[Epidemiology of pemphigus in the Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Seville, Spain, 2005-2006].

Background: Pemphigus is a serious, potentially fatal chronic autoimmune bullous disease with cutaneous and mucosal manifestations. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential.

Material And Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study that included patients diagnosed with pemphigus in the dermatology department of Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Seville, Spain, in 2005 and 2006.

Treatment of palmar hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin type A: 44 months of experience.

Background: Palmar hyperhidrosis (PH) can produce social and occupational difficulties and reduce the quality of life of those who suffer from this kind of problem. When dealing with focal hyperhidrosis, the patients' attitudes and their subjective approaches regarding the process may influence the objective evaluation of the disorder.

Objective: To evaluate, by means of a scale, the subjective improvement of sweat production after treatment with botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) in a group of patients with severe, invalidating PH.

[Evaluation of a screening system for patients with pigmented lesions using store-and-forward teleconsultation].

Introduction: Pigmented lesion clinics (PLC's) were developed as a quick referral system for patients with pigmented lesions. However, the most appropriate method of selecting patients who need to be seen in these units is not clearly defined. Teledermatology is a tool whose usefulness as a patient selection system for PLC's needs to be evaluated.

Localized Kaposi's sarcoma in a patient with pemphigus vulgaris.

We report the case of a patient with a 13-year history of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) treated with immunosuppressive agents, prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil who had developed lesions of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) on a sole plaque of PV that had been previously treated with intralesional injections of steroids. The lesions were surgically removed and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) demonstrated human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) DNA. There were neither recurrences nor later dissemination of KS following gradual decrease of the immunosuppressive therapy.

A new case of semicircular lipoatrophy associated with repeated external microtraumas and review of the literature.

We present a new case of semicircular lipoatrophy whose lesions disappeared after 2 months of avoiding a repeated trauma in that area. It seems that this is the only associated aetiological factor, and this entity is perhaps a consequence of certain postural habits. The repeated microtraumas would damage the fatty tissue giving rise to the histopathological findings described, which are compatible with traumatic panniculitis.

Management of facial hyperpigmentation.

Facial and neck pigmentations are the most cosmetically important. They are common in middle-aged women, and are related to endogenous (hormones) and exogenous factors (such as use of cosmetics and perfumes, and exposure to sun radiation). Melasma (chloasma) is the most common cause of facial pigmentation, but there are many other forms such as Riehl's melanosis, poikiloderma of Civatte, erythrose peribuccale pigmentaire of Brocq, erythromelanosis follicularis of the face and neck, linea fusca, and cosmetic hyperpigmentations.

Pemphigus vulgaris and disseminated nocardiosis.

Infectious diseases, in particular septicaemia from Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are the most severe and frequent complications for the immunosuppressive therapy of pemphigus. Infection by Nocardia asteroides in subjects with pemphigus vulgaris is rare. We report the sixth case found of such an association; the subject died of disseminated nocardiosis while receiving steroids and immunosuppressive drugs, 4 years after being diagnosed with chronic pemphigus vulgaris.

M-plasty in the treatment of carcinomas located on the interglabellar region.

One of the main tasks of current cutaneous surgery is to completely eliminate the tumor while avoiding unnecessary normal tissue extirpation. This is especially important when removing facial tumors close to the external canthus, mouth angles and perialar regions. In all these areas we advise fusiform excision but with distal M-plasty in the nearest angle so as to avoid angle retraction.

Distribution of HLA class II alleles among Spanish patients with pemphigus vulgaris.

Twenty-six unrelated Spanish Caucasian individuals affected by pemphigus vulgaris (PV) were HLA typed and frequencies compared with those of 200 ethnically matched healthy controls. Twenty-three out of 26 patients were HLA-DR4. The frequency of HLA-DR14 was also increased (31%; controls: 4%).

Lichenoid drug eruption following the Blaschko lines.

Eruptions similar to those of lichen planus (LP) are associated with systemic diseases or have been induced by many drugs. Linear lesions as a Koebner effect are frequently found in LP but isolated long, narrow, linear lesions, which may extend the whole length of the limb, are rare though rather more common in childhood. Some cases of zonal or zosteriform LP have been described in the literature.

Darier's disease associated with basal cell carcinomas.

Background: Only three patients have been reported with basal cell carcinomas in skin involved with Darier's disease.

Objective: We report the fourth case and discuss the possible pathogenetic relationship between both diseases.

Results: In our case, oral retinoids made evident other basal cell carcinomas hidden in keratotic papules of the Darier's disease.

[Acute neutrophilic febrile dermatosis (Sweet syndrome) associated with melanoma].

A 45-years-old woman affected of Acute febrile neutrophilic syndrome is presented, with no reliable etiology. In a rutinary control, a pigmented ledion of one year of evolution was observed and a surgical excision was performed, with histological diagnosis of spreading superficial melanoma. In the next weeks of post-operatory, the Sweet's syndrome was decreased, disappearing completely two months later.

[Treatment of condylomata acuminata using liquid nitrogen].

We treated 105 patients with anogenital warts with cotton swabs soaked in liquid nitrogen. 90.1% of the patients were cured, but recurrences were observed in 19.

[Mucopurulent cervicitis at a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases].

In a series of 1,011 women seen in the Diagnosis Center of Sexually Transmitted Diseases of the Faculty of Medicine of Seville, we study the prevalence of cervical infections caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae and/or Chlamydia trachomatis and also mucopurulent cervicitis (CMP), these last diagnosed by the presence of more than 10 polymorphonuclear leukocytes x 1,000 magnification in Gram stain of secretion or endocervical mucopus. We calculate the predictive value that the diagnosis of the CMP had in detecting cervical infection by chlamydia and gonococcus. N.

Follow-up of vermilionectomies: evaluation of the technique.

Vermilionectomy is a straightforward technique that provides excellent results, not only in the treatment of solar cheilitis, but also as a prophylactic measure for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lower lip. Well-planned and well-executed, this operation is considered to have no postoperative complications. However, our 12-month follow-up of 52 postvermilionectomy patients revealed interesting features with regard to the contraction of the lip scar, sensitive, functional, and cosmetic disorders, and the prophylactic role of vermilionectomy on SCC of the lip.

[Nevus comedonicus].

Comedo naevus of which there are few cases in the literature are undoubtedly frequent, and pass unnoticed, as they are easily confused with furunculosis. A recent observation of a case in the Department of Medical-Surgical Dermatology and Venereology, in the Faculty of Medicine of Seville University has allowed us to review the genetic, clinical, histological and therapeutic aspects.

[Chondroid syringoma. Clinico-pathologic aspects].

Following the observation of a case of Chondroid Syringoma which corresponded to the clinical-histological requisites of Hirsch and Helwig, we review the bibliography and insist on the possibility of reaching a clinical diagnosis predicting even the benign of malign character of the neoformation due to its location.