Current Issue : April - June Volume : 2015 Issue Number : 2 Articles : 11 Articles
Infection from Toxocara species may give rise to a large array of clinical symptoms, including apparentmanife stations of allergy such\nas asthma, urticaria/angioedema, and dermatitis.We report a case, thus far not described, of contact dermatitis attributed to nickel\nallergy but caused by Toxocara infection. The patient was a 53-year-old woman presenting from10 years a dermatitis affecting head,\nneck, and thorax. Patch tests initially performed gave a positive result to nickel, but avoidance of contact with nickel did not result\nin recovery.The patient referred to our Allergy Service in 2010 because of dermatitis to feet. Patch testing confirmed the positive\nresult for nickel, but expanding the investigation a positive result for IgG antibodies to Toxocara was detected by Western blotting\nand ELISA. Treatment with mebendazole achieved immediate efficacy on feet dermatitis. Then, two courses of treatment with\nalbendazole resulted in complete regression of dermatitis accompanied by development of negative ELISA and Western blotting\nfor Toxocara antibodies. This report adds another misleading presentation of Toxocara infection as apparent contact dermatitis\ncaused by nickel and suggests bearing in mind, in cases of contact dermatitis not responding to avoidance of the responsible hapten\nand to medical treatment, the possible causative role of Toxocara....
Acquired brachial cutaneous dyschromatosis is an acquired pigmentary disorder that has been described in only 20 patients but\nlikely affects many more. This case of a man with acquired brachial cutaneous dyschromatosis is unique as most reports are in\nwomen.We report the case of a 60-year-old male who presents with an asymptomatic eruption characterized by hyperpigmented\nand telangiectatic macules coalescing into patches on the bilateral extensor aspects of the forearms which is consistent clinically\nand histopathologically with acquired brachial cutaneous dyschromatosis. Given its presence in patients with clinical evidence of\nchronic sun exposure and its histopathological finding of solar elastosis, acquired brachial cutaneous dyschromatosis is likely a\ndisorder caused by cumulative UV damage. However, a possible association between angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors\nand acquired brachial cutaneous dyschromatosis exists. Further investigation is needed to elucidate both the pathogenesis of\nthe disorder and forms of effective management. Treatment of the disorder should begin with current established treatments for\ndisorders of dyspigmentation....
Angioedema is the swelling of themucosal membranes as a variant of urticaria induced by hereditary C1 esterase inhibitor enzyme\ndeficiency, certain foods, or drugs. Herein, we report the case of a 23-year-old woman, with mild-moderate acne presenting\nwith widespread facial angioedema on the 2nd day of systemic isotretinoin treatment. The patient had taken no drugs other\nthan isotretinoin in the preceding days and had no known food allergy. Her angioedema was resolved after the isotretinoin was\ndiscontinued.We want to draw the attention of dermatologists to this rare adverse allergic effect of isotretinoin which is frequently\nused in the treatment of acne vulgaris....
Keloid scarring is a fibroproliferative disorder due to the accumulation of collagen type I. Tolfenamic acid (TA), a nonsteroidal\nanti-inflammatory drug, has been found to potentially affect the synthesis of collagen in rats. In this preliminary study, we aimed\nto test the effects of TA on cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, and the deposition of intracellular collagen in keloid fibroblasts.\nNormal fibroblasts (NFs) and keloid fibroblasts (KFs) were obtained from human dermis tissue. Within the dose range 10?3ââ?¬â??\n10?6 M and exposure times 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h, we found that 0.55 Ã?â?? 10?3M TA at 48 h exposure exhibited significantly decreased\ncell proliferation in both NFs and KFs. Under these experimental conditions, we demonstrated that (1) TA treatment induced\na remarkable apoptotic rate in KFs compared to NFs; (2) TA treatment reduced collagen production in KFs versus NFs; (3) TA\ntreatment decreased collagen type I expression in KFs comparing to that of NFs. In summary, our data suggest that TA decreases\ncell proliferation, induces cell apoptosis, and inhibits collagen accumulation in KFs....
We present the case of a patient with dermatomyositis and diffuse cutaneousmucinosis and give an up-to-date detailed review of all\nthe published cases in the English literature describing the demographics, clinical picture, pathology management, and outcomes\nof this unique group of patients....
Background. The aim of this study was to investigate maspin and ezrin expression in different subtypes of periocular basal cell\ncarcinoma (BCC). Methods. Tissue samples from 43 patients with periocular BCC. Our cases were comprised of 10 morpheaform,\n25 nodular, and 8 adenoid type BCCs. Immunohisto chemical staining for maspin and ezrin was performed by Envision detection\nsystem. Results. There was no difference between different subtypes of BCC in maspin expression regarding positivity, intensity, and\npattern of expression. Ezrin was expressed in all subtypes of BCC but the intensity was significantly higher in morpheaform BCC\ncompared to nodular and adenoid types (???? < 0.001 and ???? = 0.012, resp.); ninety percent of morpheaform samples showed strong\nezrin intensity, while this strong intensity was only present in 25% and 12% of adenoid and nodular subtypes, respectively.There was\nno correlation between age, sex, or tumor margin involvement and expression of neithermaspin nor ezrin.There was no correlation\nbetween maspin and ezrin expression except in nodular type, in which an inverse correlation was found (???? = 0.004). Conclusion.\nEzrin is expressed intensely in morphea form BCC of periocular region. Further studies are needed to show the significance of this\nfinding in prognosis of morphea form BCC....
