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Systemic sclerosis is a chronic disease involving the connective tissue of the skin and internal organs. It is characterised by disorders of peripheral microcirculation, immune dysregulation, and deposition of collagen fibres and other substances in connective tissue. The most common organ complications in systemic sclerosis include interstitial lung disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension, renal tubular hypertrophy, and arthritis. Imaging findings often precede clinical symptoms, so all patients should be screened as soon as possible, preferably in the asymptomatic phase of the disease. Treatment options for systemic sclerosis include immunomodulatory therapies as well as therapeutic modalities targeting vascular mechanics and connective tissue fibrosis. Efforts are underway to discover new, more sensitive and specific prognostic factors that would help to personalize therapies and thus improve the final treatment outcomes. Identified biomarkers would accelerate the implementation of appropriate treatments, delaying the progression of irreversible complications and decreasing mortality rates in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic recurrent inflammatory skin disease which is characterized by painful, recurrent nodules and abscesses. The overall prevalence of HS is estimated to be 11 per 100 000 individuals in the United States and 4% of the world's population. Women are three times more affected than men, especially patients between 18 and 29 years. Similarly to acne vulgaris, HS is primarily associated with follicular occlusion, which results from a number of biological processes, including follicular epithelial hyperplasia and hyperkeratinization. There are numerous available treatment options for cutaneous lesions in the course of HS. A combination of conservative therapy and appropriate surgical treatment conducted by an experienced surgeon ensures the best possible clinical outcomes. Presently, biologic therapy is the most effective pharmacological treatment in patients with a moderate-to-severe course of the disease. Numerous ongoing clinical trials provide hope for greater availability of new biologic therapy methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Scleroderma (Sc) is a connective tissue disorder associated with internal organ involvement, increased mortality, and unknown pathogenesis. It has been found that the more extensive the skin involvement the more severe internal organ manifestations and increased disability. The Rodnan skin score (RSS) is one of the established methods to examine skin thickness among patients with Sc. Due to RSS limitations, for instance, lack of detection of subclinical changes, a new tool is needed for the evaluation of Sc. In recent studies, shear wave elastography (SWE) has been examined as a potential tool to assess skin involvement through the evaluation of skin strain. Aim: To verify whether elastography is a reliable method to examine Sc progression and possibly provide one useful site to perform the examination - as an easy, cheap, and reliable examination tool. Material and methods: Forty Sc patients were examined, and 28 healthy individuals were recruited for the control group. Among the patients and control group, skin thickness was assessed using the RSS and skin strain measurements using elastography in 20 body locations. Results: SWE in the right-hand finger can be treated as an important diagnostic indicator of the severity of Sc. Conclusions: SWE is a reliable method for evaluating skin involvement among patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Right finger measurements correlate positively with Rodnan's results and can be a predictor of the severity of SSc. This study found SWE to be a reliable method for examining SSc progression and possibly one useful site for the examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: An increasing number of publications describing dermatoses associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have shown differences in the morphology and incidence of dermatoses in children compared to the general population. Material and methods: Among 22 selected full-text articles, dermatoses associated with COVID-19 have been described in 196 children (average age: 12.57 years). Dermatoses were the only symptom in most patients (n = 134; 68.4%). RT-PCR tests of nasopharyngeal swabs confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in only 18 cases (n = 18/69; 26.1%). Results: Dermatoses described include chilblain-like lesions (n = 173; 88.3%), maculopapular rash (n = 16; 8.2%), erythema multiforme-like lesions (n = 12; 6.1%), varicella-like exanthema (n = 1; 0.5%), and urticaria (n = 1; 0.5%). Conclusions: This publication aims to summarise existing data on dermatoses and to draw attention to how identification of dermatological symptoms in paediatric patients can provide a quick and reliable indicator of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease are respiratory tract infections, ranging from an asymptomatic carrier state to severe interstitial pneumonia. The most common symptoms are fever, dry cough, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, and loss of smell or taste. Recent reports indicate the possibility of several nonspecific dermatological symptoms. These include urticaria, maculopapular lesions, vascular lesions involving petechiae, purpura and livedo reticularis. The onset of cutaneous lesions may precede full-blown COVID-19 or remain the only manifestation of the disease (especially in young patients). Focusing on dermatological symptoms may be