Iranian Journal Of Dermatology
Volume:27 Issue: 2, Spring 2024

Since the condition of the skin affects mental health, skin manifestations such as acne vulgaris might result in some psychosocial distress, including depression, anxiety, and social isolation. This study aimed to investigate feelings of loneliness and suicidal thoughts in patients with acne vulgaris. In this cross-sectional study, 147 patients with acne vulgaris, who were referred to the skin clinics affiliated with Guilan University of Medical Sciences (Rasht, Iran) in 2020, were requested to complete the UCLA feelings of loneliness and the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI) questionnaires. The patients’ demographical data and dermatological characteristics were recorded, and all data were analyzed using SPSS 21. P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The mean age of the participants was 26.75 ± 8.65 years, with females accounting for 83%. About 7.5% and 3.4% of patients had feelings of loneliness and suicidal thoughts, respectively. Being single was significantly associated with increased UCLA and BSSI scores (P < 0.05). Unemployment and using isotretinoin were correlated with higher BSSI scores (P < 0.05). The area under the ROC curve for predicting active or passive suicidal tendencies, based on the BSSI questionnaire and using the UCLA score, was 0.842, and the cut-off point of the UCLA score was 39.5, with sensitivity and specificity of 90% and 68.6%, respectively. A significant positive correlation was observed between the two questionnaires (r = 0.407, P < 0.001). A significant association between acne vulgaris and an increased risk of feelings of loneliness and suicidal thoughts demonstrated that dermatologists should consider the mental health status of these patients.

Negative cognitions of acne patients can affect their quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to translate the comprehensive acne QoL scale (CompAQ) into Persian and evaluate its validity and reliability. It also aimed to assess the QoL in acne patients, who were referred to our outpatient clinics. CompAQ was translated into Persian and back-translated into English to ensure accuracy. A panel of experts evaluated the clarity, simplicity, and necessity of the questionnaire items, while five patients examined their comprehensibility. Then, 66 acne patients completed Persian versions of CompAQ and Cardiff acne disability index (CADI) to evaluate concurrent validity. Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to evaluate the internal consistency. Following psychometric validation, 46 patients with moderate/severe acne who were referred to our dermatology clinic during 2018-2019 were included in this cross-sectional study using the convenience sampling method. The Persian CompAQ indicated satisfactory concurrent validity (P = 0.012, r = 0.419), and internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.976), with all dimensions being positively correlated with the total CompAQ score (P < 0.001). The cross-sectional study included 46 female patients, with a mean CompAQ score of 45.80 ± 32.48. ‘Treatment concerns’ had the highest mean score among all dimensions (16.10 ± 6.52). CompAQ score was significantly higher in patients with substance abuse (P = 0.041) than in other acne patients. The Persian version of CompAQ was a valid and reliable tool for measuring QoL in patients with acne. It could be used to assess the effects of acne as well as the consequences of therapeutic interventions on the QoL of patients.

Oral lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can develop into a malignancy. This study aimed to compare the IL-37 gene variant (rs4241122) in oral lichen planus patients and the healthy controls.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in the School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Shiraz, Iran). 70 serum samples from patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) and 100 serum samples from healthy volunteers were collected from 2018 to 2019. The IL-37 polymorphism (rs4241122) in OLP patients and healthy controls was assessed using a PCR test, and its relationship with the location and type of OLP lesions, sex, and age was investigated. A Chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between OLP and genotype, genotype and location, and the lesion type. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The OLP group included 46 women (66 %) and 24 men (34%) with a mean age of 45.71 ± 13.2 years old. The healthy control group consisted of 61 women (61%) and 39 men (39%), with a mean age of 43.9 ± 10.39 years. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of genotype and polymorphism of IL-37 rs4241122.

In this study, there was no difference between polymorphism of IL-37 (rs4241122) and OLP lesions. However, allele A was more prevalent in healthy controls than in OLP patients.

