Frequency and significance of the major and minor features of Hanifin and Rajka among patients with atopic dermatitis.

In 481 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), 4 major features of Hanifin and Rajka were found in 72%, and in 96% over 6 minor features were seen, which is much more than the minimum required by these authors for making a 'firm diagnosis'. The incidence of particular minor features in all patients was varying significantly, and in subgroups of patients they appeared with different frequency. For example, asthma occurred more often in AD patients with the onset of skin lesions before the 6th month of life, and food intolerance was more frequently observed in patients with very high serum IgE level.

[Many years of personal observation on the effect of timolol for arresting development of keratoconus].

On examining about 300 patients with keratoconus in the period of 20 years the authors detected in a number of cases variations of the intraocular pressure. By means of a pneumo-tonometer Digilab 30R periodic variations of the IOP were measured in 76 patients and daily variations in 42. The statistical analysis showed that the application of Timolol and reduction of the IOP variations has a decisive influence on the improvement of objective changes and the visual acuity without correction.

[Keratoconus and coexisting diseases in monozygotic twins].

The study presents conditions mostly described as co-existing with the keratoconus in 7 patients (from among 300 examined) born from an uni-ovular twin pregnancy. Only one pair of twins showed keratoconus of both eyes and developing identically in both eyes.