Thermal Studies in Psoriasis

Functional-thermoregulatory model for the differential diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis

“…The higher k values found for PsA with respect to HCs values reflect the higher active and systemic vasodilation after the end of the onset undershoot. This finding might be attributed to a higher emissivity of the PsA areas [ 4 ] in the presence of more arterioles or even chronic structure widening of the existing arterioles [ 5 ]with higher basal flux [ 3 ]. Moreover, PsA showed a faster temperature increase after the undershoot onset compared to the healthy.…”

“…However, their use in clinical routine for early diagnosis of PsA may be limited by their cost (especially MRI) or dependency on the operator’ skill (especially US) [ 2 , 3 ]. Local thermoregulatory malfunctions were found to be manifested by the presence of PsA disorder [ 4 ]. In fact, psoriatic skin vascular features may induce large thermal changes in skin temperature in psoriatic plaques [ 3 – 5 ], however little is known about the effect of the joint inflammatory process of PsA on normal skin overlying affected joints in PsA patients.…”

“…In RA for example a direct relationship between disease activity (Ritchie score, morning stiffness) and skin temperature as for the heat distribution index was demonstrated. Several IR imaging studies have been performed to differentiate PsA plaque skin [ 1 , 4 , 10 ]. However, to our best knowledge, no study with the exception of our pilot study (Capo et al, [ 11 ]) has ever been performed to study the thermal changes of skin overlying joint in PsA that may be manifested by the PsA inflammatory condition that may present on the distal interphalangeal joints as well as larger joints.…”

“…However, to our best knowledge, no study with the exception of our pilot study (Capo et al, [ 11 ]) has ever been performed to study the thermal changes of skin overlying joint in PsA that may be manifested by the PsA inflammatory condition that may present on the distal interphalangeal joints as well as larger joints. Moreover, while most of the IR diagnostic studies of PsA were usually performed on the basis of static IR evaluation (without performing any Challenge/diagnostic test) of the abnormalities in the corresponding thermal pattern [ 1 , 4 , 10 ], a dynamic and functional IR evaluation of temperature changes of skin overlying the proximal and distal interphalangeal Joints of PsA patients in both basal conditions or in response to functional (isometric) exercise, is rare. Studies have shown that skin blood flow (and thus indirectly cutaneous temperature) during isometric exercise undergoes a limitation due to cutaneous vasoconstriction [ 7 ].…”

Psoriatic lesion regression - thermographic evaluation

“…Literature data on thermography in psoriasis dates back to the seventies of the last century [25][26][27]. Mustakallio introduced contact thermography to study influence of dithranol staining properties on erythema estimation in psoriasis [28].…”