Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Dermatology and Venerology

Morphea is a rare autoimmune, inflammatory and fibrosing skin disorder that leads to sclerosis of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. The underlying pathogenesis of the disease remains unknown, but is likely initiated by vascular injury that terminates in increased collagen production and decreased collagen destruction. Evaluation of vascular changes in morphea patients by dermoscopy and immunohistochemistry. Twenty patients who fulfilled the clinical and histological findings of morphea were included in this study. Patients were subjected to clinical examination, scoring of morphea lesions as well as dermoscopic examination using Dermlite II Hybrid. Two biopsies were taken from each patient: one from the morphea lesion and the second from the non-lesional skin. Paraffin sections were stained by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to identify blood vessels. Dermoscopic evaluation showed that morphea lesions exhibited a characteristic dermoscopic pattern showing the linear blood vessels with areas of shiny and hypopigmented fibrosis

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