Subclinical enthesopathy of extensor digitorum tendon is highly prevalent and associated with clinical and ultrasound alterations of the adjacent fingernails in patients with psoriatic disease.

BACKGROUND: Nail psoriasis disease is associated with an increased probability of psoriatic arthritis, and its clinical signs may have different correlates with the pathogenesis of adjacent bone destruction and have different prognostic value. Recent publications about psoriasis and nail psoriatic disease describe different ultrasonographic findings but the relationship between these ungueal alterations measured by ultrasonography and the presence of enthesopathy of the extensor digitorum has yet to be discovered. OBJECTIVE: To describe which ultrasonographic characteristics of nail psoriasis are associated with the presence of subclinical enthesopathy in patients with PsO and asymptomatic PsA. METHODS: Patients with psoriasis and asymptomatic psoriatic arthritis were included in the prospective study. Demographic, clinical data and PASI and NAPSI indexes were recorded of all the patients in the assessment visit. The US assessment included Achilles tendon, extensor digitorum tendon and US scan of the nail plate, nail matrix, nail bed and adjacent skin over nail matrix of the five nails of each hand. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were included in the study; 33 of them presented ultrasound evidence of extensor digitorum tendon enthesopathy. Nails of the patients with subclinical enthesopathy had a higher NAPSI and skin thickness than the nails of the patients without subclinical enthesopathy (P = 0.047). Patients with asymptomatic enthesopathy had significantly thicker proximal nail folds (1.44 ± 0.312 vs. 1.23 ± 0.27, P = 0.023). Nail beds and matrices were also thicker but the differences were not statistically significant (1.77 ± 0.27 vs. 1.74 ± 0.21, P = 0.66, and 1.79 ± 0.28 vs. 1.67 ± 0.19, P = 0.10, respectively). No statistically significant differences in the trilaminar structure were found between both groups. Patients with and without asymptomatic enthesopathy of extensor digitorum tendons did not statistically differ as regards ultrasonographic alterations of the Achilles tendons (60.6% vs. 46.4%, P 0.368). CONCLUSION: Enthesopathy abnormalities can be detected by US in patients with psoriasis without musculoskeletal complaints frequently. There is a close relationship between subclinical enthesopathy of the extensor digitorum tendon and the presence of nail alterations. Further studies are required to research what implications have the presence of these ungual alterations measured by US, and how it affects later development of a PsA.

Infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth associated with soft tissue hypertrophy: a case series of 10 patients.

BACKGROUND: Infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth (IH-MAGs) are characterized by a proliferative component of <25% of its surface area. The co-occurrence of IH-MAGs and soft tissue anomalies is rare, and case series of this association are lacking. OBJECTIVE: We present 10 cases of IH-MAGs associated with soft tissue hypertrophy and describe their clinical features. METHODS: We reviewed all infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth seen between 2009 and 2016 in the dermatology clinic department at Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona. To collect more patients, we also requested cases from the Hemangioma Investigator Group and members of the Spanish Society of Vascular Anomalies. RESULTS: Ten patients had IH-MAGs associated with soft tissue hypertrophy; seven involving the arm and three involving the leg. All displayed a segmental pattern, a doughy and puffy texture and prominent surface veins. No significant asymmetries in limbs and no other visceral anomalies were observed at follow-up (range 15 months to 7 years). One patient reported coldness in the limb with infantile hemangioma, but RMI-angiography did not disclose a vascular malformation underneath the lesion. Ulceration was observed in three patients. The proliferative component in all IH-MAGs had faded at 1-year follow-up, while soft tissue hypertrophy and prominent vessels remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: In this first case series of IH-MAGS associated with soft tissue hypertrophy, soft tissue hypertrophy was not progressive and remained unchanged over time, unlike the proliferative component of classic infantile hemangioma. The origin of the prominent vessels and the higher ulceration risk are unknown; however, these findings are probably related to a minor disruption of local vessels not detected in imaging tests.

[Psoriasis, a systemic disease?]. / La psoriasis, una enfermedad sistémica?

It has long been recognized the epidemiological association of psoriasis, especially the most severe forms, with several diseases that share a common pathogenic substrate involving TNF-alpha and different target organs (arthritis and Crohn's disease, for example), as well as an increased risk of coronary heart disease and occlusive cardiovascular disease. In the patient with severe psoriasis there is also an increased prevalence of obesity, dyslipemia, adult diabetes mellitus, alcohol abuse and tobacco habit which contribute to the increased risk of mortality associated with atherosclerosis. Recently it has been identified the so-called metabolic syndrome, characterized by the association of abdominal obesity, atherogenic dyslipemia, hypertension, insulin resistance with or without glucose intolerance and a proinflammatory and prothrombotic state as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. There is evidence that in rheumatoid arthritis as well as in psoriasis, chronic inflammation has a pathogenic role in the metabolic syndrome and associated comorbidities, and its adequate treatment may contribute to revert it. The dermatologist should recognize the elements of the metabolic syndrome and propose the patient with psoriasis, in addition to the optimal dermatologic treatment, changes in life habits and appropriate drug therapy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbi-mortality.