Background: Lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP) is a common cause of facial melanosis in the dark-skinned population. At present, information on dermoscopy and patch testing in LPP is limited. Objectives: To describe dermoscopic findings and study the role of patch testing in patients with LPP on the face. Methods: Facial lesions of 50 patients with LPP were studied dermoscopically, followed by histological evaluation. Patch and photopatch tests with the Indian Standard Series and Scandinavian series, respectively, and patient's own cosmetics were performed on all patients. Results: The most common dermoscopic finding was dots and/or globules (43/50, 86%) in different patterns: hem-like (20.9%), arcuate (18.6%), incomplete reticular (39.5%), complete reticular (7%), and not otherwise specified (14%). Other patterns were exaggerated pseudoreticular pattern, accentuation of pigmentation around follicular openings, targetoid appearance, and obliteration of the pigmentary network. There were 26 relevant patch tests in 17 (34%) patients: para-phenylenediamine (n = 5), nickel (n = 3), colophony, perfume mix and fragrance mix (n = 2 each), thiuram mix and 3,3,4,5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide (n = 1 each), and patients' own products (n = 9). The only positive photopatch test was to fentichlor. No clinical or histological finding differed significantly based on patch test results. The only dermoscopic finding to be statistically associated with a positive patch test was the non-characteristic arrangement of dots/globules (P = 0.042). Limitations: Dermoscopic features were not correlated with clinical features or disease duration. Implications of patch testing on the management of LPP cannot be commented upon as ours was a cross-sectional study. Conclusions: The present study describes the dermoscopic findings of facial lesions in LPP. Our patch test results suggest a probable role of allergens in causing LPP on the face.

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Traction alopecia was first described in 1904 but is still a cause of scarring hair loss in young women worldwide. It is unique in being initially a reversible then an irreversible (scarring) form of alopecia. Linked to tightly-pulled hairstyles, it is seen across all races. The pattern of hair loss depends on the style creating it but most commonly affects the frontotemporal hairline. There are some new examination findings associated with traction alopecia, which are traction folliculitis, the fringe sign and hair casts (pseudonits) on dermatoscopy. These may prove key in prompting early specialist referral. The mainstay of current treatment is cessation of the contributing hairstyles. Camouflage, anti-inflammatory or growth-stimulating topical preparations are second line treatments. In later stages of severe traction alopecia hair transplantation may be the only effective treatment. The evidence basis for medical intervention with topical agents is anecdotal at best. Furthermore, additional research is required to clarify the pathogenesis of this biphasic alopecia. Until then, prompt diagnosis and identification of causative hairstyles are focus of current dermatological practice.

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The nail is an important skin appendage, but not many dermatologists are aware of the importance it receives outside our specialty. This article focuses on the nail in non-dermatological contexts. The nail is a keratinized matrix capable of continuous growth with the ability to incorporate various compounds within its structure. Therefore it can be used to monitor long-term consumption of drugs. It is also an excellent source of germ-line DNA for genetic analyses. With an increased undrstanding of nail physiology, there is now a better understanding of its connection to various pathologies as well. Nails, being peripherally placed, are easy to sample without significant discomfort to the patient, making them a valuable diagnostic tool. For this narrative review, we carried out a PubMed search using the key words “nail clipping,” “nail DNA,” “nail diabetes mellitus;” “nail clipping oncology,” and “nail forensics”. Retrieved articles were searched for information pertaining to non-dermatologic uses of nail for evaluation, which is presented in a narrative fashion. It is clear from recent literature that the nail is not just an inert skin appendage, but a dynamic window into the ever-changing metabolic and genetic milieu. We highlight the numerous roles of nail specimens, as well as point towards future research needed therein.

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Primary cutaneous plasmacytosis is a rare cutaneous disorder with extensive cutaneous plaques/papules mainly on the trunk and face. Cases have mostly been documented from Japan. We present here a rare case of cutaneous plasmacytosis from India of Mongolian descent. This 50-year-old female from Mizoram had extensive maculo-papular violaceous plaques distributed on the face, axillae, trunk and lower extremities. Initial and repeat skin biopsy revealed dense perivascular and periadnexal mature plasma cells. She also had lymphadenopathy. Serum protein electrophoresis did not reveal any M band and the Bence Jones protein was negative in urine. The patient had multiple superficial lymph nodes and a biopsy from the cervical lymph node showed effacement of normal nodal architecture by sheets of plasma cells. Immuno histochemistry was done from both skin and lymph node biopsies. The kappa and lambda tight chains were not restricted; there by proving the polyclonal nature of the plasma cells. The novelty of the case lies in its classical clinical presentation with histopathological documentation.

