The challenge of Diagnosing Common Dermatomycosis by Reflectance Confocal Microscopy

Research | DOI: https://doi.org/10.31579/2578-8949/085

The challenge of Diagnosing Common Dermatomycosis by Reflectance Confocal Microscopy

  • Jinrong Zeng 1
  • Hanyi Zhang 2
  • Yue Zhang 2
  • Lihua Gao 1
  • Jian Huang 1
  • Zhen Tang* 1
  • Jianyun Lu* 1

1 Department of Dermatology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No. 138, Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, Changsha, Hunan, China, 410013 
2 XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China

*Corresponding Author: Jianyun Lu and Zhen Tang, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.138 Tongzipo Rd, Yuelu District, Changsha, Hunan, China, 410013.

Citation: J Zeng, H Zhang, Y Zhang, Z Tang, J Lu, et al. (2021) The challenge of diagnosing common dermatomycosis by reflectance confocal microscopy. Dermatology and Dermatitis. 6(3); Doi:10.31579/2578-8949/085

Copyright: ©2021 Jianyun Lu and Zhen Tang, This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of The Creative Commons. Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Received: 26 August 2021 | Accepted: 15 September 2021 | Published: 20 September 2021

Keywords: dermatomycosis; reflectance confocal microscopy; tinea manus; pedis; tinea corporis; cruris; pityriasis versicolor

Abstract

Background: Traditional detection of fungal infections of the skin relies on microscopy techniques or fungal culture. Currently, reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) has been widely applied to assist the diagnosis of commondermatomycosis with advantages of non-invasiveness, celerity, real time, and repeatability. 

Materials and Methods: A total of 478 clinically suspected dermatomycosis patients were enrolled in this study including 148 cases of tinea manus and pedis, 188 cases of tinea corporis and cruris and 142 cases of pityriasis versicolor. RCM examination was performed to image the lesions. 

Aim: This study aimed to summarize the image characteristics of in vivo RCM examination on common dermatomycosis and retrospectively evaluate its accuracy as compared with microscopy results. Furthermore, we attempted to tackle the challenges of RCM diagnosis on common dermatomycosis. 

Results: Based on RCM images, 231 of 478 (48.3%) patients were detected with hyphae. Among all RCM confirmed cases, 58 out of 148 (39.2%) were tinea manus and pedis, 145 out of 188 (77.1%) were tinea corporis and cruris, and 28 out of 142 (19.7%) were pityriasis versicolor. The remaining patients (51.7%) could not be diagnosed by the dermatologist according to RCM. Hyphae structures were primarily identified during diagnoses of dermatomycosis by RCM. 

Conclusions: RCM is a novel optical imaging technique that confers high-resolution images of fungi. RCM has certain advantages in the diagnosis of tinea manus and pedis. RCM is not suitable for the diagnosis of pityriasis versicolor.

Introduction

Dermatomycosis are infectious skin diseases caused by superficial fungi. According to the depth and location of tissues that fungi invade, they can be divided into superficial mycosis, deep mycosis and systemic mycosis. Among them, common types of dermatomycosis such as tinea manus, tinea pedis, tinea corporis, tinea cruris and pityriasis versicolor affect 20% to 25% of population in the world and the incidence has increased continually in recent years [1, 2]. Superficial mycosis mainly invades the skin mucous membranes and their appendages. Dermatophytes such as trichophyton, microsporum and epidermophyton are the main pathogens causing superficial mycosis; they grow in the form of hyphae or spores [3]. They all invade superficial keratinized tissues (skin, hair, fingernails and toenails) instead of deep tissues or internal organs, which are difficult to be identified and their cultivation requirements are very demanding[4, 5]. At present, the diagnostic basis for superficial mycosis is that the patient has a typical clinical manifestation with a positive result of fungal microscopy and/or cultural isolation of dermatophytes [6, 7]. 

Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a new technique to achieve three-dimensional imaging of skin structures using the refractive index differences of various cellular constituents such as melanin and keratin [8, 9]. Many studies have reported that RCM was not only applied to diagnose skin mycosis but also nail and hair dermatophytosis [10, 11]. Moreover, due to its advantages of painless, real time and convenience, [12] it has been used to detect inflammatory skin diseases, pigmented skin diseases, infectious skin diseases and skin tumors [13-15]. At present, it is not well known whether it can be applied to diagnose dermatomycosis independently and what is the potential diagnostic accuracy on dermatomycosis [16]. 

