Purpose: Although the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects of isotretinoin (ISO) treatment in patients with acne vulgaris have been discussed in the literature in recent years, no sensitive and specific marker has been found in studies so far. Neutrophil/HDL (high-density lipoprotein) (NHR), lymphocyte/HD L(LHR), platelet/HDL (PHR), and lymphocyte/monocyte (LMR) are new biomarkers related to inflammation. Triglyceride/HDL (TG/HDL), LDL/HDL, and total cholesterol/HDL have been shown to be cardiometabolic risk factors predicting both cardiovascular disease risk and metabolic risk, rather than just a simple dyslipidemia scale. To our knowledge, the relationship between these parameters and ISO treatment has never been studied before. We aimed to evaluate the immuno-inflammatory response of ISO treatment in patients with acne vulgaris with NHR, LHR, PHR, LMR, TG/HDL, LDL/HDL, and total cholesterol/HDL parameters.
Materials and methods: In this study, 153 patients who received oral ISO treatment for at least 3 months with a diagnosis of moderate-severe acne vulgaris were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were given oral isotretinoin at a dose of 0.5-1 mg/kg. Pre and post-treatment leukocyte (WBC), neutrophil (NE), lymphocyte (LY), platelet (PLT), red cell distribution width (RDW), plateletcrit (PCT), neutrophil/lymphocyte (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte (PLR), mean platelet volume (MPV), monocyte/lymphocyte (MLR), LMR, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, MHR, NHR, LHR, PHR, TG/HDL, total cholesterol/HDL, LDL/HDL parameters were evaluated.
Results: It was found that post-treatment WBC and MPV values increased statistically significantly; NLR, neutrophil, and PCT values, on the other hand, decreased significantly (p < 0.05). No statistically significant change was detected in PLR, MLR, LMR, MHR, NHR, LHR, PHR, lymphocyte, monocyte, platelet, and RDW parameters (p > 0.05). It was determined that post-treatment total cholesterol, triglyceride, VLDL, and LDL levels increased statistically significantly; however, the HDL level decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Levels of total cholesterol/HDL, TG/HDL, and LDL/HDL were also found to increase statistically significantly (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Our study suggests that the MPV and NLR ratio as biomarkers can be used as indicators of atherosclerosis-related inflammation due to ISO treatment, but the MHR, NHR, LHR, PHR, MLR, LMR ratios cannot be used. Moreover, we believe that the ratios of TG/HDL, LDL/HDL, and total cholesterol/HDL offer a new contribution as indicators of cardiovascular risk and systemic inflammation related to ISO treatment.
Purpose: To compare the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) in smoker and nonsmoker diabetics without diabetic retinopathy.
Materials and methods: Patients with diabetes were divided into two groups according to their smoking status: Group 1 consisted of 38 smoker diabetics who had chronically smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day for more than five years; Group 2 consisted of 38 nonsmoker diabetics. After a detailed ophthalmologic examination, the mean and regional (superior, supratemporal, inferior, inferotemporal, temporal, nasal, superonasal, and inferonasal) RNFL and GC-IPL thicknesses were measured with spectral-domain optic coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and compared between groups.
Results: The mean age was 54.7 ± 10.5 and 51.2 ± 9.7 years in the smoker and nonsmoker groups, respectively (p = 0.14). Gender, duration of diabetes, and the mean axial length were similar between groups (p:0.43, p:0.54, p: 0.52, respectively). Mean RNFL thickness was 89.1 ± 8.0 µm in the smoker group and 93.4 ± 7.0 µm in the nonsmoker group, and it was significantly thinner in the smoker group (p = 0.01). The temporal RNFL thickness in the smoker group was thinner than in the nonsmoker group (p = 0.02). There was no difference in superior, inferior, and nasal RNFL thicknesses between the groups (p = 0.31, p = 0.12, p = 0.39, respectively). The mean macular GC-IPL thickness of the smoker and nonsmoker groups was 78.53 ± 15.74 µm and 83.08 ± 5.85 µm, respectively (p = 0.09). Superior, superonasal, inferonasal, inferior, inferotemporal, and superotemporal quadrant GC-IPL thicknesses were similar between the groups (p = 0.07, p = 0.60, p = 0.55, p = 0.77, p = 0.71, p = 0.08, respectively). The groups showed no difference in minimum GC-IPL thickness (p = 0.43). There was a significant negative correlation between smoking exposure and mean, inferior quadrant RNFL thicknesses in the smoker group (p = 0.04, r= -0.32, and p = 0.01, r= -0.39, respectively).
Conclusion: Mean RNFL thickness was significantly thinner in smoker diabetics. Although not statistically significant, especially mean, superior, and superotemporal GC-IPL was thinner in smoker diabetics. The results suggest a potential association between the coexistence of diabetes and smoking with alterations in RNFL and GC-IPL thickness.
