Objectives: This study aimed to investigate and compare the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in a group of psoriatic patients and healthy subjects, and its correlation to multiple clinical parameters. Study design: 100 psoriatic patients and 100 closely matched controls underwent clinical oral examination. Oral lesions were diagnosed according to the criteria proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The patients filled the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) questionnaire and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The severity of psoriasis was assessed by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Categorical variables were evaluated using Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test with overall significance set at p< 0.05. Results: Oral mucosal lesions were diagnosed in 43 (43%) psoriatic patients and 17 (17%) control subjects (p=0.000). Comparing psoriatic patients to control subjects the prevalence of fissured tongue (FT) was 35% vs. 13% (p=0.000); geographic tongue (GT) 17% vs. 9% (p=0.09); combination of FT and GT 5% vs. 5% (p=1.00); oral candidosis 3% vs. 0% (p=0.81); leukoedema 1% vs. 3% (p=0.62); physiologic melanin pigmentations 4% vs. 1% (p=0.37) respectively. The clinical type of psoriasis, duration of the disease, method of disease management (medicated vs. non-medicated for psoriasis), smoking habit, psychological status or the disease severity did not influence the prevalence of FT and GT. Psoriatic patients who experienced “very large” to “extremely large” adverse effect of psoriasis on their quality of life have significantly higher prevalence of GT (p=0.04). Conclusions: FT is significantly more common in psoriatic patients compared to controls; hence studies investigating the nature of this relationship are warranted. Oral health care providers should be aware of the predisposition of psoriatic patients to oral candidosis. Key words:Oral lesions, fissured tongue, geographic tongue, leukoedema, oral Candida, candidosis, psoriasis.

Acrodermatitis enteropathica (AE) is a rare autosomal recessive pediatric disease characterized by dermatitis, diarrhea, alopecia, and growth failure. The disease results from insufficient uptake of zinc by the intestine and can be fatal unless the diet is supplemented with zinc. To map the gene responsible for AE, a genomewide screen was performed on 17 individuals, including 4 affected individuals, in a consanguineous Jordanian family. Three markers-D8S373, D10S212, and D6S1021-had a pattern consistent with tight linkage to a recessive disease: one allele in the affected sibs and multiple alleles in unaffected sibs and parents. Two-point parametric linkage analysis using FASTLINK identified one region, D8S373, with a maximum LOD score >1.5 (1.94 at D8S373: recombination fraction.001). Twelve additional markers flanking D8S373 were used to genotype the extended family, to fine-map the AE gene. All five affected individuals-including one who was not genotyped in the genomewide screen-were found to be homozygous for a common haplotype, spanning approximately 3.5 cM, defined by markers D8S1713 and D8S2334 on chromosomal region 8q24.3. To support these mapping data, seven consanguineous Egyptian families with eight patients with AE were genotyped using these markers, and six patients from five families were found to be homozygous in this region. Multipoint analysis with all consanguineous families, by Mapmaker/Homoz, resulted in a maximum LOD score of 3.89 between D8S1713 and D8S373. Sliding three-point analysis resulted in a maximum LOD score of 5.16 between markers D8S1727 and D8S1744.

Minimal reports are available on the relationship between blood lipids such as cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and acne. Most of available literature was about the effect of drugs used in acne treatment on these parameters. In this work we determined plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C and LDL-C levels in 166 (83 males and 83 females) newly diagnosed untreated Jordanian acne patients and compared with 105 (52 males and 53 females) of age and sex matched healthy controls. Results indicated that acne patients, males and females, had significantly low plasma HDL-C levels ( p = 0.000). Plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-C levels were shown to be within the normal range except for triglycerides and LDL-C levels in severe acne cases for both sexes, were shown to be significantly elevated compared with those in healthy controls ( p = 0.004 and 0.000 consequently). It has been noticed that there was a trend for plasma HDL-C of acne patients to decrease as the severity of acne condition increases. Our results indicated that acne patients have significant changes in the plasma lipids profile that should be considered in the pathogenesis as well as in the treatment of acne.

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FM is infrequently seen in north Jordan. We believe that repeated frictional trauma from clothing or scrub pads against the skin overlying the bony protuberances is fundamental in its pathogenesis. Other factors, such as scrub pads made of rough material (loofah), dark skin type, and individual variability, may also play a role in the pathogenesis. We advise patients not to use rough scrub pads during bathing, to avoid rubbing the skin overlying the bony prominences, to avoid rubbing vigorously, and to use a soft cotton pad instead.