BACKGROUND:Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin disease. It is characterised by autoimmune, environmental factors and complex genetic disorder.AIM:To explore the role of IL-6, IL-8, and ACE I/D polymorphism in the pathogenesis of Psoriasis and investigation of the relationship between ACE polymorphism and occurrence of psoriasis.PATIENTS AND METHODS:In this study, we took 73 psoriasis patients and 47 healthy patients as a control. These two groups subjected to analysis for ACE gene I/D polymorphism by PCR and biochemical methods.RESULTS:The serum levels of ACE, IL-8 and IL-6 were statistically significantly higher in psoriasis patients compared to healthy subjects (P < 0.001). ID and DD polymorphism were more common in psoriasis patients than healthy subjects. Also, D allele was significantly over-represented in patients compared to controls (52.7% Vs 35.1%).CONCLUSION:ACE gene polymorphism might grant susceptibility to develop psoriasis.

Background:The incidence of alopecia areata (AA) has increased over the last few decades. Trichoscopy is a noninvasive procedure performed in dermatology clinics and is a helpful tool in determining the correct diagnosis of hair loss presentations.Objective: Through mapping the researches that have been done to represent the spectrum of trichoscopic findings in AA and to identify the most characteristic patterns. Methods:Thirty-nine studies were eligible for the quantitative analysis. Meta-analysis and subgroup analysis were performed. Results:Thirty-nine studies (29 cross-sectional, five retrospective, two descriptive, one case series, one observational, and one cohort) with a total of 3204 patients were included. About 66.7% of the studies were from Asia, 25.6% from Europe, and 7.7% from Africa. The most characteristic trichoscopic findings of AA were as follows; yellow dots, black dots, broken hairs, short vellus hairs, and tapering hairs. Conclusion:There is no single pathognomonic diagnostic trichoscopic finding in AA rather than a constellation of characteristic findings. The five most characteristic trichoscopic findings in AA are: yellow dots, black dots, broken hairs, short vellus hairs, and tapering hairs. Yellow dots and short vellus hairs considered the most sensitive clues for AA, while black dots and tapering hairs are the most specific ones. Furthermore, trichoscopy is a useful tool that allows monitoring of response during the treatment of AA. Treatment responded cases will show an increase in short vellus hairs, but loss of tapering hairs, broken hairs, and black dots, while yellow dots are the least responsive to the treatment.

Background: Vitamin D plays a significant role in the function of the immune system and it influences many dermatological diseases such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is growing globally, with around 30-50% of people are known to have low levels of vitamin D. Acne vulgaris is a common inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous unit. Studies about the role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris have shown conflicting and nonconclusive results. Thus, the precise purpose of vitamin D has not yet been established. Objective: First, to evaluate serum levels of vitamin D through a representative sample of patients with acne vulgaris and compare it with matched healthy controls. Second, to investigate if there is a relation between serum vitamin D level and the severity of acne vulgaris. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 68 patients with acne vulgaris and 50 matched healthy controls. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D] levels were measured for both patients and healthy controls. Results: The study yielded lower levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in patients with acne vulgaris than its level in healthy controls. This is statistically significant with P-value = 0.003. Regarding age, gender, and sun exposure, there is no significant variation in serum 25hydroxyvitamin D level. Also, no significant difference between the severity of acne and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Conclusion: This study has shown clearly that vitamin D deficiency is more frequent in patients with acne with P-value = 0.003. However, no significant association between the serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D] and the severity of acne vulgaris. Further clinical trials on a larger scale are needed to address the importance of vitamin D in acne vulgaris. Specifically, determining whether treatment of acne with both topical vitamin D analogs and vitamin D supplementation is of significant effect.

BackgroundRegional distribution of adipose tissue is more important than total amount of body fat in predicting complications associated with obesity. Apolipoprotein B (Apo B) plays a central role in lipid metabolism.AimTo investigate the importance of the XbaI polymorphism of Apo B gene (C7673T) as risk factor for visceral obesity and its influence on lipid profile.Subjects and methodsTotal of 122 obese adult females (BMI ⩾ 30 kg/m2): 56 of them with visceral obesity (⩾7 cm by abdominal Ultrasound) and 66 without visceral obesity and 36 age matched non-obese (BMI ⩽ 25 kg/m2) without visceral obesity were studied. Anthropometric assessment, body composition, visceral obesity and lipid profile evaluation were attempted. Genetic analysis of Apo B XbaI was performed using Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).ResultsVisceral obesity was associated significantly with the presence of the heterozygous (CT) genotype of the XbaI Apo B gene (p < 0.001). Frequency of homozygous (CC) was significantly the least genotype found in females with visceral obesity, while homozygote (TT) genotype was more frequent in those without visceral obesity. T allele (about 70%) was more frequent than C allele (about 30%) in all groups. Significant lowest values of visceral obesity, triglyceride and HDL-C were associated with the presence of (CC) genotype and the highest values were associated with the presence of the heterozygous (CT) genotype; except HDL-C with (TT) genotype.ConclusionsStudy reveals considerable association of Apo B XbaI gene polymorphism with visceral obesity and some lipid profile parameters (TG and HDL-C) among Egyptian females.

Background: Several types of polymorphisms in vitamin D receptor (VDR) have been found in psoriasis.Aim: this study looked at the role of the TaqI polymorphism in the VDR gene as a factor in changing plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in psoriasis patients and to see if it had any relationship with disease severity.Subjects and Methods: Clinical examination, serum (25(OH)D) levels measurement, molecular studies, TaqI genotyping by PCR and RFLP subjected for the two groups.Results: T/t genotypes of TaqI polymorphism genotypes were most common in patients, while t/t genotypes were more abundant in healthy subjects. The T allele was high in the patient group in comparing to the normal subjects, but there were no signi cant differences (P=0.421). Patients with T/t TaqI genotypes had higher levels of 25(OH)D) than T/T and t/t (P=0.004). Moderate psoriatic patients with the T/t genotype have relatively high 25(OH)D) levels than moderate patients with the T/t and t/t genotypes (P=0.001). Conclusion:The increase in 25(OH)D) titers in moderate patients is greater than that in mild and severe patients. T/t genotypes are associated with increased 25(OH)D) levels in moderate and mild patients.