Vulvar lichen sclerosus: effect of maintenance treatment with a moisturizer on the course of the disease.

Objectives: Vulvar lichen sclerosus (LS) is an inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that may result in significant discomfort and psychological distress in postmenopausal women. One of the most troublesome features of LS is its chronically relapsing nature. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maintenance therapy with a moisturizer in preventing the risk of relapse and progression of vulvar LS in postmenopausal women.

Value of standard laboratory tests for the early recognition of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis.

The laboratory data for 17 patients with group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis (GAS NF) were compared with data for 145 patients hospitalized for cellulitis during the same period. Admission values of C-reactive protein and creatine kinase were higher for patients in the group with GAS NF than for patients in the group with cellulitis (P<.001), suggesting that standard laboratory tests may be useful for the early differential diagnosis of GAS NF and cellulitis.

Carcinoma of the glans penis arising 20 years after lichen sclerosus.

Lichen sclerosis (LS) is an inflammatory disease of incompletely characterized pathogenesis. The relation between LS and carcinoma is well known in women, but in men it is still a matter of debate whether LS is a premalignant lesion or not. We describe a case of LS of the glans penis which occurred in 1976.

Dirofilariasis, a rare, usually imported dermatosis.

Dirofilariasis is an animal filariasis, exceptionally transmitted to man. The clinical manifestations are usually one or a few subcutaneous nodules which are frequently mistaken for lipomas or epidermic cysts. Inside the nodule may be found a worm, adult but immature.

Chronic arsenicism: criminal poisoning or drug-intoxication? Report of two cases.

We report two cases with chronic arsenicism. The first one is a young 37-year-old woman who presents leucomelanoderma, plantar keratoderma, polyneuropathy of the legs and transversal striae of the nails. After investigations, criminal intoxication with arsenic caused by her own sister was discovered.

[Epidemiology and etiopathogeny of necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal shock syndrome].

A significant increase in the frequency of necrotizing fasciitis caused by streptococci of group A has recently been noted. The disease usually appears in individuals without obvious risk factors. The initial lesion is often quite ordinary, and the evolution towards a toxic shock very swift.

[Streptococcus beta hemolytic necrotizing fasciitis. 5 cases in the Brussels area].

In the Brussels area five cases of necrotizing fasciitis occurred during the past two years in patients devoid of any pathology likely to lower the immune defence mechanisms. Alcoholism and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs seem to act as contributory factors. Necrotizing fasciitis develops alone or as complication of a pre-existent dermo-hypodermic infection.