Biometrology of physical properties of skin in thyroid dysfunction

Biophysical and ultrasonographic changes in pityriasis rosea compared with uninvolved skin

BACKGROUND

Pityriasis rosea (PR) is a common, self-limited, inflammatory papulosquamous skin disease with a possible viral etiology.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to evaluate skin biophysical properties in patients with PR compared with uninvolved skin to better understand the pathogenesis of PR.

METHODS

Stratum corneum hydration, transepidermal water loss, surface friction, pH, sebum, melanin, erythema, temperature, elasticity parameters (R0, R2, R5), thickness, and echodensity of the epidermis and dermis were measured on lesions of classic PR in 21 patients and compared with control sites (average of uninvolved perilesional and symmetrical skin) with a paired t test.

RESULTS

Stratum corneum hydration (p < .001), R0 (p = .003), R2 (p = .001), R5 (p = .003), and echodensity of the dermis (p = .006) were significantly lower, whereas transepidermal water loss (p = .001), pH (p < .001), and erythema (p < .001) were significantly higher in PR lesions. There was no significant difference in friction index, sebum, melanin content, temperature, thickness of the epidermis and dermis, and echodensity of the epidermis between PR and normal skin.

CONCLUSION

PR skin is characterized by certain alterations in biophysical properties, which are mostly correlated with histologic changes. These changes may be helpful in early, noninvasive diagnosis of PR.

Biophysical Measurements and Ultrasonographic Findings in Chronic Dermatitis in Comparison with Uninvolved Skin

Background:

Nowadays noninvasive techniques are performed to evaluate the biophysical properties of skin in vivo.

Aims:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the biophysical and ultrasonographic properties of skin in chronic contact or atopic dermatitis to provide better insight into pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment response.

Materials and Methods:

The stratum corneum hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), pH, erythema, melanin, sebum, friction, temperature, elasticity parameters (R0, R2, and R5), the thickness and echo-density of epidermis, dermis, and subepidermal low-echogenic band (SLEB) were measured on lesional, perilesional, and symmetrical skin of 22 chronic dermatitis patients. The average of perilesional and symmetrical skin values (control) was compared with lesional values.

Results:

Stratum corneum hydration (P<0.001), friction (P=0.02), sebum (P=0.01), and R0 (P<0.001) were significantly lower in lesion, TEWL (P=0.03), pH (P=0.001), erythema (P=0.004), and temperature (P=0.04) were significantly higher in lesion. The thickness of epidermis (P=0.002), dermis (P=0.034), and SLEB (P<0.001) were significantly higher in lesion; and the echo-density of dermis (P<0.001) and SLEB (P<0.001) was significantly lower in lesion.

Conclusion:

Chronic contact and atopic dermatitis are characterized by certain changes in biophysical and biomechanical properties of the skin. The evaluation of these parameters might be useful in the early diagnosis and assessment of treatment response.

Comparison of biophysical, biomechanical and ultrasonographic properties of skin in chronic dermatitis, psoriasis and lichen planus

Background: Skin biometrology is a useful method for evaluation of inflammatory skin disorders such as dermatitis, psoriasis, and lichen planus. The current study tries to compare the biophysical features of skin in dermatitis, psoriasis, and lichen planus.

Methods: By a convenient sampling method, 22 mild to moderate chronic dermatitis, 26 psoriasis, and 21 lichen planus patients were recruited in the study. Stratum corneum (S.C.) hydration, Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), pH, erythema, melanin, sebum, friction, elasticity parameters (R0, R2, and R5), skin temperature, skin thickness, and echo-density of epidermis and dermis were measured on the lesional (selected active lesion), uninvolved perilesional, and uninvolved symmetrical skin. The average of perilesional and symmetrical uninvolved parameters was used as control, while the percentage change of each parameter [(lesion – control / control) ×100] was calculated, and compared among three diseases by ANOVA test using SPSS software version 18. The significance level was set at α=0.05.

Results: Comparison of percentage changes showed that the changes in TEWL, friction index, sebum content, R2 (gross elasticity), R5 (net elasticity), skin temperature, dermal thickness, and epidermal density are not significantly different among three skin diseases. But there were significant differences in three diseases considering the decrease in S.C. hydration (p<0.001), R0 (opposed to firmness) (p<0.001), and dermal density (p<0.001) compared to control skin. Moreover, the increase in skin pH (p<0.001), melanin content (p=0.048), erythema (p=0.023), and epidermal thickness (p <0.001) significantly differed among these diseases.

Conclusion: Dermatitis, psoriasis and lichen planus lesions had specific biophysical changes. It may be helpful in their differential diagnosis.

Evaluation of dermal symptoms in hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism

Many symptoms arise in thyroid diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dermal symptoms in hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. In this cross sectional study, 120 patients with hyperthyroidism and 50 patients suffering from hypothyroidism were studied. Cutaneous, hair and nail clinical symptoms were studied and registered in a special questionnaire. Mean age of patients suffering from hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism were 38.24 +/- 14.45 and 25.86 +/- 14.69 years old. Dry and Coarse/rough skin were the most prevalent manifestations in the skin involvement in hypothyroidism since softness was the most prevalent ones in hyperthyroidism. Fragileness was the most prevalent symptom in patients with nail involvement in hypothyroidism since soft skin was the most prevalent ones in hyperthyroidism. Coarse/rough skin was observed more in patients with hair involvement in hypothyroidism since the most prevalent ones was separation of nail from its bed in hyperthyroidism. High prevalence of skin, hair and nail symptoms in thyroid patients, early diagnosis of the signs may be helpful in premature diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases.

Decreased cutaneous resonance running time in cured leprosy subjects

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Leprosy prominently involves both the skin and peripheral neural tissues and some symptoms persist after microbial cure. Because alterations in the dermis also occur in leprosy, we assessed here whether there were changes in cutaneous resonance running time (CRRT), a parameter that is influenced by collagen properties, in cured leprosy subjects.

METHODS

A reviscometer was used to measure the CRRT at various directions on the dorsal hand and the flexural forearms of 76 cured leprosy subjects aged 50-85 years and 68 age-matched normal subjects.

RESULTS

In comparison to normal subjects, CRRTs on the hands and the forearms were significantly reduced in all directions in cured leprosy, except at the 1-7, 2-8 and 3-9 o'clock directions on the forearms. CRRTs were reduced significantly at both the 4-10 and 5-11 o'clock directions on the forearm in lepromatous (73.33 +/- 4.19 at 4-10 o'clock and 67.44 +/- 2.71 at 5-11 o'clock direction) and borderline lepromatous types (77.58 +/- 5.84 at 4-10 o'clock and 79.85 +/- 6.81 at 5-11 o'clock direction) as compared with normal (143.10 +/- 7.75 at 4-10 o'clock and 125.18 +/- 8.14 at 5-11 o'clock direction). On the hand, CRRTs at all directions, except that at 4-10 o'clock direction, were also significantly reduced in lepromatous and borderline lepromatous types in comparison with normal. Significant differences in CRRT at some directions were found among the various subtypes of leprosy.

CONCLUSION

CRRTs were abnormal in the cured leprosy subjects as a whole, but varied with leprosy subtypes, which suggested that the extent of reduction of CRRTs correlates with the severity of immune alteration. These results suggest that CRRT measurements could be a useful approach to quantify the extent of some residual abnormalities in cured leprosy and perhaps could also be used to evaluate the efficacy of treatment.