Comparative microscopic analysis of nail clippings from patients with cutaneous psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The nail involvement in psoriasis is related to psoriatic arthritis and may represent a predictor of the disease. OBJECTIVES: To analyze, through nail clipping, clinically normal and dystrophic nails of patients with cutaneous psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional multicenter study, conducted between August 2011 and March 2012. Patients were divided into four groups: patients with cutaneous psoriasis and onychodystrophy, patients with cutaneous psoriasis and clinically normal nails, patients with psoriatic arthritis and onychodystrophy and patients with psoriatic arthritis and clinically normal nails. We calculated NAPSI (Nail Psoriasis Severity Index) of the nail with more clinically noticeable change. After collection and preparation of the nail clipping, the following microscopic parameters were evaluated: thickness of the nail plate and subungual region, presence or absence of parakeratosis, serous lakes, blood, and fungi. RESULTS: There were more layers of parakeratosis (p=0.001) and a greater thickness of the subungual region in patients with cutaneous psoriasis and onychodystrophy (p=0.002). Serous lakes were also more present in the same group (p=0.008) and in patients with psoriatic arthritis and normal nails (p=0.047). The other microscopic parameters showed no significant difference between normal and dystrophic nails or between patients with psoriatic arthritis or cutaneous psoriasis. STUDY LIMITATIONS: Small sample size and use of medications. CONCLUSIONS: Nail clipping is a simple and quick method to assess the nails of patients with nail psoriasis although does not demonstrate difference between those with joint changes or exclusively cutaneous psoriasis.

Erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp successfully treated with oral prednisone and topical tacrolimus / Dermatose pustular erosiva do couro cabeludo tratada com sucesso com prednisona oral e tacrolimus topico

Erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp is a rare inflammatory disorder of the scalp, affecting elderly patients after local trauma and leading to scarring or cicatricial alopecia. Case Report: An elderly female patient complained of painful pustules on the parietal region bilaterally with progressive enlargement and ulceration. A biopsy suggested erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp and the patient was treated with prednisone 40 mg/day and 0.1% topical tacrolimus. After 10 weeks complete closure of the eroded areas was observed and a stable scarring alopecia developed.

A dermatose pustular erosiva do couro cabeludo é uma doença inflamatória rara do couro cabeludo, de ocorrência preferencial em pacientes idosos após trauma local e com evolução para alopecia cicatricial. O caso relatado é de uma paciente idosa feminina que iniciou com pústulas dolorosas em região parietal bilateral com aumento das lesões e exulceração local. Após o diagnóstico histológico de dermatose pustular erosiva do couro cabeludo, foi iniciada prednisona 40 mg/dia e tacrolimus 0,1% tópico. Após 10 semanas evoluiu com cicatrização completa das áreas erosadas e alopecia cicatricial.

Entendendo a alopecia androgenética / Unsderstanding androgenetic alopecia

A alopecia androgenética é a forma mais comum de alopecia em ambos os sexos. As diferenças clínicas entre os padrões masculino e feminino são bem definidas, porém há peculiaridades da fisiopatogenia em cada sexo. Uma alteração do ciclo folicular, com encurtamento da fase anágena, é responsável pelo processo de miniaturização, transformando cabelos terminais em velo. Os objetivos do tratamento são aumentar a cobertura do couro cabeludo e retardar a progressão da queda. Este artigo aborda de forma didática a fisiopatogenia da alopecia androgenética, sua correlação com as manifestações clínicas e resposta terapêutica.

Androgenetic alopecia is the most common type of alopecia in both women and men. Although there are clear clinical differences between its male and female patterns, there are physiopathogenic peculiarities in each gender. Changes in the hair cycle, with the shortening of the anagen phase, is responsible for the miniaturization process, transforming the terminal hair in a vellus hair. Treatment objectives are to increase the coverage of the scalp and to delay the progression of hair loss. In a didactic manner, this study goes over androgenetic alopecia?s physiopathogeny, clinical manifestations and therapeutic responses.

Caso para diagnóstico / Case for diagnosis

Líquen nítido é uma dermatose rara, caracterizada por pápulas arredondadas normocrômicas de diâmetro, variando entre 1-2 mm, e geralmente assintomáticas. Sem predileção por sexo ou raça, acomete, principalmente, crianças e adultos jovens, na maioria dos casos, possuindo curso clínico imprevisível e tendendo à regressão espontânea, anos após o início da doença. As lesões são em geral localizadas, mas raros relatos da doença cursando com lesões disseminadas existem.

Lichen nitidus is a rare dermatosis, characterized by round, skin-colored papules whose size varies between 1-2 mm and are generally asymptomatic. It does not have predilection for gender or race, affecting mainly children and young adults. Its clinical course is unpredictable, but most cases tend to spontaneously regress years after the onset of the disease. Lesions are often localized, but rare reports of disseminated disease exist.