Evaluation of quality of life scores and family impact scales in pediatric patients with alopecia areata: a cross-sectional cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There are a limited number of studies evaluating the effects of alopecia areata (AA) on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of pediatric patients and their families. This study aimed to assess the HRQoL of pediatric patients with AA and their parents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-center cross-sectional cohort study included 72 pediatric patients diagnosed with AA. The study was conducted between December 2020 and December 2021 in the dermatology department of a single tertiary center in Turkey. The HRQoL index of the pediatric patients was assessed with the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI). At the same time, their parents, who were primarily involved in the disease process, were evaluated using the Dermatological Family Impact Scale (DeFIS). An ordinal logistic regression model was used to detect predictors for CDLQI severity. RESULTS: The mean ± SD CDLQI of the pediatric patients who participated in our study was 8.4 ± 5.3, corresponding to moderate impairment. The highest impairment in CDLQI was observed in the symptoms and feelings domain, while the slightest impairment was observed in the domain of personal relationships (P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score and all CDLQI domains, and the most substantial relationship was with the leisure domain (r = 0.78, P < 0.001). DeFIS scores of female patients were substantially higher than males (25.3 ± 8.6 vs. 17.6 ± 9, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study supports that AA is a disease that significantly impacts the HRQoL of affected children and their families.

Retrospective Analysis of the Effect of Comorbid Atopic Dermatitis on the Treatment Response to Topical Immunotherapy in Pediatric Alopecia Areata Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Alopecia areata is an organ-specific autoimmune disease. In addition, treatment options are limited in pediatric patients. Topical immunotherapy treatment may be preferred, especially in pediatric patients with severe and/or refractory alopecia areata. OBJECTIVES: In this study, it was aimed to examine the effect of atopic dermatitis, which is one of the poor prognostic factors in pediatric alopecia areata, on topical immunotherapy treatment. METHODS: The data of patients aged 18 years and younger who received at least 20 sessions of topical immunotherapy with the diagnosis of alopecia areata in our clinic between January 2018 and December 2020 were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 139 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 10.29 years, 67 (48.20%) of the patients were female, 72 (51.80%) were male, 24 (17.26%) of the patients had mild disease, 115 of them (82.73%) had severe disease. Atopic dermatitis accompanying alopecia areata was detected in 38 of the patients. Inadequate response was obtained in 60 (43.17%) patients and adequate response was obtained in 79 (56.83%) patients with topical immunotherapy treatment. In addition, the presence of atopic dermatitis in the patient group with inadequate response to treatment was found to be statistically significantly higher than the patient group with adequate response to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Topical immunotherapy treatment was found to be effective in 56.83% of pediatric alopecia areata patients included in the study. Our study showed that questioning pediatric alopecia areata patients for atopic dermatitis before topical immunotherapy treatment can predict the response to treatment.

