Current Issue : July - September Volume : 2014 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 5 Articles
Background: We previously showed that the number of publications in dermatology is increasing year by year,\r\nand positively correlates with improved economic conditions in mainland China, a still developing Asian country.\r\nHowever, the characteristics of publications in dermatology departments in more developed Asian countries such\r\nas Japan and South Korea are unknown.\r\nMethods: In the present study, publications from 2003 through 2012 in dermatology in Japan, South Korea and\r\nmainland China were characterized. All data were obtained from www.pubmed.com.\r\nResults: Dermatology departments in Japan published 4,094 papers, while mainland China and South Korea\r\npublished 1528 and 1,758 articles, respectively. 48% of articles from dermatology in Japan were original research\r\nand 36% were case reports; The number of publications in Japan remained stable over time, but the overall impact\r\nfactors per paper increased linearly over the last 10 year period (p < 0.05). In mainland China, 67% of articles from\r\ndermatology were original research, while 19% were case reports; The number of publications and their impact\r\nfactors per paper increased markedly. In South Korea, 65% of articles from dermatology were original research and\r\n20% were case reports. The impact factors per paper remained unchanged, despite of the fact that the number of\r\npublications increased over the last 10 year period (r2 = 0.6820, p = 0.0032). Only mainland China showed a positive\r\ncorrelation of the number of publications with gross domestic product per capita during this study period.\r\nConclusions: These results suggest that the total number of publications in dermatology correlates with economic\r\nconditions only in developing country, but not in more developed countries in Asia. The extent of economic\r\ndevelopment could determine both the publication quantity and quality....
Background: The Malassezia yeasts which belong to the physiological microflora of human skin have also been\r\nimplicated in several dermatological disorders, including pityriasis versicolor (PV), atopic dermatitis (AD), and\r\npsoriasis (PS). The Malassezia genus has repeatedly been revised and it now accommodates 14 species, all but one\r\nbeing lipid-dependent species. The traditional, phenotype-based identification schemes of Malassezia species are\r\nfraught with interpretative ambiguities and inconsistencies, and are thus increasingly being supplemented or\r\nreplaced by DNA typing methods. The aim of this study was to explore the species composition of Malassezia\r\nmicroflora on the skin of healthy volunteers and patients with AD and PS.\r\nMethods: Species characterization was performed by conventional, culture-based methods and subsequently\r\nmolecular techniques: PCR-RFLP and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1/2 regions and the D1/D2\r\ndomains of the 26S rRNA gene. The Chi-square test and Fisher�s exact test were used for statistical analysis.\r\nResults: Malassezia sympodialis was the predominant species, having been cultured from 29 (82.9%) skin samples\r\ncollected from 17 out of 18 subjects under the study. Whereas AD patients yielded exclusively M. sympodialis\r\nisolates, M. furfur isolates were observed only in PS patients. The isolation of M. sympodialis was statistically more\r\nfrequent among AD patients and healthy volunteers than among PS patients (P <0.03). Whether this mirrors any\r\npredilection of particular Malassezia species for certain clinical conditions needs to be further evaluated. The overall\r\nconcordance between phenotypic and molecular methods was quite high (65%), with the discordant results being\r\nrather due to the presence of multiple species in a single culture (co-colonization) than true misidentification. All\r\nMalassezia isolates were susceptible to cyclopiroxolamine and azole drugs, with M. furfur isolates being somewhat\r\nmore drug tolerant than other Malassezia species.\r\nConclusions: This study provides an important insight into the species composition of Malassezia microbiota in\r\nhuman skin. The predominance of M. sympodialis in both normal and pathologic skin, contrasts with other\r\nEuropean countries, reporting M. globosa and M. restricta as the most frequently isolated Malassezia species....
Background: Melanoma incidence is growing and more people require follow-up to detect recurrent melanoma\r\nquickly. Those detecting their own recurrent melanoma appear to have the best prognosis, so total skin self\r\nexamination (TSSE) is advocated, but practice is suboptimal. A digital intervention to support TSSE has potential but\r\nit is not clear which patient groups could benefit most. The aim of this study was to explore cutaneous melanoma\r\nrecurrence patterns between 1991 and 2012 in Northeast Scotland. The objectives were to: determine how\r\nrecurrent melanomas were detected during the period; explore factors potentially predictive of mode of recurrence\r\ndetection; identify groups least likely to detect their own recurrent melanoma and with most potential to benefit\r\nfrom digital TSSE support.\r\nMethods: Pathology records were used to identify those with a potential recurrent melanoma of any type\r\n(local, regional and distant). Following screening of potential cases available secondary care-held records were\r\nsubsequently scrutinised. Data was collected on demographics and clinical characteristics of the initial and recurrent\r\nmelanoma. Data were handled in Microsoft Excel and transported into SPSS 20.0 for statistical analysis. Factors\r\npredicting detection at interval or scheduled follow-up were explored using univariate techniques, with potentially\r\ninfluential factors combined in a multivariate binary logistic model to adjust for confounding.\r\nResults: 149 potential recurrences were identified from the pathology database held at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.\r\nReliable data could be obtained on 94 cases of recurrent melanoma of all types. 30 recurrences (31.9%) were found\r\nby doctors at follow-up, and 64 (68.1%) in the interval between visits, usually by the patient themselves. Melanoma\r\nrecurrences of all types occurring within one-year were significantly more likely to be found at follow-up visits, and\r\nthis remained so following adjustment for other factors that could be used to target digital TSSE support.\r\nConclusions: A digital intervention should be offered to all newly diagnosed patients. This group could benefit\r\nmost from optimal TSSE practice....
