Eur J Intern Med. 2009 Mar; 20(2): 158-61ArtantaŠS, Gül U, Kiliç A, Güler SBACKGROUND: In cases of thyroid diseases, many of the symptoms arise on the skin. In this study, we aimed to detect and compare the skin findings and accompanying dermatoses of patients with thyroid diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 220 patients with thyroid diseases, who did not have any medical cure, and 90 healthy individuals as a control group attended our study. All of the cases were examined, and the skin findings and/or dermatoses were recorded. The skin findings in the patients and the control group were compared statistically. RESULTS: Among 220 cases, in 125 (56.8%) skin findings were detected. The most frequently observed skin findings were chronic urticaria (6.8%), vitiligo (6.8%), diffuse alopecia (6%), acne vulgaris (5%) and acne rosacea (3.6%). No significant difference was detected statistically between the patients and control group in terms of skin findings. When compared for the presence of each dermatosis, chronic urticaria, vitiligo and pruritus were found to be significantly higher in the patient group with thyroid diseases than in the control group. In terms of the presence of skin findings, no statistical difference was detected between autoimmune hyperthyroidism and non-autoimmune hyperthyroidism, between autoimmune hypothyroidism and non-autoimmune hypothyroidism, or between autoimmune euthyroidism and non-autoimmune euthyroidism. Chronic urticaria, vitiligo, and diffuse alopecia were found to be significantly higher in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases than in the control group. Vitiligo and diffuse alopecia were found to be higher in autoimmune hyperthyroidism patients than in the control group. Vitiligo was found to be significantly higher in autoimmune hypothyroidism patients than in the control group. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, no report investigating the skin findings among thyroid diseases exists in literature. We believe this study would provide data for further studies.
Rosacea is a common condition of unknown etiology usually accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms and favorably responding to the treatment with antibiotics. This study was designed to examine the prevalence of gastric Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection verified by 13C-UTB-test, CLO, Hp culture and serology (IgG) in patients with rosacea. Gastroduodenoscopy was combined with pentagastrin secretory test and antral and fundic biopsy samples were taken for histological evaluation (the Sydney system). Blood samples were also taken for the determination of plasma gastrin using RIA and plasma interleukin (IL)-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) using ELISA. This study was performed in 60 patients, 31-72 year old, with visible papules and pustules associated with erythema and flushing on the face and on 60 age- and gender-matched patients without any skin diseases but with similar as in rosacea gastrointestinal symptoms but without endoscopic changes in gastroduodenal mucosa (non-...