TUR-PSO: A cross-sectional, study investigating quality of life and treatment status of psoriasis patients in Turkey.

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory disease that has a severe impact on quality of life. There is lack of data regarding epidemiological and clinical features of psoriasis patients in Turkey, a country with a population of 76 million. The aim of this study was to define the demographic and clinical characteristics, quality of life and treatment patterns of psoriasis patients in Turkey. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at 40 centers, chosen from geographically diverse locations in Turkey. Patients diagnosed with psoriasis were assessed by investigators who were specialists of dermatology using standardized study questionnaire forms. Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D) forms were also filled out by each patient. 3971 psoriasis patients were included in this study. 24.2% of plaque psoriasis patients had moderate to severe psoriasis (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, ≥10). Mean DLQI was 7.03 ± 6.02; quality of life was moderately, severely or very severely affected in 49.2% of patients. The most severely affected component of EQ-5D was anxiety/depression. Among all patients, 22.9% were not receiving any treatment, 39.8% were receiving only topical treatment, 11.5% were on phototherapy, 26.1%, were taking conventional systemic agents and 4.1% were on a biologic treatment. 31.3% of psoriasis patients with moderate to severe disease were treated with only topical agents and only 30.5% of moderate to severe psoriasis patients were receiving systemic therapy. Moderate to severe psoriasis has a considerable impact on quality of life. Treatment in Turkey of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis is insufficient.

Neurofibroma like nodules on shoulder: First sign of gastric adenocarcinoma.

Cutaneous metastasis is a relatively uncommon manifestation of visceral malignancies. It most often occurs late in the course of a disease but may also be the first presenting sign of advanced visceral cancer. The average incidence of cutaneous metastasis from a visceral neoplasm is 5.3 percent. The incidence of cutaneous metastases from carcinomas of the upper digestive tract has been reported as less than 1 percent. Cutaneous metastases of gastrointestinal tumors are usually nodular and their typical location is in the abdominal wall. A 68-year-old woman presented with a three-month history of painless nodules on the right side of her neck. Skin examination revealed two joined nodules on the right side of her neck. The nodules were skin colored, well-circumscribed, non-motile, soft, and non-tender. Histopathological examination of the skin growth revealed diffuse infiltration of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue by tumoral cells. A diagnosis of metastatic gastric carcinoma was made. However,various cutaneous metastases have been reported as erysipelas-like, zosteriform, and epidermoid cyst-like. Cutaneous metastases must always be distinguished from primary skin tumors. This report emphasizes the need for appropriate investigation of newly appearing, unusual, or persistent skin lesions such as non-healing ulcers, persistent indurated erythemas, and all skin nodules of undetermined causes.

Generalized granuloma annulare resolving to anetoderma.

Granuloma annulare is a benign, degenerative skin disease; the generalized form is rare. The question of an association between generalized granuloma annulare and other internal diseases has been a matter of debate for many years. In this report, we present a 54-year-old latent diabetic patient with generalized granuloma annulare who developed anetoderma during its treatment.