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Background: Nail involvement in psoriasis is common with a lifetime incidence of 80-90%. It may reflect severity of cutaneous involvement and predict joint disease. Yet it remains, poorly studied and evaluated especially in Indian psoriatic patients. Aim: The present study was undertaken to evaluate clinical and serological profile of nail involvement in psoriasis and to assess quality of life impairment associated with nail involvement in Indian patients. Methods: Consecutive patients with nail psoriasis were assessed for severity of cutaneous disease (psoriasis area severity index score) and nail disease (nail psoriasis severity index score). The impairment in quality of life attributable to nail disease was scored with nail psoriasis quality of life 10 score. All patients were also assessed for joint disease and tested for inflammatory and serological markers as erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies. Results: In our cohort of 38 patients with nail psoriasis, 9 had concomitant psoriatic arthritis. The mean psoriasis area severity index was 14.4 ± 9.6 (range = 0.4–34). The most commonly recorded psoriatic nail changes were pitting (97.4%), onycholysis (94.7%) and subungual hyperkeratosis (89.5%). The mean nail psoriasis severity index score was 83.2 ± 40.1 (range = 5–156) and mean nail psoriasis quality of life 10 was 1.1 ± 0.4. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein were raised in 22/38 (57.9%) and 15/38 (39.5%) patients, respectively; rheumatoid factor was positive in 5/38 (13.2%) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody was raised in 4/38 (10.5%) patients. Limitations: Small sample size and lack of a control group. Conclusions: In Indian patients with nail psoriasis, severity of nail involvement was found to be poorly correlated with the extent of cutaneous disease. In addition the impact of nail disease on patient's quality of life was found to be minimal. This suggests the need for a quality of life questionnaire suited to the Indian population. Serological markers were raised overall in the study patients and more so in the patients with concomitant arthritis.

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Introduction and Aims: Brittleness and breakage of hair is a common complaint in the geographical area of Saudi Arabia where we work. This area has a high level of hardness in normal tap water. We aimed to study and compare structural differences and relative deposition of calcium and magnesium salts on the hair shaft surface using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) between hair shaft samples from normal, healthy volunteers treated with hard and soft water. Methods: Hair samples obtained from 20 healthy volunteers were divided into two groups. One group was treated with hard water for 3 weeks and the second with soft water for the same duration. SEM was used to assess hair shaft surface damages and relative deposition of calcium and magnesium on the surface of the hair. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the study and control group as far as surface changes under SEM were concerned. As far as the relative deposition of calcium and magnesium was concerned, there was no statistically significant difference in calcium deposition between the control and study samples (P = 0.28). On the other hand, magnesium deposition showed a significant difference between both groups (P = 0.001), with a higher level in samples washed with hard water. Conclusions: Hard water may be associated with increased deposits on the hair shaft surface, however, this does not necessarily translate into evident structural surface changes, as evidenced by SEM.

