Efficacy and Safety of Combination 308-nm Excimer Laser and Intralesional Corticosteroid versus Intralesional Corticosteroid Monotherapy in the Treatment of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: A Pilot Study

Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a slowly progressive cicatricial alopecia that can result in permanent hair loss, so early diagnosis and treatment is crucial. However and of concern, a standard treatment regimen for FFA has not yet been established. In an attempt to remedy this gap, we conducted this study to investigate the efficacy and safety of combined 308-nm excimer laser with intralesional corticosteroid (ILC) compared to ILC alone to treat FFA. The results of our study revealed that the combination of 308-nm excimer laser and ILC was not superior to ILC alone for treating FFA. Moreover, side effects, including erythema and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, were reported in both groups

Lidocaine Reducing Pain from Benzathine Penicillin Injection: A Controlled Trial

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is an event that alarms medical personnel owing to its adverse effects, including heightened morbidity and mortality rates, prolonged recovery times, and increased lengths of hospital stay and healthcare expenditure. The populations at high risk are elderly, critical patients, or complicated cases that need prolonged surgery in which the hemodynamics are not stable. Although guidelines have been established to facilitate the early diagnosis of POCD, its prevention is recommended for good patient outcomes. A preoperative assessment is a prerequisite for patient optimization before surgery. Intraoperative, enhanced-recovery protocols have been widely adopted to promote recovery following surgery. Frequent, postoperative assessments of patients’ vital signs and cognitive functions are required for early POCD detection. Patients diagnosed with POCD need regular follow-up, and proper patient counselling is paramount

Efficacy of Oral Iron Supplementation in Treating Patients with Female Pattern Hair Loss and Low Serum Ferritin: A Pilot Study

The association between iron deficiency (ID) and hair loss is controversial. Currently, there is no standard oral iron supplementation for patients with female pattern hair loss (FPHL) and ID. We investigated the efficacy of oral iron supplementation for treating FPHL patients with ID. The results of our study revealed that oral iron supplementation combined with topical 3% minoxidil was not superior to topical 3% minoxidil alone in treating FPHL and ID.

Multiple myeloma concealed by adrenal Cushing syndrome: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract Background Cushing syndrome coexisting with multiple myeloma has been previously described in a few reports. Overlapping clinical manifestations can lead to misdiagnoses. Case presentation We presented an extremely rare case of a 33-year-old Thai woman with concomitant kappa light chain myeloma with adrenal Cushing syndrome, both of which were related to skeletal manifestations. A precedence report indicated that treatment of the Cushing syndrome could exacerbate the myeloma symptoms. Therefore, we were faced with the dilemma of which disease should be addressed first. We decided to treat our patient with a combination chemotherapy followed by an autologous stem cell transplant. Subsequently, a left laparoscopic adrenalectomy was successfully undertaken. Conclusion We have reported the first association between adrenocorticotropic hormone-independent Cushing syndrome resulting from a left autonomous cortisol-secreting adrenal adenoma, and multiple myeloma

Comparison of the Sensitivity and Specificity of Tzanck Smear and Immunofluorescence Assay for the Diagnosis of Cutaneous Herpes Simplex Virus and Varicella Zoster Virus Infections in a Real-life Clinical Setting

Objective: This research aim to compare (1) the sensitivities and specificities of Tzanck smears and indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFA) for cutaneous HSV and VZV infections in real-life settings; and (2) the detection rates of the tests for various patient types and lesion morphologies. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study reviewed 440 and 172 samples from patients with clinically suspicious cutaneous HSV and VZV infections, respectively. All patients underwent a Tzanck smear and IFA. The gold standard for the study was agreement of pre- and post-diagnostic coding (determined by a dermatologist) for cutaneous HSV and VZV infections. Results: For HSV infections, the respective sensitivity and specificity of Tzanck smears were 32.8% and 96.6%, whereas those for IFA were 60.7% and 100%. As to VZV infections, the sensitivity and specificity of Tzanck smears were 54.3% and 97.8%, respectively, while the corresponding IFA values were 71.7% and 100%. According to disease characteristics and lesion morphologies, the detection ability of cutaneous HSV by IFA was substantially higher than Tzanck smear especially in immunosuppressed condition.  Tzanck smears and IFA demonstrated no statistical difference for early-onset ( 3 days) VZV infections. Conclusion: Tzanck smears and IFA had higher sensitivities for detecting VZV than HSV infections. IFA testing in suspected cutaneous HSV patients with immunosuppressed conditions should be recommended. Despite the overall sensitivity and specificity of IFA being greater than those for Tzanck smears especially in HSV infections, the latter test is a comparable option for early-onset VZV infections