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Objective: This study aimed to assess the possible role of dermoscopy in the diagnosis of different nail disorders compared with the clinical and histopathological diagnosis. Methods: This study included 104 patients with any nail disorders of both sex and any age. All the patients were subjected to a detailed medical history taken, clinical general examination, clinical and dermoscopic examinations of 20 nails. Potassium hydroxide examination was used to examine all patients with suspicious of onychomycosis. Histopathological evaluation was used to examine of clinically ambiguous nail disorders. Results: The most common nail diseases were onychomycosis (54.81%) followed by nail psoriasis (19.2%), and nail lichen planus (3.8%). Conclusion: Clinical evaluation was an important in diagnosis of different nail diseases. Nail dermoscopy could confirm clinical diagnosis and help in getting an accurate diagnosis of nail diseases and guide in the management of nail diseases by permitting better visualization of nail structure and pathology. Histopathological examination provided the most definitive method in reaching an accurate diagnosis due to it could provide etiologic, diagnostic, and prognostic information. There was good agreement between clinical, dermoscopic, and histopathological examinations for accurate diagnosis of different nail diseases.

Objective of the study – to compare, in real clinical practice, according to the data of the Russian Psoriatic Arthritis Registry, characteristics of two groups of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients: with and without nail psoriasis.Material and methods. 588 PsA patients (277 males and 311 females) with PsA according to CASPAR criteria were included in the Russian Psoriatic Arthritis Registry. Patients’ age was 48.6±0.5 years, disease duration – 7.0±0.3 years. Patients underwent standard clinical examination of PsA activity. Disease activity measures evaluated in this study included DAPSA (Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis), BASDAI (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index) and ASDAS-СRP (Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score). Enthesitis was measured using LEI (Leeds Enthesitis Index) index. Dactylitis was detected, the number of digits with acute dactylitis was defined. Skin lesion severity was evaluated in terms of BSA (Body Surface Area) affected, and PASI (Psoriasis Area Severity Index); PASI was calculated in case BSA > 3%. The criteria of minimal disease activity (MDA) had been used to assess the treatment efficiency. MDA was achieved if a patient met ≥5 of the 7 following categories: tender joint count (TJC) ≤1, swollen joint count (SJC) ≤1, PASI≤1 or BSA≤3%, patient pain VAS ≤15, patient global activity (PGA) VAS ≤20, Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ) ≤0.5, and tender entheseal points ≤1. Patients were split into two groups: those with nail psoriasis (group 1), and those without nail psoriasis (group 2).Results. 312 (53.1%) patients had nail psoriasis and 276 (46.9%) did not. Patients’ age in group 1 was 45.7±11.9 years, in group 2 – 48.8±13.2 years (р>0.05). PsA duration in groups 1 and 2 did not differ, it was 7.1±6.6 and 7.0±6.2 years respectively (р>0.05). Higher proportions of patients with nail psoriasis were male, disabled from working and chronic smokers compared to patients without nail psoriasis: 51.9% vs 44.1% (р=0.013), 37.20% vs 26.40% (р0.05), it was mostly methotrexate (MTX); MTX was used in 66.0% and 64.1% of cases respectively (р>0.05). bDMARDs were prescribed to 22.1% and 28.3% (р>0.05) of patients, including tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors – in 67% and 63% of cases, interleukin (IL) inhibitors – in 33% and 37% of cases (р>0.05 for both comparisons). Taking into account the similar disease duration and equivalent therapy in both groups, it could be concluded that patients with nail psoriasis achieved MDA less frequently due to greater disease severity.Conclusion. Nail involvement is identified in more than half (53%) of PsA patients of the Russian Psoriatic Arthritis Registry. Nail psoriasis is associated with significantly worse disease status as measured by severe peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis, spondylitis and skin lesions; higher frequency of erosive arthritis was detected in this category of patients. Patients with nail psoriasis had achieved MDA less frequently compared to patients without nail psoriasis. Nail involvement is associated with worse response to therapy and patients’ disability. These data emphasize the importance of accurate diagnostics of nail psoriasis and optimization of treatment approach, including “targeted” therapy.

The chemical composition and thickness of nails are obstacles for treatments of various nail diseases, such as onychomycosis. Topical medications are currently the preferred method of treatment because of reduced adverse systemic effects. However, penetration of the product from the nail plate into the nail bed continues to be an issue because of factors such as distance required to reach the target area, chemical barriers, and drug inactivation upon keratin binding. Beyond developing novel drugs, some studies have investigated mechanical and chemical methods to optimize drug delivery. The issue of nail diseases is still a challenge and requires multifactorial treatments.

Specific studies on apremilast for nail psoriasis are lacking. Our objective was to evaluate the nail-specific patient-reported outcomes, clinical efficacy, ultrasound (US) parameters, and safety of apremilast for nail psoriasis. We conducted a prospective cohort study including adult patients with plaque and nail psoriasis with a fingernail Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) score of 12 or more. Patients were treated with apremilast 30 mg b.i.d. for 52 weeks. Forty-five patients were included. At week 52, the Nail Assessment in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (NAPPA) Patient Benefit Index global weighted score was 2 or more in 52% of patients and NAPPA Quality of Life and fingernail NAPSI improved by 57% and 53%, respectively. US parameters improved from week 16 onwards. Target nail NAPSI improvements were higher for nail matrix scores (60%) than for nail bed scores (38%, p < 0.001). Baseline target nail bed NAPSI was associated with not achieving a target nail 50% reduction in NAPSI score at week 52 in the bivariate analysis (p = 0.024). Safety was consistent with the known apremilast profile. Results from apremilast therapy for 52 weeks in patients with psoriasis and predominant nail disease show significant improvements in nail-specific quality of life, clinical signs, and structural restoration on US, suggesting that apremilast may be considered in the treatment of nail psoriasis.

BACKGROUND Dermatologists specialize in treating conditions of the skin, hair, and nails; however, it is our experience that the field of nail diseases is the least discussed facet of dermatology. Even less acknowledged is the complexity of nail procedures and how best to accurately code for these procedures. OBJECTIVE To convene a panel of experts in nail disease to reach consensus on the most accurate and appropriate Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes associated with the most commonly performed nail procedures. METHODS A questionnaire including 9 of the most commonly performed nail procedures and potential CPT codes was sent to experts in the treatment of nail disease, defined as those clinicians running a nail subspecialty clinic and performing nail procedures with regularity. A conference call was convened to discuss survey results. RESULTS Unanimous consensus was reached on the appropriate CPT codes associated with all discussed procedures. LIMITATIONS Although this article details the most commonly performed nail procedures, many were excluded and billing for these procedures continues to be largely subjective. This article is meant to serve as a guide for clinicians but should not be impervious to interpretation in specific clinical situations. CONCLUSION Billing of nail procedures remains a practice gap within our field. The authors hope that the expert consensus on the most appropriate CPT codes associated with commonly performed nail procedures will aid clinicians as they diagnose and treat disorders of the nail unit and encourage accurate and complete billing practices.