Aim: Lip care cosmetics products are any external preparation used by people to prevent drying, chapping, dullness, and beautification of lips. This study aimed to review the literature on allergic reactions induced by different types of lip care cosmetic products. Methods: A literature search was performed in PubMed from inception to June 2022. The study included articles published in English and available in full text. References of illegible articles were searched. Studies describing any patient who developed allergic contact dermatitis after the application of lip care cosmetic products were included. Results: A total of 47 reports consisting of 58 individuals experienced allergic reactions to lip care products. Several lip care cosmetics products, such as lipsticks, lip balms, lip salve, lip gloss, lip liner, and lip plumper, were found to be associated with allergic reactions. The most common ingredients that caused the allergic contact dermatitis were castor oil, benzophenone-3, gallate, wax, and colophony. Conclusions: Lip care cosmetics products contain several components that have been associated with allergic reactions. Awareness needs to be created among the general public and dermatologists regarding the presence of possible allergens in lip care cosmetic products.
Objective: Tislelizumab may induce immune-related adverse events, especially adverse skin events. Early detection and timely intervention of cutaneous adverse events are crucial to improve patients' quality of life and reduce the disruption of therapeutic regimens. This study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of cutaneous adverse reactions to tislelizumab and offer a reference for its rational clinical use.
Methods: Case reports of cutaneous adverse reactions induced by tislelizumab were collected from the relevant databases (up to 31 March 2023). Patient age, sex, primary disease, medication use, occurrence of adverse skin conditions, treatment, and outcomes were recorded and descriptively analysed.
Results: A total of 13 patients were enrolled, including six males and seven females, aged 55-79 years, with a median age of 75 years and a mean age of 70.92 ± 8.84 years. The original disease was lung carcinoma in none patients, cervical carcinoma in two, and urothelial carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma in one each. The time from the initiation of medication use to the occurrence of cutaneous adverse reactions ranged from 7 to 177 days. Among the 13 patients, 10 showed improvement after drug withdrawal or symptomatic treatment. Two patients died (one died of disease progression and multiorgan failure, one died of acute coronary syndrome), and one patient's adverse skin reactions persisted without treatment.
Conclusions: Tislelizumab-related cutaneous adverse reactions mostly occur after several days to months of treatment. In clinical practice, evaluation and monitoring should be strengthened. More attention should be paid to erythema and rashes, which may be signs of serious adverse skin reactions. Early detection and intervention can ensure the safe use of drugs and provide greater clinical benefits to patients.
Introduction: In the quest for objective biomarkers for psoriasis, the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and mean platelet volume (MPV) have been used to assess disease severity, treatment efficacy, and follow-up in psoriasis, and their relationship with the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) has been investigated.
Purpose: The evaluation of pre-treatment, 3rd and 6th-month levels of NLR, PLR, MPV, and CRP along with PASI scores in psoriasis patients treated with secukinumab, ixekizumab, risankizumab, and guselkumab.
Materials and methods: In our study, 83 patients aged 18 and over, who were followed up with moderate-severe plaque type psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic arthritis and received secukinumab, ixekizumab, risankizumab, and guselkumab treatment in the chronic skin diseases clinic of Fırat University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between January 2019 and 2023, were evaluated retrospectively.
Results: Post-treatment leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet, CRP, and PASI values were statistically significantly lower in all biological agent groups and all patients. The post-treatment NLR value was statistically significantly higher in all patients and in the group using ixekizumab. The post-treatment PLR value was statistically significantly higher in the group using guselkumab and ixekizumab and in all patients. The post-treatment MPV was statistically significantly higher in all patients and in the group using secukinumab. No correlation was found between post-treatment PASI and other values (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the post-treatment 6-month values among all biological agent groups. The effects of different drugs on outcomes after treatment were found to be similar (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Our study supports the view that MPV and CRP can be used in patients with psoriasis using IL17 and IL23 inhibitors, while NLR and PLR parameters derived from blood count may not be used to evaluate treatment response, contrary to other studies.
Purpose: Skin exposure to noxious agents leads to cutaneous lesion marked by an increase in inflammation, cellular proliferation, and hyperplasiogenic reactions. Studies have demonstrated that these damages breach the skin integrity resulting in the aetiology of various cutaneous disorders like atopic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, and development of non-melanoma skin cancer. Celecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, is an effective treatment for a variety of inflammatory diseases. Its importance in the therapy of skin problems, however, remains under appreciated.
Methods: We tested efficacy of topically applied celecoxib in mitigating skin inflammation, cellular proliferation, and hyperplasia induced by the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in Swiss albino mice.
