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Introduction: Alopecia areata (AA) is one of the most common causes of non-scarring hair loss in adults and children with unknown etiopathogenesis, however immunological factors play an important role., Aim: To evaluate the concentration of interleukin (IL) 10 (IL-10), IL-12, IL-17 and IL-35 in the blood serum of patients with AA., Material and Methods: AA study group consisted of 118 patients. The control group consisted of 54 healthy individuals. The severity of the disease was assessed by SALT score. In the study group, the percentage of hair loss averaged 49.6% ±36.3%. The concentration of IL-10, IL-12, IL-17 and IL-35 in the serum was assessed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA)., Results: In patients with AA, the level of IL-12 and IL-17 was significantly higher than in the control group ( p > 0.05). The level of IL-10 in patients was slightly higher, whereas the level of IL-35 was slightly lower, compared to the control group, but those differences were not statistically significant. Furthermore, in patients with more severe disease the IL-12 level was significantly higher as compared to patients with the less severe AA ( p < 0.05)., Conclusions: The etiopathogenesis of AA is complex, however Th1 and Th17 lymphocytes and their increased activity are undoubtedly significant contributors in this process. Disorders of immunological processes in AA require further research in order to understand the underlying pathomechanisms of the disease and to provide potential therapeutic strategies., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Termedia Sp. z o. o.)

Introduction: Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease of a complex pathogenesis and arthritis is one of its most common complications. The biological role of chitinase-3-like protein 1 remains unknown. It is suggested that this protein takes part in processes such as proliferation, inflammation and tissue remodelling., Aim: To determine whether YKL-40 can be a useful biomarker in psoriatic arthritis., Material and Methods: The study was performed on 42 patients with psoriatic arthritis: 28 men and 14 women, aged from 24 to 71 years. All patients met the diagnostic criteria (CASPAR) for psoriatic arthritis. The severity of psoriatic arthritis was assessed using 28-joint Disease Activity Score with CRP. The assessment of skin lesions was performed by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and, additionally, the Body Surface Area (BSA) was calculated. Blood samples were taken to measure the serum concentration of YKL-40, as well as C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, white blood cell count and neutrophil count., Results: YKL-40 serum levels were significantly higher in patients with psoriatic arthritis, compared to the control group. Moreover, a significant positive correlation between the activity of psoriatic arthritis measured by DAS 28 and serum level of YKL-40 was found. There was a positive correlation between serum YKL-40 and BSA, as well as a distinct trend towards significance between YKL-40 and PASI score., Conclusions: YKL-40 can be a useful biomarker for both diagnosing and monitoring joint involvement in psoriatic patients.