Background. Zinc deficiency occurs in infants when its demand exceeds its supply. It presents with cutaneous signs which, in severe\ncases, are associated with diarrhea, alopecia, and irritability. Genetic and acquired forms of zinc deficiency have been reported and\noften overlap clinical features. Malnutrition, prematurity, malabsorption syndromes, and burns may cause an increased demand\nfor zinc. Methods. Cases of acquired transient infantile zinc deficiency (TIZD) observed during a period of 3 years at Ayder Referral\nHospital ofMekelle,Northern Ethiopia, are reported here. Since no sophisticated testswere available at our center, the diagnosis was\nbased on the clinical signs and prompt response to oral zinc supplementation. Results.We observed 18 cases of TIZD at our center. All\npatients were full-term and breastfeeding infants with no relevant associated diseases. Conclusions. In this region, a high incidence\nof this condition is observed.We could not rule out whether heterozygosity for the geneticmutation was present or that the disease\nwas caused by a nutritional deficiency in the mothers or more probably because both the factors coexisted together. However,\nfurther studies are necessary to better understand the causes of the increased incidence of this disease in Northern Ethiopia....
Background. Serum ghrelin levels may be related to metabolic and clinical changes in patients with psoriasis. Objective.This study\nwas performed to determine the possible effects of serumghrelin in patients with psoriasis. Methods.The study population consisted\nof 25 patients with plaque psoriasis.The patients were questionedwith regard to age, gender, age of onset, duration of disease, height,\nweight, and body mass index (BMI). In addition, fasting blood sugar, triglyceride, cholesterol levels, insulin, and ghrelin levels were\nmeasured. Results.The mean serum ghrelin level was 45.41 �± 22.41 in the psoriasis group and 29.92 �± 14.65 in the healthy control\ngroup. Serumghrelin level was significantly higher in the psoriasis group compared with the controls (P = 0.01). The mean ghrelin\nlevel in patients with a lower PASI score was significantly higher than in those with a higher PASI score (P = 0.02). Conclusion.\nThe present study was performed to determine the effects of ghrelin in psoriasis patients.We found a negative correlation between\nseverity of psoriasis and ghrelin level. Larger and especially experimental studies focusing on correlation of immune system-ghrelin\nlevels and severity of psoriasis may be valuable to clarify the etiopathogenesis of the disease....
Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare dermatological disorder characterised by the rapid progression of a painful, necrolytic ulcer.\nThis study retrospectively identified patients who were admitted and treated for PG during a 10-year period (2003ââ?¬â??2013). Twenty three\npatients were included in this study, 16 women and seven men. The mean age at initial admission was 62.8 years (range 30\nto 89 years). Lesions were localised to lower limb in 13 patients, peristomal region in four, breast in three, and upper limb in one,\nand two patients had PG at multiple sites. The variants of PG noted were ulcerative (18), bullous (2), vegetative (2), and pustular\n(1). Associated systemic diseases were observed in 11 patients (47.8%). Systemic therapies were initiated in 21 patients while two\npatients received topical treatments.The mean length of hospital stay was 47 days (range 5 to 243 days) and five patients died during\ntheir admissions. Seven patients required read missions for exacerbations of their PG. Our study showed that patients admitted for\ntreatment of PG had high morbidity and mortality. This study also highlights the importance of early and aggressive treatment of\npatients admitted with PG as well as treating associated systemic diseases and wound infections....
Keloid scarring is a fibroproliferative disorder due to the accumulation of collagen type I. Tolfenamic acid (TA), a nonsteroidal\nanti-inflammatory drug, has been found to potentially affect the synthesis of collagen in rats. In this preliminary study, we aimed\nto test the effects of TA on cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, and the deposition of in tracellular collagen in keloid fibroblasts.\nNormal fibroblasts (NFs) and keloid fibroblasts (KFs) were obtained from human dermis tissue. Within the dose range 10?3ââ?¬â??\n10?6 M and exposure times 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h, we found that 0.55 Ã?â?? 10?3M TA at 48 h exposure exhibited significantly decreased\ncell proliferation in both NFs and KFs. Under these experimental conditions, we demonstrated that (1) TA treatment induced\na remarkable apoptotic rate in KFs compared to NFs; (2) TA treatment reduced collagen production in KFs versus NFs; (3) TA\ntreatment decreased collagen type I expression in KFs comparing to that of NFs. In summary, our data suggest that TA decreases\ncell proliferation, induces cell apoptosis, and inhibits collagen accumulation in KFs....
Fungal infections of the skin and nails are common global problems with attendant morbidity among affected individuals. Children\nare mostly affected due to predisposing factors such as overcrowding and low socioeconomic factors. The aim of this study was\nto determine the prevalence and the clinical patterns of superficial fungal infections among primary school children in Ile-Ife.\nA multistage sampling was conducted to select eight hundred pupils from ten primary schools in Ile-Ife. Data on epidemiological\ncharacteristics and clinical history was collected using a semistructured questionnaire and skin scrapingswere done.Theprevalence\nof superficial fungal infections among the 800 respondents was 35.0%. Male pupils constituted 51.0% of respondents while the\nfemales were 49.0%. The mean age for all the respondents was 9.42 �± 2.00. Tinea capitis was the commonest infection with a\nprevalence of 26.9% and tinea unguium, tinea corporis, and tinea faciei had a prevalence of 0.8%, 0.6%, and 0.5%, respectively.\nTinea manuum had the least prevalence of 0.1%. Pityriasis versicolor had a prevalence of 4.4%. Microsporum audouinii was the\nleading organism isolated.The study shows that the prevalence of superficial fungal infection (SFI) among primary school children\nin Ile-Ife is high with tinea capitis as the commonest SFI....
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