In this study, we retrospectively analyzed 478 patients with clinically suspected dermatomycosis; all of them received RCM examinations. We summarized their image characteristics. We evaluated the clinical applicability and accuracy of RCM in the diagnosis of common dermatomycosis as compared with fungal fluorescence microscopy results.

Materials and methods

Patients

We retrospectively analyzed 478 patients (females, n=183; males, n=295)ranging from  3 to 76 years of age (mean= 38.4 years old) who were clinically probable diagnosis of tinea manus, tinea pedis, tinea cruris, tinea corporis, or pityriasis versicolor between January 2017 and December 2019 in the Department of Dermatology, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. All patients underwent RCM examinations and 146 of 478 cases were performed a fungal microscopy test. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Third Xiangya Hospital.

RCM imaging

All patients were examined by a professional dermatologist (an attending physician with more than five years of professional training) using the Vivascope 1500 RCM device (Lucid Inc, Rochester, NY, USA) [17]. Patients took appropriate postures and fully exposed skin lesions area in resting state, the dermatologist selected the fresh skin lesion with a few scales as inspection area. The dermatologist adjusted the scan head to make it on flat lesions when imaging, scanning power varied from 0 mW to 16 mW, scanning area was 500 µm* 500 µm, horizontal movement range was 0-8mm. The wavelength of the light source was 830nm. Prior to each test, the objective lens was infiltrated with pure water, and the water between the objective lens and the window was optically corrected. More light could help penetrate the epidermis and superficial dermis to obtain high-quality images. At last, the dermatologist identified and saved the best images [18]. The clinician made a diagnosis based on RCM images. When the RCM image quality was poor or did not show a reliable diagnosis basis, the case was judged to be undiagnosable.

Fungal fluorescence microscopy 

146 patients underwent a skin fungal microscopy examination in parallel. The skin lesions were disinfected with 75% alcohol, a small amount of dander was scraped and placed on the glass slide, then we added a drop of fluorescent staining solution (Litts fungal fluorescent staining solution type I, 200 servings per box, Jiangsu NuoGe Biotechnology Co. LTD, China), covered with a cover slide, stained for 1 min, observed under a fluorescent microscope, recorded and photographed. Hyphae or spore structures found under the microscope were considered positive, otherwise negative [19, 20].

Statistical analysis

Comprehensive and descriptive analysis of RCM results and fungal fluorescence microscopy results were performed using SPSS 23.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, USA). All of the diagrams and graphs reporting cumulative data were performed using GraphPad Prism 6.0 (Graphpad Software Inc, California, USA).

Results

Characteristics of RCM images

The features of RCM images from patients with tinea manus and pedis were high refractive index and branched elongated hyphae in the middle and lower layers of the stratum corneum. In addition, pustule structures surrounded by a large number of inflammatory cells could be observed in those profound inflammatory areas; RCM images from patients with tinea corporis and cruris showed separated hyphae in the middle of the stratum corneum; some cases showed round low-index blisters and inflammatory cells aggregation in the stratum corneum and spinous layer, dermal papilla. Hyperemia and expansion of superficial blood vessels were observed and surrounded by a few inflammatory cells. The hyphae in the groin areas appeared as continuous elongated and high-refractive structures; most of the hyphae in the trunk area appeared as short and thick structures. RCM images from patients with pityriasis versicolor showed medium-refractive short thick hyphae in the upper stratum corneum, mild edema of acanthocytes, and infiltration of sparse inflammatory cells around the dermal papilla and superficial vessels (Figure1).

Figure 1: The typical characteristics of RCM images

Diagnosis by RCM

Based on the reports from RCM images, we summarized the diagnostic characteristics and positive rate of RCM in 478 cases in Table1. Furtherly, we analyzed the number of undiagnosable cases for RCM images and the body sites of imaging in Table2.

Table 1: The diagnostic characteristics and positive rate of RCM in 478 cases

Notes (A large number of hyphae: the number of hyphae is greater than or equal to 5; A medium number of hyphae: the number of hyphae is greater than or equal to 3 and less than 5; A small number of hyphae: the number of hyphae is greater than or equal to 1 and less than 3); (+) represents a positive result and (-) represents a negative result.