BACKGROUND: Changes in nails with psoriasis are observed in 8090% of patients. Pathological processes in the nail apparatus in patients with psoriasis are associated with both the underlying disease and the infectious nature. AIMS: To evaluate the clinical features of the affected nail plates in patients with psoriasis, the prevalence and etiology of onychomycosis in patients with psoriasis with altered nail plates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 102 patients with psoriasis vulgaris, mild and moderate, stationary stage with altered nail plates were examined. A clinical and laboratory (microscopic and cultural) study of the affected nail plates was carried out. RESULTS: After mycological studies and physical examination of the affected nails of 102 patients, the following groups of nail diseases in patients with psoriasis were identified: psoriatic onychodystrophy (76; 74.5%) patients, onychomycosis (30; 29.4%) patients, traumatic onycholysis (4; 3,9%) patient, onychocryptosis (3; 2.9%) patients. 11 (14.5%) patients with psoriatic onychodystrophy had a complication in the form of a fungal infection. Distal-lateral subungual form of onychomycosis was detected in 17 patients (56.7%), total dystrophic form ― in 10 patients (33.3%), white superficial form ― in 2 patients (6.6%), proximal subungual form ― in 1 patient (3.3%). CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of clinical and mycological examination of the affected nails of patients with psoriasis, it was revealed that 74.5% of patients have manifestations of psoriatic onychodystrophy, 29.4% ― onychomycosis. Among patients with psoriatic onychodystrophy, 14.5% had a complication in the form of a secondary fungal infection. The main causative agents of onychomycosis are Candida spp. (63.3%). The incidence of dermatophytes (Trichophyton spp.) Was 36.7% of the total number of cases. The main clinical forms of onychomycosis in patients with psoriasis are distal-lateral (56.6%), total dystrophic (33.3%).

Objective To assess sex differences in disease activity parameters and health-related quality of life in PsA, and to assess whether determinants associated with not reaching treatment target differed between men and women. Methods Routine practice data of 855 PsA patients, who were all tightly monitored and treated, was used. Sex differences including, but not limited to, PsA Disease Activity Score (PASDAS), skin/nail disease, SF-12 PCS/MCS, and inflammatory back pain (IBP) were assessed. Multivariate analyses were used to examine determinants associated with not reaching treatment target (PASDAS ≤ 3.2) in men and women. Results Women had worse scores for—among others—swollen and tender joints, CRP, enthesitis and function (all P < 0.001). Higher PASDAS scores were found for women [3.5 (1.5)] than men [2.7 (1.5), P < 0.001]. Likewise, women were more often not at PASDAS treatment target (OR = 2.03, P < 0.001). No difference in current medication use was found. Nail disease, IBP, number of DMARDs used (past and current), and BMI were associated with not reaching treatment target in the overall sample. For women, but not men, BMI was associated with not reaching PASDAS low disease activity (LDA) (OR between 2.41 and 3.43, P < 0.001). Conclusions Women with PsA in a tightly monitored and treated setting have more severe disease than men. This is demonstrated by worse scores for women in both subjective and objective disease activity measures, in addition to women less often reaching the treatment target. Notably, being overweight is associated with higher disease activity in women, but not men.

Psoriatic onycho-pachydermo periostitis (POPP) is characterized by psoriatic onychodystrophy, connective tissue thickening, and periostitis of the distal phalanges (DPs), producing a drumstick-like deformity. Our aim was to present the first case of POPP treated successfully with an IL-17 inhibitor, perform a literature review of its characteristics and treatment, and explore the possible pathogenesis. We conducted a systematic review of previously presented POPP cases. We present a patient with methotrexate (MTX)-resistant treatment POPP, who had significant resolution of symptoms and inflammatory lesions on post-treatment MRI with secukinumab 150 mg. We also identified 31 cases of POPP (27 males; mean age 44.9 years) in the literature review. There was great toe involvement in 24 cases, and distal interphalangeal (DIP) involvement in 14 cases, with frequent radiographically evident damage. Seventeen of 31 patients received systematic treatment other than biologics, mostly MTX, with no satisfactory results. Anti-TNF agents were used successfully in 5 cases, mostly after disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) failure. Imaging studies in nail psoriasis and DIP psoriatic arthritis have shown an anatomical link among the nail, the DP bone, and the DIP joint entheses, suggesting that POPP may be a subtype of nail disease with excessive involvement of DP tissues (nail, soft tissue, enthesis, and bone). IL-17 inhibition could be an alternative therapeutic option in DMARD-resistant cases of POPP. Conventional treatment achieves modest success, but anti-TNF agents appear to be much more effective. Based on imaging studies, POPP may be a particular subtype of nail disease.

Successful nail surgery requires an understanding of specific disease processes, the anatomy of the nail unit, and fluency with only a few key techniques. This article focuses on 6 high-yield procedures, facility with which will allow the clinician to approach most of the clinical scenarios requiring surgical intervention. These encompass surgical approaches to inflammatory nail diseases, melanonychia, erythronychia, and nail melanoma in situ.

BACKGROUND Onychomycosis is the most common nail disease seen in clinical practice. Inclusion of diverse groups in onychomycosis clinical trials subjects is necessary to generalise efficacy data. OBJECTIVES We aimed to systematically review race and ethnicity reporting and representation, as well as, treatment outcomes in onychomycosis clinical trials. METHODS A PubMed search for onychomycosis clinical trials was performed in August 2020. Primary clinical trial data were included and post hoc analyses were excluded. Categorical variables were compared using chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests. Statistical significance was set at p

Tinea unguium is a common nail disease caused by dermatophytes. Although direct potassium hydroxide (KOH) microscopy and fungal culture are considered the gold standard for diagnosing this disease, their accuracy is insufficient. A lateral flow immunochromatographic assay (LFIA) kit, using a monoclonal antibody against Trichophyton rubrum, was developed and its sensitivity was recently improved 50% in vitro relative to its earlier version. The present study aimed to validate the clinical utility of this improved LFIA kit for diagnosing tinea unguium in comparison with direct KOH microscopy. A similar trial was simultaneously performed using scale samples from patients with tinea pedis to determine the assay's diagnostic potential. Nail samples, approximately 2 mg in weight, were collected from 112 non-treated tinea unguium patients and 56 non-tinea unguium patients. Samples from 25 tinea pedis patients and 20 non-tinea pedis patients were also collected. The sensitivity and specificity of the LFIA kit for tinea unguium was 84.8% (95/112) (95% confidence interval [CI], 76.8-90.9) and 83.9% (47/56) (95% CI, 71.7-92.4), respectively. The inconsistency rate was 15.5% (26/168) (95% CI, 10.4-21.9). The sensitivity and specificity of the LFIA kit for tinea pedis was 84.0% (21/25) and 100.0% (20/20), respectively. These results suggest that for diagnosing tinea unguium, the LFIA kit is a useful supplement to, but not a replacement for, direct KOH microscopy. For definitive diagnosis of suspected cases, appropriate sampling, repeated examinations, and a combination of diagnostic techniques are essential.