Association of alopecia with self-esteem in children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: Hair is important for individuals due to its cosmetic functions and its anatomical and physiological features. Hair loss in children significantly affects their social and psychological well-being and may lead to significant psychological distress in those not benefiting from medical and/or traditional therapies. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the self-esteem in children and adolescents with alopecia areata. METHODS: This comparative study included children and adolescents with the diagnosis of alopecia and age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Self-esteem was evaluated by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). RESULTS: The study included 64 patients with alopecia (M/F, 32/32; mean age, 12.2 ± 3.0 years) and 60 healthy controls (M/F, 30/30; mean age, 12.0 ± 3.0 years). Age (p=0.64) and sex (p=1.0) distributions were similar between the groups. Of the patients, 35 had alopecia areata, 21 had alopecia universalis, and eight had alopecia totalis. The RSES score of patients was significantly higher than that of the controls (median [interquartile range], 1 [0-2] and 1 [0-1], respectively; p=0.008). The distribution of the participants according to the level of self-esteem (low, moderate, and high) based on the RSES scores revealed that, the proportion of patients with low and moderate self-esteem were significantly higher as compared with controls (p=0.001). The diagnostic subtype and sex did not affect the distribution of self-esteem scores in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Hair loss is a significant factor affecting self-esteem of children and adolescents. Deteriorations in self-esteem may progress to psychological comorbidities if not approached, diagnosed, and treated timely and efficiently.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on psoriasis patients, and their immunosuppressive treatment: a cross-sectional multicenter study from Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Immunosuppressive therapy has been a great concern during the pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the pandemic's impact on psoriasis patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The multicenter study was conducted in 14 tertiary dermatology centers. Demographic data, treatment status, disease course, and cases of COVID-19 were evaluated in patients with psoriasis using the immunosuppressive treatment. RESULTS: Of 1827 patients included, the drug adherence rate was 68.2%. Those receiving anti-interleukin (anti-IL) drugs were more likely to continue treatment than patients receiving conventional drugs (OR = 1.50, 95% CI, 1.181-1.895, p = .001). Disease worsening rate was 24.2% and drug dose reduction increased this rate 3.26 and drug withdrawal 8.71 times. Receiving anti-TNF or anti-IL drugs was associated with less disease worsening compared to conventional drugs (p = .038, p = .032; respectively). Drug withdrawal causes were 'unable to come' (39.6%), 'COVID concern' (25.3%), and 'physician's and patient's co-decision' (17.4%). Four patients had COVID-19 infection with mild symptoms. The incidence was 0.0022% while it was 0.0025% in the general population. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that psoriasis patients using systemic immunosuppressive do not have a higher, but even lower COVID-19 risk than the general population, and treatment compliance with biological drugs is higher.

Dermoscopy of Pilonidal Cyst Disease: A Case-series.

Dear Editor, Pilonidal cyst disease is a common, acquired, inflammatory disease predominantly affecting the natal clefts of the buttocks (1,2). The disease has a predilection for men, with a male-to-female ratio of 3-4:1. Patients are generally young, towards the end of second decade of life. Lesions are initially asymptomatic, while the development of complications such as abscess formation is associated with pain and discharge (1). Patients with pilonidal cyst disease may present to dermatology outpatient clinics, especially when the disease is asymptomatic. Herein we report the dermoscopic features of four cases of pilonidal cyst disease encountered in our dermatology outpatient clinic. Four patients who presented to our dermatology outpatient department for evaluation of a solitary lesion on buttocks were diagnosed with pilonidal cyst disease based on clinical and histopathological examination. All patients were young men and presented with solitary, firm, pink, nodular lesions in the region in proximity to the gluteal cleft (Figure 1, a, c, e). Dermoscopy of the first patient revealed a red structureless area in the central part of the lesion, consistent with ulceration. Additionally, white lines reticular as well as glomerular vessels were present at the periphery on the pink homogenous background (Figure 1, b). In the second patient, a yellow structureless central ulcerated area was surrounded by linearly arranged multiple dotted vessels at the periphery on a homogenous pink background (Figure 1, d). In the third patient, dermoscopy revealed a central yellowish structureless area with peripherally arranged hairpin and glomerular vessels (Figure 1, f). Lastly, similar to the third case, dermoscopic examination of the fourth patient showed a pink homogenous background with yellow and white structureless areas and peripherally arranged hairpin and glomerular vessels (Figure 2). Demographics and clinical features of the four patients are summarized in Table 1. Histopathology of all our cases revealed epidermal invagination and sinus formation, free hair shafts, and chronic inflammation with multinuclear giant cells. Histopathological slides of the first case can be seen in Figure 3 (a-b). All patients were referred to general surgery for treatment. The current knowledge pertaining to dermoscopy of pilonidal cyst disease is scarce in the dermatologic literature, and was previously evaluated in only two cases. Similar to our cases, the authors reported the presence of a pink-colored background, radial white lines, central ulceration, and multiple peripherally arranged dotted vessels (3). The dermoscopic features of pilonidal cysts differ from other epithelial cysts and sinuses. As for epidermal cysts, the presence of punctum and an ivory-white background color have been reported as characteristic dermoscopic findings (4,5). In addition, unruptured epidermal cysts reveal arborizing telangiectasia, while the ruptured epidermal cysts show peripheral linear branched vessels (4,5). A peripheral brown rim, linear vessels, and yellow homogenous background of the entire lesion have been reported as dermoscopic features of steatocystoma multiplex as well as milias (5). Of note, other cystic lesions mentioned above are typified by linear vessels, whereas pilonidal cysts present dotted, glomerular, and hairpin vessels. Pilonidal cyst disease must also be considered in the differential diagnosis of pink nodular lesions, along with amelanotic melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, pyogenic granuloma, lymphoma, and pseudolymphoma (3). Based on our cases and the two cases in the literature, pink background, central ulceration, peripherally arranged dotted vessels, and white lines seem to be common dermoscopic features of pilonidal cyst disease. Our observations demonstrate that central yellowish structureless areas along with peripheral hairpin and glomerular vessels are also among the dermoscopic features of pilonidal cyst disease. In conclusion, pilonidal cysts can be easily differentiated from other skin tumors by the aforementioned dermoscopic features, and the diagnosis in patients clinically suspected of having pilonidal cyst can be supported by dermoscopy. However, there is need for further studies in order to better characterize typical dermoscopic features of this disease and their frequency.

