Evaluation of different factors influencing objective measurement of skin color by colorimetry.

BACKGROUND: Objective determination of skin color has become an essential requirement in managing pigmentary disorders including vitiligo. The readings of available devices can be influenced by factors such as surrounding temperature, vasodilation/constriction, and skin surface properties. Our aim was to investigate the influence of hair color and length, skin stretching, incomplete contact of the device with the skin, and the pressure with which the device is applied to the test area on skin color determination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dermacatch® was used to determine the influence of hair color and length in 30 vitiligo patients, and of wrinkles, incomplete contact of the device with the skin and pressure of the device on the test area in 30 healthy volunteers on melanin and erythema indices measured by the device. RESULTS: Melanin index was significantly higher in lesions with black hair compared to lesions with white hair (P < 0.001) and the MI significantly decreased when the black hair was shaved (P < 0.001) and when the skin over the test area was stretched (P < 0.001). Incomplete contact of the device with the test area led to significantly higher MI (P < 0.001) and lower EI (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, high pressure induced by the device on the test area led to significantly lower MI (P < 0.001) and significantly higher EI (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Factors influencing the readings of devices used for objective determination of skin color have to be taken consideration to ensure accuracy of the measurements done.

Assessment of Quality of Life of Patients with Inflammatory Skin Diseases Using Skindex-16: A Cross-Sectional Multicenter Study.

Inflammatory skin diseases are highly prevalent, yet their impacts on patients' quality of life (QoL) are not addressed. In this cross-sectional study, the Arabic version of Skindex-16 was used to evaluate the symptomatic, emotional, and functional distress of patients with inflammatory skin disorders attending several outpatient dermatology clinics in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Patients with ≥50% of the symptoms score, ≥50% of the emotions score, and ≥33% of the functioning score were considered having poor QoL. A total of 1,310 patients aged 30 ± 13 years (70.6% from Egypt and 29.4% from Saudi Arabia) were included in this study. Of them, 1,192 patients had inflammatory skin diseases, and 118 had facial nevi, who served as controls. Patients with inflammatory skin diseases had significantly worse QoL than those with nevi. Autoimmune bullous disease group showed the highest prevalence poor symptoms (56.8%), poor emotions (75.7%), and poor functioning (83.8%) of QoL. Women with acne and psoriasis were more likely to have poor symptoms than men (16.3% vs. 4.7% and 52.7% vs. 25.3%, respectively). In conclusion, inflammatory skin diseases had profound negative effects on patients' QoL. Age, sex, education, and marital status of patients can affect their perception of QoL.

Itraconazole lipid nanocapsules gel for dermatological applications: In vitro characteristics and treatment of induced cutaneous candidiasis.

There is a growing clinical demand for topical itraconazole (ITC) delivery systems because of the expanding potential of the drug for topical fungal and non-fungal applications. Lipid-based nanocarriers offer great promise in this respect. In the present study, a new topical ITC gel based on lipid nanocapsules (LNC) was developed. ITC-LNC were compared to ITC-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (ITC-NLC) with more established benefits as topical vectors. Both nanocarriers showed high entrapment efficiency (EE > 98%). Compared to ITC-NLC, the ITC-LNC showed a significantly smaller particle size (∼50 vs 155 nm), narrower size distribution (0.09 vs 0.38), faster initial release rate under sink conditions and greater in vitro antifungal activity against Candida albicans (C. albicans) (inhibition zone 29.4 vs 26.4 mm). ITC-LNC and ITC-NLC-based gels significantly enhanced the dermal retention of ITC in excised human skin relative to a conventional ITC gel. Histopathological assessment of a 14-day treatment of induced cutaneous candidiasis in a rat model indicated efficacy of the gel preparations. Fungal elements developed in the superficial epidermal skin layer were cleared by the end of treatment. Equally important, no histopathological changes in the epidermal and dermal layers of rat skin were observed. Findings of this study verified efficacy of topical ITC in the treatment of superficial fungal infections as well as effectiveness of LNC as biomimetic nanocarrier for dermal drug delivery. Combining ITC and LNC would present a bioactive nanocarrier system with good potentials for fungal infections and other skin applications.

Skin permeability enhancement by Bacillus subtilis alkaline protease: Application to transdermal drug delivery.

Enzymes may offer great potentials in topical pharmaceutical applications provided that treatment conditions are controlled for efficacy and safety. In this study, the effect of alkaline protease produced by recombinant Bacillus subtilis cells on the ex-vivo permeability of rabbit ear skin was investigated under different conditions of enzyme activity (5-60 units) and exposure time (15-60min). Data for transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and permeation of a hydrophilic dye, rhodamine B (Rb), indicated biphasic activity-dependent and exposure time-dependent skin permeability. Maximum effects were obtained at 20 proteolytic units and 30min exposure. Findings proved consistent with histopathological changes indicating progressive stratum corneum (SC) loss and disruption of the dermo-epidermal junction at 20 units and up to 30min exposure time followed by dermal hyalinization at longer exposure. This was associated with progressive loss of skin hair. Applying the identified pretreatment conditions to transdermal delivery of vardenafil in a gel base across dorsal rat skin indicated a significant increase in plasma levels at 30 and 60min with minimal histopathological changes 5days post enzyme treatment. Accordingly, the recombinant B. subtilis alkaline protease offers promise as a pharmaceutical enzyme for transdermal drug delivery bioenhancement and dermatological applications.

Serum level of interleukin-17A in patients with alopecia areata and its relationship to age.

BACKGROUND: There is strong evidence for an autoimmune etiology of alopecia areata (AA). Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) is a Th17 proinflammatory cytokine that has been linked to the pathogeneses of diverse autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to measure serum IL-17A in AA patients and to study associations between IL-17A levels and AA severity, duration, and age of onset, and patient gender and age. METHODS: The study enrolled 39 AA patients and 37 healthy control subjects. Scalp involvement was assessed using the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT), and clinical disease severity was determined. Serum IL-17A was measured using ELISAs. RESULTS: Serum IL-17A was significantly higher in AA patients than in control subjects (P < 0.001). Correlations between serum IL-17A and gender, disease duration, SALT score, and disease severity were non-significant. Serum IL-17A was significantly higher in patients aged ≤30 years than in patients aged >30 years (P = 0.045). Age and serum IL-17A were significantly negatively correlated in patients with AA (rs = -0.363, P = 0.023) but not in control subjects (rs = -0.294, P = 0.077). Patients with juvenile-onset AA had significantly higher IL-17A levels than those with maturity-onset disease (P = 0.034). There was a significant negative correlation between age at disease onset and serum IL-17A (rs = -0.349, P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: It is possible that IL-17A plays a role in the pathogenesis of AA. Serum IL-17A may be influenced by patient age and age of onset of AA but does not seem to influence disease severity.