Vitiligo is an acquired pigmentation disorder of the skin and mucous membranes that clinically manifests as depigmented macules and patches, and has a negative impact on patients’ quality of life. This study was performed to evaluate the association between quality of life and illness perception in patients with vitiligo. This cross-sectional study included 153 adult patients with confirmed vitiligo who were referred to Razi hospital as well as members of the Iran Vitiligo Association Channel (in cyberspace). After collecting the patient’s demographic information, the participants completed the illness perception questionnaire-revised (IPQ-R), the vitiligo-specific quality of life instrument (VitiQoL), and the selfassessment vitiligo extent score (SA-VES). Eighty-seven men and 66 women with a mean age of 31 ± 8.6 years and a disease duration of 12.1 ± 8.4 years filled out the questionnaires. The mean score of the VitiQoL instrument was 38.9 ± 15.46 (range: 2-60). The results indicated that the more patients with vitiligo perceived their illness as chronic, cyclical, with negative consequences and emotional representations, the more their quality of life was impaired. According to the SA-VES questionnaire, the mean of skin involvement was 6.27 ± 9.8%, which showed a significant inverse relationship between skin involvement and cyclical perception of the disease. This report added to the literature on practical knowledge of managing vitiligo disorder. As vitiligo is a lifelong condition, measures should be taken to minimize the impact of the disease on patients’ lives.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a significant challenge to the world. Several studies have been conducted on this disease’s systemic manifestations and therapeutic options. The present study investigated the prevalence of skin manifestations among patients diagnosed with COVID-19. This descriptive retrospective study examined 955 patients with COVID-19 at Razi Hospital, Rasht, Iran, from 2020 to 2021. The required information, including demographical data, clinical characteristics, and type of skin manifestations of the patients, were recorded. The SPSS software (version 16.0) was used to analyze the data. The mean age of the patients with skin manifestations was 44.33 ± 19.25 years, and about 45% were men. Among 40 (4.18%) patients with skin lesions, 18 (45%), 12 (30%), 7 (17.5%), and 3 (7.5%) patients had urticarial, exanthematic, vesiculobullous, and purpuric lesions, respectively. According to the findings, skin manifestations, as one of the symptoms of COVID-19, should be considered in these patients.

Human beings share identical blood systems, even though they differ in several particular types. The distribution sequence of RH and ABO systems is complicated around the world. Various research in recent years has demonstrated that non-O blood groups, also known as ABO blood groups, are associated with an increased risk of developing oral diseases such as Candida infection, periodontal diseases, and oral cancer. The major aim of this extensive literature review was to determine the relationship between oral diseases and ABO blood grouping. We searched PubMed and google scholar using different terms and combinations to find papers related to oral diseases and ABO blood types. There was no language restriction, and all studies that investigated the relationship between ABO blood types and any oral diseases were included. The findings of this study suggested that ABO blood subtypes could be considered risk factors in the evolution of several diseases in the oral cavity that affect teeth, periodontium, and oral mucosa.

Terra firma-forme dermatosis (TFFD) is a rare and underdiagnosed condition that clinically presents as asymptomatic dark brown to black colored plaques that resemble dirty skin. Given the unfamiliarity of the disease, TFFD is regarded as a lesser-known phenomenon, despite the existence of a straightforward diagnostic sign. To the best of our knowledge, only a few cases of TFFD have been reported, and in the present case, the occurrence of TFFD at the site of varicella zoster secondary to wolf isotopic phenomenon in a short duration of two months after healing of lesions is the first reported case.

Remdesivir is the first approved antiviral against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV2) with a promising effect both on in-patient and out-patient settings. Regarding the acceleration program for the development of COVID-19 therapies and emergency use authorization, reporting new adverse events other than those mentioned in the first package inserts and beyond clinical trials is expected. Medication infiltration is one of the postmarketing reported remdesivir adverse events. The present study reported four new cases of remdesivir infiltration, their clinical courses, management, and outcomes. Moreover, all other reported cases were collected to identify event risk factors and provide recommendations for reducing the condition burden. All patients received non-pharmacological interventions and conservative therapy, which included aspiration, catheter removal, limb immobilization, nonocclusive dressing, and warm compresses. Intralesional triamcinolone acetonide was also administered for three cases. The remdesivir infusion continued through another intravenous line, and the event did not reoccur for the same patient. All patients recovered without sequels. The present study attempted to address all the factors that affect remdesivir infiltration and provide clinical recommendations to reduce the incidence and event burden. The principal step in prevention and successful management is staff education. After establishing staff instructions, event severity was significantly reduced in the studied center. Furthermore, non-pharmacological intervention and intralesional corticosteroid administration could prevent local reaction extension and could probably accelerate the healing process.

Medicinal leech therapy using Hirudo medicinalis is widely used in plastic surgery and is commonly applied for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. In this treatment, the blood-sucking leeches are applied at the affected site. Traditionally, leech therapy has been most often used in dermatological disorders. However, modern leech therapy is often used in the treatment of venous congestion associated with flap reconstructions and surgical replantation. It has also been used in traditional Persian medicine to treat dermatological diseases.Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved leech therapy for use in microsurgeries and plastic surgeries. Although some complications have been reported, such as bleeding, infection, allergic and inflammatory reactions, and anemia, cutaneous pseudo-lymphoma has only been described in rare cases following hirudotherapy. In this study, we report a woman who had undergone leech therapy for her acne, and a few weeks later, multiple red papules appeared at the sites of leech therapy. Histology confirmed that these lesions were pseudolymphoma.