The Association between the Number of Follicular Stelae and Severity and Treatment Response of Alopecia Areata Cases: A Retrospective Study.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by peribulbar lymphocytic infiltration, follicular miniaturization, catagen/telogen follicles, and increased follicular stelae (streamers) in skin biopsies. Objectives: Our aim was to assess the number of follicular stelae of patients with AA and to evaluate their association with clinical type and severity and treatment response of AA. Materials and Methods: Histopathologic features including number of follicular stelae were recorded in skin biopsies taken from lesions of AA in 142 patients who attended our dermatology clinic from 2011 to 2017. Results: There was a statistically significant correlation between the patient age and the number of follicular stelae (P = 0.001). There was a statistically significant correlation between the severity of disease and the number of follicular stelae (P = 0.005). AA subtypes (0%-25% scalp hair loss) had a significantly lower number of follicular stelae than 75%-100% scalp hair loss and alopecia universalis (7.92 ± 4.21 vs. 13.23 ± 7.28). There was no statistically significant correlation between the treatment response and the number of follicular stelae (P = 0.75). Conclusion: Our results showed that number of follicular stelae varied among AA clinical types and correlated with severity. This study was the first to evaluate the correlation between the number of follicular stelae and severity of AA.

Evaluation of the level of serum Interleukins (IL-2, IL-4, IL-15 andIL-17) and its relationship with disease severity in patients with alopecia areata.

BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata (AA) is a hair disease that causes hair loss without scarring. The etiopathogenesis of AA has not been fully understood yet. OBJECTIVE: To determine serum interleukin levels (IL-2, IL-4, IL-15, and IL-17) in patients diagnosed with alopecia areata and to investigate the relationship of IL levels with the duration and severity of alopecia areata and the response to tofacitinib therapy. METHODS: Patients (≥16 years old) diagnosed with alopecia areata and healthy individuals as a control group was enrolled. Baseline serum interleukin levels of the patients and controls were measured. In the patient group receiving tofacitinib therapy, serum interleukin levels were measured again after 6 months. Disease severity for alopecia areata was assessed using the Severity of Alopecia Tool. RESULTS: Sixty-one AA patients and 30 healthy individuals were included; they were comparable regarding age and sex. The mean disease duration for AA was 7 ± 6 years and the baseline mean Severity of Alopecia Tool score was 71 ± 30 (range, 20-100). Baseline IL-2, IL-4 and IL-15 levels were significantly higher in the patient group than those in the control group (p < 0.001 for each). No significant correlation was found between the baseline interleukin levels and either disease duration or disease severity (baseline Severity of Alopecia Tool score). Among the patients receiving tofacitinib (n = 22), all interleukin levels significantly decreased after treatment. However, no significant relationship between the change in interleukin levels and the change in the Severity of Alopecia Tool scores was observed after tofacitinib treatment. STUDY LIMITATIONS: This is a monocentric study conducted in a single university hospital. CONCLUSION: High interleukin levels in alopecia areata patients and the significant decrease with treatment support the idea that interleukins have a role in pathogenesis. Nevertheless, no relationship could be demonstrated between IL levels and disease duration or severity.

