Nail-fold capillaroscopy for the dermatologists

Nail fold is one of the most accessible sites for studying changes in the microcirculation in various microangiopathies. The characterization of changes in microvasculature can provide useful clues towards the diagnosis and prognosis of a disease. The diagnostic utility of nail fold capillaroscopy has improved and expanded over the past couple of decades. Beyond connective tissue diseases, it is now explored for its role in various systemic and dermatological diseases. Incorporation of nail-fold capillaroscopy in the diagnostic criteria of systemic sclerosis has generated interest among dermatologists. The current review is aimed at providing knowledge about nail-fold capillaroscopy to dermatologists. For the purpose of review, a PubMed search was done using the keywords “nail fold capillaries” and “nail fold capillaroscopy”. All the articles were retrieved and classified into reviews and clinical studies of various types. The final data were then analyzed and presented in a narrative fashion.

Nail tic disorders: Manifestations, pathogenesis and management.

Nail tic disorders are classic examples of overlap between the domains of dermatology and psychiatry. They are examples of body-focused repetitive behaviors in which there is an irresistible urge or impulse to perform a certain behavior. The behavior is reinforced as it results in some degree of relief and pleasure. Nail tic disorders are common, yet poorly studied and understood. The literature on nail tic disorders is relatively scarce. Common nail tics include nail biting or onychophagia, onychotillomania and the habit tic deformity. Some uncommon and rare nail tic disorders are onychoteiromania, onychotemnomania, onychodaknomania and bidet nails. Onychophagia is chronic nail biting behavior which usually starts during childhood. It is often regarded as a tension reducing measure. Onychotillomania is recurrent picking and manicuring of the fi ngernails and/or toenails. In severe cases, it may lead to onychoatrophy due to irreversible scarring of the nail matrix. Very often, they occur in psychologically normal children but may sometimes be associated with anxiety. In severe cases, onychotillomania may be an expression of obsessive-compulsive disorders. Management of nail tic disorders is challenging. Frequent applications of distasteful topical preparations on the nail and periungual skin can discourage patients from biting and chewing their fi ngernails. Habit-tic deformity can be helped by bandaging the digit daily with permeable adhesive tape. Fluoxetine in high doses can be helpful in interrupting these compulsive disorders in adults. For a complete diagnosis and accurate management, it is imperative to assess the patient’s mental health and simultaneously treat the underlying psychiatric comorbidity, if any.

Evaluation of cervical and anal intraepithelial neoplasia in women attending a sexually transmitted infection clinic.

Background: The incidence of anal and cervical cancers and their precursors have increased in the past decades. Women with HIV and sexually transmitted infections are at a higher risk. Cervical human papilloma virus infection may serve as a reservoir and source of anal infection or vice versa. A higher incidence of anal cytological abnormality has been observed in patients with abnormal cervical cytology. Objectives: This cross sectional study was designed to estimate the prevalence and associations of anal and cervical cytological abnormalities in a cohort of sexually active women using Papanicolaou smears. Methods: We conducted a single centre study of 35 consecutive HIV positive and 40 HIV negative women attending the sexually transmitted infection clinic. Cervical and anal specimens were obtained for cytology after a detailed history and examination. Chi square test and coeffi cient of correlation were used for comparison. Results: Cervical dysplasia was observed in 22.6% (17.3% low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and 5.3% high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion) and anal dysplasia in 8% study subjects (6.7% low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and 1.3% high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion); no association was observed with HIV infection. A higher number of patients with cervical dysplasia (29.4%) were found to have concomitant anal dysplasia (P = 0.002). History of anal intercourse was reported in all patients with anal dysplasia and was higher (P < 0.037) in patients with cervical dysplasia. Limitations: The limitations included a small sample size, lack of correlation with histological fi ndings and bias due to STI clinic-based recruitment of the study population. Conclusion: Cytology may be used to screen for cervical and anal dysplasia in women irrespective of HIV status. Women with cervical dysplasia may be preferentially screened for anal dysplasia and vice versa. Anal intercourse may be a risk factor for anal and cervical dysplasia.

Infantile Bullous Pemphigoid Following Vaccination.

Background: Post-vaccination infantile bullous pemphigod is a rare presentation. Case characteristics: A 2-month-old girl presented with widespread bullae, erosions, necrotic and targetoid lesions over body and mucosae after vaccination. Histology and direct immunofluorescence (DIF) were consistent with bullous pemphigoid. Intervention: Clinical remission with oral steroids and no recurrence with subsequent vaccination. Message: Continuation of vaccination may not be contraindicated in infants where bullous pemphigoid onset occurs after vaccination.

