Clinical and demographic characteristics of 165 patients with lichen planus

Objective: Lichen planus (LP), is a papulosquamous inflammatory disease, which involves the skin, mucous membranes, nails and scalp. The incidence varies according to geographical regions. In this study, it was aimed to detect the clinical and demographic characteristics of the patients with LP who have been under follow-up at our clinic. Methods: One hundred sixty five patients, who were diagnosed as LP in our clinic between 2010 and 2013, were enrolled to the study. The age, gender, disease duration, time of onset of disease, characteristics of involvement, associated systemic diseases, laboratory findings and treatment were recorded retrospectively. Results: In our study, 0.6% of all patients admitted to our clinic were diagnosed as LP. A total of 165 patients included in the study, 92 women (56%) and 73 men (44%), respectively. Patients’ ages ranged 8-78 (mean 44.7±16.7). Disease duration ranged from 1 month to 20 years (mean 15.6±29.7). One hundred thirty four patients (81.2%) had skin involvement, 51 (31%) had oral mucosal involvement, and 15 (9%) had genital involvement. Five (4.5%) of 111 patients with viral hepatitis tests were positive for hepatitis C virus. Hepatitis B virus positivity was seen in 4 (4%) patients. Conclusion: There is a need for further studies with more patients to better understand the epidemiological, clinical and pathological characteristics of LP. We believe that our study will contribute to the determination of our country’s data

Investigation into the frequency of helicobacter pylori infection with carbon 14 urea breath test in patients with vitiligo

Background/aim: Vitiligo is a common, acquired depigmenting skin disorder. The relationship between Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and autoimmune dermatological disease has been previously reported. However, the frequency of HP infection in patients with vitiligo has not been reported. In this study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of HP infection with the carbon 14 (C14) urea breath test (UBT) in patients with vitiligo. Materials and methods: This study included 34 patients (18 males and 16 females) with vitiligo and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. HP infection was diagnosed using the C14 UBT (Heliprobe). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 19. Results: The frequency of HP infection was 64.7% in the patient group and 33.3% in the control group according to the C14 UBT (chisquare test, P = 0.012). HP infection frequency is statistically significantly higher in patients with vitiligo. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation of the frequency of HP positivity in patients with vitiligo. To better understand the role of HP in vitiligo as an etiological or initiating factor, further experimental and clinical studies with a greater number of patients are needed.Background/aim: Vitiligo is a common, acquired depigmenting skin disorder. The relationship between Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and autoimmune dermatological disease has been previously reported. However, the frequency of HP infection in patients with vitiligo has not been reported. In this study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of HP infection with the carbon 14 (C14) urea breath test (UBT) in patients with vitiligo. Materials and methods: This study included 34 patients (18 males and 16 females) with vitiligo and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. HP infection was diagnosed using the C14 UBT (Heliprobe). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 19. Results: The frequency of HP infection was 64.7% in the patient group and 33.3% in the control group according to the C14 UBT (chisquare test, P = 0.012). HP infection frequency is statistically significantly higher in patients with vitiligo. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation of the frequency of HP positivity in patients with vitiligo. To better understand the role of HP in vitiligo as an etiological or initiating factor, further experimental and clinical studies with a greater number of patients are needed

An Interesting Side Effect of Topical Steroids: Nipple Hypertrophy

Abstract Observations: There are many local and systemic side-effects of corticosteroids. To the best of our knowledge, enlargement of the nipple due to topical corticosteroids has not been reported previously. We report a 17-year old, male patient who started himself a topical corticosteroid clobetasol 17-propionate because of itching complaint at his left nipple. After 4 months of initiation of treatment, he developed unilateral left nipple hypertrophy. Based on patient history, clinical and laboratory findings and the exclusion of other diagnoses, the hypertrophy of the nipple points out the use of a topical corticosteroid. With this case we wanted to draw attention of clinicians about an interesting side effect of a topical corticosteroid

Factors Affecting Turkish Dog Owners' Breed Choices, and Their Associations with Socio-demographic and Dog-Related Variables

The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting dog owners' breed choices at the time of acquisition and whether they were associated with socio-demographics and dog-related variables (size, temperament, function). Answers (n = 581) to a questionnaire formed the data for this study. In order to determine which factors affected breed choice, a principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted. This revealed that owners were influenced by adaptation ability, social influence, working expectation, and breed characteristics at the time of dog acquisition, all of which explained 54.8% of the total variance. In order to determine the relationships between these influences, demographics, and dog-related factors, both univariate and multiple regression analyses were conducted. It was found that gender, education level, housing type, number of children, having another pet, and owners' self-classification of professionalism were significantly associated with the factors affecting owners' choices. Furthermore, dog-related factors were found to be a better predictor than the demographics of the owner in determining the factors affecting breed choices

