Relationship between surgical rhinoplasty and Demodex infestation: a case-control study.

Background/aim: Human Demodex mites are parasites that live in the pilosebaceous unit and can cause demodicosis. While demodicosis may occur as a primary skin disease, it may also result from immunosuppression and topical or systemic immunosuppressive therapies. Surgical rhinoplasty is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures, and it is the cause of a variety of cutaneous complications, particularly acne, as it affects the skin's adnexal structures. Thus, this study aimed to investigate whether the cutaneous changes in surgical rhinoplasty patients render them vulnerable to Demodex infestation. Materials and methods: Individuals who had undergone rhinoplasty (patients) and age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers (controls) were included in this prospective case-control study. To determine the Demodex density, samples were collected from the malar and nasal regions of both the patients and controls using the standard superficial skin biopsy method. Results: A total of 50 rhinoplasty patients and 50 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The Demodex density on the nose was significantly higher in the rhinoplasty patients (p = 0.0001). Furthermore, the frequency of xerosis and pustules was significantly higher in the rhinoplasty patients compared to the control group (p = 0.046 and p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Surgical rhinoplasty may be a risk factor for demodicosis, and patients will recover faster after surgery with proper diagnosis and treatment.

Is there a correlation between the second to fourth digit ratio and vitiligo? A cross-sectional study.

AIMS: Vitiligo is a multifactorial, acquired skin disease of unknown etiology characterized by depigmented patches caused by melanocyte loss. The ratio of the second to fourth digits (2D:4D) is believed to be a marker of prenatal androgen exposure. Among the many hypotheses for melanocyte loss, one is that sex hormones may play a role in the development of vitiligo. In this study, we aimed to investigate a possible relationship between vitiligo and 2D:4D ratios. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The participants in this study were healthy volunteers and patients with vitiligo. This study included 100 patients with vitiligo and 110 healthy controls. An electronic Vernier caliper was employed to measure the finger lengths. The Vitiligo Extent Tensity Index was used to rate the severity of vitiligo (VETI). RESULTS: The study included 100 patients with vitiligo and 110 healthy volunteers of similar age and gender. The mean age of patients with vitiligo was 27.000 ± 13.000 years for females and 30.612 ± 9.112 years for males, and the study sample included 54 (49.09%) females and 56 (50.91%) male patients. Patients' 2D:4D ratios were significantly lower than those of the controls for right hands (p = 0.0001). For left hands, there was no correlation between the 2D:4D ratio (p = 0.740). There was no statistically significant correlation between the VETI score and the 2D/4D ratio (left hand, p = 0.136; right hand p = 0.329). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study to look at the link between 2D:4D ratios and vitiligo in the literature. The findings obtained in this study suggest that the 2D:4D ratio may be a predictor of vitiligo development.

Relationship between rosacea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Rosacea and comorbidities: Rosacea and comorbidities.

BACKGROUND: Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that has been reported to be associated with many systemic disorders including respiratory diseases. AIMS: This study aims to investigate respiratory function in patients with rosacea. PATIENTS/METHODS: Patients with rosacea and age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers were included in this cross-sectional study. Spirometric pulmonary function tests including the percentage of forced vital capacity (FVC%), percentage of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1%), forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of FVC (FEF 25-75%), and FEV 1/FVC ratio was assessed in both patient and controls. The potential relationship between rosacea severity and pulmonary functions was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients with rosacea and 120 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Compared to the controls, FEV 1%, FEV 1/FVC%, and FEF 25-75% values were significantly lower in patients with rosacea. Lower FEV 1/FVC% values were found to be associated with disease severity. FEV 1%, FEV 1/FVC%, and FEF 25-75% values were found to be more useful in differentiating the patients from healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that patients with rosacea may have abnormal respiratory function compared to healthy subjects. Besides, disease severity was associated with worse respiratory functions. We believe that patients with rosacea, particularly those with additional risk factors, should be screened for respiratory disorders.