Profifi le of Indian patients with premature canities.

Background: Premature canities is a common yet incompletely understood dermatological entity with scarce demographic and clinical data. Aim: Evaluation of the demographic and clinical profi le of cases with premature canities and to look for systemic associations. Methods: Fifty two self-reported cases of premature canities (onset before 20 years of age) and an equal number of healthy controls were recruited from the outpatient department of the Department of Dermatology, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital Delhi, India from November 2011 to March 2013. A detailed history including onset, duration and pattern of involvement, a family history with pedigree charting and scalp examination were recorded on a predesigned proforma. A history of atopy was looked for in all study subjects and they were screened for thyroid disorder and diabetes. Results: The mean age of cases and controls was comparable. The mean age of onset of graying was 11.6 ± 3.6 years. The mean duration at the time of presentation was 39.8 ± 37.2 months. The frontal region was the earliest affected area in 25 (48.1%) cases. Positive family history of premature canities was reported in 39 (75%) cases with an equal prevalence on paternal and maternal sides. More than half of the cases, 29 (55.8%) reported having a fi rst degree relative affected by premature canities, 13 (25%) had a second degree and 20 (38.5%) had a third degree relative affected. Atopy was found to be strongly associated with premature canities with an odds ratio of 3.8. No association with thyroid abnormality or diabetes mellitus was seen. Limitation: The study suffered from the limitation of a small sample size. Conclusion: It was observed that the process of graying mostly starts in the frontal region. It was also found to be associated with a strong family history and atopic predisposition. Larger studies are recommended to arrive at a definite conclusion.

Comparative efficacy of continuous and pulse dose terbinafifine regimes in toenail dermatophytosis: A randomized double-blind trial.

Introduction: Dermatophytes are the most frequently implicated agents in toenail onychomycosis and oral terbinafi ne has shown the best cure rates in this condition. The pharmacokinetics of terbinafi ne favors its effi cacy in pulse dosing. Objectives: To compare the effi cacy of terbinafi ne in continuous and pulse dosing schedules in the treatment of toenail dermatophytosis. Methods: Seventy-six patients of potassium hydroxide (KOH) and culture positive dermatophyte toenail onychomycosis were randomly allocated to two treatment groups receiving either continuous terbinafi ne 250 mg daily for 12 weeks or 3 pulses of terbinafi ne (each of 500mg daily for a week) repeated every 4 weeks. Patients were followed up at 4, 8 and12 weeks during treatment and post-treatment at 24 weeks. At each visit, a KOH mount and culture were performed. In each patient, improvement in a target nail was assessed using a clinical score; total scores for all nails and global assessments by physician and patient were also recorded. Mycological, clinical and complete cure rates, clinical effectivity and treatment failure rates were then compared. Results: The declines in target nail and total scores from baseline were signifi cant at each follow-up visit in both the treatment groups. However, the inter-group difference was statistically insignifi cant. The same was true for global assessment indices, clinical effectivity as well as clinical, mycological, and complete cure rates. Limitations: The short follow-up in our study may have led to lower cure rates being recorded. Conclusion: Terbinafi ne in pulse dosing is as effective as continuous dosing in the treatment of dermatophyte toenail onychomycosis.

Nocebo effect in dermatology.

Nocebo effect, originally denoting the negative counterpart of the placebo phenomenon, is now better defined as the occurrence of adverse effects to a therapeutic intervention because the patient expects them to develop. More commonly encountered in patients with a past negative experience, this effect stems from highly active processes in the central nervous system, mediated by specifi c neurotransmitters and modulated by psychological mechanisms such as expectation and conditioning. The magnitude of nocebo effect in clinical medicine is being increasingly appreciated and its relevance encompasses clinical trials as well as clinical practice. Although there is hardly any reference to the term nocebo in dermatology articles, the phenomenon is encountered routinely by dermatologists. Dermatology patients are more susceptible to nocebo responses owing to the psychological concern from visibility of skin lesions and the chronicity, unpredictable course, lack of ‘permanent cure’ and frequent relapses of skin disorders. While fi nasteride remains the prototypical drug that displays a prominent nocebo effect in dermatologic therapeutics, other drugs such as isotretinoin are also likely inducers. This peculiar phenomenon has recently been appreciated in the modulation of itch perception and in controlled drug provocation tests in patients with a history of adverse drug reactions. Considering the confl ict between patients’ right to information about treatment related adverse effects and the likelihood of nocebo effect stemming from information disclosure, the prospect of ethically minimizing nocebo effect remains daunting. In this article, we review the concept of nocebo effect, its postulated mechanism, relevance in clinical dermatology and techniques to prevent it from becoming a barrier to effective patient management.

