Pentoxyfilline as a treatment for subcorneal pustular dermatosis.

Subcorneal pustular dermatosis (SPD) is a rare pustular neutrophilic dermatosis in which groups of sterile pustules appear in the superficial (subcorneal) skin. This chronic condition can be associated with significant morbidity and decreased quality of life. Dapsone is the first-line therapy for SPD, but some patients fail to respond or cannot tolerate it.

An unusual case of dermatitis herpetiformis.

An adolescent boy whose initial presentation consisted of an asymmetric, nonvesicular rash was eventually diagnosed with dermatitis herpetiformis (DH). Certain factors, including lesions limited to the genitals, an initial biopsy revealing nonspecific findings on microscopy studies, and the absence of characteristic direct immunofluorescence findings lessened initial clinical suspicions of DH over that of scabies infestation. Classic microscopic findings of DH were identified on repeat biopsy.

Fluoroscopy-induced chronic radiation dermatitis.

A 62-year-old man with a history of 2 previous cardiac catheterizations presented with an itchy, nontender skin lesion over his right scapula. The skin lesion had been present for >5 years. Review of the medical records found evidence of a prolonged and complicated cardiac catheterization 8 years previously.

Symmetrical drug-related intertriginous and flexural exanthema secondary to topical 5-fluorouracil.

We report the case of a 56-year-old man who developed a distinctive skin eruption after treating actinic keratoses on the dorsal aspects of his right and left hands with topical 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The distribution of his rash was characteristic of symmetrical drug-related intertriginous and flexural exanthema (SDRIFE), also known as baboon syndrome.

Molecular basis of posttransplant squamous cell carcinoma: the potential role of cyclosporine a in carcinogenesis.

Cyclosporine (CSA) is a widely used immunosuppressive agent, predominantly for transplant patients. It is well recognized that transplant patients are prone to develop squamous carcinoma of the skin and mucosa, and this high incidence of squamous carcinoma in the transplant population cannot be explained by immunosuppression alone. We hypothesize that CSA may play a significant role in the transformation of normal epidermal squamous cells to carcinoma.

Actinic keratosis and capecitabine therapy.

Topical application of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is one of the most effective clinical strategies available to treat actinic keratosis (AK). During treatment, an apparent toxic skin reaction occurs before dermal quiescence ensues. We report a case of a typical flare of AK in a woman treated with capecitabine for advanced breast cancer.

Trichotillomania: a review and case report.

Although patients with trichotillomania typically present to dermatologists, the diagnosis and treatment lie in the field of psychiatry. We report an unusual case of a 33-year-old woman with severe trichotillomania. We review common clinical and pathologic findings of this often chronic and socially debilitating disorder.

Effects of subantimicrobial-dose doxycycline in the treatment of moderate acne.

Objective: To determine if treatment with subantimicrobial-dose (SD) doxycycline hyclate (20-mg tablets taken twice daily) improved clinical outcome, had any detectable effect on skin flora, led to overgrowth or colonization of skin by opportunistic pathogens, or resulted in an increase in antibiotic resistance by the surface skin microflora in patients with moderate acne compared with placebo.

Design: Multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial.

Setting: Two university-based clinics.