Table 2: The undiagnosable body sites statistics of RCM imaging

Comparison of fungal fluorescence microscopy with related RCM diagnosis

A total of 146 patients with a RCM examination were performed fungal fluorescence microscopy test in parallel, the comparison analysis results of the two examinations based on 146 cases were showed in Table3. We found 95 cases (65.1%) were diagnosed as positive, and RCM examination found 65 cases (44.5%) were positive.

Table 3: The comparison analysis of the two examinations based on 146 cases

Among 95 cases with positive results of fungal fluorescence microscopy, there were 25 cases of tinea manus and pedis, 26 cases of tinea corporis and cruris, and 4 cases of pityriasis versicolor that were positive under RCM images. Therefore, the RCM false-negative rates were 10.0% in tinea manus and pedis, 9.5% in tinea corporis and cruris, and 75.0% in pityriasis versicolor. Among 51 cases with negative results of fungal microscopy, there were 9 cases of tinea manus and pedis, and 1 case of tinea corporis and cruris that was diagnosed as positive by RCM. The positive rates of tinea manus and pedis after combining fungal microscopy with RCM examinations increased from 52.5% to 63.8%, tinea corporis and cruris increased from 73.8% to 76.2%, and the combination of the two tests results of pityriasis versicolor did not increase its diagnostic positive rate. Therefore, RCM could be recommended for those highly suspected patients of tinea manus and pedis with a negative result of fungal fluorescence microscopy; while for patients of probable pityriasis versicolor with a negative result of fungal fluorescence microscopy, a further RCM examination less likely could increase the positive rate (Table4 and Figure2).

Figure 2: The positive rate comparison of the two examinations based on 146 cases
Table 4: The positive rate comparison of the two examinations based on 146 cases.

Discussion

Superficial mycosis is mainly caused by dermatophytes and Malassezia invading keratinized tissues (corneum, hair and nails). The traditional detection method is scraping the lesion site to obtain skin scale tissue for light microscopic observation or fungal culture to determine the pathogen or to confirm the diagnosis by biopsy. At present, domestic and foreign experts have made many progresses in exploring non-invasive skin imaging technology [21].

RCM is a novel optical imaging technique that presents high-resolution images of the skin and relies on a low-power laser emitting near-infrared light (830 nm) to image the epidermis and papillary layers of the skin [22]. In this study, we used VivaScope1500 and not the hand-held 3000 device which was more suitable for the diagnosis of superficial mycosis due to the possibility of applying the camera on a convex surface and of exploring large skin areas in less time [23]. It has been found that RCM can be used in infectious skin diseases, such as herpes virus infection, human papilloma virus infection and fungal infections [24, 25]. Ramsey Markus et al. [26]first discovered and reported the RCM features of dermatomycosis; Xu Ai'e et al [27]. assessed the value of RCM in dermatophytosis, with a sensitivity of 63.64% for tinea manus and pedis and 82.61% for tinea cruris. However, we found that the positive detection rate of RCM in the diagnosis of dermatomycosis was quite different from that of fungal fluorescence microscopy through data analysis, so we explored some limitations faced by the diagnosis of dermatomycosis with RCM in this study.

In this study, all of included cases underwent RCM and 146 of them also performed fungal fluorescence microscopy examination concurrently, we did not perform conventional optical microscopy examination and fungal culture, thus, the overall positive rate of fungal examination was only 69.2%. As a comparison, the overall positive rate of RCM (43.2%) was obviously different from that of fungal examination (69.2%) with the detection of hyphae structures or spores as the diagnostic criteria and there was a large difference in the positive rate of dermatomycosis at different sites.

In this article, we summarized the RCM characteristics and distribution of tinea manus and pedis, tinea corporis and cruris and pityriasis versicolor. Although we could see different manifestations of hyphae, RCM has several limitations in the classification of pathogenic genera. Therefore, it cannot replace fungal culture. At the same time, we found a large number of hyphae structures in the RCM from some patients with tinea manus and pedis, tinea corporis and cruris, and pityriasis versicolor. The inflammatory response in the spinous layer and inflammatory cells infiltration in the dermis were more pronounced in these patients. However, for patients with moderate or small quantity of hyphae structures in the RCM the acanthotic inflammatory response and intradermal inflammatory cell infiltration were not profound, which could be related to the patient's course and the affected skin site. The skin environment of the foot and groin was moist and more suitable for fungal growth and reproduction, so more hyphae could be seen and the inflammatory response was more severe. The positive correlation between the number of hyphae and the severity of inflammation still needed further in-depth study.

