Nihal Kundakci

The depression, anxiety, life satisfaction and affective expression levels in psoriasis patients

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of stressful life events on the onset and exacerbation of psoriasis, depression, anxiety, life satisfaction and affective expression levels in psoriasis patients and psychological risk factors related to psoriasis.

The evaluation of the sociodemographic and clinical features of Turkish psoriasis patients

Background Psoriasis is a common, chronic and recurrent, inflammatory disease of the skin. With no sociodemographic psoriasis data available in Turkey, we decided to investigate the clinical features and distribution of this disease in our country.

Association of psoriasis vulgaris with HLA class I and class II antigens in the Turkish population, according to the age at onset

Background Association of psoriasis vulgaris with HLA antigens reference to age at onset has been reported in different racial or ethnic populations.

Contact sensitivity to aluminum.

Sensitization to aluminum is extremely rare. Most of the cases have been detected following hyposensitization therapies or vaccinations with substances containing aluminum. Aluminum allergy is more common in pediatric patients and is rarely reported in adults. We present a patient in whom aluminum sensitivity was an accidental finding on patch testing, as the patient had a positive reaction at all the test sites.

Long-term results of rituximab–intravenous immunoglobulin combination therapy in patients with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita resistant to conventional therapy

Abstract Background: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is a rare subepidermal bullous disease. Long-term remission in this disease is difficult using current treatments, unlike that in patients with other autoimmune bullous diseases. Objective: We retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness and side effects of rituximab–intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) combination treatment in five patients with EBA resistant to conventional treatment. Patients and methods: Rituximab (375 mg/m2) was administered for four consecutive weeks to four patients, and their treatment continued with IVIg at a dose of 2 g/kg/month. One patient received two cycles of rituximab for three consecutive weeks, IVIg in the fourth week, followed by monthly IVIg administrations as in the other patients. Results: The total number of IVIg therapy cycles ranged from 10 to 26 (mean 19.4). Mean skin involvement, mucosal involvement, and disease severity scores decreased after a mean follow-up of 22.6 months (range, 10–28 months). In an analysis performed during months 24–28, the number of CD19-positive B cells was found to be below the normal reference range in four patients. Limitations: This was a retrospective study with a limited number of patients. Conclusion: Rituximab–IVIg combination treatment seems to be effective and safe for treating patients with EBA resistant to conventional treatments.

Narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy starting and incremental dose in patients with psoriasis: comparison of percentage dose and fixed dose protocols.

It was aimed to investigate the ideal narrowband ultraviolet B (NB UVB) phototherapy protocol that has the maximal efficacy, minimal side effect profile, minimal cumulative UVB dose, and a shorter duration of therapy.

Familial Mediterranean fever patients with hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) has recently been described as a component of two autoinflammatory syndromes: PASH (pyoderma gangrenosum, acne, and HS) and PAPASH (pyoderma gangrenosum, acne, pyogenic arthritis, and HS). These associations together with others such as inflammatory bowel diseases suggest that defects in autoinflammatory pathways may play a role in the pathogenesis of HS.

Skin-Dominant Phenotype in a Patient with H Syndrome: Identification of a Novel Mutation in the SLC29A3 Gene.

H syndrome (OMIM 602782) is a very rare autosomal recessive genodermatosis with multisystem involvement. Hallmarks of this disorder are juvenile onset and progressive, hyperpigmented, hypertrichotic lesions with histiocytic infiltration. Associated systemic manifestations form a long list, and there is high variability between patients. In some patients, dysmorphic and other systemic features may be so subtle that the disorder may readily be mistaken as an acquired skin disease and treated as such. Herein, we report a novel homozygous c.1339G>A (p.Glu447Lys) mutation in the SLC29A3 gene in a patient with skin-dominant presentation of H syndrome. Additionally, due to the present case, double superior vena cava can be added to the list of possible cardiovascular manifestations of H syndrome.

A giant mass on the scalp: an unusual presentation of lupus vulgaris

Lupus vulgaris (LV) is a paucibacillary form of cutaneous tuberculosis (TB) that may arise in case of slight immunosuppression which results in moderate to high immunity against the pathogen. Predilection sites are buttocks and trunk. TB reemerges to be a serious medical problem due to HIV infection, organ transplants, and thus increase in the number of immunocompromised patients. Cutaneous TB comprises only less than 1–2% of the cases. Mycobacterium TB and unusually Mycobacterium bovis cause cutaneous TB. LV is the most common form of cutaneous TB which may lead to disfigurement if not diagnosed and treated properly. LV arises in patients with slight immunosuppression and the bacilli count in the lesions is low because of the immune response. Here, we describe a neglected atypical case of LV with complete clinical and histopathological response to antituberculous treatment (ATT) in an immunocompetent woman.

Aggressive Kaposi’s Sarcoma Associated With Golimumab Therapy

Correspondence: Seçil Vural, MD. Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Dermatoloji ve Venereoloji Anabilim Dalı, 06230 Altındağ, Ankara, Turkey. Tel: +90 312 208 28 05 e-mail: secilsaral@gmail.com A 65-year-old male patient with a 25-year history of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis presented to our clinic. He described the onset of new lesions three weeks ago (Figure 1). His dermatologic examination revealed purple plaque and nodules on the anterior and posterior trunk and extremities. One month ago, his examination was performed again in our clinic, and these lesions were absent. Patients detailed medical history revealed prior use of both conventional and novel anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-a) treatments (methotrexate 15 mg-20 mg/week for four years, etanercept 50 mg/week for two years,