Aim:The incidence and spectrum of nail abnormalities in children differ from adults. The aim of this study is to investigate the frequency and spectrum of nail abnormalities in children and adolescents admitted to a dermatology outpatient clinic.Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional study included 600 patients under the age of 18 who presented at a dermatology outpatient clinic with various dermatological complaints between March and May 2018.Results:In this study, among 600 patients; 325 (54.16%) were female and 275 (45.84%) were male. The mean age was 9.18±5.12 years (1 month to 17 years). Nail abnormalities were present in 226 patients of whom 131 (58%) were female and 95 (42%) were male. The rate of nail abnormalities was 37.66% (226/600) among the study group. The number of nail abnormalities detected was 288 and the number of abnormality types was 23. The most common group of nail abnormalities were surface (18.16%) and colour (16.50%) changes. The most common nail abnormalities were leukonychia (16.50%), onychoschizia (6.5%), and onychophagia/onychotillomania (6.5%). Fingernail abnormalities were significantly higher in males than females. Leukonychia and onychophagia/onychotillomania were significantly higher in males than females. The rate of patients observed with ungual complaints among the patients with nail abnormalities was 10.61% (24/226).Conclusion:Nail abnormalities are very common in childhood. Although patients do not have a primary complaint, evaluation of the nails during physical examination may prevent the occurrence of permanent damage to the nails and stop the spread of infectious diseases to other nails.

Background Melanonychia refers to brown-black color pigmentation due to melanin or not-melanin deposition in the nail plate. Onychoscopy allows to distinguish if the pigmentation is due by melanin or not. The main causes of non-melanic pigmentation are subungual hematoma and pigmented onychomycosis. Fungal melanonychia (FM), is rare and may present as diffuse or longitudinal pigmentation. Differential diagnosis includes melanic activation, such as ethnic-type nail pigmentation or frictional melanonychia, but also versus melanic proliferation, such as nevus or nail melanoma. Fungal melanonychia can be due a colonization by fungi with black variant or by melanin activation due to inflammation of fungal invasion. Objectives The aim of paper is to increase clinical and dermoscopic knowledge of this increasingly frequent disease. Methods In this retrospective observational study, twenty patients with dermatophytic melanonychia were collected, with available clinical and dermoscopic pictures. The diagnosis of dermatophytic melanonychia was made based on clinical manifestation and mycological examination. KOH smear was performed in all cases. For each patient, clinical data included: age, gender, type of melanonychia and involved fingers. Results This study aimed to show increased incidence of dermatophytic melanonychia and its correct management. In addition, we reviewed our collected cases and described the clinical and dermoscopic features of dermatophytic melanonychia. Conclusions The results of this study showed that physicians should keep in mind the diagnosis of this increasing disease, and that it cannot be performed relying only on clinical grounds. We would like to highlight the importance of tools as KOH examination, culture, and dermoscopy.

Introduction: Onychomycosis is a frequent complaint in dermatological practice and corresponds to the most common nail disease. The treatment of onychomycosis remains a challenge, as several factors end up compromising and making treatment difficult. Nail abrasion is considered a useful method in many cases. However, there is controversy about this approach, as there is an aerosol formation that could contaminate the environment and cause fungal changes or hypersensitivity reactions by the disseminated dust. We conducted a pilot study to investigate the fungal viability of nail particles from nails with onychomycosis after abrasion procedure. Methods: In this study, nail dust from the gloves and mask, used in the procedure, was collected from 9 patients with clinical and dermoscopic diagnoses of onychomycosis. Results: Hyaline septate hyphae were found in 12 materials (gloves and/or masks) from 7 patients. However, these hyphae were morphologically deformed or mutilated in all exams. In Mycosel® agar, there was no growth of any fungus. Discussion/Conclusion: The absence of dermatophyte isolation in all fungal cultures may demonstrate that the deformed fungal structures shown are not viable and would not present risks of contamination after nail abrasion.

Background : Nail diseases have always been a challenge for dermatologists. Because diagnosis is not always based on clinical examination and time taken for histopathology KOH or culture examination is long, there has always been a quest for easy and faster method. Onychoscopy, a rapid office-based technique helps see miniscule details, can hence aid in diagnosis. Aim : To study dermoscopic features in various nail disorders. Materials and Methods : 126 patients with clinically evident nail diseases were recruited in the crosssectional descriptive study. After clinical examination, all nails were subjected to dermoscopic examination. Fischer’s exact test was applied with a significance threshold of p Results : Onychomycosis (n=49) was the commonest nail disorder having spiked pattern as the most common (91.8%) dermoscopic feature. Nail psoriasis (n=32) had onycholysis (84.4%) as the most frequent feature. Nail lichen planus (n=5) had longitudinal fissures (80%) while chronic paronychia (n=5) had erythema and scaling on the PNF (100%). Longitudinal melanonychia (n=5) was associated with regular parallel grey/ brown lines in all cases while trachyonychia had longitudinal ridges in 75% cases. Dilated capillaries (75%), microhemorrhages (75%), capillary dropouts (75%) were seen commonly in systemic sclerosis (n=4). Periungual verruca (n=4) had dermoscopic brownish black dots or globules in 100% cases. Alopecia areata (n=4) showed superficial small pits (100%) most commonly. Conclusion : Dermoscopy helps in picking minute details not visible to the naked eye and hence could serve as an important diagnostic tool. Keywords: Dermoscopy, Longitudinal melanonychia, Nail, Nail lichen planus, Nail psoriasis, Onychomycosis, Onychoscopy, Scleroderma.