COVID-19 and human papillomavirus: Paradoxical immunity.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a multisystemic disease that can cause progressive lung failure, organ dysfunction, and coagulation disorder associated with high mortality and morbidity. COVID-19 is known to either primarily cause skin symptoms or increase existing skin diseases. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA virus that can cause benign and malignant neoplasms. Mucocutaneous verruca vulgaris are common benign lesions of HPV. Here, we report a case of verruca vulgaris regressed after COVID-19.

Melanoma and COVID-19: A narrative review focused on treatment.

Melanoma is the most severe form of skin cancer and its incidence has increased over the past few decades. COVID-19 pandemic affected the diagnosis and management of many diseases including melanoma. In this study, we aimed to provide a review focused on the diagnosis and management of melanoma in the era of COVID-19. A comprehensive search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases using the keywords "melanoma," "coronavirus," "COVID 19," and "SARS-CoV-2." The relevant guidelines published by the European Society for Medical Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network were also included. The current guidelines recommend that surgical interventions for new diagnosis of invasive primary melanoma, patients with postoperative complications, wide resection and sentinel lymph node biopsy for newly diagnosed T3-T4 melanoma, and planned surgical procedures for patients in neo-adjuvant trials should be prioritized. Surgical treatment of T3/T4 melanomas should be prioritized over T1/T2 melanomas except for any melanoma in which large clinical residual lesion is visible. Adjuvant therapies can be postponed for up to 12 weeks depending on the local center circumstances. PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy is recommended for patients starting immunologic therapy. Combination immunotherapy is still considered suitable for patients with higher-risk disease. Encorafenib and binimetinib should be prioritized for patients requiring BRAF-targeted therapy due to the lower chance of symptoms mimicking COVID-19 infection.

Psoriasis and COVID-19: A narrative review with treatment considerations.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 outbreak has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 2020. The pandemic has affected the management of psoriasis not only for those who are under treatment but also for those who are about to begin a new therapy to control their disease. An increasing number of studies in the current literature have focused on the relationship between psoriasis and COVID-19 from different perspectives. This narrative review includes searching the PubMed and Web of Science databases using the keywords "psoriasis," "psoriatic arthritis," "coronavirus," "COVID-19," and "SARS-CoV-2." The search was supplemented by manual searching of reference lists of included articles. A total of 11 relevant original investigations and 6 case studies was identified. The search was updated in May 2019. Due to the absence of randomized controlled trials, it is not likely to have a robust evidence-based approach to psoriasis management in the era of COVID-19. However, the current literature may provide some clues for safety considerations. Conventional immunosuppressive therapies such as methotrexate and cyclosporine, and anti-tumor necrosis factor agents should not be preferred due to increased risk of infection, especially in high-risk areas. The use of cyclosporine may pose additional risk due to the side effect of hypertension, which has been reported to be associated with susceptibility to severe COVID-19. Considering that the current literature has provided no conclusive evidence that biologics increase the risk of COVID-19, withdrawal of these agents should be reserved for patients with COVID-19 symptoms. The treatment approach should be personalized, considering the advantages and disadvantages for each case separately.

The role of cystatin-C and fetuin-A in the determination of early atherosclerotic risk in psoriasis patients.

Psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis. The objective of this study is evaluate the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) serum and cystatin-C, fetuin-A levels in determining the increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in psoriasis patients. In this study, age and gender compatible 80 psoriasis patients and 78 healthy individuals were included. For both groups, serum cystatin-C, fetuin-A, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride, total cholesterol, and creatinine levels were recorded and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was measured via B-mode ultrasonography by cardiology department. In binary comparisons between patient and control groups, cystatin-C, fetuin-A, hs-CRP, and CIMT values were higher in psoriasis patients and there was a statistically significant difference (P < .05). In control group, serum HDL-C level was statistically significant higher (P < .05). There was no statistically significant difference in hs-CRP, ox-LDL, LDL-C, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and creatinine levels between the groups (P > .05). Our study supported that psoriasis is a risk factor for development of atherosclerosis and we think that cystatin-C can be used as an important marker in determining subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with psoriasis.