In this study, we selected 146 patients for fungal fluorescence microscopy at the same time. Taking the positive microscopy as comparison, RCM shows a certain diagnostic value in the diagnosis of dermatomycosis, thus providing a scientific basis for the diagnosis and treatment of clinicians. However, many patients with positive microscopy had negative RCM results, one possible reason is that the palmar and plantar parts are thick due to friction and the RCM mostly appeared uniform high-refractive image, leading to a neglect of hyphae. As for scaly keratotic tinea manus and pedis, the skin lesions present diffuse roughness, thickening, scaling [28]. Whether the scales or thickened stratum corneum can cause difficulties in diagnosis is yet to be determined. For vesicular tinea manus and pedis, low refractive index blisters can be detected in the stratum corneum and spinous layer, [18] For blister tinea manus and pedis, low refractive index blisters can be detected in the stratum corneum and spinous layer; however, due to the severe inflammatory responses, the erosion or exudation of the lesion may make it difficult for RCM to find hyphae. The positive rate of RCM diagnosis of tinea manus is much lower as compared with tinea pedis, which may be related to the fact that hands often contact with many things and are cleaned frequently. There are many impurities affecting the hyphae resolution or imaging quality. Fungal infections that occur on the trunk area are more likely to cause secondary reactions such as scratches and scabs, which makes it hard to find hyphae structures under the RCM microscope. Since the pathogenic fungus of pityriasis versicolorare usually located in the superficial layer of the stratum corneum, the medium dripped during RCM imaging may remove the dander above the skin as well as the hyphae. Moreover, the hyphae of Malassezia are mostly short, thick and with blunt ends; such morphological characteristics may be difficult to find in the image. In addition, the typical spore structure cannot be identified by the RCM microscope, which may be one of the significant reasons for missed diagnosis. Admittedly, some patients (n=10) with negative microscopy results presented positive RCM results. Most of those pathogens are parasitic in the middle and lower layers of the skin stratum corneum which is easily neglected by fungal microscope due to sampling inefficiency. RCM, however, can scan to the entire epidermis or even the upper and middle layers of the dermis to facilitate the search for pathogens. We have found that different parts and types of superficial mycosis have different parasitic depths. For example, pityriasis versicolor is located in 1~2 layers of RCM with depths of 3.05~6.10 µm; tinea manus and pedis is 20~30 layers with depths of 61.00~91.50 µm; tinea corporis and cruris is 6~12 layers with depths of 18.30~36.60 µm. Therefore, RCM examination can be further conducted to screen those highly suspected tinea manus and pedis that are with negative results of fungal microscopy. 

Our study has shown that combination of RCM and fungal fluorescence microscopy can significantly increase the positive rates of pathogenic fungi. However, RCM is not suitable for the diagnosis of pityriasis versicolor. RCM still faces many challenges in the diagnosis of dermatomycosis. First, the stratum corneum shows an image with a large brightness area as it is rich in keratin which presents high refractive index, and the refractive index of the hyphae is also high; As a result, hyphae also shows a bright linear shadow in the image. Therefore, it may be difficult to accurately find the hyphae in the stratum corneum area due to poor contrast of image. Accumulation of diagnostic experience is required. Second, the morphology and refractive index of different types of fungal hyphae may be different, which also leads to differences in the diagnostic positive rates of different dermatomycosis. Third, most of the superficial fungal disease lesions show squama formation and thickening of the stratum corneum, which can also have high refractive RCM performance. These components of the lesions may also affect the identification of hyphae. The types of fungus also have impacts on imaging. Forth, there are limitations for morphology identifications by RCM which requires experienced physicians to overcome. For example, the RCM images of hyphae manifest linear intermittent or continuous high refraction structure; while the scales formed irregular and larger area of homogeneous high refractive lamellar structures or some high-refractive keratinizing substances may also be regarded as hyphae mistakenly. Sometimes a small amount of slender and continuous medium refractive hyphae can be observed on the skin lesions of tinea versicolor patients. These hyphae are easily indistinguishable from the vellus structures on the skin surface (Figure3).