Onychomycosis is one of the most common nail disorders and may be difficult to distinguish from other causes of nail dystrophy, based on clinical grounds alone. With this study, we aimed to describe the use of fungal testing by dermatologists and family physicians in their daily current practice, analyze their respective familiarity with nail disease diagnosis, and ultimately treatment decision-making by both groups. An online survey was distributed among Portuguese dermatologists, trainees, and family physicians by email. The survey focused on the diagnostic impression, use of diagnostic methods to confirm a fungal infection, and the subsequent assessment of treatment. One hundred fifty-one responses were obtained, 60 (39.7%) from dermatologists and 91 (60.3%) from family physicians; 98.3% of dermatologists mentioned usually requesting a fungal testing at their local institution or outside, while this percentage was 50.5% among family physicians (p < 0.001). Regarding the diagnosis, the median of correct diagnosis by the dermatologist group was higher (10/15) than the family physicians (6/15). Considering the treatment strategy, we observed that in the dermatologists’ group it would result in unnecessary treatment in a median of 2 cases, while in the family physicians’ group, in a median of 4 cases.

ObjectiveTo examine the association of nail psoriasis with disease activity, quality of life, and work productivity in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).MethodsAll patients with PsA who enrolled in the Corrona PsA/Spondyloarthritis Registry between March 2013 and October 2018 and had data on physician-reported nail psoriasis were included and stratified by presence vs absence of nail psoriasis at enrollment. Patient demographics, disease activity, quality of life (QOL), and work productivity at enrollment were compared between patients with vs without nail psoriasis using t-tests or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests for continuous variables and chi-square or Fisher exact tests for categorical variables.ResultsOf the 2841 patients with PsA included, 1152 (40.5%) had nail psoriasis and 1689 (59.5%) did not. Higher proportions of patients with nail psoriasis were male (51.9% vs 44.1%) and disabled from working (12.3% vs 7.8%) compared with patients without nail psoriasis (all P < 0.05). Patients with nail psoriasis had higher disease activity than those without nail psoriasis, including higher tender and swollen joint counts, worse Disease Activity Index for Psoriatic Arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Activity Score values, and increased likelihood of having enthesitis and dactylitis (all P < 0.05). Patients with nail psoriasis had worse pain, fatigue, and work and activity impairment than those without nail psoriasis (all P < 0.05).ConclusionPatients with PsA who have nail psoriasis had worse disease activity, QOL, and work productivity than those without nail involvement, emphasizing the importance of identification and management of nail disease in patients with PsA.

Onychomycosis is the most common nail disease seen in clinical practice. Treatment options include systemic and topical therapies, as well as devices. Following clinical and mycologic diagnosis, treatment must be individualized, accounting for disease severity, infecting organism(s), comorbidities, patient characteristics and drug/device efficacy. Safety is the most important consideration in choosing the most appropriate therapeutic modality.This review covers currently available treatments for onychomycosis, with an emphasis on safety and tolerability. Medications and devices were analyzed for side effects, drug-drug interactions, and safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding.Systemic antifungals offer greater efficacy for onychomycosis treatment but are limited by risks of systemic toxicity and drug-drug interactions. The risk of terbinafine-induced hepatotoxicity is negligible in healthy patients. Systemic therapies, especially azole antifungals, are associated with numerous drug-drug interactions, some of which are life-threatening and fatal. Thus, a detailed medication history is critical before prescribing these medications. Topical antifungals are well tolerated and generally safe, with only potential local side effects. Systemic and topical onychomycosis treatments should not be prescribed during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Laser therapy is likely less effective than systemic and topical therapies, but may be safely used during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Depression is commonly associated with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but its risk factors in these patients are largely unrecognized. Pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of PsA have been associated with depression in patients without autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to establish whether PsA patients with and without depressive symptoms differed for general or clinical variables and serum cytokines milieu.One hundred and fifty consecutive patients with PsA were screened for depressive symptoms with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D). Patients with and without depressive symptoms were compared according to the prevalence of general risk factors for depression, comorbidities, PsA features and serum IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-17A.Fifty-eight patient (38.7%) had a depressive mood. Depressive symptoms were associated with female sex (p = 0.03) and current smoking (p = 0.05). Patients with and without depressive symptoms did not differ for general risk factors for depression and comorbidities. Depressed patients had more frequently psoriatic nail disease (p = 0.02) and significant physical disability (HAQ-DI ≥ 0.5) (p0.01) and were more frequently in moderate or high disease activity according to DAPSA score (p = 0.01). Depressed patients had higher serum IL-6 (p0.01) and comparable serum IL-17A and TNF-α. A cutoff of 2.27 pg/ml of serum IL-6 had the best ability to predict an HADS-D ≥ 8 (AUC 0.666 ± 0.044; p0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that serum IL-6 ≥ 2.27 pg/ml was independently associated with depressive symptoms (OR 3.5; CI 1.6-7.8; p0.01).Higher serum Il-6 is associated with depressive symptoms. This association suggests a direct role of systemic inflammation in the modulation of mood in PsA patients. Key Points • High PsA disease activity and physical disability are associated with depression. • Higher serum levels of IL-6 are independently associated with depression in PsA. • IL-6 might play a direct role in the development of depression in PsA patients.

Pendahuluan: Onychocryptosis merupakan penyakit kuku yang dikarakteristikkan oleh rasa nyeri, kemerahan hingga bengkak ataupun timbulnya nanah yang disebabkan oleh kuku yang tumbuh memotong paronikium. Penyakit ini merupakan penyakit yang sering dijumpai dalam praktik dokter sehari-hari dan seorang dokter umum harus dapat melakukan tindakan avulsi kuku sebagai salah satu pilihan tatalaksana operatifnya. Avulsi kuku merupakkan tatalaksana yang efektif, namun tidak mencegah rekurensi di kemudian hari. Untuk tujuan itu, setelah dilakukan prosedur avulsi kuku, dapat dilakukan tindakan matrikektomi. Meskipun efektif, prosedur tindakan ini tidak banyak dibahas. Pembahasan: Matrikektomi bertujuan untuk menghancurkan matriks kuku sehingga kuku tidak tumbuh memotong paronikium. Beberapa penelitian menunjukkan keunggulan avulsi kuku yang dilanjutkan dengan matrikektomi kimia dalam mencegah rekurensi onychocryptosis dibanding dengan prosedur avulsi kuku saja. Tindakan matrikektomi paling sering dilakukan dengan menggunakan agen kimia berupa fenol, tricloracetic acid (TCA) atau natrium hidroksida. Ketiga agen ini akan menyebabkan nekrosis pada matriks kuku sehingga tidak terjadi pertumbuhan kuku pada daerah yang diaplikasikan. Berbagai penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan ketiga agen kimia ini memiliki angka kesuksesan yang tinggi dalam mencegah rekurensi onychocryptosis. Kesimpulan: Matrikektomi kimia merupakan tindakan yang dapat dilakukan setelah tindakan avulsi kuku untuk mencegah rekurensi onychocryptosis. Agen kimia yang dapat digunakan adalah fenol, TCA atau natrium hidroksida. Ketiganya memiliki efektifitas yang setara. Kata kunci: Avulsi kuku, Matriektomi, Onychocryptosis

Onychomycosis is a widespread nail disease caused by dermatophytes, yeast and non‑dermatophytes. Risk factors for the development of onychomycosis can be various somatic conditions, for example diabetes, age, lifestyle features. Often onychomycosis occurs in athletes. According to some reports, 60.7 % of football players have this disease. The reason for the increased risk of developing onychomycosis in athletes is wearing unsuitable shoes, the frequent use of synthetic clothing and sweat‑preserving shoes, and injuries to the nail plates. Preference should be given to systemic therapy. Treatment can take up to 18 months, due to the slow regrowth of a healthy nail plate. Of the systemic drugs, itraconazole is widely used. The drug can be prescribed according to the scheme of pulse therapy, and positive dynamics is observed after 2 months of use.

