Treatment-Seeking Behaviors and Related Epidemiological Features in Korean Acne Patients

Little is known about the treatment-seeking behaviors of acne patients, especially Asian acne patients. This study was performed to obtain detailed information about the treatment-seeking behaviors in Korean acne patients. Patients who visited the dermatology departments at 17 university hospitals completed a self-administered questionnaire. Most patients obtained information about acne from doctors or the Internet. The most important criteria for selecting a treatment method or choosing a particular clinic were effectiveness and accessibility. Patients used traditional medicine, visited beauty clinics, drank more water, and used over-the-counter topical agents more frequently than they sought doctors during the worsening period. The degree of satisfaction in treatment was found to depend on the total cost of treatment, number of places visited, site affected by acne, and emotional stress. Those who had experienced a side effect tended to have been treated for longer, to have paid more for treatment, and to have an associated skin disease. Treatments prescribed by dermatology clinics had the lowest aggravating rate, although improvement rates for family medicine clinics were also fairly high. This is the first study to investigate in detail the demographic features and characteristics of the treatment-seeking behaviors of acne patients in Asia

Neonatal Erythema Multiforme: A Case Report

Erythema multiforme (EM) is an extremely rare condition in infancy. To the best of our knowledge, there have been only three cases of neonatal EM described in the literature, and no such cases have been reported in Korea. A preterm neonate born at 35 weeks and six days of gestation presented with multiple annular erythematous patches with a targetoid shape over his entire body at 36 days of age (corrected age of 7 days). He had no systemic symptoms except for transient mild fever. No triggering factor except for hepatitis B and BCG vaccination was found. Neutropenia was noted upon laboratory analysis. Skin biopsy specimens showed findings suggestive of erythema multiforme. The skin lesions improved rapidly upon administration of intravenous methylprednisolone; however, neutropenia continued for a much longer period. The significance of neutropenia with respect to the development of EM was not clarified. There has been no recurrence of skin lesions over a one-year follow-up period

Immunogenicity of influenza vaccination in patients with cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors

Among prospectively enrolled adult patients with cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs; n = 46) or cytotoxic agents (n = 90), seroprotection and seroconversion rates after seasonal quadrivalent influenza vaccinations were higher with ICI than with cytotoxic chemotherapy. These results support annual influenza vaccinations for cancer patients receiving ICIs.

Evaluation of Empathy Among Korean Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the Korean Version of the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy

Background: Empathy is an essential element of physician professionalism. Thus, proper evaluation and education of empathy in medical students is important for medical education. Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Korean Student-Version of the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE-S). Methods: The scale was completed cross-sectionally by 493 medical students at Seoul National University College of Medicine in Korea. Results: Item-total correlations were all positive and statistically significant. Cronbach`s coefficient alpha was 0.84. A factor structure similar to that from American medical students was observed. The mean score of 5.2 +/- 0.6 was obtained. Significant differences in the empathy scores were observed among years in medical school but not between genders. Conclusions: Our findings provide support for the reliability and validity of the Korean JSPE-S and indicate that it can serve as a useful instrument for assessing empathy among Korean medical students.This study was supported by a grant from the Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea.Morling B, 2008, PERS SOC PSYCHOL REV, V12, P199, DOI 10.1177/1088868308318260Neumann M, 2007, PATIENT EDUC COUNS, V69, P63, DOI 10.1016/j.pec.2007.07.003Lown BA, 2007, J GEN INTERN MED, V22, P1514, DOI 10.1007/s11606-007-0318-xChen D, 2007, J GEN INTERN MED, V22, P1434, DOI 10.1007/s11606-007-0298-xSatterfield JM, 2007, MED EDUC, V41, P935, DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2923.2007.02835.xGlaser KM, 2007, MED SCI MONITOR, V13, pCR291Thomas MR, 2007, J GEN INTERN MED, V22, P177, DOI 10.1007/s11606-006-0039-6HOJAT M, 2007, EMPATHY PATIENT CAREWEST CP, 2007, BMC MED EDUC, V7, P29Stepien KA, 2006, J GEN INTERN MED, V21, P524, DOI 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00443.xKLISZCZ J, 2006, ADV MED SCI, V51, P219Alcorta-Garza A, 2005, SALUD MENT, V28, P57Hojat M, 2004, MED EDUC, V38, P934, DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2929.2004.01911.xSpencer J, 2004, MED EDUC, V38, P916, DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2929.2004.01965.xHojat M, 2002, ACAD MED, V77, pS58Hojat M, 2002, AM J PSYCHIAT, V159, P1563Hojat M, 2002, MED EDUC, V36, P522Winefield HR, 2000, MED EDUC, V34, P90DISEKER RA, 1981, J MED EDUC, V56, P1004

Evaluation of the newly established acne severity classification among Japanese and Korean dermatologists

