Knowledge and experience of radiologists working in Istanbul on radiographic contrast medium anaphylaxis

Radiologists are among the physicians with the highest probability of encountering cases with anaphylaxis. Therefore, they should be familiar with the recent developments in the diagnosis and treatment of anaphylaxis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the level of knowledge of the radiologists about the current diagnostic criteria and management of anaphylaxis in addition to their personal experiences on radiographic contrast medium (RCM) induced systemic reactions. Radiologists working in Istanbul were randomly selected and asked to fill out a 16-item questionnaire related to their experience on radiographic contrast medium anaphylaxis and knowledge about current anaphylaxis diagnosis and management guidelines. The study group consisted of 106 physicians 11 (10.4%) of whom have reported that they had encountered anaphylaxis due to radiographic contrast medium during their own practice. They have also reported two cases of mortality due to RCM. Most of the physicians were familiar with the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and about two thirds of them chose epinephrine as the first-line medication for treatment of anaphylaxis. Radiologists may encounter patients with RCM-induced anaphylaxis. Therefore they should be aware of the diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis

Baby-skin care habits from different socio-economic groups and its impact on the development of atopic dermatitis

Skin care practices of children vary among communities and are based on experience, tradition and culture. It was aimed to determine the baby-skin care approaches of mothers from three different socio-economic groups and its effect on the development of atopic dermatitis. The study comprised mothers with children under 2 years of age from three different socioeconomic groups in Istanbul in the first half of 2014. A questionnaire with 38 items related to demographic variables, feeding habits, and baby-skin care were distributed to the mothers and asked to fill at sight. The study comprised of 207 children with 69 from lower socio-economic group, 92 children from group middle socio-economic and 46 children from higher socio-economic group. Mean age was 8.48, 8.74, and 10.98 months, respectively. Atopic dermatitis was reported in 19% of the children from higher socio-economic and 9% of the children in other two groups each. The proportion of using no care products after bath was found to be lower in children with atopic dermatitis from all three groups. The proportion of using wet wipes for diaper care was significantly lower in children with atopic dermatitis in comparison to children without atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis was more common among children from higher socioeconomic group and skin care after bath seems to be an important factor in the development of atopic dermatitis

Internalized Stigma in Pediatric Psoriasis: A Comparative Multicenter Study

Background: Internalized stigma, adoption of negative attitudes and stereotypes of the society regarding persons' illness, has not been studied previously in pediatric psoriasis patients. Objective: We aimed to investigate the internalized stigma in pediatric psoriasis patients and to determine differences according to factors affecting internalized stigma compared to adult psoriasis patients. Methods: This multicenter, cross-sectional, comparative study included 125 pediatric (55 female, 70 male; mean age +/- standard deviation [SD], 14.59 +/- 2.87 years) and 1,235 adult psoriasis patients (577 female, 658 male; mean age +/- SD, 43.3 +/- 13.7 years). Psoriasis Internalized Stigma Scale (PISS), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Perceived Health Status (PHS), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-12 were the scales used in the study. Results: The mean PISS was 58.48 +/- 14.9 in pediatric group. When PISS subscales of groups were compared, the pediatric group had significantly higher stigma resistance (p = 0.01) whereas adult group had higher scores of alienation (p = 0.01) and stereotype endorsement (p = 0.04). There was a strong correlation between mean values of PISS and DLQI (r = 0.423, p = 0.001). High internalized stigma scores had no relation to either the severity or localization of disease in pediatric group. However, poor PHS (p = 0.007) and low-income levels (p = 0.03) in both groups, and body mass index (r = 0.181, p = 0.04) in the pediatric group were related to high PISS scores. Conclusion: Internalized stigma in pediatric patients is as high as adults and is related to poor quality of life, general health, and psychological illnesses. Unlike adults, internalized stigma was mainly determined by psoriasis per se, rather than disease severity or involvement of visible body parts, genitalia or folds