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Prevalence of dermatophytosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Ali Bicer1, Umit Tursen, Ozlem Bolgen Cimen
1Department Of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mersin University, School of Medicine, 33070 Zeytinlibahce Mersin, Turkey. alibicer@mersin.edu.tr
Objective:
The prevalence of dermatophytic infections in rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. This study investigated the prevalence of dermatophytosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the relationship between sulfasalazine, low-dose methotrexate and steroid therapy.
Methods:
We examined 53 consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis for evidence of dermatophytosis and compared them 55 with age- and sex-matched, nonimmunocompromised controls recruited from the low back pain population. Nail scrapings were obtained from the subjects, and the clinical diagnosis of dermatophytosis was confirmed with a potassium hydroxide preparation.
Results:
In 32% of the rheumatoid arthritis population we found dermatophytosis, compared with 16% of the control group, although statistical significant was only borderline. Tinea pedis was the most frequent type of dermatophytosis in both groups. The prevalence of dermatophytosis in patients receiving sulfasalazine, low-dose methotrexate, and steroid therapy was not found to be significantly increased.
Conclusions:
This study shows a slightly higher prevalence of dermatophytosis in rheumatoid arthritis population than in controls. Sulfasalazine, low-dose methotrexate, and steroid therapy had no effect on the prevalence of dermatophytic infections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.