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Background and Design:Current studies link vitamin D deficiency with many autoimmune diseases. Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune dermatological disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and alopecia areata. Materials and Methods: 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels in 40 patients with alopecia areata and age, gender and skin phototypematched healthy controls were evaluated. Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured in all subjects and grouped as normal/sufficient (>30 ng/ml), insufficient (15-30 ng/ml) and deficient (<15 ng/ml). Results: Both the study and control groups were composed of 21 females and 19 males. The mean age was 31.23±7.34 (21-50) and 30. 58±7.19 (21-48), respectively. In the study group, 2.5% of patients (n=1) had normal, 15% (n=6) insufficient and 82.5% (n=33) of patients had deficient 25(OH)D levels. In the control group, 2.5% (n=1) of patients had normal, 25% (n=10) insufficient and 72.5% (n=29) of patients had deficient 25(OH)D levels. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). In both groups 97.5% of patients had 25(OH)D levels below the normal range. Conclusion: Vitamin D levels in patients with AA were similar to those in the controls. This similarity may suggest that there is no relationship between vitamin D and AA. However, it may also indicate that the relationship between AA and Vitamin D is not via the level but vitamin D receptor (number and/or structure). (Turkderm 2015; 49: 50-3)

Impetigo herpetiformis is a rare disease of pregnancy with the onset being in the second half of pregnancy and resolution after delivery. It is associated with a high rate of perinatal mortality and fetal abnormalities. Clinical and histological features of the disease are consistent with pustuler psoriasis. We reported a case of 25‐year‐old female gravida 1 para 0, who responded poorly to consecutive treatments with systemic steroids, cyclosporine, intravenous immunoglobulin, and acitretin. Good response was obtained with adding infliximab to the treatment.

Aim The purpose of this randomized controlled clinical study was to evaluate the effect of non‐surgical mechanical periodontal therapy on the inflammatory status and severity of psoriasis in subjects with psoriasis. Material and methods The study population consisted of 92 periodontitis patients with psoriasis vulgaris suffering from an untreated periodontal disease. Two randomized groups were formed from these patients: immediate periodontal therapy (test group, n = 46) and delayed periodontal therapy (control group, n = 46). Periodontal clinical measures, on salivary interleukin 2, interleukin 6 and secretory immunoglobulin A levels and the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores were evaluated at baseline and on the 8th week in control and test groups. Results Eight weeks after completion of non‐surgical periodontal therapy (test group) or initial examination (control group), a significant decrease was observed in interleukin 2, interleukin 6 level and in PASI score, whereas a significant increase was observed in secretory immunoglobulin A levels in the test group (p < .05). Conclusion Within the limits of this study, the results suggest that effective periodontal therapy improves the psoriasis condition in patients afflicted by both diseases.

Pityriasis lichenoides (PL) is a spectrum of inflammatory skin diseases which include PL et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA) and PL chronica (PLC) as two ends of the disease and rarely both entities can coexist on the same patient. Treatment options are based on case series-reports, and anecdotes, and include topical corticosteroids, topical immunomodulators, systemic antibiotics (tetracycline, erythromycin), and phototherapy. Herein, we report a 13-year-old boy, exhibiting mixed manifestations of PLEVA and PLC lesions concurrently, with a rapid and dramatic response to azithromycin monotherapy.