Evaluation of the changes in sebum, moisturization and elasticity in acne vulgaris patients receiving systemic isotretinoin treatment.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the change in facial skin sebum, hydration and elasticity of acne vulgaris patients after being treated with systemic isotretinoin. METHOD: Patients who were diagnosed with acne vulgaris and who received systemic isotretinoin treatment for 6 months in Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Department of Dermatology between June 2012 and May 2017 were included in this study. The sebum, hydration and elasticity of the skin were measured non-invasively with a device called "Soft Plus Skin Analyses System" before treatment and 6 months after treatment. The relationship between the pre-treatment and post-treatment values were evaluated statistically. 35 adult patients (20 female, 15 male) who were diagnosed with acne vulgaris and who received systemic isotretinoin treatment for 6 months. RESULTS: The pre-treatment sebum value for both sexes ranged between 5 and 100 and the mean value was calculated as 75.8 ± 28.0. The post-treatment sebum values ranged between 1 and 98 and the mean value was calculated as 48.4 ± 31.8. The difference between the pre-treatment and post-treatment values was statistically significant, p < 0.001. The decline in sebum value after treatment was 36%. The pre-treatment hydration values ranged between 9 and 77.5 and the mean was 34.6 ± 14.6. The post treatment hydration values ranged between 4.8 and 100 and the mean was calculated as 62.4 ± 28.6. The difference between the pre-treatment and post-treatment hydration values were statistically significant, p < 0.001. The post-treatment increase in hydration was 79%. The pre-treatment skin elasticity ranged between 28 and 50; the mean was 40.4 ± 5.5. The post-treatment elasticity values ranged between 20 and 50; and the mean was 37.5 ± 8.2. However, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.1). CONCLUSION: With this study, it was concluded that, systemic isotretion leads to a 36% decline in skin sebum values and a 79% increase in the skin hydration. However, the change in skin elasticity was not statistically significant. Furthermore, the changes in sebum and skin hydration did not lead to a change in skin elasticity.

The evaluation of dupilumab treatment response in atopic dermatitis patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to demonstrate real-life effectiveness of dupilumab treatment in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis patients. METHODS: The 14 patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis were included in this study. All of the patients started dupilumab treatment in our faculty between October 2019 and October 2020. The patients were evaluated at the beginning of the treatment and after 12 weeks of treatments. The baseline scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) scores, the total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, and the visual analog scale (VAS) of 0-10 points for itch intensity compared with the post-treatment scores. RESULTS: The SCORAD scores, the serum total IgE levels, and the VAS itch scores of the patients receiving dupilumab treatment dropped significantly following 12 weeks of dupilumab treatment. No significant correlation was demonstrated between the initial SCORAD scores and the serum total IgE values. Besides, no correlation was shown to exist in the reduction of the SCORAD and the serum total IgE values after dupilumab treatment. CONCLUSION: Dupilumab treatment showed significant improvement in disease severity with remarkable reduction in serum total IgE levels.

Dermoscopic findings in a case of multiple subungual fibromas.

Periungual and subungual fibromas, also known as Koenen tumors, are diagnostic findings of tuberous sclerosis. The clinical appearance and histological features that characterize ungual fibromas are well defined. However, dermoscopic findings of these benign tumors have not been reported previously. Here we report a rare presentation of multiple subungual fibromas of all fingers in a developmentally delayed patient with tuberous sclerosis along with the dermoscopic features of the ungual tumors.

