New research has determined that the first signs of rheumatic disease may show up on an individual’s skin. Rheumatic disease is a term referring to conditions such as arthritis, which affect the tendons, joints, muscles, bones and/or ligaments. The study was carried out by a UT Southwestern physician specializing in rheumatology.
Associate professor of internal medicine Dr. Kahryn Dao stated that skin lesions linked to autoimmune illnesses could occur when the illness was active, noting that treating the disease would usually led to improvements in the lesions. Skin lesions are areas on an individual’s skin that are different from the surrounding skin. They may be caused by an injury or underlying conditions such as an infection.
Dao recommended that individuals visit their physician if their skin lesions were painful or if they were getting worse. She added that those experiencing other symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, joint swelling or weight loss, also needed to see their healthcare providers, noting that if no other issues had been observed, monitoring the area to see whether it would clear up on its own was okay.
Dao emphasized that patients with skin lesions needed to avoid scratching because this could worsen the condition or infect the area. She also encouraged regular skin checks and using sun protection such as sunscreen.
In collaboration with Dr. Benjamin Chong of the dermatology department at the institution, Dao called attention to skin symptoms that could point to severe rheumatic conditions, including the following:
- Red, scaly, silvery, raised and itchy skin, which could be brought on by This is a skin condition that causes flaky skin patches that form scales.
- Photosensitivity, which could be an early symptom of dermatomyositis or systemic lupus erythematosus. Dermatomyositis is a rare illness that causes a skin rash and muscle weakness while systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune illness which triggers the immune system to attack its own tissues.
- Large, red nodules on a person’s legs that may be painful can indicate the presence of erythema nodosum. This is caused by inflammation of the fatty layer of the skin.
- White, red or purple coloring on extremities caused by Raynaud’s phenomenon, which reduces blood flow to a patient’s fingers. Individuals are advised to keep their extremities warm.
UT Southwestern is a major academic medical center that integrates exceptional education and clinical care with pioneering biomedical research. It is recognized as one of the country’s leaders in the clinical care and research of rheumatic illnesses.
Skin conditions including eczema have attracted plenty of attention from the biomedical community, with companies such as BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: BVXV) developing treatments aimed at addressing the clinical needs of patients diagnosed with these ailments. The findings of this study underscore the need to look for or rule out other underlying conditions before the skin ailment is treated.
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