Results: Celecoxib (5 and 10 μmol) markedly reduced TPA (10 nmol) induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production, oedema formation, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). It also resulted in a considerable decrease in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and the incorporation of [3H]-thymidine into DNA. In addition, there was a significant reduction in histoarchitectural abnormalities such as epidermal thickness, number of epidermal cell layers, neutrophil infiltration, intercellular oedema, and vasodilation.
Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that topical celecoxib can reduce the inflammation, hyperproliferation, and hyperplasiogenic events of skin insults suggesting that it may prove to be a valuable management option for cutaneous lesion and associated illnesses such as atopic dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis, as well as the emergence of non-melanoma cancer.
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of commercial tattoo inks used in corneal tattooing on conjunctival microbiota.
Method: This prospective case control study consisted of 125 participants divided in the following three groups: 35 patients with corneal tattoos, 40 patients with corneal leukoma, and 50 healthy subjects. Corneal tattooing was performed in all the cases in this study using a tattoo pen machine and commercial tattoo ink. A total of 500 cultures were taken from 250 eyes of 125 individuals on chocolate and sheep blood agar. Bacteriological samples were taken from the inferior eyelid conjunctiva using a sterile cotton swab. Without any contact elsewhere, the swabs were smeared on bedside chocolate agars and 5% sheep blood agar.
Results: In tattooed eyes, bacterial growth was detected in 42.9% of the chocolate and sheep blood agar samples. In other healthy eyes of patients with corneal tattoos, 54.5% bacterial growth on chocolate agar and 57.1% on sheep blood agar were detected. No statistical difference was detected in the conjunctival microbiota of chocolate and sheep blood agar (p = 0.254, p = 0.134, respectively) in the tattooed eyes compared to the other eye of the individual. No statistically significant difference was found in terms of bacterial growth in tattooed, leukoma, or healthy eyes on chocolate and sheep blood agar (p = 0.408, p = 0.349). The growth rate of Staphylococcus epidermidis decreased by 33.3% (from 12 to 8) on chocolate agar in 35 tattooed eyes, and it decreased by 28.5% (from 14 to 10) on sheep blood agar, while gram-negative bacteria Brevundimonas diminuta, Acinetobacter lwoffii, and Psychrobacter faecalis were detected in three patients.
Conclusion: Corneal tattooing using commercial dye does not affect conjunctival microbiota. In the past 3 years, 120 patients have been tattooed with commercial tattoo ink in Istanbul Medeniyet University Göztepe Training and Research Hospital. No complications related to infection were found in the 3-year follow-up. The gram-negative bacteria detected in the healthy control group and tattooed eyes were bacteria found on normal skin or in the respiratory tract. Although some gram-negative bacteria do not cause infection, careful eye examination, follow-up, and culture are required in suspicious cases.
Purpose: The amniotic membrane (AM), the inner layer of the placenta, is a semitransparent, avascular, and thin tissue that is useful due to its structure. Amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) avoids the need for keratoplasty to prevent corneal perforating. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the visual (gain of or no change in visual acuity) and corneal outcomes (closure of the ulcer or corneal healing) of AMT in patients with ocular surface diseases.
Materials and methods: This was a retrospective case control study (success or failure of the surgery). It was undertaken at a single academic center. The study cohort consisted of subjects with ocular surface diseases. Patients were treated with AMT for refractory ocular surface diseases. They were divided into five subgroups according to the preoperative diagnosis. The technique of AMT used was the onlay method with two layers of AM. Primary outcome measures included best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), the number of AMTs, and reepithelization of the corneal epithelium at the end of the treatment. Two weeks to six months were given to consider epithelial closure. Treatment success was defined as corneal healing within 6 months.
Results: A total of the 66 eyes of 66 patients (39 male/27 female) with a mean age of 44 ± 23 years (range 1-88 years) were included in the study. A single AMT procedure achieved epithelial closure in 74.2% (n = 49) of the eyes (53% in <15 days, 19.6% in 15-30 days, and 1.5% in 1-6 months). The fastest reepithelization occurred in neurotrophic keratopathy, 76.9% of which cases occurred within 15 days after the AMT procedure. Treatment failure was observed in five patients (7.5%), four with keratitis and one with neurotrophic keratopathy. The highest closure rates were found in persistent epithelial defects, graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), and bullous keratopathy, although there was no statistically significant difference in BCVA. Pairwise comparisons were made of neurotropic keratoplasty versus bullous keratopathy (P = 0.025), neurotrophic keratopathy versus keratitis (P = 0.004), GVHD versus keratitis (P = 0.003), and lastly, GvHD versus bullous keratopathy (P = 0.023).
Conclusions: AMT is a safe, valuable, and fast treatment technique to treat corneal epithelial defects stemming from different etiologies that are refractory to conventional treatment.