Abstract\r\nBackground: Hand eczema is common in the general population and affects women twice as often as men. It is\r\nalso the most frequent occupational skin disease. The economic consequences are considerable for society and for\r\nthe affected individuals.\r\nMethods: To investigate the prevalence and incidence of hand eczema and to evaluate risk factors for\r\ndevelopment of hand eczema in young adults. Subjects and methods; This is a prospective follow-up study of 2,403\r\nyoung adults, 16 ââ?¬â?? 19 years old in 1995 and aged 29 ââ?¬â?? 32 years, 13 years later, in 2008. They completed a postal\r\nquestionnaire that included questions regarding one-year prevalence of hand eczema, childhood eczema, asthma,\r\nrhino-conjunctivitis and factors considered to affect hand eczema such as hand-washing, washing and cleaning,\r\ncooking, taking care of small children and usage of moisturisers. These factors were evaluated with the\r\nmultinominal logistic regression analysis.\r\nResults: The one-year prevalence of hand eczema was 15.8% (females 20.3% and males 10.0%, p < 0.001). The\r\nincidence was 11.6 cases per 1000 person-years (females 14.3 and males 5.2, p < 0.001). Childhood eczema was the\r\nmost important risk factor for hand eczema. The odds ratios were 13.17 when having hand eczema 1995 and 2008\r\ncompared to 5.17 in 2008 (p < 0.001). A high frequency of hand washing was important in predicting hand eczema\r\nonly when having 1-year prevalence 2008, OR 1.02 (p = 0.038).\r\nConclusions: After 13 years an increased 1-year prevalence of hand eczema was found. The significant risk factors\r\nfor hand eczema changed over time from endogenous to exogenous factors....
Background: The incidence of occupational hand eczema is approximately 0.32 per 1,000 person years. The\r\nburden of the disease is high, as almost 60% has eczema-related sick leave during the first year after notification,\r\nand 15% are excluded from the workforce 12 years after disease onset. New treatments and prevention strategies\r\nare needed.\r\nMethods/Design: Trial design: The PREVEX trial is a randomised, parallel-group, superiority trial.\r\nParticipants: All individuals from the Capital Region of Denmark and Region Zealand with a suspected occupational skin\r\ndisorder notified to the National Board of Industrial Injuries between June 2012 and December 2013 are invited to\r\nparticipate in the trial. Inclusion criteria are: self-reported hand eczema and informed consent. Exclusion criteria are: age\r\n<18 years or >65 years; permanent exclusion from the workforce; inability to understand the Danish language; any\r\nserious medical condition; and lack of written informed consent. We plan to randomise 742 participants. Interventions:\r\nThe experimental intervention is an educational course in skin-protective behaviour and written information about skin\r\ncare related to the participants'' specific occupation. Also, a telephone hotline is available and a subgroup will be offered\r\na work-place visit. The experimental and the control group have access to usual care and treatment. All participants\r\nare contacted every eighth week with questions regarding number of days with sick leave or other absence\r\nfrom work. 12 months after randomisation follow-up is completed. Objective: To assesses the effect of an educational\r\ncourse versus treatment as usual in participants with newly notified occupational hand eczema. Randomisation: Participants\r\nare centrally randomised according to a computer-generated allocation sequence with a varying block size concealed\r\nto investigators. Blinding: It is not possible to blind the participants and investigators, however, data obtained\r\nfrom registers, data entry, statistical analyses, and drawing of conclusions will be blinded. Outcomes: The three coprimary\r\noutcomes, assessed at 12 months, are: total number of self-reported days with sick leave; health-related quality\r\nof life; and subjective assessment of hand eczema severity. Explorative outcomes are: self-reported eczema-related\r\nsick leave, absence from work registered by the DREAM-register and by self-report, risk behaviour, knowledge of skin\r\nprotection and performance management (self-efficacy; and self-evaluated ability to self-care).\r\n(Continued on next page)...
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