The nail is horny structure. Nail plate is responsible for penetration of drug across it. As it is hard enough the penetration becomes difficult, only a fraction of topical drug penetrates across it. Hence the effective therapeutic concentration is not achieved. The nail plate may appear abnormal as a result of decreased glow. It`s involvement of nail bed, reduction of blood supply, physical or chemical features of nail bed. As a result variety of diseases occurs.1 Oral therapies are accompanied by systemic side effects and drug interactions, while topical therapies are limited by the low permeation rate through the nail plate. These diseases can be cured by achieving desired therapeutic concentration of drug by nail drug delivery system. Human nails do not have only protective and decorative role, but can also be considered as an alternative pathway for drug delivery, especially in nail diseases such as onychomycosis or psoriasis. The physical techniques (manual and electrical nail abrasion, acid etching, ablation by lasers, microporation, application of low-frequency ultrasound and electric currents) and chemicals (thiols, sulphites, hydrogen peroxide, urea, water, enzymes) that have shown ungual enhance reactivity. For effective topical therapy, fungal drug permeation must be enhanced.3 This can be achieved by disrupting the nail plate using physical techniques or chemical agents. Alternatively, drug permeation into the intact nail plate may be encouraged, for example, by iontophoresis or by formulating the drug within a vehicle which enables high drug partition out of the vehicle and into the nail plate. Keywords: Nail drug delivery, Onychomycosis, Iontophoresis, Psoriasis.

Objective To describe the prevalence of extra-articular manifestations—enthesitis, dactylitis, nail disease, uveitis and IBD—in PsA, and their impact on longitudinal disease outcomes. Methods We searched Medline, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science using a predefined protocol in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies using imaging to define extra-articular manifestations (EAMs) were excluded. Where possible, we performed meta-analyses of prevalence estimates, reported as percentages (95% CI). Heterogeneity (I2 statistic) was examined according to study characteristics. Results We identified 65 studies amounting to a total of 163 299 PsA patients. Enthesitis was assessed in 29 studies with an average prevalence of 30% (95% CI: 24%, 38%). Dactylitis was reported in 35 studies with an average prevalence of 25% (95% CI: 20%, 31%). Nail disease was present in 60% (95% CI: 52%, 68%) across 26 studies, but definitions were often unclear. Uveitis (3.2%; 95% CI: 1.9%, 5.3%) and IBD (3.3%; 95% CI: 1.5%, 7.1%) were less common. Heterogeneity was high (>95%) in all meta-analyses, but could not be explained by study characteristics. No studies examined the impact of EAMs on longitudinal disease outcomes, except that dactylitis increases radiographic progression. Conclusion Enthesitis, dactylitis and nail disease are highly prevalent in PsA, but not uveitis and IBD. EAM patterns differ from axial SpA despite their shared disease mechanisms, which may help further understand differences between spondyloarthritides. More studies are needed on the impact of EAMs on disease outcomes such as response to treatment.

Introduction: Transverse overcurvature of the nail (TON) represents one of the main reasons for dermatological consultations due to nail conditions. Association between TON and subungual hyperkeratosis is common and simulates onychomycosis, constituting a difficult differential diagnosis by clinical features. Many cases are treated in daily practice with antifungal therapy even without mycological confirmation. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of onychomycosis among patients with TON associated with subungual hyperkeratosis. Methods: All subjects with clinical diagnosis of TON and subungual hyperkeratosis were subjected to a thorough clinical history, detailed clinical examination, digital photography, and collection of nail clipping and subungual debris for histopathological and microbiological examination (direct microscopy). Results: Sixty-five samples were collected from 62 female (95.4%) and 3 male (4.6%) participants. Age range was between 34 and 83 years (mean age, 61.2 years). Twenty-eight samples were positive for onychomycosis, giving a 43.07% prevalence rate of onychomycosis among TON associated with hyperkeratosis. Discussion/Conclusion: According to our data, the prevalence of onychomycosis in patients with TON associated with subungual hyperkeratosis was 43.07%, confirming the need to rule out fungal infection in TON associated with subungual hyperkeratosis prior to considering any unnecessary antifungal treatment.

Background: Subungual splinter hemorrhage (SSH) is a common nail disorder and is difficult to differentiate from other nail diseases because of their similar characteristics. The epidemiological study of SSH is lacking and it is unclear whether SSH needs treatment or not. Aims: The aims of this study were to observe the clinical characteristics of SSH of toenails in Chinese adults and to provide a reference for the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with SSH. Materials and Methods: We collected and followed up 63 SSH patients who were diagnosed through dermoscopic examination. The clinical and dermoscopic characteristics, disease course, and recovery results were recorded. Data sets were analyzed through the use of SPSS 16.0. Literature concerning SSH were reviewed and compared with the results in this study. Results: Sixty-three SSH patients were included with an age range of 17–58 years. Nearly 93.7% of SSH patients occurred in the right, left, or right and left first toenails; 66.7% of SSH patients occurred only in one toenail; there were 60.3% of SSH patients with a clear stimulus causing it and 31.8% of SSH patients with five types of comorbidities. The common characteristics of dermoscopy showed a reddish brown or brown stain with a clear boundary visible under the nail in which the color gradually faded outward from the center, with no blue or white structure. After following up for 24 weeks, the disappearance of hemorrhage was observed in 95.2% of SSH patients. For the recovered SSH patients, data analysis showed no significant difference in the course of SSH in males and females (P = 0.645); the statistical analysis showed that there was no significant correlation (r2 = −0.002) between age and course in recovered SSH patients (P = 0.986). Conclusions: It is unnecessary to do any special treatment during the 1st year. Measures ought to be taken for SSH patients if the course of the disease exceeds more than 1 year.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory arthritis with symptoms spanning six domains including peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis, axial disease, psoriasis, and nail disease. The classification of disease has been refined over recent years following the development of criteria such as ClASsification of PsA criteria. In addition to classification, treatment options for PsA have continued to expand over recent years, with the development of monoclonal antibody therapies targeting the underlying immunological mediators involved in PsA such as interleukin (IL)-17, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and IL-23. Therapies have shown that robust treatment in patients, achieving tight disease control, improves outcomes and overall quality of life. This review provides a broad overview of the epidemiology, classification, and treatment of PsA.

