Summary Background : Anxiety and depression are common features of coeliac disease. Depression is cause of non‐compliance to treatment in chronic illness. Aim : To evaluate the useful of psychological support counselling to improve affective disorders and gluten‐free diet adherence in coeliac disease with anxiety and depression. Methods : A total of 66 coeliac disease patients with state anxiety and current depression were enrolled. Patients were randomized in two groups: in group A psychological support was started at the beginning of gluten‐free diet, while group B was free of psychological support. Both groups were followed every 2 weeks for 6 months. State and Trait Anxiety Inventory test Y‐1 and the modified Zung self‐rating depression scale were administered before (T0) and after 6 months of gluten‐free diet (T1). Results : At T1 no difference was found between groups in the percentage of state anxiety, while a significant lower percentage of depressed subjects was found in group A with respect to group B (15.1% vs. 78.8%; P = 0.001). In the follow‐up period, a significant lower compliance to gluten‐free diet was found in group B with respect to group A (39.4% vs. 9.1%; P = 0.02). Conclusions : In coeliac disease patients with affective disorders psychological support seems to be able to reduce depression and to increase gluten‐free diet compliance.

Background: Several skin disorders are present in patients affected by coeliac disease (CD) – among them, psoriasis has been described. However, at present the relationship between CD and psoriasis remains controversial since there are few and contrasting data on this topic. Method: Here we describe a case of psoriasis in a CD patient not responding to specific therapies for psoriasis. Result: The regression of skin lesions after gluten-free diet (GFD) was evident in a short time. Conclusion: The present case supports the association between CD and psoriasis and the concept that psoriasis in CD patients can be improved by GFD. Future studies are needed to clarify the possible mechanisms involved in this association.

and modulation of cytokine production (3). These effects may explain the efficacy of vitamin D3 derivatives for treating warts. However, because of the fact that occlusive dressing was used in the previous report (2), and simple occlusion has also proved effective in the treatment of viral warts (4), the results could be disputable. In our patient, although occlusion was not used and a placebo effect seems improbable given the size and long evolution of the plaque, it cannot be completely ruled out. To sum up, this is the first report showing that simple application of vitamin D3 derivatives could be effective in the treatment of viral warts and, given the high prevalence of this condition and considering that the available treatments are often painful and poorly effective, we would encourage the performance of placebo-controlled studies. REFERENCES1. Hayashi J, Matsui C, Mitsuishi T, et al. Treatment of localized epidermodysplasia verruciformis with tacalcitol ointment. Int J Dermatol 2002;41:817-820. 2. Egawa K, Ono T. Topical vitamin D3 derivatives for recalcitrant warts in three immunocompromised patients. Br J Dermatol 2004;150:374 -376. 3. Osborne JE, Hutchinson PE. Vitamin D and systemic cancer: is this relevant to malignant melanoma? Br J Dermatol 2002;147:197-213. 4. Focht DR 3rd, Spicer C, Fairchok MP. The efficacy of duct tape vs. cryotherapy in the treatment of verruca vulgaris (the common wart). Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2002;156:971-974.

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