Introduction. Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory, immune-mediated skin disease. In addition to standard therapeutic modalities (antibiotics, cytostatics, phototherapy, photochemotherapy and retinoids), nonstandard methods can be used in the treatment of psoriasis. This includes balneotherapy which is most commonly used in combination with therapeutic resources. The aim of this research was to determine the length of remission of psoriasis in patients treated with standard therapeutic modalities, balneotherapy, and combined treatment (standard therapeutic modalities and balneotherapy). Material and Methods. The study analyzed 60 adult patients, of both sexes, with different clinical forms of psoriasis, who were divided into three groups according to the applied therapeutic modalities: the first group (treated with standard therapeutic modalities), the second group (treated with balneotherapy) and the third group (treated with combined therapystandard methods therapy and balneotherapy). The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index was determined in first, third and sixth week of treatment for all patients. The following laboratory analysis were performed and monitored: C reactive protein, iron with total iron binding capacity, unsaturated iron binding capacity and ferritin, uric acid, rheumatoid factors and antibodies to streptolysin O in the first and sixth week of treatment. Results. The average length of remission in patients treated with standard therapeutic modalities and in those treated with balneotherapy was 1.77 ± 0.951 months and 1.79 ± 0.918 months, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the duration of remission between the patients treated with combination therapy and patients treated with standard therapeutic modalities (p=0.019) and balneotherapy (p=0.032). Conclusion. The best results have been achieved when the combination therapy was administered. SažetakUvod. Psorijaza je hronična, inflamatorna, imunoposredovana kožna bolest. Pored standardnih terapijskih modaliteta (antibiotici, citostatici, fototerapija, fotohemoterapija i retinoidi), u terapiji se primenjuju i nestandardne terapijske metode kao balneoterapija, ali najčešće kombinacija više terapijskih sredstava. Cilj rada bio je da se utvrdi dužina remisije psorijaze kod pacijenata lečenih standardnim terapijskim modalitetima, balneoterapijom i kombinovanim lečenjem (standardnim terapijskim modalitetima i balneoterapijom). Materijal i metode. Analizirano je 60 odraslih pacijenata oba pola, obolelih od različitih kliničkih oblika psorijaze, podeljenih u tri grupe prema primenjenim terapijskim modalitetima: grupa I (lečena standardnim terapijskim modalitetima), grupa II (lečena balneoterapijom) i grupa III (lečena kombinovanim terapijskim modalitetima − standardnim metodama i balneoterapijom). Svim pacijentima smo određivali indeks procene težine psorijaze u 1, 3. i 6. nedelji lečenja. Pratili smo laboratorijske analize: C-reaktivni protein, gvožđe, ukupni kapacitet vezanog gvožđa, kapacitet vezivanja nezasićenog gvožđa, fe...

Melanocytic nevi represent a benign neoplastic proliferation of melanocytes. The level of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in these proliferations is low in most cases; whereas an increased expression of this factor may be an indicator of pre-neoplastic changes in melanocyte lesions. We performed a semi-quantitative assessment of the level of vascular endothelial growth factor expression (score 0 to 3) on samples taken from 34 patients with benign melanocyte alterations of the skin. Melanocytic nevi showed an expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in 79.41% of the cases. The low level of expression (score 1) was seen in 70.59% cases. The results showed no statistically significant difference in the presence and level of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in relation to the following morphological parameters: histological type, a defect in the surface, density of inflammation infiltrate, mitotic index, growth phase and cell type.

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The results of this study confirm the presence of EI (the fifth disease) in our area with a mild course in the majority of patients. Since the diagnosis of EI is usually based on clinical findings, continuing medical education of primary health care pediatricians is essential for reducing the number of misdiagnosed cases.