Demographic and Clinical Features of 1,641 Patients with Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis, and Alopecia Universalis: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune hair disorder which is characterized by noncicatricial hair loss. AA commonly presents with localized patches on the scalp and face but may affect any hair-bearing region of the body leading to even more generalized involvement. AA may affect any age group, gender, and race. The current study investigates the demographic characteristics of the patients with AA and subgroups of AA including alopecia totalis (AT) and alopecia universalis (AU) and the prevalence of disease, sex, and age distribution and seasonal variation retrospectively in a tertiary dermatology clinic in Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, 1,641 patients diagnosed with AA, AT, and AU in the dermatology clinic of a public university hospital were included. The dermatology outpatient database was reviewed retrospectively. The diagnosis of AA was based on patient history, clinical examinations, and histopathologic findings. RESULTS: Fifty-four thousand one hundred sixty-eight patients were admitted to our outpatient clinic in 4 years time, and 1,641 were diagnosed as having AA, AT, and AU. One thousand three hundred ninety-two patients (84.8%) had AA, 81 (4.9%) had AT, and 168 (10.2%) had AU. Among the 1,641 patients included in the study, 877 were females (53.4%) and 764 were males (46.6%). The mean age was 29.86 ± 14.48 years in AA, 29.50 ± 16.18 in AT, and 32.81 ± 14.48 in AU; 77.4, 72.8, and 68.5% of patients were aged under 40 years in AA, AT, and AU. There was no statistically significant difference in seasonal presentation times. CONCLUSION: AA is affecting approximately 2% of the general population without any sex, race, or age group predilection. In this study, we found a lower prevalence of AA in the pediatric age group in comparison with adults. This finding may support the hypothesis of the increasing prevalence of AA over time. The higher ratio of AA regarding this study may support that the frequency of AA and subtypes varies between regions.

Presence of Trichodynia Symptoms in Hair Diseases and Related Factors.

BACKGROUND: Trichodynia can be described as a feeling of discomfort in the scalp. Studies on trichodynia also have different data. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and associated factors of trichodynia. METHODS: A questionnaire was applied to 249 patients who were admitted to the Hair Diseases Unit of Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Hospital. We recorded the age, sex, hair loss duration, diagnosis, and whether or not patients had trichodynia symptoms. RESULTS: Out of a total of 249 patients, 89 patients (35.7%) had trichodynia. We found that the mean age of patients with trichodynia was higher than the mean age of those without trichodynia. Trichodynia was more common in women than in men. In addition, it was more common in the cicatricial alopecia group than the other disease groups. DISCUSSION: The frequency of trichodynia was significantly higher in women in comparison to that in men. Symptoms of trichodynia were significantly more common in patients with cicatricial alopecia in comparison to that in the other 4 diagnostic categories. There was no significant difference between the 4 diagnostic categories in terms of trichodynia severity.

Evaluation of the alopecia areata patients on tofacitinib treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tofacitinib is a Janus Kinase 3 inhibitor that is used in the treatment of alopecia areata. We recommended our alopecia areata patients to discontinue their tofacitinib treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic for an average of 80 days. We aimed to evaluate the drug use and the SARS-CoV-2 infection status of alopecia areata patients; and the relationships of recurrence to age, gender, treatment duration, and tofacitinib discontinuation. One-hundred and ninety-one (61.4%) patients were off the drug and 120 (38.6%) were on therapy during the pandemic. The relationship between drug discontinuation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recurrence was statistically significant (P < .001). Statistically significant relationships of age (P = .013) and treatment duration (P < .001) to recurrence were also found. The change in the SALT score differed between the patients on therapy and off therapy during the pandemic (P < .001). A significant negative correlation was found between the change in the SALT score and treatment duration: the spearman correlation test P = .018. We concluded that the patients may continue to the tofacitinib therapy during the rest of the COVID-19 pandemic if the benefit outweighed the risk.

Evaluation of Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents Diagnosed with Striae Distensae.

