Nail abnormalities in patients with vitiligo

Abstract: Background: Vitiligo is an acquired pigmentary skin disorder affecting 0.1-4% of the general population. The nails may be affected in patients with an autoimmune disease such as psoriasis, and in those with alopecia areata. It has been suggested that nail abnormalities should be apparent in vitiligo patients. Objective: We sought to document the frequency and clinical presentation of nail abnormalities in vitiligo patients compared to healthy volunteers. We also examined the correlations between nail abnormalities and various clinical parameters. Methods: This study included 100 vitiligo patients and 100 healthy subjects. Full medical histories were collected from the subjects, who underwent thorough general and nail examinations. All nail changes were noted. In the event of clinical suspicion of a fungal infection, additional mycological investigations were performed. Results: Nail abnormalities were more prevalent in the patients (78%) than in the controls (55%) (p=0.001). Longitudinal ridging was the most common finding (42%), followed by (in descending order): leukonychia, an absent lunula, onycholysis, nail bed pallor, onychomycosis, splinter hemorrhage and nail plate thinning. The frequency of longitudinal ridging was significantly higher in patients than in controls (p<0.001). Conclusions: Nail abnormalities were more prevalent in vitiligo patients than in controls. Systematic examination of the nails in such patients is useful because nail abnormalities are frequent. However, the causes of such abnormalities require further study. Longitudinal ridging and leukonychia were the most common abnormalities observed in this study.

Epidermolysis Bullosa Pruriginosa with Nail Dystrophy: A Rare Case Report.

Epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) pruriginosa is a type of dystrophic DEB wherein there is a mutation in gene COL VII A1, which encodes anchoring fibril protein Type VII collagen. Clinically, it is characterized by intensely pruritic linear lichenified or nodular prurigo like lesions over extremities with milia, nail dystrophy, and in some cases albopapuloid lesions over trunk. Here we report a case of an adult onset DEB pruriginosa with typical clinical features which was confirmed by histopathology. In any severely itchy skin lesion over pretibial region, DEB pruriginosa should be kept in mind, and DEB pruriginosa can occur for the first time in adulthood also.

Geriatric Foot Problems and Related Factors in Two Provinces of Korea

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to identify the prevalence, risk factors and clinical meanings of geriatric foot problems and to suggest implications for the future. METHODS: One hundred eighty nine elderly aged 60 and over from institution as well as community were investigated for their foot conditions by means of a questionnaire including general characteristics, self care capacity, risk factors, foot problem checklist, X-ray, podoscopy and foot scan. Descriptive statistics and chi-square-test was performed as appropriate utilizing SPSS version 14. Less than .05 of p-value was adopted as statistical significance level. RESULTS: All subjects had at least one kind of foot problem and the most prevalent ones were nail problems, foot deformities in order. Prevalence of foot pain and edema was relatively low. CONCLUSION: Foot problem in elderly is prevalent and geriatric foot is expected to emerge as one of the most important problems in the geriatric field. Therefore strategies to deal with geriatric foot should be developed and practiced for better quality of life in later life.

Unha em raquete do polegar: freqüência em amostragem de populaçäo em Säo Paulo / Racket thumb-nail: frequency samples of population of Säo Paulo, Brazil

A unha em raquete do polegar, uma forma de braquioníquia, resulta da anormalidade congênita do dedo polegar que apresenta a falange terminal mais curta e mais larga. É transmitida por herança autossômica dominante. A literatura médica consigna que a incidência feminina é o dobro da masculina e que a ocorrência bilateral é o dobro da unilateral, sendo uma entidade clínica incomum. Julgando que a anomalia possa ocorrer com mais freqüência, porém despercebida procuramos observar sistematicamente as extremidades digitais em todos aqueles que nos procuram. Foram examinadas 2.000 pessoas , 1.000 de cada sexo. Foram encontrados 19 casos da URO, o que dá uma freqüência de 0,95%, sendo que 12 casos feminino, 10 bilaterais e 11 com ocorrência familiar. O resultado obtido confirmou a nossa suposiçäo inicial de que näo é rara a ocorrência da URP e veio contribuir para melhorar a literatura existene que é bastante reduzida