Introduction: Nail involvement in psoriasis occurs in up to 30–50% of patients, and 5–10% may have isolated nail disease. Onychoscopy, a noninvasive tool, might obviate the need for nail biopsy, which is a diagnostic gold standard. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate onychoscopic features of nail unit in patients with nail psoriasis. Methods: Fifty-five patients with clinically diagnosed and histologically documented nail psoriasis were recruited. Onychoscopy was performed for each nail (excluding the 5th toenail). Clinically, 443/550 fingernails and 101/440 toenails were involved. The frequency distributions of various onychoscopic features was assessed and compared using the χ2 test (p value Results: With onychoscopy, additional 52 fingernails and 64 toenails showed psoriatic involvement. Pitting was the commonest finding in fingernails (60.5%) followed by subungual hyperkeratosis (SUH) (52.8%), onycholysis (40.8%), and dotted capillaries in hyponychium, proximal, and lateral nail folds (38.6 vs. 35.8 vs. 35.8%). In toenails, we observed SUH (85.1%), nail plate thickening (82.1%), onycholysis (77.2%), and dotted capillaries in hyponychium and nail folds (59.4 vs. 53.4 vs. 45.5%). Fuzzy lunula was a novel onychoscopic finding noted in 33.6% fingernails and 4.95% toenails (p < 0.00001). Limitations: Small sample size. Conclusions: Onychoscopy may aid in diagnosing nail lesions even before the clinical signs are apparent.

Therapy of nail disease is determined by the type of disease. We do not even think about how vulnerable and susceptible to various diseases our nails are. A number of diseases involve the use of local medicines. One of the dosage forms intended for topical use are medicinal lacquers. This article is devoted to the consideration and evaluation of the functional characteristics of excipients in the technology of medicinal lacquers.

Nail psoriasis is a refractory disease that affects 50-79% skin psoriasis patients and up to 80% of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The pathogenesis of nail psoriasis is still not fully illuminated, although some peculiar inflammatory cytokines and chemokines seems to be the same as described in psoriatic skin lesions. Psoriatic nail involving matrix can cause pitting, leukonychia, red spots in lunula, and nail plate crumbling, while nail bed involvement can result in onycholysis, oil-drop discoloration, nail bed hyperkeratosis, and splinter hemorrhages. The common assessment methods of evaluating nail psoriasis includes Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI), Nail Assessment in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (NAPPA), Nail Psoriasis Quality of life 10 (NPQ10), and so on. Treatment of nail psoriasis should be individualized according to the number of involving nail, the affected site of nail and presence of skin and/or joint involvement. Generally, topical therapies are used for mild nail psoriasis, while biologic agents such as etanercept are considered for severe nail disease and refractory nail psoriasis. Even though the current literature has shown some support for the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, or therapies of nail psoriasis, systemic review of this multifaceted disease is still rare to date. We elaborate recent developments in nail psoriasis epidemiology, pathogenesis, anatomy, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and therapies to raise better awareness of the complexity of nail psoriasis and the need for early diagnosis or intervention.

Knee disorders that compromise patients' lower leg movements and self-care may put these patients at greater risk of onychomycosis. However, little is known about the prevalence of onychomycosis in patients with knee diseases. This study evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of onychomycosis in patients with knee osteoarthritis. A total of 520 consecutive patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis who visited the Department of Orthopedics for a potential knee surgery were evaluated for onychomycosis by PCR-based reverse blot hybridization assay. Of the 520 patients, 308 (59.2%) were diagnosed with onychomycosis. Age (p = 0.004), male sex (p = 0.015), and being barefooted (p = 0.031) were statistically significant risk factors for onychomycosis. Knee disease severity, based on Kellgren-Lawrence grade, was associated with severity of onychomycosis. The impairment of physical function and self-care caused by knee disorders may increase the prevalence of onychomycosis in these patients.

The SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, responsible for COVID‐19, has raised the interest for infection‐associated muco‐cutaneous symptoms. While dermatologic symptoms in general gained an increasing awareness, affection of the nail organ has been mentioned only recently. We provide a narrative review on COVID‐19 manifestation on the nail organ and add symptoms induced by personal protective measures and SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination. Available treatment options are discussed.

BACKGROUND Although Americans seek care for their nail diseases on an outpatient basis, they also seek nail care in the setting of the emergency department (ED). PURPOSE This study aims to characterize the treatment of nail diseases at ED visits in the United States from 2009-2018. METHODS Data from 2009-2018 was collected from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for EDs. RESULTS There was an estimated 1.54 (95% CI [1.35, 1.74]) million nail visits to the ED from 2009-2018. Whites accounted for the most visits (57%), followed by African Americans (21%). 25-44-year-olds was the age group with the most visits. The South was the region with the most visits (33%). The most common diagnosis was paronychia (42%). Treatments for paronychia included oral antibiotics, incision and drainage, or both. LIMITATIONS The accuracy of reporting the correct diagnosis remains the biggest limitation. CONCLUSIONS Nail disease visits accounted for over a million visits to the ED from 2009-2018. All ages and sexes were represented in these visits. Paronychia made up the largest portion of visits and was treated with oral antibiotics, incision and drainage, or both.

Introduction: Hypertrophy of the nail folds is a common condition. It occurs by alteration of shape, partial loss, or absence of the nail, resulting in loss of the nail fold physiological limit. This can also occur by the friction of the nail with the nail fold. Consequently, there is an increase in the volume of the lateral or distal nail fold and a decrease in the space of the nail bed and the nail plate. Management of this onychodystrophy may be conservative or surgical. Case Presentation: We present a case of distal nail embedding after trauma, submitted to conservative treatment. Combined techniques were required as trichloroacetic acid application, rolled cotton padding maneuver, artificial resin nail technique, and orthesis. After 14 months, good functional and aesthetic results were obtained, with correction of the anatomical shape of the nail unit. Conclusion: The conservative techniques for hypertrophy of the nail folds are a useful option with good functional and aesthetic results. The indication must be precise, considering the history of the patient and after discarding bone alterations by image exams. The disadvantage of the method is the long treatment time and constant visits to the doctor’s office.

