[A long-standing swelling on the shoulder].

We present a 49-year-old woman with a cutaneous horn on the right shoulder since 20 years. Cutaneous horn is a clinical diagnosis referring to a benign or malignant lesion of the skin with a conical projection of cornified material. It is most common on sun-exposed skin.

Tailored Therapist-Guided Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Psoriasis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Patients with somatic conditions, such as psoriasis, frequently suffer from high burden of their disease in daily life and might benefit from internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) tailored to their adjustment problems. The aim of this multicenter randomized controlled trial was to examine the effects of therapist-guided, individually tailored ICBT in a clinical sample of patients with psoriasis.

Methods: A total of 131 patients with psoriasis, who were screened for a psychological risk profile, were randomized to either care as usual (CAU, n = 66) or ICBT in addition to CAU (n = 65).

Predictors of perceived stigmatization in patients with psoriasis.

Background: The physical appearance of psoriasis can be cosmetically disfiguring, resulting in a substantial social burden for patients. An important aspect of this burden is the experience of stigmatization. While stigmatization is known to be disabling and stressful for patients, little is known about its correlates, and effective interventions are lacking.

Body attention, ignorance and awareness scale: assessing relevant concepts for physical and psychological functioning in psoriasis.

A certain level of attention to bodily signals may be adaptive in the management of chronic skin conditions, as a lack of attention may lead to inadequate self-care behaviour and, consequently, may affect functioning and treatment outcomes. The purpose of this study was to develop a body awareness questionnaire and to investigate its psychometric properties and physical and psychological correlates in a cross-sectional study in patients with psoriasis (n = 475). The 16-item Body Attention, Ignorance and Awareness Scale demonstrated a 3-factor structure that could be interpreted as body ignorance, body attention, and body awareness (Cronbach's α of 0.

Psychological distress in patients with morphea and eosinophilic fasciitis.

Objective: To examine the level of psychological distress and factors contributing to distress in patients with morphea or eosinophilic fasciitis.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Dermatology outpatient clinic of a university hospital.

Efficacy of topical tacrolimus 0.1% in active plaque morphea: randomized, double-blind, emollient-controlled pilot study.

Background: Tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor, is an immunomodulating and anti-inflammatory drug that inhibits T-cell activation and production of cytokines. The elevated level of cytokines in morphea causes fibroblast proliferation and subsequent overproduction of collagen. Theoretically, tacrolimus could inhibit the pathophysiologic process of morphea.

Effectiveness, side-effects and period of remission after treatment with methotrexate in localized scleroderma and related sclerotic skin diseases: an inception cohort study.

Background: Detailed information is lacking on effectiveness of methotrexate (MTX) in sclerotic skin diseases, side-effects, and duration of remission after discontinuation.

Objectives: To determine effectiveness, side-effects and period of remission gained by use of MTX in sclerotic skin diseases.

Methods: All patients with a sclerotic skin disease who were treated with MTX (group A) or MTX with corticosteroids (CS) (group B) between 1995 and 2007 were evaluated.

Ultraviolet A phototherapy for sclerotic skin diseases: a systematic review.

Background: Ultraviolet (UV) A-1 phototherapy is now available for a variety of skin diseases. Increasingly since 1995, there have been investigations of the efficacy of UVA-1 (340-400 nm) therapy for sclerotic skin diseases. Most studies undertaken treated patients who had localized scleroderma, but UVA-1 phototherapy is currently also used for other sclerotic skin conditions.

Period of remission after treatment with UVA-1 in sclerodermic skin diseases.

Background: Sclerodermic skin diseases can cause severe morbidity and disability. UVA-1 has shown to be an effective therapy for sclerodermic skin diseases. However, the period of remission in these patients is not clear.

Tacrolimus ointment for the treatment of severe facial plaque psoriasis.

Recently, tacrolimus ointment has proved to be effective and well tolerated in patients with facial psoriasis. A few months ago we had the opportunity to treat a patient with tacrolimus ointment who had severe and recalcitrant plaque psoriasis of the face. This present case illustrates the impressive improvement of facial plaque psoriasis following 5 months of treatment with tacrolimus 0.

[A Dutchman from Mali with a perianal ulcer caused by cutaneous amoebiasis].

A 66-year-old Dutchman, living in Mali, presented with an extensive progressive perianal ulcer despite local and antibiotic treatment. Microscopic examination of the stool revealed Entamoeba histolytica/dispar cysts and phagocytosing trophozoites were seen in fresh scrapings of the ulcer, a diagnostic feature of infection with E. histolytica.