Detection of epidermal cellular DNA content and its clinical significance in psoriasis vulgaris.

Epidermal cellular DNA content was detected by flow cytometry on 14 samples of normal skin and both lesional and nonlesional areas of 36 patients with psoriasis vulgaris. The results showed that the proliferative activity of epidermal cells increased in nonlesions and even more in lesions of patients from the levels in normal skin. These differences were significant (p < 0.05). Clinical features and histopathological changes were observed, and self comparisons of 6 patients before and after treatment were also done. The clinical significance of these changes was discussed.