Onychodystrophies are various pathological processes in the nail apparatus of infectious and non-infectious nature, related to changes in its morphology. The most common cause of nail changes is a fungal infection. However, onychodystrophy can be a manifestation of dermatological diseases, trauma, medication, systemic and tumor processes. Since the clinical symptoms of onychodystrophies are unspecific, sometimes it can cause difficulties in making a diagnosis. This photo gallery presents clinical pictures of diseases that a physician may encounter in everyday practice.

Objectives: Nail changes are present in 25–50% of psoriatic cases. Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) assess the extent of the involvement of the psoriatic nail unit. This study was conducted with the aim of finding the prevalence, clinical characteristics and severity of nail psoriasis. Methods and Materials: In this cross-sectional study, a thorough clinical examination was done to determine the type and extent of skin disease including PASI (psoriasis area severity index) score, and all the fingernails and toenails were examined in a well-lit environment, under a magnifying lens to visualize the nail findings, and NAPSI score was calculated for each patient. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS v. 11.0) software was used to analyze the data collected. Results: Of the100 patients studied, 73% of patients with psoriasis had nail involvement. Mean total NAPSI was 30.97 ± 30.79. Mean age of onset of psoriasis was 43.62 ± 15.31 and 33.04 ± 12.80 in those with and without nail involvement respectively (P-value 0.002). The majority without nail involvement (77.8%) belonged to the early- onset group, while 22.2% of those without nail involvement had late-onset psoriasis (P-value 0.001). The most common nail pattern in our study was Pitting (93.2%). Limitation: Nail changes in severe forms of disease could not be studied since patients receiving systemic drugs for the disease were excluded from the study. Conclusion: The mean duration of psoriasis in those with nail involvement in our study was 5 years more than in those without nail disease. Our study demonstrated a significant association between higher PASI scores and nail involvement. All patients with severe psoriasis (PASI >20) in our study had nail involvement.

Onychomycosis is the most common cause of nail changes accounting for about half of all nail diseases. It is important to diagnose the fungal pathogen to prescribe adequate treatment, but as genus- and species-specific diagnostic tests can be time consuming and expensive, it is crucial to obtain representative tissue during nail scrapings. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging tool enabling real-time imaging of skin and tissue. Pilot studies using OCT have described morphological characteristics of onychomycosis, though diagnostic criteria of onychomycosis and other nail diseases are lacking. The aim of this study is to investigate the applicability of OCT to detect and localize fungal elements in nails with clinical signs of onychomycosis. OCT scans and nail scrapings were performed on all participants and only confirmed cases of onychomycosis were included in the data analysis. All scans were analyzed, and a set of morphological criteria based on known literature and deviations from healthy nail morphology were suggested. The suggested morphological features were: hyperreflective lines divided into sharply and diffusely demarcated; hyperreflective dots divided into singular and clustered patterns; irregular surface, divided into mild, moderate and severe degree; dark bands and disturbed architecture. The suggested OCT morphology is a refinement of previous studies, and though OCT cannot replace genus- or species-specific identification, it could be a useful assistance tool to increase diagnostic sensitivity of nail scrapings and laboratory tests as well as for monitoring treatment response.

Introduction: Onychomycosis is a widespread nail disease, often occurring on the feet. It is a chronic and often recurring disease, which makes it difficult to eradicate. The infection may be caused by dermatophytes, non-dermatophyte molds, and yeasts. Traditionally, systemic antifungal medications have been used to treat this infection, but in recent years topical formulations have been the focus of research.Areas covered: This review outlines the current antifungal market and novel treatments currently in development or in experimental phases. It highlights a shift from systemic treatments to topical options as well as penetration enhancers. There are also several novel systemic options in development.Expert opinion: Although there have been significant developments in treatment options for onychomycosis, it remains a challenging chronic condition with less than desirable cure rates. This may be attributed to the formation of fungal biofilms and limited understanding of the fungal lifecycle. However, when patients adhere to treatment protocols and employ preventative measures, outcomes are generally favorable.

Background Evidence on whether functional surgery is not inferior to amputation for the treatment of in situ or minimally invasive (Breslow thickness ≤0.5 mm) nail melanoma is limited. Objective To investigate the difference in local recurrence between the 2 interventions for in situ or minimally invasive nail melanoma using available published studies. Methods We performed systematic search on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, trial registers, and grey literature databases from inception to June 28, 2018. We included observational studies with at least 5 patients with in situ or minimally invasive nail melanoma. Main outcome was local recurrence. Results The odds ratio synthesized from 5 studies including 109 patients (88 functional operations and 21 amputations) was 1.57 (95% confidence interval, 0.31-8.00). Limitations Small sample size and possible interstudy heterogeneity. Conclusions Our meta-analysis revealed no difference in local recurrence between the 2 interventions. Considering the functional deficit after amputation, conservative surgery should be the treatment of choice for in situ or minimally invasive nail melanoma.

Background Onychomycosis is a dermatophyte fungal infection of the nail plate, bed, and the matrix, leading to the gradual damage which often considered a cosmetic problem. Several presentations of onychomycosis: distolateral subungual (DLSOM), superficial white, proximal subungual, endonyx, and total dystrophic (TDOM). Although the diagnosis relies on mycological results, there are three specific dermoscopic findings for onychomycosis: a jagged edge of the onycholytic area, with spikes directed to the proximal fold, white-yellow longitudinal striae in the onycholytic nail plate, and colored parallel bands. Aims The objective of this diagnostic cross-sectional study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of dermoscopy as a low-cost tool compared with fungal culture in patients with onychomycosis. Patients/methods This study was carried out on 40 patients with a clinical diagnosis of onychomycosis collected from dermatology outpatient clinic of Alzahraa University Hospital after approval from the research ethics committee of Al-Azhar University. For each patient, dermoscopic imaging of nail was done. And nail scrapings, culture on sabouraud's dextrose agar medium, and dermatophyte test agar medium. Informed written consent was taken from all patients, and the data collected from dermoscopic and laboratory results were statistically evaluated. Results Concerning the dermoscopic features, longitudinal white striae, jagged proximal edge with spikes, were the most commonly detected in DLSOM and TDOM. Linear edge was exclusive to traumatic onycholysis. Laboratory results: Aspergillus species was the most common detected fungus (45%) followed by Candida (32.5%). Conclusion Dermoscopy could facilitate the diagnosis of onychomycosis and differentiate it from mycologically negative onycholysis.