crucial for preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2. However, unambiguous assessment of cutaneous manifestations of COVID-19 requires more research and case studies conducted by dermatologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Localized scleroderma is an inflammatory disease causing sclerosis of the skin. The aetiology and pathogenesis of localized scleroderma remain unclear. Localized scleroderma is considered a genetically driven disease. It is not well understood if genetic factors or environmental exposure individually can cause its development or if their interaction is needed to trigger the disease. Some authors postulate that familial clustering is evidence of a hereditary disease. Familial localized scleroderma has been rarely reported and is a case worth studying. We present the review of literature on this subject with 3 additional cases of familial localized scleroderma with paediatric onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dermatology Review / Przeglad Dermatologiczny is the property of Termedia Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Dermatology Review / Przeglad Dermatologiczny is the property of Termedia Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: The first cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were noted in December 2019 in Wuhan province, China. The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced the pandemic status on March 11, 2020. The manifestations of the disease are as follows: fever, cough, fatigue, anosmia and ageusia, dyspnoea, chest pain, muscle soreness, chills, sore throat, rhinitis, headache, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, and dermal lesions. Aim: To evaluate the relationship between dermal lesions and GI symptoms in a group of COVID-19 patients. Material and methods: A group of 441 COVID-19 patients admitted to the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw between March 15th and June 15th, 2020. Results: Of 441 patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, 255 (58.5%) experienced gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms: lack of appetite was reported in 124 (48.6%) cases, diarrhoea was noted in 109 (42.7%), abdominal pain in 95 (37.3%), vomiting in 37 (14.5%), and nausea in 32 (12.5%) cases. Eight (1.81%) patients had dermal lesions: erythematous macular lesions (2 patients - 25%), erythematous infiltrated lesions (2; 25%), erythematous infiltrated and exfoliative lesions (3; 37.5%), erythematous papular lesions (3; 37.5%), and erythematous oedematous lesions (2; 25%). All of those patients reported gastrointestinal symptoms during the hospitalisation. Conclusions: The following study analyses possible causes of dermal lesions and their coexistence with GI symptoms. Several possible theories were taken into account, including the microbiota alterations and issue of drug-related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of still not fully understood pathogenesis. Fibrosis, vascular wall damage, and disturbances of innate and acquired immune responses with autoantibody production are prominent features. Systemic sclerosis has specific subsets with different autoantibodies, and differences in the affected skin areas. The suspicion of systemic sclerosis and establishing the diagnosis will be facilitated by the criteria created by EULAR/ACR experts. The treatment of this autoimmune disease remains a challenge for clinicians and new therapeutic options are constantly sought. The occurrence of various symptoms and the involvement of many organs and systems make systemic sclerosis a multidisciplinary disease and require a holistic approach. The present article summarizes different clinical features of systemic sclerosis and the profile of autoantibodies and discusses recent rules and future perspectives in disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A fast and cheap method of skin assessment in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an area of extensive research. Established in 1979, the Rodnan skin score is a palpation-based method used among clinicians. This method has some limitations, such as: examiner's skills, subjective results, and no standardization. In the last few years researchers have been exploring ultrasound-based techniques as a possible tool for skin assessment among patients with SSc. The aim of the study is to develop a protocol of elastography-based skin imaging evaluation among patients with SSc. Material and methods: Review of the literature and own experience. Results: Proposition of elastography-based skin imaging protocol among patients with SSc. Conclusions: The authors present a potential protocol of ultrasound-based examination of skin involvement among patients with SSc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis affecting 1-3% of the general population. Patients with psoriasis represent a heterogeneous population with individual disease expression - different degrees and severity of skin involvement. Psoriatic lesions in particular localizations such as the face, scalp, intertriginous or palmoplantar areas significantly reduce quality of life. Patients often feel ashamed, embarrassed, or self-conscious about their symptoms. Furthermore, genital psoriasis significantly affects sexual health. Among patients with psoriasis, the prevalence of special localizations is estimated to be 23-27% on the nails, 49% on the face, 12-16% on the palms and soles, and up to 36% in intertriginous regions. Due to peculiar features of skin in these areas, adequate and specific management is required, which is discussed in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]