The Evaluation of Dermatological Disease Profiles of Neurosurgery Inpatients: A Tertiary Clinic Experience.

BACKGROUND: Both the skin and neuronal systems originate from the ectoderm. In patients hospitalized for neurosurgery, their skin may be affected by genetic and environmental factors. OBJECTIVE: This study researched disease relationships by evaluating the profile of hospitalized neurosurgery patients who consulted with dermatology in a tertiary clinic (Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara). METHODS: This study included hospitalized neurosurgery patients who consulted with dermatology. Age, gender, type of hospitalization, neurosurgical diseases, and dermatology diseases were selected as study variables. The medical health records of the patients were retrospectively scanned and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 172 consultations were analyzed. The mean age of patients was 44.7 years old ranging from 1 year to 99 years old. The percentage of male patients was 54.7%; 25.5% of the patients were hospitalized for cerebral vascular diseases, 30.2% for spinal diseases, 22.1% for tumors, 12.2% for infections, and 1.2% for other neurosurgical diseases. The most commonly diagnosed dermatological disease in patients was drug eruptions (18.6%), followed by seborrheic dermatitis (16.2%) and contact dermatitis (14.5%). CONCLUSION: According to this study, the most commonly diagnosed dermatological diseases in neurosurgery inpatients were drug eruption, contact dermatitis, and seborrheic dermatitis. The results of this study may be helpful in terms of neurosurgical training planning and treatment management.

An Evaluation of the Hematological Markers of Systemic Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Vitiligo: A Case-Control Study.

Introduction Melanocyte dysfunction in vitiligo is considered to be due to genetics, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Research has shown that oxidative stress plays a significant role in triggering these conditions. Currently, there are several markers indicating hematological inflammation and oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate the status of inflammation and oxidative stress markers in vitiligo. Methods This study included patients with vitiligo and age-gender-matched healthy controls. C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) and extent of vitiligo were calculated and compared. Results The study included 138 participants (69 vitiligo and 69 controls). The mean was 41.46 years with a female predominance (55.1%). The patient group demonstrated higher levels of platelets, neutrophils, CRP, NLR, MLR, PLR, and HDL and lower levels of lymphocytes and HDL compared to the control group (p>0,05). The only significantly different value between the groups was MHR (p=0.03). The generalized vitiligo group demonstrated higher levels of platelets, neutrophils, monocytes, CRP, NLR, PLR, and MLR, and lower levels of lymphocytes and HDL compared to the localized group. The only significantly different values between the groups were MHR and MLR (p=0.02, p=0.03). Conclusion This study found that MHR and CRP values were higher in vitiligo patients. Additionally, MHR and MLR values were higher in patients with generalized vitiligo. These results suggest that MHR is a reliable indicator marker for systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in vitiligo.

Evaluation of isotretinoin effects on depression, sleep apnea and sleep quality.

BACKGROUND: Isotretinoin is used to treat severe acne, treatment-resistant moderate acne, and acne that leads to scarring or psychological distress. It has many side effects and is also associated with depression, sleep apnea, and sleep disturbances. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of isotretinoin on depression, sleep apnea, and sleep quality. METHODS: A total of 42 patients diagnosed with acne and started isotretinoin treatment were included in the study. In order to compare the effects of isotretinoin, patients were asked to fill out a questionnaire containing the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ), and the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) at baseline and third months of treatment. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in BDI, BQ, and PSQI scores between the 1st and 3rd months of treatment (p = .53, p = .5, p = .35). CONCLUSION: This study showed that isotretinoin had no significant effects on depression and sleep quality.

Evaluation of Dermatology Life Quality Index, Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scores of Patients with Genital Dermatoses.

Background: Genital dermatoses contain a group of diseases that affect the skin of the genital area. Genital dermatoses are classified as venereal and nonvenereal. They can affect a patient's life quality and can cause depression, anxiety and stress. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the quality of life index, depression, stress and anxiety in patients with genital dermatoses. Materials and Methods: Patients admitted to the dermatology outpatient clinic with genital skin complaints between October 2020 and March 2021 were included. A questionnaire including demographic information, a 10-item dermatology life quality index (DLQI) and a 21-item depression anxiety stress score (DASS-21) was filled out by the patients and was calculated. Results: A total of 103 patients were included in this study. Seventy-seven (74.8%) were male and 26 (25.2%) were female. A total of 48.5% (n = 50) patients had venereal genital dermatoses, and 51.5% (n = 53) of the patients had nonvenereal genital dermatoses. In the venereal diseases, syphilis had the highest DLQI, depression, anxiety and stress score while in the nonvenereal diseases, scabies had the highest DLQI, depression, anxiety and stress score. In the nonvenereal group, the mean DLQI score, depression, anxiety and stress scores were statistically significantly higher than the venereal genital dermatoses group (P < 0.01, P = 0.04, P = 0.03 and P = 0.02). Conclusion: The quality of life of patients with genital dermatoses is often poor, with significant levels of depression, anxiety and stress. We believe that screening these patients with DLQI and DASS-21 scores at their first admission and follow-up will benefit dermatologists and patients.