Recently, we established an acne severity classification that is based on scientific evidence. Our classification allows three different methods for grading, which include general impression of consulted dermatologist, photograph-based estimation by independent experts, and grading by lesion counting. In our classification, we proposed standard photographs for the estimation of general severity to adjust the basis of judgments. In this study, we evaluated the validity of our classification. We made questionnaires of acne severity using acne patients' photographs, which were selected from the collection of representative photographs of our classification. Participants answered these questionnaires before and after our presentations about our classification of acne severity. We identified the conformity rate with our consensus decision. The results revealed that average conformity rates were raised from 67.0% to 88.9% among Japanese dermatologists and from 68.0% to 79.8% among Korean ones. These data show the adequacy of both our grading system itself and its presentation. We believe our classification will be one of the most effective and reasonable grading systems to classify acne severity

Comparison of a 585-nm pulsed dye laser and a 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser for the treatment of acne scars: A randomized split-face clinical study

Background: No studies have reported a comparison of the pulsed dye laser (PDL) and the 1064-nm long-pulsed neodymium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser treatment of acne scars in the same patient. Objective: To compare the efficacies of these two lasers in the treatment of acne scars. Methods: Eighteen patients received 4 sessions of PDL or Nd:YAG laser at 2-week intervals in a randomized split-face manner. Results: Both lasers induced notable and comparable improvement in the appearance of acne scars, particularly superficial scars, with significant reductions in the scores associated with the clinical evaluation scale for acne scarring (ECCA). Histologic evaluations revealed significant increases in collagen production and deposition following both lasers. Patient satisfaction scores concurred with these improvements. Ice-pick scars and boxcar scars tended to respond better to PDL and Nd:YAG lasers, respectively. Limitations. The number of subjects was small. Conclusions: Both lasers are effective modalities for the treatment of acne scars. Optimal outcomes might be achieved considering scar types and responses to a specific laser.Lee HS, 2008, J DERMATOL TREAT, V19, P45, DOI 10.1080/09546630701691244Keller R, 2007, DERMATOL SURG, V33, P1470, DOI 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2007.33318.xDeHoratius DM, 2007, CLIN DERMATOL, V25, P474, DOI 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2007.05.006Chan HHL, 2007, LASER SURG MED, V39, P381, DOI 10.1002/lsm.20512Werner S, 2007, J INVEST DERMATOL, V127, P998, DOI 10.1038/sj.jid.5700786Manolis EN, 2007, WOUND REPAIR REGEN, V15, P252, DOI 10.1111/j.1524-475X.2007.00212.xAlster TS, 2007, DERMATOL SURG, V33, P295, DOI 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2007.33059.xAlster T, 2007, DERMATOL SURG, V33, P131, DOI 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2006.33030.xDreno B, 2007, DERMATOLOGY, V214, P46, DOI 10.1159/000096912Goodman GJ, 2006, DERMATOL SURG, V32, P1458, DOI 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2006.32354.xSeaton ED, 2006, BRIT J DERMATOL, V155, P748, DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2006.07429.xLipper GM, 2006, DERMATOL SURG, V32, P998, DOI 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2006.32222.xBhatia AC, 2006, DERMATOL SURG, V32, P346, DOI 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2006.32071.xGOODMAN GJ, 2006, J COSMET DERMATOL, V5, P48Bellew SG, 2005, DERMATOL SURG, V31, P1218Carniol PJ, 2005, ARCH FACIAL PLAST S, V7, P251Prieto VG, 2005, DERMATOL SURG, V31, P522Friedman PM, 2004, ARCH DERMATOL, V140, P1337Chua SH, 2004, DERMATOL SURG, V30, P1287Fulchiero GJ, 2004, DERMATOL SURG, V30, P1356Sadick NS, 2004, DERMATOL SURG, V30, P995Woo SH, 2004, DERMATOL SURG, V30, P488Tanzi EL, 2004, DERMATOL SURG, V30, P152Holland DB, 2004, BRIT J DERMATOL, V150, P72KIM KH, 2004, ARCH FACIAL PLAST S, V6, P398Chan HHL, 2004, LASER SURG MED, V34, P98, DOI 10.1002/lsm.10247Rogachefsky AS, 2003, DERMATOL SURG, V29, P904Capon A, 2003, AM J CLIN DERMATOL, V4, P1GOODMAN G, 2003, J COSMET LASER THER, V5, P77ALSTER T, 2003, J COSMET LASER THER, V5, P39Patel N, 2002, DERMATOL SURG, V28, P942Tanzi EL, 2002, DERMATOL SURG, V28, P551GOH CL, 2002, SINGAP MED J, V43, P28Jacob CI, 2001, J AM ACAD DERMATOL, V45, P109Jeong JT, 2001, DERMATOL SURG, V27, P107LAYTON AM, 2001, AM J CLIN DERMATOL, V2, P135JORDAN RE, 2001, COCHRANE DB SYST REVGoodman GJ, 2000, DERMATOL SURG, V26, P857Jordan R, 2000, BRIT J DERMATOL, V142, P413LAYTON AM, 1998, J CUTAN MED SURG S3, V2, P19LAYTON AM, 1994, CLIN EXP DERMATOL, V19, P3031