Iranian Journal Of Dermatology
Volume:23 Issue: 1, Spring 2020

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune, complex and progressive disease having various physical, psychological and social consequences. This study aimed to investigate the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on body image in women with psoriasis.

The research was semi-experimental with pre-test and post-test design in both experimental and control groups, and follow-up after 3 months of intervention. The statisticalpopulation included women with psoriasis. A total of 60 patients were selected as available samples and randomly were divided into control and treatment (experiment) groups. The researchtool was the cash’s Body Image Questionnaire (1987) . Data were analyzed by the SPSS 24 software using the repeated measures analysis of variance.

Cognitive behavioral therapy guidance reduced the image body anxiety and its two sub-scales in women with psoriasis, and this effect was permanent after three months. 

Using this therapeutic approach, we can help to reduce the concern of the body image in patients with psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic disease that may affect patients’ quality of life. We investigated the quality of life (QoL) and its related factors in psoriasis patients.
In this cross-sectional study, 123 patients with psoriasis vulgaris were enrolled, who were at the age of 18-55 years. The QoL was assessed by the psoriasis disability index (PDI) questionnaire. The stress associated with psoriasis was evaluated by the psoriasis life stress inventory (PLSI) questionnaire. The severity of the disease (SoD) was measured based on the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score.
In this study, the mean age of the patients was 40.77 ± 0.73 years, and the mean duration of the disease was 8.7 ± 8.23 years. The average PASI score was 11.06, and the average PDI score was 11.98. The average PDI and PASI scores of smoker patients were significantly more than those of non-smokers (P = 0.017). There was a strong relationship between all parts of QoL and PLSI scores, as well as between PASI and PLSI (P < 0.05).
Psoriasis reduced our patients’ quality of life. Thus, it is recommended that the QoL in psoriatic patients be evaluated. Stress management and psychological supporting methods are necessary for these patients.

Acne vulgaris is among common bothersome skin problems. Recognition of contributing factors would help to prevent acne. Some dietary and inflammatory factors are among suggested etiologies. Accordingly, in this study, the serum levels of calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined and compared in acne patients and healthy subjects.

In this case-control study, 144 consecutive subjects with and without acne (moderate-very severe) referred to Rasoul Akram Hospital in 2016 were enrolled. In this regard, the serumcalcium, phosphorous, CRP, vitamin D were determined in the subjects and compared between the groups.

The results indicated that serum CRP, calcium, and phosphorous level were alike between the groups (P > 0.05) without any relation to acne severity except CRP. The serum vitamin D level was significantly different (P = 0.0001), but it was not associated with acne severity. Serum calcium levels of males were significantly higher in both groups.

Based on our results, it may be concluded that calcium, phosphorous, and CRP levels are not associated with acne incidence, but the serum vitamin D is related to acne presentation. CRP levels were positively associated with acne vulgaris severity.

Androgenic hair loss (AGA) and alopecia areata (AA) are common conditions which sometimes are histologically difficult to differentiate. This study was conducted to detect differentiating features of these two disorders with IHC analysis of T-cell subsets in the inflammatory infiltrates of alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia.
This cross-sectional study was conducted at Shohadae-Tajrish Hospital in 2018. Twenty-eight cases of alopecia areata and 32 androgenic hair loss cases were evaluated. H&E and IHC staining for CD3, CD4, and CD8+ T-lymphocytes were performed. Lymphocytic densities were graded in a quintet grading system. The inflammation density in various areas of skin tissue was evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 21.
Peribulbar lymphocytic infiltration was seen in 88.5% of AA patients and 12.5% of AGA patients (P = 0.000). Presence of melanin, pigmented casts, and lymphocytes in follicular stelawere in favor of AA diagnosis. CD3, CD4, and CD8+ T-cells in follicular stela, peri-bulbar, and subcutaneous regions were higher and denser in AA patients, while CD3 and CD4+ T-cells aroundsebaceous ducts were in favor of AGA diagnosis.
Peribulbar lymphocytic infiltration is among the most important differentiating features of AA and AGA. Infiltration of T-cells in various regions of skin tissue has high diagnosticvalue. Histologic and immunohistochemical evaluation of skin tissues according to these factors can differentiate these two entities with high precision.

Acne vulgaris is a dermatologic disorder with a wide variety of distribution and presentation. Its high prevalence and important cosmetic and psychological concerns focusing on contributing factors would be of great value for better approach and prevention of acne vulgaris. There are many articles that argue the role of some dietary and inflammatory factors in acnevulgaris. In this study, the serum levels of zinc in acne patients were determined and compared with healthy subjects.

In this age and gender matched case-control study, 200 consecutive subjects with and without acne (moderate-very severe) referring to Rasoul Akram Hospital, 2016, were enrolled,and their serum zinc levels were determined and compared across the groups.

Serum zinc levels were alike across the groups (P > 0.05), and the severity of acne was not related to zinc level. The levels of zinc were significantly different between genders in the casegroup (men had lower levels). In female patients with acne, the level of zinc was inversely correlated with acne severity.

Zinc is not related to acne incidence or its grade, but men with acne have lower levels of zinc compared with women. Also, acne severity in women is inversely correlated with zinc level. It can be assumed that zinc supplementation may be a good trend in men with acne or alleviate the severity of acne in women, which needs more evaluation and work up.

Skin as an outer layer of body and a main connection between the body and the environment is a way that pathogens can access the body; Therefore, it has a crucial protecting role for the body because of obstacle functioning and micobiota. Factors that seem to commonly contribute to the disease are follicular hyperkeratinization, propionibacterium acnes, sebum production, and inflammation; however, pathogenesis of acne vulgaris as an inflammatory skin disorder is still poorly understood. Google Scholar and PubMed databases were searched for all related articles, using the key words of zinc, diet, vitamin D, BMI, and acne vulgaris.

H syndrome is an autosomal recessive genodermatosis with reports dating back to the last decade. This syndrome is caused by mutations in the SCL29A3 gene. The clinical characteristics of this syndrome consist of dermatological manifestations, including hyperpigmented, hypertrichotic, and indurated patches and plaques. It affects various systems by causing heart anomalies, hepatosplenomegaly, hypogonadism, and low height. This is the case of a 19-year-old girl from the northwest of Iran who was born of a cousin marriage. The primary manifestations included low height, underdeveloped secondary sex characteristics, and typical dermatological manifestations. This patient was examined mostly because of digestive and endocrine problems and thus had not been subject to extensive dermatological examinations until the skin biopsies mirrored manifestations similar to histiocytoses (e.g., Rosai-Dorfman disease and granuloma annulare). The patient was eventually diagnosed with H syndrome by a dermatologist from the clinical symptoms. H syndrome is an autosomal recessive genodermatosis that affects different organs and is diagnosed by a set of typical and systemic cutaneous symptoms and biopsies. In this patient, an endoscopic examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract was carried out due to reports of anemia. A biopsy of the atrophic duodenum region revealed the existence of coeliac disease. However, the comorbidity of coeliac disease and H syndrome has not been previously reported.