The quality of life in patients with psoriasis

Background and Design: Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease requiring recurrent treatment and causing cosmetical problems. Therefore it affects patients' lives negatively. Opinions upon apperance, social relationships and daily activities alter due to cultural and religious factors in distinct populations. In this study we aimed to investigate the quality of life of patients in our population. Material and Method: "Psoriasis Quality of Life Questionnaire" was completed by 124 patients. Disease severity was scored with Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI). Patients' ages, sexes and illness duration were recorded. Joint involvement was also searched. The relationship between total quality of life score and each item was investigated. Results: Quality of life was worse in young patients (r = -0.19, P = 0.037) and in patients with a longer duration (r = 0.20, P = 0.026) or severe disease (r = 0.29, P = 0.002). No effect of age and arthritis on life quality was established (P>0.05). Men described more that people moved away by thinking of the contaquisity of the disease, hesitation of going to public places and negative influence on sex life when compared to women (p=0.009, p=0.003, p=0.001). Psychosocial problems (98.4%) were accepted more important than problems in daily activities (95.2%) and concerns about therapy (76.6%). Conclusion: Psoriasis constitutes a great concern in patients' lives. Patients especially young, with a long duration and a severe disease should be evaluated for the neseccity of psychiatric support in addition to the classical therapy

The cases with paederus dermatitis from Denizli region

Background and Objective: Paederus dermatitis is a self-limited skin disorder characterized with lineer and vesicular, bullous and/or pustular lesions on erythematous bases caused by Paederus species belonging to Staphlinidae (Coleoptera) family. The lesions which are seen in warm and moist climates especially in summer months occur within 24 hours after the crushing of the beetle over the skin and heal with slight hyperpigmentation within 7-8 days. In our study we aimed to evaluate the history and clinical features of cases with Paederus dermatitis. Materials and Methods: Sixteen patients (9 female, 7 male, mean age: 31.75 ± 15.72) were diagnosed as Paederus dermatitis on history and clinical findings. Detailed history and clinical features of the patients were recorded. Results: Most of the patients live in central part of Denizli and have a history of spending time in a garden or on a balcony. Mostly painfull lesions were commonly located on the neck and V region of the neck, upper arm, shoulder and scapular regions with lineer or nummular pattern. Conclusion: The cases from Çukurova and Aydin region have been reported previously. In this report, we stress that Paederus dermatitis may be a common dermatosis in other regions with similar climates in Turkey and should be considered in differential diagnosis of phytophotodermatitis, impetigo, herpes zoster, etc

Skin tags and atherosclerotic risk factors

An association between skin tags and insulin resistance, obesity, impaired carbohydrate and lipid metabolism has been suggested. However, there still is a need for comprehensive and controlled clinical studies. We aimed to, evaluate the atherogenic risk factors in patients with skin tags. Thirty-six patients with skin tags who were admitted to the dermatology department and 22 healthy controls were included in this study. Possible subjects who were taking systemic drugs or who had a systemic disease that may be associated with lipid or carbohydrate metabolism abnormalities were excluded from the study. All the measurements were completed in 26 patients. Standard oral glucose tolerance tests were performed on the patient and control groups. Serum insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels were measured. LDL-cholesterol and VLDL-cholesterol ratios and HOMA-IR and body mass indices were calculated. The mean levels of body mass index, HOMA-IR, and total cholesterol were significantly higher in patients than in controls. In conclusion, skin tags may not be innocent tumoral proliferations; instead, follow-up of such patients with regard to the development of diseases associated with atherosclerosis may be beneficial

An experience from an outbreak of tinea capitis gladiatorum due to Trichophyton tonsurans

'Tinea corporis gladiatorum' describes a dermatophytosis transmitted mainly from close skin contact among wrestlers. Although tinea corporis is well recognized, no data are available for tinea capitis infections in wrestlers. After finding tinea capitis infection in a student wrestler, we aimed to search for possible ringworm infections among wrestlers in a wrestling boarding-school. Of the 32 wrestlers, 29, aged 12-18 years, were affected, of whom 22 had scalp involvement. Trichophyton tonsurans was isolated from 20 of the patients, and T. mentagrophytes from the remaining two. Isolated strains of dermatophytes were susceptible to terbinafine and itraconazole. The patients with tinea capitis received oral terbinafine for 4 weeks, and patients with more than two lesions but without scalp involvement received oral terbinafine for 2 weeks. Overall clinical and mycological cure rate was 72.4% and 70%, respectively, at assessment at week 6. The asymptomatic dermatophyte carrier rate was negative 1 year after control of the epidemic. Terbinafine seems to be an alternative drug for the treatment of tinea capitis caused by T. tonsurans; however, control of an outbreak may be very difficult and effective preventive measures should be considered. © 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Screening of antibiotic resistant propionibacterium acnes from acne vulgaris patients: Data from Pamukkale University

Background and Design: Antibiotic resistant Propionibacterium acnes is the main etiologic factor for failure of the acne therapy. In this study, the prevalance of antibiotic resistant P.acnes was investigated in our region. Material and Method: One hundred ninty-two acne vulgaris patients admitted to dermatology clinic were included in the study. Demographic and clinical data were recorded. Anaerobic culture was used for the samples collected by detergent scrub technique. Agar dilution technique was chosen for strains' antimicrobial susceptibilities. Results: Propionibacterium acnes was isolated from 117 (60.9%) of 192 acne vulgaris patients. Antibiotic resistance of P.acnes was found in 10 (8.54%) strain. Erythromycin (9 strain), clindamycin (7 strain) and tetracycline (1 strain) resistance was found as 7.7%, 6.0% and 0.9%, respectively. Doxycyline resistance was not found. Conclusion: The prevalance of antibiotic resistant P.acnes is low and therapeutic failure is not expected due to resistant strains. Resistance rates of P.acnes may be detect via community surveillance programmes

A role of leptin in psoriasis?

Aim: Although there is evidence of a positive association between psoriasis and body mass index (BMI) and leptin is known to play a part in the regulation of the immune system, the relationship between psoriasis and leptin is still not well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible relation between leptin and psoriasis. Materials and Methods: Serum leptin concentrations and BMI in 20 patients with psoriasis were compared to 20 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Results: There was no difference between serum leptin levels of psoriatic patients (32.3 ± 24.9 ng/ml) and controls (36.8 ± 28.2 ng/ml). Leptin levels of both psoriatic and healthy volunteers showed positive correlations with BMI. Serum leptin levels in the patient group did not correlate with psoriasis area severity index (PASI) score or duration of psoriasis. Conclusions: In the setting of this study, our results did not support any possible relation between serum leptin levels and psoriasis. © TÜBİTAK