Recent studies have suggested that the intestinal microbiome plays an important role in modulating risk of several chronic diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. At the same time, it is now understood that diet plays a significant role in shaping the microbiome, with experiments showing that dietary alterations can induce large, temporary microbial shifts within 24 h. Given this association, there may be significant therapeutic utility in altering microbial composition through diet. This review systematically evaluates current data regarding the effects of several common dietary components on intestinal microbiota. We show that consumption of particular types of food produces predictable shifts in existing host bacterial genera. Furthermore, the identity of these bacteria affects host immune and metabolic parameters, with broad implications for human health. Familiarity with these associations will be of tremendous use to the practitioner as well as the patient.

BackgroundPsoriasis impacts 1–3% of the world’s population and is characterized by hyper-proliferation of keratinocytes and increased inflammation. At the molecular level, psoriasis is commonly driven by a Th17 response, which serves as a major therapeutic target. Microbiome perturbations have been associated with several immune-mediated diseases such as atopic dermatitis, asthma, and multiple sclerosis. Although a few studies have investigated the association between the skin microbiome and psoriasis, conflicting results have been reported plausibly due to the lack of standardized sampling and profiling protocols, or to inherent microbial variability across human subjects and underpowered studies. To better understand the link between the cutaneous microbiota and psoriasis, we conducted an analysis of skin bacterial communities of 28 psoriasis patients and 26 healthy subjects, sampled at six body sites using a standardized protocol and higher sequencing depth compared to previous studies. Mouse studies were employed to examine dermal microbial-immune interactions of bacterial species identified from our study.ResultsSkin microbiome profiling based on sequencing the 16S rRNA V1–V3 variable region revealed significant differences between the psoriasis-associated and healthy skin microbiota. Comparing the overall community structures, psoriasis-associated microbiota displayed higher diversity and more heterogeneity compared to healthy skin bacterial communities. Specific microbial signatures were associated with psoriatic lesional, psoriatic non-lesional, and healthy skin. Specifically, relative enrichment of Staphylococcus aureus was strongly associated with both lesional and non-lesional psoriatic skin. In contrast, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes were underrepresented in psoriatic lesions compared to healthy skin, especially on the arm, gluteal fold, and trunk. Employing a mouse model to further study the impact of cutaneous Staphylcoccus species on the skin T cell differentiation, we found that newborn mice colonized with Staphylococcus aureus demonstrated strong Th17 polarization, whereas mice colonized with Staphylococcus epidermidis or un-colonized controls showed no such response.ConclusionOur results suggest that microbial communities on psoriatic skin is substantially different from those on healthy skin. The psoriatic skin microbiome has increased diversity and reduced stability compared to the healthy skin microbiome. The loss of community stability and decrease in immunoregulatory bacteria such as Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes may lead to higher colonization with pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, which could exacerbate cutaneous inflammation along the Th17 axis.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s40168-018-0533-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

IL-17 is involved in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases, however its role in vitiligo has not been well defined. Emerging human and mouse studies have demonstrated that systemic, tissue, and cellular levels of IL-17 are elevated in vitiligo. Many studies have also shown significant positive correlations between these levels and disease activity, extent, and severity. Treatments that improve vitiligo, such as ultraviolet B phototherapy, also modulate IL-17 levels. This review synthesizes our current understanding of how IL-17 may influence the pathogenesis of autoimmune vitiligo at the molecular level. This has implications for defining new vitiligo biomarkers and treatments.

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Sleep quality is diminished in patients with PsA. Sleep disturbance is particularly associated with generalized pain, anxiety, enthesitis and levels of CRP and ESR in patients carrying the diagnosis of PsA.

The mucositis resolved, and all lesions healed completely within 2 months (Figure 2B).Discussion | Solid organ transplant recipients have up to an approximately 100-fold increased risk of SCC. 1 Immunosuppression may be switched from a calcineurin inhibitor to an mTOR inhibitor when the burden of cutaneous carcinogenesis is high, and this change can lead to a 50% reduction in SCC. 2,3 Impaired surgical wound healing is a known adverse effect of sirolimus, yet there are limited data regarding complications of other wounds. One case report described arterial leg ulcers developing with sirolimus treatment, 4 while another described neuropathic foot ulcers with everolimus 5 ; both cases resolved after discontinuation of the mTOR inhibitor therapy.The established and de novo lower-leg ulcers in the present case were most consistent with ulcers of venous insufficiency, although the presence of diabetes, peripheral arterial disease, and concomitant acitretin therapy may have exacerbated disease. In addition to their anti-proliferative effects, mTOR inhibitors inhibit angiogenesis, exacerbate edema, and antagonize lymphatic function, all of which may contribute to lower-extremity ulcers in predisposed patients. 6 The present case demonstrates the complexity of managing immunosuppression in transplant recipients with multiple comorbidities who are at high risk for skin cancer. Sirolimus may decrease the risk of SCC but may also impair wound healing and exacerbate preexisting wounds of vascular insufficiency. Dermatologists and transplant physicians should be aware of this potential complication of mTOR inhibitors and exercise caution in high-risk patients.

Background Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare and severe inflammatory disease characterized by widespread and superficial sterile pustules on an erythematous background. Objectives This multicentre study aimed to determine the clinical profile and course in a large cohort of patients with GPP. Methods One hundred and fifty‐six GPP patients (mean age, 44.2 ± 18.7 years) who met the diagnostic criteria of the European Consensus Report of GPP were included in the study. Sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life, triggering factors of the disease, clinical, laboratory, treatment and prognostic features were evaluated. Results 61.5% of the patients were female. The rate of working at or below the minimum wage (≤$332.5/month) was 44.9%. Drugs (36.5%) were the most common trigger. While hypocalcaemia (35.7%) was the most important cause of GPP during pregnancy, systemic steroid withdrawal (20%) was the most frequently reported trigger for infantile/juvenile and mixed‐type GPP (15%) (P < 0.05). Acute GPP (53.8%) was the most common clinic. Nails were affected in 43.6% of patients, and subungual yellow spots (28.2%) were the most common change. In annular GPP, fever (P < 0.001) and relapse frequency (P = 0.006) were lower than other subtypes, and the number of hospitalizations (P = 0.002) was lower than acute GPP. GPP appeared at a later age in those with a history of psoriasis (P = 0.045). DLQI score (P = 0.049) and joint involvement (P = 0.016) were also higher in this group. Infantile/juvenile GPP was observed in 16.02% of all patients, and arthritis was lower in this group (24.4 vs. 16%). GPP of pregnancy had the worst prognosis due to abortion observed in three patients. Conclusions Recent advances in treatment have improved mortality associated with GPP, but abortion remains a significant complication. Although TNF‐α inhibitors have proven efficacy in GPP, they can also trigger the disease. Mixed‐type GPP is more similar to acute GPP than annular GPP with systemic manifestations and course.

Dermoscopy is an aiding method in the visualization of the epidermis and dermis. It is usually used to diagnose melanocytic lesions. In recent years, dermoscopy has increasingly been used to diagnose non-melanocytic lesions. Certain vascular structures, their patterns of arrangement and additional criteria may demonstrate lesion-specific characteristics. In this review, vascular structures and their arrangements are discussed separately in the light of conflicting views and an overview of recent literature.