Figure3: The RCM images identification of hyphae from other substances A, C, and E show linear hyphal structure; B shows high refraction keratin; D shows high refraction flake scales, and F shows moderate refraction vellus hair structure

Conclusion

RCM could be independently applied to the diagnosis of tinea corporis and cruris. The positive rate of RCM diagnosis was slightly lower than that of fungal fluorescence microscopy. RCM seems to be improper to independently diagnose pityriasis versicolor. Fungal fluorescence microscopy in combination with RCM examination can significantly improve the positive rates of tinea manus and pedis.

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.81903219).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest regarding this manuscript.

References

Clearly Auctoresonline and particularly Psychology and Mental Health Care Journal is dedicated to improving health care services for individuals and populations. The editorial boards' ability to efficiently recognize and share the global importance of health literacy with a variety of stakeholders. Auctoresonline publishing platform can be used to facilitate of optimal client-based services and should be added to health care professionals' repertoire of evidence-based health care resources.

img

Virginia E. Koenig

Journal of Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Intervention The submission and review process was adequate. However I think that the publication total value should have been enlightened in early fases. Thank you for all.

img

Delcio G Silva Junior

Journal of Women Health Care and Issues By the present mail, I want to say thank to you and tour colleagues for facilitating my published article. Specially thank you for the peer review process, support from the editorial office. I appreciate positively the quality of your journal.

img

Ziemlé Clément Méda

Journal of Clinical Research and Reports I would be very delighted to submit my testimonial regarding the reviewer board and the editorial office. The reviewer board were accurate and helpful regarding any modifications for my manuscript. And the editorial office were very helpful and supportive in contacting and monitoring with any update and offering help. It was my pleasure to contribute with your promising Journal and I am looking forward for more collaboration.

img

Mina Sherif Soliman Georgy

We would like to thank the Journal of Thoracic Disease and Cardiothoracic Surgery because of the services they provided us for our articles. The peer-review process was done in a very excellent time manner, and the opinions of the reviewers helped us to improve our manuscript further. The editorial office had an outstanding correspondence with us and guided us in many ways. During a hard time of the pandemic that is affecting every one of us tremendously, the editorial office helped us make everything easier for publishing scientific work. Hope for a more scientific relationship with your Journal.

img

Layla Shojaie

The peer-review process which consisted high quality queries on the paper. I did answer six reviewers’ questions and comments before the paper was accepted. The support from the editorial office is excellent.

img

Sing-yung Wu

Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery. I had the experience of publishing a research article recently. The whole process was simple from submission to publication. The reviewers made specific and valuable recommendations and corrections that improved the quality of my publication. I strongly recommend this Journal.

img

Orlando Villarreal

Dr. Katarzyna Byczkowska My testimonial covering: "The peer review process is quick and effective. The support from the editorial office is very professional and friendly. Quality of the Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions is scientific and publishes ground-breaking research on cardiology that is useful for other professionals in the field.

img

Katarzyna Byczkowska

Thank you most sincerely, with regard to the support you have given in relation to the reviewing process and the processing of my article entitled "Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of The Prostate Gland: A Review and Update" for publication in your esteemed Journal, Journal of Cancer Research and Cellular Therapeutics". The editorial team has been very supportive.

img

Anthony Kodzo-Grey Venyo

Testimony of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology: work with your Reviews has been a educational and constructive experience. The editorial office were very helpful and supportive. It was a pleasure to contribute to your Journal.

img

Pedro Marques Gomes

Dr. Bernard Terkimbi Utoo, I am happy to publish my scientific work in Journal of Women Health Care and Issues (JWHCI). The manuscript submission was seamless and peer review process was top notch. I was amazed that 4 reviewers worked on the manuscript which made it a highly technical, standard and excellent quality paper. I appreciate the format and consideration for the APC as well as the speed of publication. It is my pleasure to continue with this scientific relationship with the esteem JWHCI.