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Background: Systemic sclerosis is a multisystem disorder characterized by microangiopathy, dysregulation of the immune system and massive deposition of collagen in the connective tissue of the skin, blood vessels and various internal organs. Although the mortality from renal crises has dropped significantly due to the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, cardiac and pulmonary involvement accounts for significant morbidity and mortality. We studied 28 patients with systemic sclerosis at Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Hyderabad, over a period of two years for cardiopulmonary involvement. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the cardiopulmonary involvement in systemic sclerosis. Methods: All patients with systemic sclerosis attending the dermatology outpatient department were included in the study. The diagnosis of systemic sclerosis was made based on the American Rheumatology Association criteria, and was further confirmed by skin biopsy and serological investigations. X-ray chest, electrocardiogram, two-dimensional ECHO, high-resolution computed tomography chest, pulmonary function tests and bronchoalveolar lavage were done to evaluate cardiopulmonary involvement. Observations: Out of 28 patients, 17 had diffuse systemic sclerosis and 11 had limited systemic sclerosis. Mean duration of symptoms was 2.9 years. Abnormalities in chest X-ray were found in 16 patients. Pulmonary function tests showed a restrictive pattern in 23 patients. High-resolution computed tomography of the chest showed evidence of interstitial lung disease in 21 patients, while five patients each had pleural effusion and cardiomegaly. Bronchoalveolar lavage showed different cellular patterns such as neutrophilia, eosinophilia and lymphocytosis. Pulmonary arterial hypertension was observed in seven patients and isolated pulmonary arterial hypertension in two patients. Electrocardiogram abnormalities were found in twenty patients. Two-dimensional ECHO was abnormal in 17 patients with valvular abnormalities being the most common finding. Overall, pulmonary involvement was observed in 27 patients and cardiac involvement in 17 patients. Limitations: A small sample size was a limitation of this study. Diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide, and right cardiac catheterization were not done, as these were not available at our centre. Conclusions: In our patients, pulmonary involvement was more common than cardiac involvement. Interstitial lung disease and cardiac involvement were more commonly seen in diffuse systemic sclerosis whereas pulmonary hypertension was more frequent in limited systemic sclerosis. Hence, it is important to screen the patients for cardiopulmonary involvement for early diagnosis and treatment and a better prognostic outcome.

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Background: Cyclophosphamide therapy is associated with several urological complications including urinary bladder malignancy. Data on urologic complications of chronic cyclophosphamide therapy for dermatologic conditions is not available. Objectives: To study the urocytological profile of pemphigus patients on long-term cyclophosphamide therapy. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, consecutive patients who had received cyclophosphamide therapy for pemphigus for more than 12 months were included. All patients were subjected to urinalysis including microscopy, culture, and urine cytology. Immunocytochemical staining for cytokeratin 20 (CK-20) on urine sediments and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) for nuclear membrane protein-22 (NMP-22) were performed in all cases. In patients with urinary symptoms, microscopic hematuria, or those detected with abnormal urine sediment cytology, NMP-22, and CK-20 positivity, cystoscopy, and other relevant investigations were also done. Results: A total of 44 patients (43 of pemphigus vulgaris and one of pemphigus foliaceus) were recruited. Mean duration of cyclophosphamide intake was 2.9 ± 1.7 years (range 1–8 years) with a mean cumulative dose of 53 ± 28.4 g (range 6.5–141 g). Twenty-one cases (47.7%) each were asymptomatic and symptomatic with episodic urinary symptoms [of which two had urinary tract infection (UTI)] and two patients had gross hematuria. Urine cytology revealed mild urothelial nucleomegaly with hyperchromasia in four patients. However, CK-20 and NMP-22 were negative in all samples. Cystoscopy was performed in 21 cases and did not reveal any sign of bladder malignancy. Limitations: A relatively small sample size and lack of long-term follow-up were limitations. Conclusions: In our study, no serious urologic complications were found in pemphigus cases on chronic cyclophosphamide therapy.

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Background: Multifocal epithelial hyperplasia is an uncommon disease of the oral mucosa caused by the human papilloma virus. Aim: To study the clinical and pathological findings of multifocal epithelial hyperplasia detected during an oral examination of 343 Mexican Nahuatl children from a single primary school in El Paso de Cupilco, Mexico. Methods: A thorough oral examination was performed in all children and clinical data (age, gender, location and number of lesions) were documented and analyzed. Results: Multifocal epithelial hyperplasia was diagnosed in 110 of the 343 children (32.3%). The ages of the children varied from 5 to 15 years, and of these, 56.3% were girls. The lesions were asymptomatic, 0.2 to 3.0 cm in diameter, soft, round to oval, smooth surfaced, sessile papulonodules, similar in colour to that of the surrounding mucosa. The lesions were commonly seen on the buccal mucosa and tongue, and most affected children (85%) had less than 5 lesions. Children in the 7 to 10 years age group were most often affected. Limitations: Human papillomavirus typing was not done owing to a lack of facilities. Conclusions: There is a high incidence of multifocal epithelial hyperplasia in Nahuatl children with a predilection for females.

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