Speckled variance optical coherence tomography for the assessment of nail involvement in acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau: A case study

This study used a multibeam OCT instrument to produce speckled variance OCT (SV-OCT) blood-flow images, which were used to measure the degree of change over successive scans. Nail changes, inflammation and response to therapy were evaluated in a 75-year-old female patient with psoriasis who had severe acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau of the hands, treated for 4 weeks with 40 mg adalimumab (administered subcutaneously every other week) and 25 mg prednisone (administered orally, daily). SV-OCT provided a detailed assessment of the nail structures in relation to inflammation of psoriatic tissues. Restoration of the normal anatomy of the nail apparatus was apparent following adalimumab treatment; SV-OCT evaluation correlated with clinical appearance. SV-OCT may have a diagnostic role and provide an objective tool to assess clinical and subclinical inflammation in nail psoriasis.

Source: Journal of International Medical Research - September 27, 2016 Category: Research Authors: Conti, A., Ciardo, S., Mandel, V. D., Bigi, L., Pellacani, G. Tags: Real-Life Experiences Source Type: research