img

Bernard Terkimbi Utoo

This is an acknowledgment for peer reviewers, editorial board of Journal of Clinical Research and Reports. They show a lot of consideration for us as publishers for our research article “Evaluation of the different factors associated with side effects of COVID-19 vaccination on medical students, Mutah university, Al-Karak, Jordan”, in a very professional and easy way. This journal is one of outstanding medical journal.

img

Prof Sherif W Mansour

Dear Hao Jiang, to Journal of Nutrition and Food Processing We greatly appreciate the efficient, professional and rapid processing of our paper by your team. If there is anything else we should do, please do not hesitate to let us know. On behalf of my co-authors, we would like to express our great appreciation to editor and reviewers.

img

Hao Jiang

As an author who has recently published in the journal "Brain and Neurological Disorders". I am delighted to provide a testimonial on the peer review process, editorial office support, and the overall quality of the journal. The peer review process at Brain and Neurological Disorders is rigorous and meticulous, ensuring that only high-quality, evidence-based research is published. The reviewers are experts in their fields, and their comments and suggestions were constructive and helped improve the quality of my manuscript. The review process was timely and efficient, with clear communication from the editorial office at each stage. The support from the editorial office was exceptional throughout the entire process. The editorial staff was responsive, professional, and always willing to help. They provided valuable guidance on formatting, structure, and ethical considerations, making the submission process seamless. Moreover, they kept me informed about the status of my manuscript and provided timely updates, which made the process less stressful. The journal Brain and Neurological Disorders is of the highest quality, with a strong focus on publishing cutting-edge research in the field of neurology. The articles published in this journal are well-researched, rigorously peer-reviewed, and written by experts in the field. The journal maintains high standards, ensuring that readers are provided with the most up-to-date and reliable information on brain and neurological disorders. In conclusion, I had a wonderful experience publishing in Brain and Neurological Disorders. The peer review process was thorough, the editorial office provided exceptional support, and the journal's quality is second to none. I would highly recommend this journal to any researcher working in the field of neurology and brain disorders.

img

Dr Shiming Tang

Dear Agrippa Hilda, Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery, Editorial Coordinator, I trust this message finds you well. I want to extend my appreciation for considering my article for publication in your esteemed journal. I am pleased to provide a testimonial regarding the peer review process and the support received from your editorial office. The peer review process for my paper was carried out in a highly professional and thorough manner. The feedback and comments provided by the authors were constructive and very useful in improving the quality of the manuscript. This rigorous assessment process undoubtedly contributes to the high standards maintained by your journal.

img

Raed Mualem

International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews. I strongly recommend to consider submitting your work to this high-quality journal. The support and availability of the Editorial staff is outstanding and the review process was both efficient and rigorous.

img

Andreas Filippaios

Thank you very much for publishing my Research Article titled “Comparing Treatment Outcome Of Allergic Rhinitis Patients After Using Fluticasone Nasal Spray And Nasal Douching" in the Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology. As Medical Professionals we are immensely benefited from study of various informative Articles and Papers published in this high quality Journal. I look forward to enriching my knowledge by regular study of the Journal and contribute my future work in the field of ENT through the Journal for use by the medical fraternity. The support from the Editorial office was excellent and very prompt. I also welcome the comments received from the readers of my Research Article.

img

Dr Suramya Dhamija

Dear Erica Kelsey, Editorial Coordinator of Cancer Research and Cellular Therapeutics Our team is very satisfied with the processing of our paper by your journal. That was fast, efficient, rigorous, but without unnecessary complications. We appreciated the very short time between the submission of the paper and its publication on line on your site.

img

Bruno Chauffert

I am very glad to say that the peer review process is very successful and fast and support from the Editorial Office. Therefore, I would like to continue our scientific relationship for a long time. And I especially thank you for your kindly attention towards my article. Have a good day!

img

Baheci Selen

"We recently published an article entitled “Influence of beta-Cyclodextrins upon the Degradation of Carbofuran Derivatives under Alkaline Conditions" in the Journal of “Pesticides and Biofertilizers” to show that the cyclodextrins protect the carbamates increasing their half-life time in the presence of basic conditions This will be very helpful to understand carbofuran behaviour in the analytical, agro-environmental and food areas. We greatly appreciated the interaction with the editor and the editorial team; we were particularly well accompanied during the course of the revision process, since all various steps towards publication were short and without delay".

