Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriasis.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder in which proinflammatory cytokines including IL-6 and TNF-α increase both locally and systematically. It is thought that chronic inflammation results in metabolic diseases and proinflammatory cytokines give rise to the development of atherogenesis, peripheral insulin resistance, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

Treatment of pediatric molluscum contagiosum with 10% potassium hydroxide solution.

Background: Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a common cutaneous viral infection of the skin that is frequently seen in children. Although lesions can resolve spontaneously, treatment is mandatory because of the psychological effect of widespread lesions in children. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) is a strong alkali that has been used by dermatologists for a long time in identifying the fungal infections from skin scrapings.

Primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma responsive to interferon alfa-2a.

Follicular lymphoma is the most common type of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas with a predilection for the scalp, forehead, and trunk. Herein we report a case of primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma on the scalp of 72-year-old female. The diagnosis was made histopathologically, confirming the presence of centrocytes and centroblasts.

Autologous whole blood and autologous serum injections are equally effective as placebo injections in reducing disease activity in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria: a placebo controlled, randomized, single-blind study.

Background: Recent demonstration of circulating anti-IgG antibodies towards IgE and its receptor (FcϵRI) has led to an interest in inducing tolerance to circulating histamine-releasing factors with autologous blood injections as a treatment option in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CU). The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of autologous whole blood (AWB) and autologous serum (AS) injections in patients with CU compared to placebo.

Methods: A total of 88 CU patients with (+) autologous serum skin test (ASST) (59) and (-) ASST (29) were randomized into three parallel subgroups and were treated with weekly injections of AWB, AS or placebo for 10 weeks.

An unusual vascular tumor: verrucous hemangioma.

Verrucous hemangioma is an uncommon capillary or cavernous hemangioma with reactive epidermal changes of hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, and papillomatosis. These growths are usually located on the lower extremities and involvement is generally unilateral. A diagnosis of verrucous hemangioma should be considered in lesions especially with a hyperkeratotic nodular appearance located on the lower extremities.

Narrowband UVB treatment of pigmented purpuric lichenoid dermatitis (Gougerot-Blum).

Pigmented purpuric dermatoses are a group of dermatoses characterized clinically by pinpoint petechia and purpura on a brown, red or yellow base. Five diseases are included in the group of pigmented purpuric eruptions which significantly overlap clinically and histologically. Phototherapy in various forms of purpuric dermatoses has been reported in literature previously.

Ulcus cruris associated with prolidase deficiency.

Prolidase deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder that is associated with chronic cutaneous ulcers, mental retardation, unusual facial appearance, skeletal deformities, joint dislocations, hematological anomalies, splenomegaly, and chronic infections. The most typical finding is chronic, recurrent leg ulcers appearing in early childhood. Prolidase (peptidase-D) is necessary for collagen biosynthesis and its deficiency leads to impairment in connective tissue of the skin, capillaries, and lymphatic vessels.

Granulomatous cheilitis resulting from a tuberculide.

Granulomatous cheilitis (GC) is a chronic granulomatous inflammation of the lips of unknown etiology. The possible relationship with tuberculosis has been described although most of the studies excluded infectious agents as potential causes of the granulomatous response. To our knowledge only one case of granulomatous cheilitis resulting from a tuberculide has been reported in the literature but accompanying internal involvement has not been previously described.