[Assessment of the relationship between psoriatic arthritis and nail involvement score [NAPSI] in psoriatic patients visiting Razi hospital dermatology clinic from 1386-87]

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder involving many parts of the body including skin, nails and joints with severe negative effects on patient's quality of life. Nail involvement is one of the most difficult involvements of this disease to treat. Psoriatic arthritis categorized in sero-negative spondilo-arthropaties with some deforming characteristics. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between psoriatic arthritis and nail involvement based on standard psoriatic nail involvement score [NAPSI]. Psoriatic patients visiting dermatology clinic of Razi hospital were selected. Patients with arthritis enrolled as the case group while patients that had no joint involvement participated in control group. After matching, demographic data of both groups as well as NAPSI score and nail involvement characteristics collected through special questionnaires and analyzed with SPSS version 14. A total of 30 patients with psoriatic arthritis and 75 patients without arthritis were enrolled the study. Analysis of collected data demonstrated that nail involvement among patients with psoriatic arthritis [mean NAPSI score=46] was more common and severe than patients without joint involvement [mean NAPSI score=9.23] [P<0.05]. It seems that there is a significant difference between psoriatic patients presenting with or without arthritis and presence of arthritis probably can determine occurrence and extension of nail involvement

Clinical manifestations of lichen planus: a report of 120 cases

Lichen planus [LP] is an idiopathic papulosquamous disorder which can show cutaneous or mucosal signs. It is caused by a cell mediated immune response to an antigen. A wide range of clinical manifestations has been reported. To determine the sex and age frequency and clinical presentations of this disease in patients referred to Razi Hospital in Tehran. In this observational case series study, patients referred to Razi Hospital in Tehran from May to July 2003 were examined and clinically or clinicopathologically confirmed cases of LP were selected. One-hundred and twenty patients had LP [52 females-68 males]. The age range was 6-80 years and the mean age was 40/6 years. Sixty-seven of patients had cutaneous lesions, 20% had mucocutaneous and 13% had mucosal lesions. Hypertrophic LP was present in 22% and typical or classic LP was seen in 18%. Seven percent of patients had scalp involvement and oral LP was present in 33.3% of cases and the most common form was reticular. Genital lesions were present in 6% of cases mainly in male cases and as annular form. Six percent of patients had positive family history of LP. In this study LP was more common in male patients and in fourth decade of life. Hypertrophic LP and classic LP were the most common and reticular form was the most common form of oral LP. Genital lesions were mainly seen in male patients and as annular form

Congenital diffuse melanosis in a father and two Sons

Congenital diffuse melanosis is one of the rarest clinical manifestations of hereditary universal melanosis and only few cases have been reported all over the world. The presented case is a 54-year-old man who presented to us complaining of erythematous annular lesions on his face and neck 8 months ago. Diffuse pigmentation of his skin took our attention. According to the patient, diffuse hyperpigmentation was present at birth and there was no obvious changes up to now. His mother and sister had similar hyperpigmentation. He had two sons with a similar hyperpigmentaion, but his daughter had normal skin pigmentation. All laboratory investigation for the causes of hyperpigmentaion were reported normal and investigation for causes of secondary hyperpigmentation did not reveal any abnormality. In histopathologic assay, the erythematous lesion was reported to be discoid lupus erythematosus and the diagnosis of hyperpigmented lesion reported as congenital diffuse melanosis