Background Few clinical trials have evaluated long‐term treatment of nail psoriasis with biologics. Objective Safety and efficacy of adalimumab [ADA; Humira AbbVie Inc, North Chicago, IL, USA)] long‐term treatment (52 weeks) was evaluated in a phase‐3, randomized trial in patients with moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis and concomitant moderate‐to‐severe fingernail psoriasis. Results from the first 26 weeks (Period A) have been reported. Methods Patients receiving 40 mg ADA every other week or placebo in Period A, continued with or switched to 40 mg ADA every‐other‐week treatment in the subsequent 26‐week open‐label extension (OLE) period. Main efficacy evaluations were ≥75% improvement in total‐fingernail modified Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (mNAPSI 75) and achievement of Physician's Global Assessment for Fingernail Psoriasis of clear or minimal disease (PGA‐F 0/1) with a ≥2‐grade improvement from baseline, across the trial for patients who continued ADA from Period A through the OLE (Continuous‐ADA Population). Safety was evaluated during the OLE and for patients receiving ADA at any time during the study (All‐ADA Population). Results Of the 217 patients initially randomized in Period A, 188 (86.6%; 94 in each treatment group) entered the OLE after completion of or early escape from Period A. For the Continuous‐ADA Population (N = 109), endpoint achievement rates improved from OLE entry (Week 26) to Week 52, including total‐fingernail mNAPSI 75 (47.4–54.5%); PGA‐F 0/1 (51.1–55.6%) and total‐fingernail mNAPSI = 0 (6.6–17.9%). Serious adverse event and serious infection rates for the All‐ADA Population (N = 203) were 6.9% and 3.4%, respectively. Conclusions In this population of psoriasis patients with concomitant, moderate‐to‐severe nail psoriasis, long‐term efficacy and improvement in signs and symptoms of nail disease were demonstrated after every‐other‐week ADA treatment, including incremental improvements in rate of total clearance of nail disease. No new safety risks were identified for patients receiving at least one ADA dose across 52 weeks., Linked Commentary: D. Rigopoulos. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2019; 33: 2014–2015. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.15988.

Onychomycosis accounts for 50% of all nail disease cases and is commonly caused by dermatophytes. It was primarily considered a cosmetic problem but has been garnering attention lately due to its persistent nature and difficult treatment with relapses. With prolonged treatment duration and high cost involved in treating onychomycosis, several attempts have been made in overcoming the rigid nail barrier. The conventional treatment of onychomycosis involves oral and topical therapy. The oral antifungal agents though quite effective, are hepato-toxic and cause drug-drug interactions. Topical therapy is more patient compliant being devoid of such adverse effects but it suffers from another setback of improper nail penetration. Amorolfine and ciclopirox nail lacquers are popular market products. Since decades, efforts have been made to enhance topical delivery for efficiently treating onychomycosis. Mechanical, physical and chemical methods have been employed. Despite all the attempts made, the nail delivery issues are far from being solved. Recently, the focus has shifted to novel drug delivery systems like nanoparticles, microemulsions, polymeric films and nail lacquers for enhanced drug permeation and localized therapy. The research around the world is exploring their potential as effective treatment options. This review intends to further explore the novel delivery strategies to treat a persistent fungal infection like onychomycosis.

Background: Of all nail disorders seen in dermatology offices, half of them are due to onychomycosis. The main differential diagnosis is nail psoriasis. The objective of this study was to compare the microscopic findings, other than the presence of fungi, in the clipping of onychomycosis versus normal nails and nail psoriasis. Methods: Cross-sectional study of onychomycosis cases, analyzed by clipping and compared with data on normal nails and those with nail psoriasis. Results: Sixty-two onychomycosis samples were compared with 30 normal nails and 50 nails with psoriasis. In onychomycosis, measurement of subungual region, serous lakes, neutrophils and number of layers of parakeratosis are more intense than in psoriasis. Onychocariosis is less common in psoriasis, while bacteria are more frequent. The nail transition zone is more commonly blurred and irregular in onychomycosis. Conclusion: Clipping helps in the differential diagnosis of onychomycosis and nail psoriasis and may be useful even when fungi are not found.

Various advancements in the diagnosis and management of nail diseases have transpired in recent years. To provide the best care for patients with nail complaints, it is essential that physicians be updated on new diagnostic and treatment modalities. The purpose of this article is to discuss new and oncoming diagnostic and management options for nail disorders, including nail psoriasis, retronychia, brittle nails, onychotillomania, trauma, trachyonychia, and pyogenic granulomas.

Subungual exostosis is a rare solitary benign osteocartilaginous tumor that arises from the tuft of the distal phalanx beneath the nail. Because of its multiple clinical presentations, it is commonly underdiagnosed, resulting in delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment. This report provides results from a 6-year retrospective study. All patients with a sonographic diagnosis of subungual exostosis confirmed surgically were selected. The data came from a series of 19 patient cases. Only 15.7% were clinically suspected. The median age was 21 years, and 63% were females. The sonographic findings were nail dystrophy, distal onycholysis, abnormal nail incurvation, subungual space enlargement, and the presence of hyperechogenic subungual image with acoustic shadowing that continued until the phalanx surface. Sonography provides an excellent diagnostic method for subungual exostosis, with findings that are pathognomonic.

Patients of all ages can develop nail disorders, such as onychocryptosis, which are recurrent and painful conditions. The aim of the study was to compare the quality of life in a group of aged patients with recurrent and painful ingrown toenails before and after chemical nail surgery to treat onychocryptosis. The study design utilized a presurgery and a postsurgery questionnaire and examined prospective serial cases. The participants were drawn from an outpatient podiatric clinic from 1 January 2015 to 29 August 2016. The final sample of patients (>65 years old) underwent nail surgery with chemical matricectomy using phenol. In addition to the chemical nail surgical procedure, the patients completed the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ) and the Borg CR-10 scale category ratio (CR) within 4 weeks prior to surgery. The patients completed both questionnaires again through mailing 3 months postsurgery. Lower MOXFQ scores were noted after surgery, demonstrating an improvement in quality of life after chemical nail surgery. Men and women exhibited similar results (p > 0.05), with the exception of the Borg CR-10 scale where women reported more residual pain compared with men, with scores of 1.26 ± 1.65 and 0.09 ± 0.20, respectively (p = 0.011). After a chemical nail surgery procedure, the quality of life improved in aged patients with recurrent and painful ingrown toenails.

BACKGROUND Treatment of psoriatic nail disease is challenging, and dystrophic psoriatic nails can get secondarily infected with fungi. METHODS This 2-year, matched case-control study was conducted at three tertiary care centers of Karachi, Pakistan. Data were collected from patients with nail psoriasis as cases with age- and gender-matched controls. A detailed questionnaire was filled for all study participants. Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) scoring tool was used to assess dystrophy. Fungal infection was inferred by nail clippings for fungal hyphae and culture. RESULTS Among 477 participants, 159 cases and 318 controls completed the study. Their mean age was 44 years, and one-third were female. Fungal culture positivity was statistically significant in cases as compared to the control group (P