Patrycja Karnas-Bogacka’s scientific contributions

Introduction and objective: Acne vulgaris is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting hair and sebaceous follicles, characterized by skin lesions most commonly appearing on the face. Several factors predispose individuals to the development of acne, including hormonal imbalances, genetic predisposition, and the use of certain medications. This review aims to evaluate and summarize first-line and advanced pharmacological treatments for acne vulgaris, highlighting their efficacy, safety, and emerging therapies for optimal management. Review methods: The literature review utilized databases covering sources from PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science using the search terms encompassing the following keywords: ‘acne vulgaris’ and ‘topical retinoid therapy’, ‘benzoyl peroxide’, ‘azelaic acid’, ‘topical antibiotics’, ‘oral antibiotics’, ‘contraceptive agents’, ‘antiandrogen therapy’, ‘isotretinoin’. Brief description of the state of knowledge: Current treatment methods range from topical therapies (i.e. antibiotics and retinoids) for mild cases to systemic medications (i.e. antibiotics, retinoids, and hormonal) for moderate to severe acne. In most cases, treatment should start with topical therapy. Summary: Early intervention is crucial to mitigate the risk of scarring and psychosocial consequences. Emerging therapeutic strategies have the potential to enhance treatment outcomes.

Introduction and Objective. In recent years, awareness of the problem of vitamin D deficiency in the human body has been steadily increasing. There is a growing emphasis on investigating the effects of vitamin D supplementation both in the prevention of autoimmune diseases and in the course of existing diseases. The aim of this study is to highlight and discuss the role of vitamin D supplementation in selected autoimmune diseases.Review methods. The publication is a narrative review. The PubMed electronic database was used to review the literature. To ensure the highest substantive value, the focus was mainly on studies from the last 8 years, with only 6 studies published before 2016, concerning autoimmune diseases.Results. There are still lots of unknowns when it comes to physiology and the role that vitamin D plays in our body and deepening the knowledge of its functions would definitely help prevent many diseases concerning various systems such as musculoskeletal, immune and nervous systems. Wide range of studies have already proven that appropriate supplementation of vitamin D prevents complications and exacerbations of disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, ulcerative colitis, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Unfortunately there is no unambiguous evidence of noticeable improvement in the patients suffering from psoriasis after taking vitamin D. There is a huge need for developing guidelines which would establish specific supplementation protocols considering various factors since it is inexplicably difficult to obtain an optimal level of vitamin D in our body.Summary. The increasing prevalence of autoimmune diseases in the population, their coexistence with vitamin D deficiency, and the scientifically proven impact of this vitamin on the body imply the need for an in-depth analysis of the relationship between its supplementation and the prevention and modification of the course of autoimmune diseases.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is an inflammatory, cholestatic and progressively fibrotic liver disease devoid of effective medical intervention. PBC is a presumed immune-mediated liver disease of middle-aged women associated with significant morbidity and mortality. People living with PBC are frequently symptomatic, experiencing a quality-of-life burden dominated by fatigue, itch, abdominal pain, and sicca complex. Many drugs have been studied for treatment, including agents with choleretic and immunosuppressive properties. Future PBC licensed therapy will likely include peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) pathway agonists, including specific PPAR-delta agonism (seladelpar), as well as elafibrinor and saroglitazar (both with broader PPAR agonism). Effective therapy reduces the need for transplantation and improves life expectancy.

Introduction. Hashimoto's disease (HD) is the main cause of hypothyroidism in countries where there is no iodine deficiency in the diet. Characteristic antibodies for it are anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin (anti-Tg) and their level positively correlates with the severity of HD. Whereas its occurrence is related to genetic, environmental and existential factors. Aim of study. The aim of this study was to analyze dietary factors (protein, fat, vitamin D, iodine, selenium, gluten) and intestinal microbiota on the risk of developing Hashimoto's disease and the influence of each of these factors on its course. Materials and methods. More than 90 articles addressing these issues were analyzed. They were found using the PubMed search engine, and the time frame of these publications covered the last 10 years. Results. Excess iodine is the most important environmental factor influencing the development of Hashimoto's disease. Also, selenium deficiency contributes to the development of HD. On the other hand, the concentration of vitamin D is lower in patients with Hashimoto's disease than in the general population. Furthermore, Vitamin D supplementation reduces the concentration of anti-Tg antibodies. In addition, different types of dietary fat affect thyroid hormone levels differently and a deficiency of protein in the diet causes an increase in TSH and a decrease in thyroid hormones. Moreover, changes in the gut microbiome have been observed in people suffering from Hashimoto's disease. Conclusions. The risk of developing Hashimoto's disease can be increased and decreased by diet and diet allows for the modification of hormone levels in the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis.