Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease, and conflicting data have been published about osteoporosis and bone turnover markers in patients with psoriatic arthritis. The aim of this study was to assess bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover markers in psoriatic patients with and without peripheral arthritis and to investigate the relationship between clinical parameters and markers of bone turnover. Forty-seven patients (24 women, 23 men) with psoriasis were included to the study. Demographic data and clinical characteristics were recorded. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein were assessed as disease activity parameters. BMD was determined for lumbar spine and total hip by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Serum Ca, P, alkalen phosphatase (ALP), and serum type I collagen cross-linked C telopeptide (CTX) were measured as bone turnover markers in all patients. The patients were divided into two groups according to their peripheral arthritis status. The clinical and laboratory variables, as well as bone mass status of the groups, were compared with each other. Eighteen patients had peripheral arthritis. All the female patients were premenopausal. None of the patients had radiologically assessed axial involvement. There was no significant difference between the BMD levels of psoriatic patients with and without arthropathy. One patient (5%) had osteoporosis, and nine (50%) patients had osteopenia in arthritic group, while eight (27.5%) patients had osteopenia in patients without arthritis. Serum CTX, ALP, Ca, and P levels were not significantly different in arthritic than in non-arthritic patients (p > 0.05). In patients with psoriatic arthritis, the duration of arthritis was negatively correlated with BMD values of lumbar spine and total femur and serum CTX levels, suggesting an association of increased demineralization with the duration of joint disease. In conclusion, psoriatic patients with peripheral arthritis with longer duration of joint disease may be at a risk for osteoporosis, which can require preventative treatment efforts.

The aim of this study was to determine the peripheral nerve involvement electrophysiologically in Behçet patients without clinically evident neurological signs and symptoms. Sixty-three patients who fulfilled the International Study Group Classification Criteria for Behçet's disease (BD) and 49 healthy control subjects were enrolled to the study. Conventional electrophysiological studies of peripheral nerves including F latencies were performed to all subjects. Thirty-one male and 32 female Behçet patients with a mean age of 33.6+/-11.1 years and (22 male and 27 female healthy control subjects with a mean age of 35.8+/-9.9 years were included to the study. All but four of the patients were active. In the BD group, electrophysiologically diagnosed neuropathy was detected in nine (14.28%) patients. One (1.58%) patient had sensorimotor polyneuropathy, one patient (1.58%) had sural and ulnar sensorimotor neuropathy, three (4.75%) patients had median and one patient (1.58%) had ulnar sensorimotor neuropathy. Sural nerve sensorial action potential was unobtainable in two (3.17%) patients and prolonged F latencies were observed in two (3.17%) patients. In the control group only one subject (2.4%) had low sural sensorial conduction velocity. The frequency of neuropathy was higher in the patients with BD when compared with the control subjects. Sensory nerves were affected more prominently than motor nerves. There was no relationship between the clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients and the electrophysiologic findings. No significant difference was observed between the clinical parameters of the patients with and without electrophysiologically detected neuropathy, except the levels of disease duration (8.8+/-5.1 vs 5.28+/-4.3 years, respectively, p<0.05). In conclusion, Behçet patients may have subclinical peripheral nerve involvement. Conventional electrophysiologic nerve conduction studies including F responses are recommended in routine examination to diagnose early neuropathy in Behçet patients without evident neurologic symptoms.

Interpretation of the data; critical review of the literature; critical review of the manuscript. Akın Aktaş: Interpretation of the data; critical review of the literature; critical review of the manuscript.

BackgroundThe possible relationship between psoriasis and coeliac disease (CD) has been attributed to the common pathogenic mechanisms of the two diseases and the presence of antigliadin antibodies in patients has been reported to increase the incidence of CD.ObjectiveThe aim of this report was to study CD-associated antibodies serum antigliadin antibody immunoglobulin (Ig)A, IgG, anti-endomysial antibody IgA and anti-transglutaminase antibody IgA and to demonstrate whether there is an increase in the frequency of those markers of CD in patients with psoriasis.MethodsSerum antigliadin antibody IgG and IgA, antiendomysial antibody IgA and anti-transglutaminase antibody IgA were studied in 37 (19 males) patients with psoriasis and 50 (23 males) healthy controls. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and duodenal biopsies were performed in patients with at least one positive marker.ResultsAntigliadin IgA was statistically higher in the psoriasis group than in the controls (p<0.05). Serological markers were found positive in 6 patients with psoriasis and 1 person from the control group. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed in all these persons, with biopsies collected from the duodenum. The diagnosis of CD was reported in only one patient with psoriasis following the pathological examination of the biopsies. Whereas one person of the control group was found to be positive for antigliadin antibody IgA, pathological examination of the duodenal biopsies obtain from this patient were found to be normal.ConclusionAntigliadin IgA prominently increases in patients diagnosed with psoriasis. Patients with psoriasis should be investigated for latent CD and should be followed up.

Plants are of relevance to dermatology for both their adverse and beneficial effects on skin and skin disorders respectively. Virtually all cultures worldwide have relied historically, or continue to rely on medicinal plants for medical care. As alternative herbal remedies are becoming more widely used there is an increase in phytocontact dermatitis. Here we document two patients who developed contact dermatitis due to Allivum sativum, and Ranunculus illyricus after applying to the skin in order to relieve the rheumatological joint pain.