Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition, with genetic, epigenetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors contributing to its onset and recurrence. Severe psoriasis has a great impact on quality of life, which is similar to that of insulin-dependent diabetes, depression, and ischemic heart disease, but with a lower mortality. There is an overlap between the rising incidences of autoimmune diseases and obesity. In recent years, research has shown that there is an association between psoriasis and obesity. Psoriasis is linked to obesity in a two-way manner, as each can precipitate the development of the other. Several adipose tissue-secreted adipokines were shown to be elevated in obese psoriasis patients, exhibiting similar mechanisms of action to those underlying the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Excess body weight can influence not only the treatment response in psoriasis, but also the adverse events, leading to decreased patient compliance. Specific human microbiome patterns have been identified for obesity and psoriasis and could represent a future therapeutic target in selected individuals.

The European Society for Medical Oncology experts have identified the main components of the long-term management of oncological patients. These include early diagnosis through population screening and periodic control of already diagnosed patients to identify relapses, recurrences, and other associated neoplasms. There are no generally accepted international guidelines for the long-term monitoring of patients with skin neoplasms (nonmelanoma skin cancer, malignant melanoma, precancerous—high-risk skin lesions). Still, depending on the experience of the attending physician and based on the data from the literature, one can establish monitoring intervals to supervise these high-risk population groups, educate the patient and monitor the general population.

Background: Autoimmune bullous diseases (ABDs) are a rare but significant group of dermatoses that pose great challenges to the treating dermatologist. ABDs are characterized by the presence of tissue-bound and circulating autoantibodies directed against disease-specific target antigens of the skin. Most epidemiological studies have focused on a single ABD. More than that, there are few data about the incidence and prevalence of autoimmune blistering diseases in Romania. Methods: In this study, between 2015 and 2019, we retrospectively investigated a total of 225 patients with autoimmune bullous diseases from the northeastern region of Romania. The diagnosis was based on the clinical and histo- and immunohistological findings. Results: Pemphigus was the most frequently encountered ABD, with an incidence of 8.16/1,000,000 inhabitants, representing 58.7% (132 cases), followed by 24% cases of bullous pemphigoid (54 cases), 15.4% of patients were diagnosed with dermatitis herpetiformis (37 cases), and 0.9% other subepidermal autoimmune bullous dermatoses. The average age of onset of pemphigus vulgaris was 59.4 years, the majority of patients being male, while the average age of patients diagnosed with bullous pemphigoid was 73.8 years, the majority being female. Conclusions: Pemphigus vulgaris is the most frequently encountered ABDs in the northeast of Romania, with a higher incidence than in Western European countries, and this may be due to specific peculiarities of the geographical area, as well as to a genetic susceptibility of the population in this region.

Background and Objectives: Psoriasis (PsO) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory skin disorder frequently associated with psychiatric and psychological burden. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of psychiatric comorbidities in patients with PsO from a dermatology clinic of a university hospital in northeastern Romania, thereby providing physicians with evidence to support more holistic and integrated care approaches. Materials and Methods: This is a 10-year retrospective epidemiological study on 2219 patients diagnosed with PsOwho were admitted to a Romanian university hospital between January 2013 and December 2022. Psychiatric and dermatological diagnoses were extracted from medical records using International Classification of Diseases—Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes. Relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Among 2219 patients, the most common psychiatric comorbidities were unspecified depressive disorder (120 patients, 5.4%, p < 0.01), mixed anxiety-depressive disorder (34 patients, 1.5%, p < 0.01), and mild depression (24 patients, 1.1%, p < 0.01). Female PsO patients demonstrated a relative risk (RR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 1.55 [1.12–2.14] (p = 0.007) for developing psychiatric comorbidities compared to males. Patients aged less than 18 years exhibited an RR [95% CI] of 2.032 [1.297–3.186] (p = 0.002) for psycho-emotional stress, the highest among all age groups. Notably, patients with concurrent psoriatic arthritis (PsA) showed a significantly elevated risk with RR [95% CI] of 1.546 [1.06–2.20] (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Depression and anxiety represent substantial psychiatric comorbidities in PsO patients, particularly affecting female individuals, younger patients, and those with concurrent PsA. These findings underscore the necessity for integrated mental health screening and psychological support within dermatological care protocols.

(1) Generating the need to impose social distancing to reduce the spread of the virus, the COVID-19 pandemic altered the ways in which the teaching process normally happens. The aim of our study was to determine the impact of online teaching on medical students during this period. (2) Our study included 2059 medical, dental and pharmacy students from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, Iasi, Romania. We used a modified metacognition questionnaire after translation into Romanian and validation. Our questionnaire included 38 items, and it was divided into four parts. Academic results and preferences regarding the on-site or online courses, information regarding practical training, self-awareness in terms of one’s feelings such as anger, boredom and anxiety and also substance use linked to online teaching, and contextualization of the relationship with colleagues, teachers, friends and family were among the most important points evaluated. A comparison was made between preclinical and clinical students. A five-item Linkert-like scale was used for rating the answers in the last three parts that evaluated the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the educational process. (3) Preclinical medical students, compared to preclinical dental students, obtained statistically significant improvements in their evaluation results, with fewer failed exams (p < 0.001) and with similar results being obtained by comparing dental with pharmacy students. All students obtained statistically significant improvements in their academic results during the online evaluation. A statistically significant increase in anxiety and depression with a p-value of <0.001 was registered among our students. (4) The majority found it difficult to cope with this intense period. Both teachers and students found it difficult to adjust on such short notice to the challenges posed by the new concept of online teaching and learning.

Background: Endometriosis is often diagnosed years after symptom onset, while communication-related factors remain poorly defined in Central and Eastern Europe. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 150 Romanian women reporting surgically confirmed endometriosis completed an online questionnaire on diagnostic history and patient–physician communication, assessed with a seven-item Likert scale (Cronbach’s α = 0.836). Results: Mean diagnostic delay was 9.1 years (median 8; IQR 4–13), with 5.2 physicians and 10.2 consultations before diagnosis. Delay was unrelated to symptom severity (r = 0.07, p = 0.43) but inversely related to age at symptom onset (r = −0.68). Adolescent-onset symptoms were followed by a 14.9-year delay versus 5.8 years for adult-onset symptoms. In multivariable analysis (adjusted R² = 0.49), earlier onset and more consultations remained independently associated with delay. Communication had an indirect association through consultation number (effect −0.68; 95% bootstrap CI −1.26 to −0.22), accounting for 38% of the total association; direction cannot be inferred from cross-sectional data. Symptom minimization (76%) was linked to more physicians and longer delays (10.0 vs. 6.0 years; d = 0.60). Conclusions: Earlier onset and repeated healthcare encounters were related to delay than symptom severity. The self-selected, urban, highly educated sample limits generalizability and causal interpretation.