorsko-Goranska County, a north-western part of Croatia, over a period of 21 years (1988-2008). All fungal samples were microscopically examined with 20% potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution. Fungal infections were confirmed in 26.

[Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis].

Croatian dermatovenerological society of the Croatian Medical Association formed the working group which consists of leading experts for psoriasis in Croatia. After a critical analysis of relevant scientific papers, the working group has developed guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis.

Adverse reactions and alleged allergy to local anesthetics: analysis of 331 patients.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of true local anesthetic (LA) allergy among patients referred for suspected hypersensitivity and to describe the main characteristics of adverse drug reactions (ADR) induced by LA in our population. We retrospectively analyzed the medical files of patients referred to the Department of Dermatovenereology, University Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia, for the investigation of LA hypersensitivity in the period between January 2000 and December 2012. A total of 331 patients underwent skin testing and, in cases of negative results, subcutaneous exposition to LA.

Expression of TWEAK in normal human skin, dermatitis and epidermal neoplasms: association with proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory pathologies and cancer. We aimed to investigate its expression in normal human skin, inflammatory skin diseases and epidermal neoplasms.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry for TWEAK was performed in samples of healthy skin, plaque psoriasis, lichen planus, prurigo nodularis, discoid lupus erythematosus, lichen sclerosus, seborrheic keratosis, common warts, actinic keratosis, Bowen's disease, keratoacanthoma and basal and squamous cell carcinoma.

[Treatment of alopecia areata: modern principles and perspectives].

Alopecia areata (AA) is a frequent disease with nonscarring hair loss on the scalp and/or body. Hair follicle in alopecia areata is not irreversibly destroyed, so potential for hair regrowth remains. Considering unknown etiopathogenesis, treatment of AA is symptomatic and directed toward halting disease activity.

Increased expression of TRAIL and its death receptors DR4 and DR5 in plaque psoriasis.

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is recognized as an important regulator of immune responses during infections and various autoimmune-mediated pathologies. Its role in inflammatory dermatoses is largely unknown. We aimed to investigate the expression of TRAIL and its receptors DR4 and DR5 in psoriasis vulgaris.

Childhood and adulthood traumatic experiences in patients with psoriasis.

It is well known that several psychiatric disorders may be related to childhood psychological trauma. Recent studies have associated childhood exposure to trauma to some skin diseases. Our study aimed at exploring whether psoriasis is related to the reported positive and negative traumatic life events in different age intervals beginning from early childhood to adulthood.

[Systemic therapy in the treatment of psoriasis: drugs of prebiological era].

Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent skin disease that lasts a whole life. A quarter of adults are suffering from severe forms of psoriasis that requires the application of the systemic treatment. Despite the development of new groups of medicines, traditional therapy is still of great importance.

[The role of bcl-2 family proteins in psoriasis].

Apoptosis is a physiological process of programmed cell death responsible for homeostasis in the body. In skin, apoptotic process regulates keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation in that way maintaining homeostasis of epidermal compartment. The process of apoptosis is controlled by proteins of the Bcl-2 family, several proapoptotic (Bax, Bak, Bad) and antiapoptotic (Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L)) proteins.