SİSTEMİK RETİNOİD KULLANAN HASTALARDA İDRAR BULGULARININ DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ

Giriş: Sistemik retinoid kullanımının yan etkileriarasında oral, nazal ve konjonktival mukozakuruluğu iyi bilinmektedir. Nazal mukozakuruluğuna bağlı burun kanaması sık görülen biryan etki olmakla birlikte üretral mukoza kuruluğunabağlı hematüri sadece bir olguda bildirilmiştir.Çalışmamızda sistemik retinoid kullanan hastalarınidrar bulgularının değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır.Gereç ve yöntem: Çalışmamıza son bir yıl içindekliniğimizde orta ve şiddetli akne tanısı ile oralisotretinoin kullanan ve çeşitli nedenlerle asitretintedavisi verilen hastaların verileri retrospektifolarak tarandı ve tedavi sırasında tam idrar tetkikiyapılan 55 hasta çalışmaya dahil edildi. Hastalarınyaşları, kullandığı retinoik asit tipi, retinoik asitdozları, tam idrar tetkikinin yapıldığı tedavi ayı,diğer mukozal yan etkiler, laboratuvar tetkikleri vetam idrar tetkiki bulguları kaydedildi.Bulgular: Sistemik retinoid kullanan 19 erkek 34kadın hasta çalışmaya dahil edildi. Hasta grubununyaş ortalaması 23.2±10.4 yıl (10-64) idi. Kontrolgrubuna 19 erkek 21 kadın alındı. Kontrolgrubunun yaş ortalaması ise 24.6±5.7 yıl (15-40)(p>0.05) idi. Toplam 49 hasta isotretinoin, 6 hastaise asitretin kullanıyordu. Hastaların idrar analizisonuçları kontrol grubu ile karşılaştırıldığında idrarPH, idrar dansite değerleri, idrarda lökosit veeritrosit varlığı açısından fark belirlenmedi(p>0.05). İdrarda epitel varlığı retinoik asit kullanangrupta kontrol grubuna oranla yüksekbulundu(p<0.05).Sonuç: İdrarda epitel varlığının sistemik retinoidkullanan grupta yüksek oranda saptanmasıürogenital mukoza kuruluğu ile ilişkili olabilir.Bizim hasta grubumuzda altta yatan ürolojikpatoloji olmaksızın izole hematüri saptanmadı.Ancak bu konuda daha daha çok hasta ile yapılacakprospektif çalışmalara ihtiyaç olduğunudüşünmekteyiz.Anahtar kelimeler: Hematüri; sistemik retinoid;yan etki; idrar tetkiki bulgular

A case of atypical scleromyxedema mimicking angioedema which responded well to acitretin treatment

Otuz yedi yaşındaki erkek hasta göz kapaklarında, kulaklarında, boyun ön ve yan yüzleri ile ensesinde şişlik ve hafif kaşıntı şikayeti ile polikliniğimize başvurdu. Dermatolojik muayenesinde göz kapaklarında ve kulaklarında soluk eritem ve ödem; yüz derisinde kabalaşma ve alın bölgesinde oluklanmalar saptandı. Hastanın öyküsünden yaklaşık iki aydır ürtiker-anjioödem tanıları ile sistemik kortikosteroid, antihistaminik ve adrenalin tedavilerinin verildiği fakat bu tedavilerden hiç fayda görmediği öğrenildi. Klinik, histopatolojik ve laboratuvar bulgularının ışığında hastaya monoklonal gamopatisiz atipik skleromiksödem tanısı konuldu. Hastaya asitretin (35 mg/gün) tedavisi başlandı. İki ay sonra lezyonlarda belirgin düzelme gözlendiA 37-year-old male patient was admitted our clinic with the complaints of edema and mild pruritus of the eyelids, ears, and the neck. On dermatological examination, there were edema and pale erythema on the eyelids and ears as well as coarsening of the facial features and lines grooving the forehead. His medical history revealed that the patients received systemic corticosteroids, antihistamines and epinephrine treatments for about two months with the diagnosis of urticaria and angioedema, however, he did not benefit from these treatments. A diagnosis of atypical scleromyxedema without monoclonal gammopathy was established according to the clinical, histopathological and laboratory findings. Acitretin treatment with a dose of 35 mg/day was started. Marked regression in the lesions was observed two months later