: Human β-defensin 2 (HBD2) is a protein that plays an important role in activating the immune system by modulating spinal pathways and the inflammatory response. According to previous research, HBD2 was proven to be important in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) (their values were significantly elevated in CSU patients, with a significant correlation between HBD2 levels and the percentage of peripheral basophils, suggesting that elevated HBD2 levels may be a potential marker of basophil and mast cell activation), which led us to additional research on the HBD2 molecule in isolated chronic angioedema. The aim of this research is to examine HBD2 values in the saliva and serum of patients with isolated angioedema, as a potential biomarker of the disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The aim of our study was to compare the salivary interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration and the quality of life (QoL) in patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) or burning mouth syndrome (BMS).
Materials And Methods: A total of 160 subjects participated in the cross-sectional study. The unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) was used as a reference for the determination of salivary IL-6 concentration by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs).
Patients with primary Sjögren's disease (pSjD) show contradictory results regarding the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The aim of this study was to determine the salivary cortisol concentration to evaluate the function of the HPA axis (hypoactive/hyperactive) between patients with pSjD and control subjects. A total of 34 subjects participated in the cross-sectional study: 17 patients with pSjD and 17 control subjects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActa Dermatovenerol Alp Pannonica Adriat
September 2024
The purpose of this study was to examine the possible association between cheilitis and allergic reactions, and to use allergy skin tests to identify the allergens that induce allergic reactions in cheilitis patients (type I and type IV). We included 50 patients with recurrent cheilitis (reversible cheilitis) who were dermatologically examined and agreed to undergo allergy skin tests, i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/aims: The objectives of our study were to determine salivary α-amylase activity (stress biomarker) and its association with psychological status and quality of life (QoL), disease duration and intensity of symptoms (pain/burning) in patients with OLP.
Methods: A total of 50 subjects participated in this case-control study: 30 patients with oral lichen planus (OLP); 20 control subjects. Unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) was collected between 9 and 10 am to avoid diurnal fluctuations.
Acta Dermatovenerol Alp Pannonica Adriat
June 2024
Introduction: Recent research has shown that blood coagulation and the extrinsic coagulation cascade are involved in the pathogenesis of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), but little is known about the coagulation factors in angioedema.
Methods: This study included 58 participants: 29 patients with chronic angioedema (14 with isolated angioedema and 15 with angioedema with wheals) and 29 healthy controls (HCs). We compared the values of coagulation factors in patients with isolated angioedema to those with wheals.
Academic stress affects students' psychological and physiological well-being. Dental undergraduate programs are known for their demanding curriculum, leading to significant stress symptoms. The objective was to determine if salivary cortisol levels were higher in students exposed to academic stress, assess the relationship between stress severity/temperament and cortisol values, and explore relaxation technique effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a dermatological disorder accompanied by itching that greatly affects the quality of life and quality of sleep. Therefore, it is assumed that CSU patients consequently experience reduced melatonin secretion and lower values of serum or salivary melatonin. This pilot study included 20 patients with CSU (chronic urticaria of unknown etiology that lasts for more than 6 weeks) and 10 healthy controls.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActa Dermatovenerol Alp Pannonica Adriat
March 2024
Chronic rhinitis and rhinosinusitis (CR and CRS) can lead to impairment of the health-related quality of life (HRQL) with higher psychological perceived distress, resulting in disease worsening and poor treatment outcomes. W aimed to evaluate the potential association between disease severity and HRQL impairment with the perceived acute psychological distress in newly diagnosed CR/CRS patients. This single-center cross-sectional study included otherwise healthy consecutive adults with newly diagnosed CR/CRS (European position paper on rhinosinusitis and nasal polyp criteria and International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology - Allergic Rhinitis criteria or non-allergic rhinitis), who were evaluated for CR/CRS symptom severity and HRQL (Sino Nasal Outcome Test 22 [SNOT-22], visual analog scale [VAS]) and acute perceived distress (Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere has been a substantial increase in the number of cases of invasive fungal infections worldwide, which is associated with a growing number of immunosuppressed patients and a rise in antifungal resistance. Some fungi that were previously considered harmless to humans have become emerging pathogens. One of them is , a ubiquitous filamentous fungus commonly found in the environment, especially in the air and soil.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActa Dermatovenerol Alp Pannonica Adriat
December 2023
This review article focuses on cutaneous manifestations in schoolchildren and adolescents 6 to 18 years old connected with various aspects of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, including personal protective equipment (PPE), SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. The use of PPE has been associated with mask-related acne due to microbiome dysbiosis and disruption of skin homeostasis, leading to the emergence of new acne or exacerbation of preexisting acne. Chilblain-like lesions, erythema multiforme-like eruptions, and cutaneous manifestations of multisystem inflammatory syndrome related to SARS-CoV-2 are the most commonly described skin manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhysicians and dentists are at risk for chronic hand eczema, but their skin barrier condition has rarely been investigated before. To objectively assess the skin barrier condition among physicians and dentists. This cross-sectional epidemiological study included an occupational questionnaire, medical examination of hand skin, skin transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and pH measurements, analyzed in 5 groups (N = 37 in each): physicians-nonsurgeons, physicians-surgeons, dentists-nonsurgeons, dentists-surgeons, and control group (unexposed workers).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe occurrence of skin lesions in healthcare workers is associated with a negative impact on important skin functions, including protection from mechanical injuries, sunlight, dehydration, and penetration of chemical substances or pathogenic microorganisms. In healthcare professionals, the most common occupational skin disease is contact dermatitis (CD), either irritant (ICD) or allergic (ACD), and typically on the hands. ICD accounts for about 80% of occupational CD, making it the most frequent cause.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF(1) Background: To assess the relationship between serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) values and disease severity in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and to examine which of these serum biomarkers better indicates disease severity. (2) Methods: Our pilot study included 20 patients with CSU who filled out questionnaires concerning disease severity and quality of life (the Urticaria Activity Score summed over 7 days [UAS7], the once-daily Urticaria Activity Score [UAS], the Urticaria Control Test [UCT], and the Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI]). Blood samples were taken to measure IL-6, ESR and CRP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of our study was to assess the relationship between the concentration/activity of salivary stress biomarkers (cortisol, α-amylase) and the psychological profile of patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) and primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS). A total of 160 subjects participated in this case-control study: 60 patients with OLP; 60 patients with primary BMS; and 40 control subjects. Unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) was collected between 9 and 10 a.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe latest findings regarding AD pathogenesis point to an impaired function of the epidermal barrier, changed immune response, colonization of the skin by microorganisms, and certain psychological factors among other causes/triggers. The inflammatory response of AD patients is mainly associated with the activation of T cells (Th2 cells predominate), dendritic cells, macrophages, keratinocytes, mast cells, and eosinophils. Therapy usually involves medical evaluations and adequate management including treatment of concomitant diseases (e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF(1) Background: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) has been linked to the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. Furthermore, various studies have highlighted the anti-inflammatory properties of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), whose production is primarily regulated by the gut microbiota. However, only a few studies have investigated the role of major SCFA producers, such as , in skin inflammatory diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This research looks at the connection between psychological stress and the prevalence of hand eczema (HE) among physicians and dentists (surgeons, non-surgeons).
Methods: This cross-sectional field study involved 185 participants: physicians (surgeons, non-surgeons), dentists (surgeons, non-surgeons) and controls. Hand lesions were examined using the Osnabrueck Hand Eczema Severity Index (OHSI), and participants answered the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS).