Isotretinoin is a widely used, effective medication for moderate to severe acne. It is typically used for several months, which necessitates regular laboratory monitoring. However, consensus on the optimal assessment frequency is lacking. This is a single-center retrospective study on 1182 patients who received isotretinoin for acne at the Dermatology Clinic in Jordan University Hospital over 5 years. Of the 1182 patients, 892 (76.57% females) met the inclusion criteria. An increase in the proportion of patients with abnormal triglycerides and total cholesterol levels from baseline to the sixth month was observed (p < 0.05). Conversely, differences in the number of patients with abnormal AST, ALT, and CBC were not found throughout treatment (p > 0.05). Moreover, there was a decrease in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ratio and systemic inflammatory index (SII) after the sixth month of isotretinoin treatment compared to the baseline (p = 0.012 and p = 0.021, respectively). We found that a baseline cholesterol level of 163.9 mg/dl and a baseline triglycerides level of 85.5 mg/dL are highly specific and sensitive in detecting grade 1 abnormalities at the one-month follow-up. This novel prediction approach serves as an effective risk stratification method for isotretinoin acne patients.

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum-like papillary dermal elastolysis is a rare, benign, acquired, gradually-developing chronic elastic tissue disorder that almost exclusively affects post-menopausal women. It is essential to recognize this disease as it mimics the inherited pseudoxanthoma clinically. The pathophysiology behind this disease is multifactorial; it includes intrinsic skin aging, ultraviolet radiation exposure, and genetic components. We report two patients with pseudoxanthoma elasticum-papillary dermal elastolysis diagnosis based on clinicopathologic correlation in two post-menopausal women who presented with multiple asymptomatic papules over the neck that developed gradually without systemic involvement, and were managed conservatively. We also discuss this disease's clinical, dermoscopic, and histopathologic features.

Despite the biological evidence supporting the detrimental impact of psychological stress (PS) on skin health, few descriptive studies have examined this topic. This study aims to investigate the extent of skin complaints and their correlation with PS among medical students in Jordan. This cross-sectional study included 481 medical students in Jordan. The study design involved the administration of validated questionnaires, including the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7). Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Jordan University Hospital. Among participants, 75.1% were female, and 62% were in their fourth to sixth year of medical education. All psychometric instruments demonstrated good internal consistency. DLQI scores indicated that 17% and 14% of students reported a very large or extremely large and a moderate impact of skin complaints on quality of life, respectively. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations among psychometric measures, with the strongest correlation observed between GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores (r = 0.762). Hair loss and pimples were the most commonly reported skin complaints (64.21 and 60.09%, respectively), and were significantly associated with higher PS levels (p < 0.001). Most dermatological symptoms were also significantly associated with poorer dermatology-related quality of life and higher anxiety and depressive symptom scores (p < 0.05). This study highlights the high prevalence of dermatological symptoms among medical students and their association with psychological distress. The frequent reporting of hair loss and pimples underscores the need for comprehensive approaches addressing both psychological stress and dermatological health. These findings highlight the importance of addressing psychological well-being as part of strategies to improve dermatological health among medical students.

Introduction: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disorder affecting both adults and children worldwide, with an average prevalence of approximately 2%. Recent evidence suggests that several hematological inflammatory parameters and vitamin levels may serve as accessible biomarkers for disease activity and severity assessment. Methods: This single-center retrospective case–control study was conducted at Jordan University Hospital using electronic medical record data from January 2019 to December 2023. The study included 142 patients with psoriasis and 277 age- and sex-matched controls. Psoriasis severity was assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Hematological inflammatory indices—including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII)—as well as vitamin D and vitamin B12 levels were evaluated. Results: The mean age ± standard deviation was 43.76 ± 16.78 years, with no significant differences between psoriasis cases and controls. Females accounted for 54.93% of psoriasis cases compared with 54.41% of controls. The mean PASI score was 9.02 ± 9.00. Approximately 51.79% of psoriasis patients were vitamin D deficient, while 17.82% had vitamin B12 deficiency. No significant differences in psoriasis severity categories were observed across vitamin B12 or vitamin D levels (p = 0.808 and p = 0.184, respectively). The mean NLR, PLR, and SII were 2.21, 124.6, and 588,441.8, respectively. These inflammatory indices did not demonstrate statistically significant differences between psoriasis patients and controls (p > 0.05). Conclusion: No significant associations were observed between psoriasis severity and inflammatory hematological indices (NLR, PLR, SII) or vitamin deficiencies. These findings suggest limited standalone utility of these biomarkers for routine assessment of psoriasis severity in this retrospective cohort.

Background: Psoriasis prevalence varies globally and may be influenced by genetic and environmental factors. The association between physical activity, diet, fasting, and psoriasis risk, severity, and quality of life remains poorly understood. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the relationship between physical activity, dietary habits, fasting, and psoriasis risk, severity, and quality of life. Methods: A multicentric case–control study was conducted at Jordan University Hospital and Ministry of Health hospitals. Dietary habits, physical activity, disease severity, and quality of life were evaluated using validated questionnaires. A total of 478 participants, including 119 patients with psoriasis and 359 controls, with no significant differences in age or gender between groups, were included. Written consent was obtained, and the study was approved by the institutional review board. Results: No significant differences in overall physical activity level, Mediterranean diet score, or usual fasting duration were observed between psoriasis patients and controls. However, selected Mediterranean diet components differed significantly between groups. Controls were more likely to report consuming fewer than two servings of red or processed meat per day and consuming one tablespoon or less of butter, margarine, or cream daily, whereas psoriasis cases more frequently reported sautéing with olive oil, garlic, onion, and tomato. Among psoriasis patients, PASI severity was positively correlated with DLQI scores ( r = 0.43, p < 0.001), and 44 patients had moderate‐to‐severe disease. Higher fruit intake was associated with lower PASI scores in unadjusted analysis (4.18 ± 3.25 vs. 6.37 ± 6.49; p = 0.020). In multivariable regression, lifestyle variables were not independent predictors of PASI; DLQI was the only independent predictor of PASI severity. Conclusion: In this multicentric Jordanian case–control study, overall Mediterranean diet adherence, physical activity, and fasting duration were not independently associated with psoriasis case status or PASI severity. Selected dietary components showed unadjusted associations with psoriasis case status or severity, particularly lower PASI scores among patients reporting higher fruit intake. Psoriasis severity was strongly associated with impaired dermatology‐related quality of life. Larger longitudinal studies using detailed dietary assessment tools are needed to clarify whether specific lifestyle interventions can modify psoriasis severity and patient‐reported outcomes.