Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory immunologically mediated disease characterized by antigen presentation and keratinocytes hyperproliferation due to release of chemokines and cytokines from activated T-lymphocytes. Relationship between psoriasis and peripheral vascular diseases, increased risk of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular diseases has been reported. Clusterin [apolipoprotein J] is a 75-80 KDa disulfide-linked heterodimeric protein associated with apoptosis and clearance of cellular debris. Clusterin [CLU] is involved in many diseases related to oxidative stress, including neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases. Aim of the work: The aim of this study is to estimate the serum level of clusterin in patients with severe plaque psoriasis to evaluate its possible role in psoriasis pathogenesis and comorbidity. Patients and methods: Sixty patients with severe plaque psoriasis having Psoriasis Area Severity Index [PASI] score more than 10 and Thirty healthy individuals as control were studied by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for determination of serum clusterin levels. Results: Serum levels of clusterin showed statistically significant increase in psoriatic patients than in controls. Conclusion: Psoriatic patients show increase clusterin serum level compared with normal controls. This indicates that it may have a potential role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and may be related to increase risk of cardiovascular diseases among psoriatic patients.

Background: Acne is reported to have a negative effect on mental health in adolescents. Aim of the work: Evaluation of the psychological effects of acne vulgaris amongst secondary school adolescents in DamiettaGovernorate. Patients and Methods:A cross-sectional study was completed on 172 students with acne vulgaris aged between 15-and 19years during the period extended from September 2019 to March 2020 in Damietta governorate schools from both sexes. Patients with disorders present before acne or other chronic diseases were excluded from the study. All patients were evaluated by the Arabic version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI] to determine the dermatological quality of life [QOL] among acne cases.

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Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting approximately 1-6% of population in the world. Aim of the work: To screen psoriatic patients for psoriatic arthritis [PsA] to improve optimal PsA management and outcome.

Background: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease where delay in diagnosis or treatment can lead to deformities and disabilities for the rest of the patient's life. Definite diagnosis of leprosy has long been based on clinical picture, histopathology and/or the detection of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) from tissue smears or tissue sections stained by Ziehl-Neelsen. Aim of the work: We evaluated in this study, the usefulness of PCR for detection of M.leprae in the serum, as less invasive technique, in comparison to skin slit smear for the diagnosis of leprosy. Patients and Methods: This study included 30 non-treated patients of leprosy (9 multibacillary, 21 paucibacillary) skin slit smears had been taken. In addition, serum samples had been collected for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] test. Results: Negative Slit Skin Smear for AFB had been obtained in 20 cases with a rate of positivity of 33%. Serum PCR was positive in 20 patients giving an overall rate of positivity of 67% which confirm the diagnosis in 11 out of 20 cases with slit skin smear [SSS] negative. Conclusion: PCR does show to be more sensitive than slit skin smear [SSS] indicating its future use for diagnostic purposes especially in early leprosy cases.