Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is an inflammatory disease of the skin, considered the specific cutaneous manifestation of celiac disease (CD). Both DH and CD occur in gluten-sensitive individuals, share the same Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) haplotypes (DQ2 and DQ8), and improve following the administration of a gluten-free diet. Moreover, almost all DH patients show typical CD alterations at the small bowel biopsy, ranging from villous atrophy to augmented presence of intraepithelial lymphocytes, as well as the generation of circulating autoantibodies against tissue transglutaminase (tTG). Clinically, DH presents with polymorphic lesions, including papules, vesicles, and small blisters, symmetrically distributed in typical anatomical sites including the extensor aspects of the limbs, the elbows, the sacral regions, and the buttocks. Intense pruritus is almost the rule. However, many atypical presentations of DH have also been reported. Moreover, recent evidence suggested that DH is changing. Firstly, some studies reported a reduced incidence of DH, probably due to early recognition of CD, so that there is not enough time for DH to develop. Moreover, data from Japanese literature highlighted the absence of intestinal involvement as well as of the typical serological markers of CD (i.e., anti-tTG antibodies) in Japanese patients with DH. Similar cases may also occur in Caucasian patients, complicating DH diagnosis. The latter relies on the combination of clinical, histopathologic, and immunopathologic findings. Detecting granular IgA deposits at the dermal-epidermal junction by direct immunofluorescence (DIF) from perilesional skin represents the most specific diagnostic tool. Further, assessing serum titers of autoantibodies against epidermal transglutaminase (eTG), the supposed autoantigen of DH, may also serve as a clue for the diagnosis. However, a study from our group has recently demonstrated that granular IgA deposits may also occur in celiac patients with non-DH inflammatory skin diseases, raising questions about the effective role of eTG IgA autoantibodies in DH and suggesting the need of revising diagnostic criteria, conceivably emphasizing clinical aspects of the disease along with DIF. DH usually responds to the gluten-free diet. Topical clobetasol ointment or dapsone may be also applied to favor rapid disease control. Our review will focus on novel pathogenic insights, controversies, and management aspects of DH.

Curcumin is a complementary therapy that may be helpful for the treatment of psoriasis due to its anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic, antioxidant, and antiproliferative effects. In the present study we performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of a bioavailable oral curcumin in the treatment of psoriasis. Sixty-three patients with mild-to-moderate psoriasis vulgaris (PASI < 10) were randomly divided into two groups treated with topical steroids and Meriva, a commercially available lecithin based delivery system of curcumin, at 2 g per day (arm 1), or with topical steroids alone (arm 2), both for 12 weeks. At the beginning (T0) and at the end of the therapy (T12), clinical assessment and immunoenzymatic analysis of the serum levels of IL-17 and IL-22 were performed. At T12, both groups achieved a significant reduction of PASI values that, however, was higher in patients treated with both topical steroids and oral curcumin than in patients treated only with topical steroids. Moreover, IL-22 serum levels were significantly reduced in patients treated with oral curcumin. In conclusion, curcumin was demonstrated to be effective as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris and to significantly reduce serum levels of IL-22.

Cutaneous manifestations of intestinal diseases are increasingly reported both in the adult and in the children, and this association cannot longer be considered a simple random. Besides the well-known association between celiac disease (CD) and dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), considered as the cutaneous manifestation of gluten-dependent enteropathy, is more frequently reported also the association with other mucocutaneous diseases. Among these there are both autoimmune, allergic, and inflammatory diseases, but also a more heterogeneous group called miscellaneous. The knowledge about pathogenic, epidemiological, clinical, and diagnostic aspects of CD is increasing in recent years as well as those about DH, but some aspects still remain to be defined, in particular the possible pathogenetic mechanisms involved in the association between both CD and DH and CD and other immunological skin diseases. The aim of this paper is to describe the skin diseases frequently associated with CD, distinguishing them from those which have a relationship probably just coincidental.

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a rare autoimmune disease linked to gluten sensitivity with a chronic-relapsing course. It is currently considered to be the specific cutaneous manifestation of celiac disease (CD). Both conditions are mediated by the IgA class of autoantibodies, and the diagnosis of DH is dependent on the detection of granular deposits of IgA in the skin. There is an underlying genetic predisposition to the development of DH, but environmental factors are also important. This paper describes these different factors and discusses the known mechanism that lead to the development of skin lesions.

To date, 71 patients having the so-called 'Rowell's syndrome' (RS) have been reported in the literature. However, most of them did not show all the clinical and serological features first described by Rowell and co-workers in 1963. Moreover, since then, subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) has been identified and the diagnostic criteria as well as the clinical features of erythema multiforme (EM) defined. Accordingly several authors have questioned the existence of RS over the past years. In the present paper, the main clinical, histopathological and immunopathological features of both SCLE and EM are described and all of the cases of RS reported in the literature are also reviewed in depth. A real association between discoid LE and EM was present only in a minority of cases and could be considered a mere coincidence. As for other associations, e.g. those between CLE and lichen planus or psoriasis, the coexistence of CLE and EM does not justify the framing of a separate syndrome as suggested by Rowell et al.