Evaluation of inflammatory status in blood in patients with rosacea.

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that is characterized by recurrent episodes of erythema, telangiectasia and papulopustular lesions. Although the pathogenesis is not well established, growing knowledge suggests that multiple etiological factors play a role resulting in inflammation. The aim of the present study is to investigate inflammatory status of patients with rosacea by evaluating CBC parameters and systemic immune inflammation (SII) index and compare these parameters with control group. Thus, it is aimed to understand the role of systemic inflammation in the pathogenesis of the disease. This retrospective, case-control study included 100 patients with rosacea and 58 sex- and age-matched controls. Laboratory examinations including CBC, ESR, CRP, HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels were recorded and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) and SII index were calculated. Monocyte and platelet count, SII index, ESR and CRP were significantly higher in patients with rosacea than in the control group. No statistically significant difference was found in other parameters. There was no significant correlation between disease severity and ESR, CRP, and SII index. The findings of this study suggest that apart from the inflammatory pathways at the level of skin, there is an inflammatory state in the blood of patients. Rosacea is a skin disease, but it may have systemic implications and/or associations that need to be clarified completely.

Comparative Evaluation of Dermatological Emergency Consultations in the Coronavirus Pandemic Era: Tertiary Clinic Experience.

INTRODUCTION: Due to the increase in COVID-19 patients during the pandemic, the workload of emergency departments has increased. The profile of patients seeking non-COVID medical care has changed significantly because of the pandemic; this includes dermatological emergencies. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate and compare adult dermatological emergency consultations during the COVID-19 period with the pre-pandemic period. METHODS: Consulted patients from ED to dermatology between March 11, 2019, and March 11, 2021 were included (Pre-pandemic and pandemic). Age, gender, zone of triage, consultation hour, consultation date, consultation response time, ICD-10 codes were recorded. RESULTS: The total number of consultations was 639. The mean age of the patients was 44.4 in the pre-pandemic period and 46.1 in the pandemic period. The mean consultation response time was 44.4 minutes in the pre-pandemic period and 60.3 minutes in the pandemic. In the pre-pandemic period, the most common consulted diseases were herpes zoster, urticaria, and allergic contact dermatitis. During the pandemic, the most common consulted diseases were herpes zoster, other dermatitis, and urticaria. There was a statistically significant difference in the incidence of other dermatitis, impetigo/folliculitis, cutaneous vasculitis, and pruritus (p<0.05) CONCLUSIONS: Emergency departments are the busiest and fastest areas of the hospital. Pandemics such as COVID-19 may also occur in the coming years. Informing society about dermatological emergencies and adding adequate dermatology training to the training of emergency physicians will facilitate appropriate patient management in emergency departments.

Evaluation of perilipin 2 and melanocortin 5 receptor serum levels with sebogenesis in acne vulgaris patients.

INTRODUCTION: Acne vulgaris is a multifactorial disease. One of the main factors that plays a role in acne pathogenesis is an increase in sebum secretion. For sebum secretion, sebocyte differentiation followed by sebogenesis is essential. Sebocyte differentiation and proliferation, and sebum synthesis are controlled by complex pathways. Studies have shown that perilipin 2 and melanocortin 5 receptors play a role in sebogenesis. This study sought to determine whether levels of perilipin 2 and melanocortin 5 receptors have an impact on the development of acne vulgaris. METHODS: A total of 65 patients diagnosed with acne and 43 healthy control subjects were included in the study. Perilipin 2 and melanocortin 5 receptor levels were analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between the acne group and the control group in serum perilipin 2 (p = 0.594) and melanocortin 5 receptor (p = 0.213) levels. In the moderate acne group, perilipin 2 and melanocortin 5 receptor levels were significantly higher than in the mild acne group (p = 0.0014, p = 0.003). The levels in the severe acne group were not higher compared to the moderate and mild acne groups. CONCLUSION: This study failed to detect any association between acne pathogenesis and perilipin 2 and melanocortin 5 receptor serum levels. However, these proteins may have an influence on acne severity.

A rare clinical manifestation of spinulate demodicosis.

Demodicosis is a chronic skin disease caused by Demodex mites such as Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis. Demodex mites live in pilosebaceous units and they are regarded as a part of the normal skin flora. Nevertheless, it has been suggested that the presence of five or more mites per cm² by the standardized skin surface biopsy technique could be considered as pathogenic.