OBJECTIVES: Striae distensae (SD) are characterized by erythematous or atrophic bands, which are common during adolescence and can adversely impact the psychosocial status of the affected patients. Our aim in this study is to evaluate the quality of life of children and adolescents diagnosed with SD. METHODS: This prospective observational study included 50 adolescents with SD. The gender and the age of the patients were noted. Quality of life was evaluated with the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI). RESULTS: The present study included 50 patients with SD. Female patients were more common than male patients, with frequencies of 58% and 42%, respectively. The median values of the total scores of the CDLQI were 9 (0-21) in females and 4 (0-12) in males. The difference of 5 units between them was statistically significant (P = .003). The age groups of the participants were 9-12 and 13-16. There were 15 (30%) patients in the 9-12 age range and 35 (70%) patients in the 13-16 age range. The median values of the total score of the CDLQI were 7 (0-21) in the 9-12 age group, and 6 (0-20) in the 13-16 age group. Total score did not differ significantly between groups (P = .679). CONCLUSION: SD are common during adolescence and affect the quality of life. Therefore, this should not be considered only as a cosmetic problem. Patients should also be evaluated in terms of the psychosocial aspects.

Correlation between serum granulysin level and clinical activity in patients with alopecia areata before and after tofacitinib therapy.

BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata (AA) is a common immune-mediated disorder. Destruction of anagen hair follicles by cytotoxic T cells (CTL) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of AA. Serum granulysin has been shown to reflect overall activity of CTLs. AIMS: In this study, we aimed to compare serum granulysin levels in patients with AA before and after therapy and to analyze correlation between serum granulysin levels and disease severity. METHODS: We evaluated the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score and serum granuysin levels of 38 AA patients at baseline and at 6th month of therapy. Thirty-three patients were treated with tofacitinib 5 mg b.i.d, and five patients were treated with topical immunotherapy. Serum granulysin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: A moderate correlation was found between SALT scores and serum granulysin level at baseline (r = .378, P = .019). Baseline serum granulysin levels were significantly higher in patients with alopecia totalis/universalis compared with patients with patchy AA (P = .004, Z = 2.778). Serum granulysin levels significantly decreased in patients treated with tofacitinib compared to baseline (P = .001). The reduction in serum granulysin levels after tofacitinib therapy correlated with the reduction in SALT scores (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest serum granulysin levels to be a good correlate of immunological activity of AA. We also assume granulysin to be a potential mediator of follicle attack, the effects of which is blocked by tofacitinib therapy. Therefore, changes in serum granulysin levels under therapy can reflect the downregulation of immunological activity of AA.

Multicenter study evaluating the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on dermatology outpatients in Turkey.

COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on public health, whether directly or indirectly. The first case was seen in Turkey on March 11, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic on March 12, 2020. The study aimed to document the effect of pandemic on dermatology outpatient clinics in Turkey. Fifteen tertiary hospitals from 13 provinces were included in the study, which was conducted between January 12 and May 12, 2020. The International Codes of Diseases (ICD-10) categories and patients' characteristics were evaluated before and after the pandemic. A total of 164 878 patients, 133 131 before and 31 747 after the pandemic, were evaluated. The daily hospital applications were found reduced by 77%. The three of the most frequent diagnoses; dermatitis, acne, and psoriasis remained unchanged after the pandemic. While the frequency of herpes zoster, scabies, urticaria, pityriasis rosea and sexually transmitted diseases increased significantly; allergic and irritant contact dermatitis decreased after the pandemic. The applications regarding cutaneous neoplasms were considerably reduced during the pandemic, and this effect was more pronounced in cities with higher COVID incidence. The pandemic caused a noteworthy reduction in the number of patients accessing dermatological care. The pandemic caused significant changes in the frequency of a wide range of dermatological diseases. The application of cutaneous neoplasms is considerably reduced after the pandemic, and this effect was more pronounced in cities where pandemics are frequent. Therefore, the pandemic has resulted on numerous impacts on many critical issues in dermatology and dermatological care.

Alendronate induced subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin.

The subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) is a distinct subtype of lupus erythematosus (LE) representing specific clinical and serological features. Almost 20%-30% of the cases with SCLE are predicted to associated with medications. Thiazide diuretics, terbinafine, antiepileptic, and proton pump inhibitors are the best-known drugs to induce drug-related SCLE. Herein we want to present a 65-year-old female with alendronate induced SCLE, resistant to classical therapies, and respond well to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), suggesting that IVIG could be an alternative treatment in patients resistant to classical treatment protocols.