Skin as a Diagnostic Window: The Expanding Role of Dermatology in Systemic Disease Recognition
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64784/163Keywords:
cutaneous manifestations, systemic disease, dermatology diagnosis, immune dysregulation, inflammatory disorders, vascular injury, autoimmune diseases, paraneoplastic syndromes, clinical dermatology, early diagnosisAbstract
The skin has increasingly been recognized as a clinically significant interface reflecting systemic disease. This review analyzes recent international evidence (2020–2025) on the relationship between cutaneous manifestations and underlying systemic conditions, emphasizing their diagnostic value in modern clinical practice. A structured narrative review was conducted using high-impact literature indexed in major databases, focusing on autoimmune, inflammatory, infectious, vascular, and neoplastic diseases. The findings demonstrate that dermatologic manifestations frequently serve as early indicators of systemic pathology, often preceding or complementing internal clinical findings. Immune dysregulation, chronic inflammation, endothelial injury, and autoantibody-mediated mechanisms were identified as the primary pathophysiological links between skin and systemic disease. Additionally, the analysis highlights the importance of clinicopathologic correlation, lesion pattern recognition, and interdisciplinary collaboration in improving diagnostic accuracy. The results also underscore the relevance of dermatologic evaluation across different levels of care, particularly in primary care and internal medicine settings, where early recognition can significantly influence clinical outcomes. This is especially important in regions such as Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador, where clinical examination remains a fundamental component of patient assessment.
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