Our results showed high serum levels of IL-17, IL-23 and TNF-α among CSU patients which may highlight a functional role of these cytokines in the pathogenesis of this important and common skin disease. It also may provide the rationale for new treatment strategies in chronic urticaria.

Our results showed high serum levels of Th17 cytokines among patients with AA that may suggest a functional role of these cytokines in the pathogenesis of this important skin disease. It could also provide the rationale for new treatment strategies in AA.

Background Vitiligo is a common acquired disorder of depigmentation. Its pathogenesis entails a T helper (Th) 1‐cytotoxic T (cT) lymphocytes mediated autoimmune melanocyte destruction. Interleukin (IL)‐15 is one of the IL‐2 family of cytokines and shares several actions with IL‐2. IL‐15 enhances survival, maturation, and functional activity of natural killer, neutrophils, and dendritic cells. Furthermore, it potentiates survival, maturation, and cytotoxicity of memory cT cells. IL‐15 has been shown to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases but was poorly investigated in patients with vitiligo. Aims The study aimed at evaluating IL‐15 level in the sera of patients with vitiligo and its association with vitiligo severity and activity. Patients and Methods The study included 30 patients with nonsegmental vitiligo and 30 healthy controls. Vitiligo Extent Score (VES) and Vitiligo Disease Activity (VIDA) score were used to assess vitiligo severity and activity, respectively. Serum level of IL‐15 was assessed by enzyme‐linked immune‐sorbent assay. Results Serum IL‐15 level, in patients with vitiligo, was significantly higher in comparison with the control group (P = .001). A significant positive correlation was found between serum IL‐15 level and VES score (P = .001), whereas there was no significant correlation between IL‐15 level and VIDA score as well as the disease duration. Conclusion IL‐15 level was elevated in the sera of patients with vitiligo. IL‐15 may therefore have a significant impact on vitiligo autoimmune pathogenesis, and further identification of its molecular roles may highlight new therapeutic strategies for vitiligo.

Acanthosis nigricans is a likely forerunner of the finding of metabolic syndrome. High serum leptin and resistin and low serum adiponectin may increase the risk for CVD among AN patients.

No abstract

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic multifactorial inflammatory autoimmune disease. It has significant impacts on health and quality of life. Platelets play a major role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, and the activated platelets increase the migration of leukocytes to the skin, increasing the release of inflammatory cytokines. Recent studies showed that MPV (mean platelet volume) could be used as an indicator of platelet function and activation. Previous studies assessed only the value of MPV in psoriatic patients without studying its relationship with different treatment modalities. Aim: To study the changes in MPV in psoriasis patients and its association with disease severity after treatment with NB-UVB. Patents and Methods: 25 psoriatic patients were assessed for MPV and psoriasis area and severity index score (PASI) before treatment, during treatment, and after treatment with NBUVB (three times weekly for 3 months). Results: The relation between MPV and PASI was statistically insignificant before and after treatment. The PASI score was significantly decreased after treatment. Conclusion: This study demonstrated an insignificant correlation between MPV levels and PASI score of psoriatic patients before and after NBUVB phototherapy. Further studies on a larger number of patients are needed to assess the relationship between MPV and psoriasis.

Background: Low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) has been proposed as a candidate receptor for hepatitis C virus (HCV). Free beta-lipoproteins in a human serum may regulate the rate of hepatocyte infection by competing with the virus. Therefore, serum HCV levels should be regulated by rise and fall of serum beta-lipoproteins since the infection rate of virions influences HCV replication in hepatocytes and release of virions by hepatocytes. Aim: To evaluate effect of lowdensity lipoprotein levels on the measurement of hepatitis C viral load in chronic hepatitis C patients and estimate the levels of viral load of hepatitis C in relation to variation of the corresponding low-density lipoprotein levels in chronic hepatitis C patients and their relations to each other. Subjects and Methods: 30 HCV hyperlipidemic patients were subjected to clinical evaluation and laboratory investigations included follow up by repeated measurements of LDL level, AST, ALT, and Albumin for patient selection. Results: There was an inverse statistically significant correlation (r =-0.388, p=0.034) between the HCV RNA absolute viral load differences and LDL level absolute differences (the lower the LDL differences, the higher the HCV RNA differences). Also, there was an inverse statistically significant correlation (r=-0.42, p=0.021) between HCV RNA absolute differences and LDL level percent differences (the higher the LDL percent differences, the lower the HCV RNA absolute differences).The predictive variables for HCV RNA viral load level differences were LDL level differences and LDL percent differences whereas AST, ALT, and Albumin differences were not. Conclusion: Low-density lipoprotein levels have an effect on the measurement of hepatitis C viral load in chronic hepatitis C patients. Therefore, this must be taken in consideration when chronic hepatitis C patients have a history of dyslipidemia and perform a HCV RNA viral load by PCR.