Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The Auspitz sign refers specifically to the phenomenon where small droplets of blood appear when the characteristic silvery scales of psoriatic plaques are removed. This sign is an important clinical indicator of psoriasis. The presence of these droplets suggests the thinning of the epidermis over dilated, tortuous capillaries in psoriatic skin.

This sign can serve as a diagnostic tool for healthcare providers when evaluating skin lesions that may be psoriasis, helping to differentiate it from other skin conditions that may present with similar scaling lesions but do not typically have this bleeding response.

The other options provided do not accurately describe the Auspitz sign. For instance, complete blanching of the lesion when pressed could occur in various conditions but not specifically in psoriasis. Pale discoloration surrounding a plaque may suggest irritation or secondary changes rather than a specific sign of psoriasis. Presence of itching without lesions does not pertain to the Auspitz sign, as the sign relates directly to the observation of blood upon scaling of a lesion.