img

Jesus Simal-Gandara

I would like to express my gratitude towards you process of article review and submission. I found this to be very fair and expedient. Your follow up has been excellent. I have many publications in national and international journal and your process has been one of the best so far. Keep up the great work.

img

Douglas Miyazaki

We are grateful for this opportunity to provide a glowing recommendation to the Journal of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. We found that the editorial team were very supportive, helpful, kept us abreast of timelines and over all very professional in nature. The peer review process was rigorous, efficient and constructive that really enhanced our article submission. The experience with this journal remains one of our best ever and we look forward to providing future submissions in the near future.

img

Dr Griffith

I am very pleased to serve as EBM of the journal, I hope many years of my experience in stem cells can help the journal from one way or another. As we know, stem cells hold great potential for regenerative medicine, which are mostly used to promote the repair response of diseased, dysfunctional or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. I think Stem Cell Research and Therapeutics International is a great platform to publish and share the understanding towards the biology and translational or clinical application of stem cells.

img

Dr Tong Ming Liu

I would like to give my testimony in the support I have got by the peer review process and to support the editorial office where they were of asset to support young author like me to be encouraged to publish their work in your respected journal and globalize and share knowledge across the globe. I really give my great gratitude to your journal and the peer review including the editorial office.

img

Husain Taha Radhi

I am delighted to publish our manuscript entitled "A Perspective on Cocaine Induced Stroke - Its Mechanisms and Management" in the Journal of Neuroscience and Neurological Surgery. The peer review process, support from the editorial office, and quality of the journal are excellent. The manuscripts published are of high quality and of excellent scientific value. I recommend this journal very much to colleagues.

img

S Munshi

Dr.Tania Muñoz, My experience as researcher and author of a review article in The Journal Clinical Cardiology and Interventions has been very enriching and stimulating. The editorial team is excellent, performs its work with absolute responsibility and delivery. They are proactive, dynamic and receptive to all proposals. Supporting at all times the vast universe of authors who choose them as an option for publication. The team of review specialists, members of the editorial board, are brilliant professionals, with remarkable performance in medical research and scientific methodology. Together they form a frontline team that consolidates the JCCI as a magnificent option for the publication and review of high-level medical articles and broad collective interest. I am honored to be able to share my review article and open to receive all your comments.

img

Tania Munoz

“The peer review process of JPMHC is quick and effective. Authors are benefited by good and professional reviewers with huge experience in the field of psychology and mental health. The support from the editorial office is very professional. People to contact to are friendly and happy to help and assist any query authors might have. Quality of the Journal is scientific and publishes ground-breaking research on mental health that is useful for other professionals in the field”.

img

George Varvatsoulias

Dear editorial department: On behalf of our team, I hereby certify the reliability and superiority of the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews in the peer review process, editorial support, and journal quality. Firstly, the peer review process of the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is rigorous, fair, transparent, fast, and of high quality. The editorial department invites experts from relevant fields as anonymous reviewers to review all submitted manuscripts. These experts have rich academic backgrounds and experience, and can accurately evaluate the academic quality, originality, and suitability of manuscripts. The editorial department is committed to ensuring the rigor of the peer review process, while also making every effort to ensure a fast review cycle to meet the needs of authors and the academic community. Secondly, the editorial team of the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is composed of a group of senior scholars and professionals with rich experience and professional knowledge in related fields. The editorial department is committed to assisting authors in improving their manuscripts, ensuring their academic accuracy, clarity, and completeness. Editors actively collaborate with authors, providing useful suggestions and feedback to promote the improvement and development of the manuscript. We believe that the support of the editorial department is one of the key factors in ensuring the quality of the journal. Finally, the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is renowned for its high- quality articles and strict academic standards. The editorial department is committed to publishing innovative and academically valuable research results to promote the development and progress of related fields. The International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews is reasonably priced and ensures excellent service and quality ratio, allowing authors to obtain high-level academic publishing opportunities in an affordable manner. I hereby solemnly declare that the International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews has a high level of credibility and superiority in terms of peer review process, editorial support, reasonable fees, and journal quality. Sincerely, Rui Tao.

img

Rui Tao

Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions I testity the covering of the peer review process, support from the editorial office, and quality of the journal.