The efficacy of azithromycin in pityriasis rosea: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Macrolides are prescribed in the treatment of pityriasis rosea despite conflicting results of the limited number of studies evaluating their role in its treatment. Aim: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of azithromycin on the clinical course of pityriasis rosea. Methods: Seventy patients of pityriasis rosea were given either azithromycin (n = 35) or placebo (n = 35) and were followed-up at 2, 4 and 6 weeks. Pruritus was assessed in both groups using the visual analogue scale (VAS) . Change in the pityriasis rosea severity score (PRSS) and in the VAS were recorded as outcome measures and were compared statistically. Results: The decrease in PRSS from baseline through 2, 4 and 6 weeks within both treatment (P < 0.001) and placebo (P < 0.001) arms was found to be statistically significant; however, this change was not significantly different in the two groups (P = 0.179). Similarly, the decrease in VAS was found to be statistically significant within both groups (P < 0.001); however, the change was comparable between the two groups (P < 0.937). Analysis by Fisher's exact test did not find a significant difference between the two groups for PRSS and VAS. Conclusion: Azithromycin is not effective in pityriasis rosea and the use of macrolides for this disease should not be encouraged in clinical practice.

Female pattern hair loss.

Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is a common cause of hair loss in women characterized by diffuse reduction in hair density over the crown and frontal scalp with retention of the frontal hairline. Its prevalence increases with advancing age and is associated with significant psychological morbidity. The pathophysiology of FPHL is still not completely understood and seems to be multifactorial. Although androgens have been implicated, the involvement of androgen-independent mechanisms is evident from frequent lack of clinical or biochemical markers of hyperandrogenism in affected women. The role of genetic polymorphisms involving the androgen and estrogen receptors is being increasingly recognized in its causation and predicting treatment response to anti-androgens. There are different clinical patterns and classifications of FPHL, knowledge of which facilitates patient management and research. Chronic telogen effluvium remains as the most important differential diagnosis. Thorough history, clinical examination, and evaluation are essential to confirm diagnosis. Patients with clinical signs of androgen excess require assessment of biochemical parameters and imaging studies. It is prudent to screen the patients for metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors. The treatment comprises medical and/or surgical modalities. Medical treatment should be initiated early as it effectively arrests hair loss progression rather than stimulating regrowth. Minoxidil continues to be the first line therapy whereas anti-androgens form the second line of treatment. The progressive nature of FPHL mandates long-term treatment for sustained effect. Medical therapy may be supplemented with cosmetic concealment in those desirous of greater hair density. Surgery may be worthwhile in some carefully selected patients.

Behcet's disease in India: A dermatological perspective.

Background : Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic, recurrent, multi-system inflammatory disorder involving mucocutaneous (MC), ocular, intestinal, articular, vascular, urogenital and neurologic systems. BD occurs with a high prevalence in the Mediterranean population. There is scarcity of clinical data on BD from India with only three case series in the last two decades. Aims: To study demographic profile, clinical manifestations and treatment outcome of patients with BD presenting to the dermatologic clinic in a tertiary hospital in north India. Methods: Prospective analysis of all patients diagnosed to have BD between 1997 to 2011. Result: Twenty nine patients were diagnosed to have BD. The disease had a female preponderance (M:F = 1:3.8) with a mean age of disease onset of 27.4 (range 16-61) years. The prevalence of various MC and systemic manifestations are as follows: oral aphthae (100%), genital aphthae (93.1%), erythema nodosum (62%), papulopustular and acneiform lesions (31%), articular involvement (68.9%), ocular involvement (31%) and gastrointestinal (GI) involvement (3.4%) . Pathergy test positivity was observed in 31%. The treatment comprised of colchicine (16/29 patients), dapsone (7/29), dapsone with pentoxiphylline (3/29), systemic steroid (2/29), systemic steroid with methotrexate (1/29). Colchicine was effective and well tolerated in all patients. Conclusion: The disease occurs in a much milder form in India and is primarily mucocutaneous and arthritic. A high index of suspicion in patients with MC lesions may result in early diagnosis, management and prevention of complications of BD. We suggest colchicine as an effective and safe therapeutic option for MC and joint involvement.