img

Khurram Arshad

Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, we deeply appreciate the interest shown in our work and its publication. It has been a true pleasure to collaborate with you. The peer review process, as well as the support provided by the editorial office, have been exceptional, and the quality of the journal is very high, which was a determining factor in our decision to publish with you.

img

Gomez Barriga Maria Dolores

The peer reviewers process is quick and effective, the supports from editorial office is excellent, the quality of journal is high. I would like to collabroate with Internatioanl journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews journal clinically in the future time.

img

Lin Shaw Chin

Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for the trust placed in our team for the publication in your journal. It has been a true pleasure to collaborate with you on this project. I am pleased to inform you that both the peer review process and the attention from the editorial coordination have been excellent. Your team has worked with dedication and professionalism to ensure that your publication meets the highest standards of quality. We are confident that this collaboration will result in mutual success, and we are eager to see the fruits of this shared effort.

img

Maria Dolores Gomez Barriga

Dear Dr. Jessica Magne, Editorial Coordinator 0f Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, I hope this message finds you well. I want to express my utmost gratitude for your excellent work and for the dedication and speed in the publication process of my article titled "Navigating Innovation: Qualitative Insights on Using Technology for Health Education in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients." I am very satisfied with the peer review process, the support from the editorial office, and the quality of the journal. I hope we can maintain our scientific relationship in the long term.

img

Dr Maria Dolores Gomez Barriga

Dear Monica Gissare, - Editorial Coordinator of Nutrition and Food Processing. ¨My testimony with you is truly professional, with a positive response regarding the follow-up of the article and its review, you took into account my qualities and the importance of the topic¨.

img

Dr Maria Regina Penchyna Nieto

Dear Dr. Jessica Magne, Editorial Coordinator 0f Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions, The review process for the article “The Handling of Anti-aggregants and Anticoagulants in the Oncologic Heart Patient Submitted to Surgery” was extremely rigorous and detailed. From the initial submission to the final acceptance, the editorial team at the “Journal of Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions” demonstrated a high level of professionalism and dedication. The reviewers provided constructive and detailed feedback, which was essential for improving the quality of our work. Communication was always clear and efficient, ensuring that all our questions were promptly addressed. The quality of the “Journal of Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions” is undeniable. It is a peer-reviewed, open-access publication dedicated exclusively to disseminating high-quality research in the field of clinical cardiology and cardiovascular interventions. The journal's impact factor is currently under evaluation, and it is indexed in reputable databases, which further reinforces its credibility and relevance in the scientific field. I highly recommend this journal to researchers looking for a reputable platform to publish their studies.

img

Dr Marcelo Flavio Gomes Jardim Filho

Dear Editorial Coordinator of the Journal of Nutrition and Food Processing! "I would like to thank the Journal of Nutrition and Food Processing for including and publishing my article. The peer review process was very quick, movement and precise. The Editorial Board has done an extremely conscientious job with much help, valuable comments and advices. I find the journal very valuable from a professional point of view, thank you very much for allowing me to be part of it and I would like to participate in the future!”

img

Zsuzsanna Bene

Dealing with The Journal of Neurology and Neurological Surgery was very smooth and comprehensive. The office staff took time to address my needs and the response from editors and the office was prompt and fair. I certainly hope to publish with this journal again.Their professionalism is apparent and more than satisfactory. Susan Weiner

img

Dr Susan Weiner

My Testimonial Covering as fellowing: Lin-Show Chin. The peer reviewers process is quick and effective, the supports from editorial office is excellent, the quality of journal is high. I would like to collabroate with Internatioanl journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews.

img

Lin-Show Chin

My experience publishing in Psychology and Mental Health Care was exceptional. The peer review process was rigorous and constructive, with reviewers providing valuable insights that helped enhance the quality of our work. The editorial team was highly supportive and responsive, making the submission process smooth and efficient. The journal's commitment to high standards and academic rigor makes it a respected platform for quality research. I am grateful for the opportunity to publish in such a reputable journal.

img

Sonila Qirko

My experience publishing in International Journal of Clinical Case Reports and Reviews was exceptional. I Come forth to Provide a Testimonial Covering the Peer Review Process and the editorial office for the Professional and Impartial Evaluation of the Manuscript.

img

Luiz Sellmann