Analyzing the clinical efficacy and safety of levocetirizine based on its receptor occupancy, intraclass comparison and role in the treatment of CSU: an AROG consensus statement.

Introduction: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is characterized by urticaria persisting for more than 6 weeks. Antihistamines, notably sgAH (second generation antihistamines) are the first line of treatment for CSU.

Areas Covered: This consensus aimed to review the existing research on receptor occupancy of antihistamines, including levocetirizine, and translate its implications in the treatment of CSU.

Clinical Use of Super-Bioavailable Itraconazole for the Management of Dermatophytosis: Consensus Statement by Dermatologists from India via the Modified Delphi Technique.

Super-bioavailable itraconazole (SB ITZ) overcomes the limitations of conventional itraconazole (CITZ) such as interindividual variability and reduced bioavailability. It has been approved for systemic mycoses in Australia and Europe as 50 mg and the USA as 65 mg and in India as 50 mg, 65 mg, 100 mg, and 130 mg. However, data on the ideal dose and duration of SB ITZ treatment in managing dermatophytosis are insufficient.

Clinical Evaluation of the Safety and Tolerability of Film-Forming Sprays in Patients With Psoriasis and Eczema.

Background Treating dermatological pathologies under occlusion therapy is a popular adjunct, especially in thickened, lichenified areas of psoriasis where sustained contact with topical corticosteroids plays a pivotal role. Film-forming spray (FFS) can be a novel, alternate approach along with topical treatment in this area for carefully selected cases. This study aimed to evaluate the safety profile and physical characteristics of a novel formulation of an FFS in patients with psoriasis and eczema.

IADVL SIG Recalcitrant Dermatophytosis Position Statement on Super Bioavailable Itraconazole.

Itraconazole (ITZ) has been the mainstay of oral antifungal treatment for the current epidemic of recalcitrant dermatophytosis (RD) in India. Recently, a newer formulation of ITZ, super bioavailable itraconazole (SUBA-ITZ), is made available in the market by many pharmaceutical companies. It is important for dermatologists to understand the pharmacokinetic properties of SUBA-ITZ vis-a-vis conventional pellet formulation to use it effectively and safely.

Koebnerization of Lichen Sclerosus Et Atrophicus at Insulin Injection Sites - A Rare Case with Dermoscopic Features.

Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSEA), also known as lichen sclerosus (LS), is a disabling, cosmetically disfiguring condition predominantly affecting the anogenital region of pre- and postmenopausal females. Extragenital LS is relatively less common and occurs predominantly on the trunk and neck. Koebnerization or isomorphic phenomenon is reported occasionally in LS after trauma like radiotherapy.

Scrotal Lymphangiectasia with Penile Elephantiasis in Underlying Lymphatic Filariasis-Challenging the Diagnostic Mind! A Case Report.

Background: A plethora of diseases manifest as acquired genital lymphangiectasias which clinically manifest as superficial vesicles. They range from infections such as tuberculosis to connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma and even malignancy. Amongst infectious etiologies, lymphatic filariasis leads as the cause for lymphatic obstruction.

Clinical, bacteriological, and histopathological characteristics of newly detected children with leprosy: a population based study in a defined rural and urban area of Maharashtra, Western India.

Background: Leprosy has been a major public-health problem in many developing countries for centuries. According to the National Leprosy Elimination Programme report of March 2012, there were a total of about 0.13 million cases of leprosy in India, 9.

BCG immunotherapy as an adjunct to chemotherapy in BL-lL patients--its effect on clinical regression, reaction severity, nerve function, lepromin conversion, bacterial/antigen clearance and 'persister' M. leprae.

Background And Objective: Multidrug therapy in leprosy has failed to eliminate the problem of persister bacilli. Clearance of bacterial antigens is extremely slow which could predispose to continued nerve damage even after release from treatment. In the present study the immunomodulatory efficacy of BCG vaccine administered post-MDT in BL-LL leprosy patients was investigated in depth with a view to determining if augmenting chemotherapy with immunotherapy would help in faster clearance of M.

Spectacular skin nodules: cutaneous necrobiotic xanthogranuloma without paraproteinemia.

Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma (NXG) is a very rare, progressive variant of non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis. It is known to be associated with multisystem involvement and paraproteinemias. A 65-year-old female presented with chronic, slowly growing, asymptomatic periorbital nodules.

Clinical, bacteriological and histopathological study of 62 referral relapse cases between Jan 2004 and Dec 2009 at the Foundation for Medical Research, Mumbai.

Unlabelled: Sixty two patients with relapsed leprosy seen between Jan 2004 and Dec 2009 were studied using clinical, bacteriological and histopathological parameters. The findings thus obtained were correlated to parameters such as trend and source of referral, clinical characteristics at diagnosis, treatment received, other events during or after RFT and duration between cessation of treatment and relapse.

Findings: Referrals per year have doubled since 2006.

The effect of corticosteroids usage on bacterial killing, clearance and nerve damage in leprosy; part 3--Study of two comparable groups of 100 multibacillary (MB) patients each, treated with MDT + steroids vs. MDT alone, assessed at 6 months post-release from 12 months MDT.

Objective: To investigate effects of therapeutic usage of corticosteroids on M. leprae killing and clearance, on clearance of granuloma and on nerve damage in multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients.

Design: From a cohort of 400 untreated MB patients, a comparable group of 100 each receiving MDT + steroids (group A) vs MDT alone (group B) were assessed at 18 months as compared to month zero with respect to clinical and granuloma regression, M.

Effect of corticosteroid usage combined with multidrug therapy on nerve damage assessed using nerve conduction studies: a prospective cohort study of 365 untreated multibacillary leprosy patients.

The purpose of this study is to determine the extent of nerve involvement and to study the effect of corticosteroids combined with multidrug therapy on nerve damage in leprosy patients using sensory and motor nerve conduction studies. A cohort of 365 untreated multibacillary leprosy patients were prospectively studied using sensory and motor nerve conduction studies on upper and lower limb nerves. They were subgrouped as those to be treated with 12-week regimen of corticosteroids for reaction and/or neuritis or silent neuropathy of <6 months duration along with 12-month multidrug therapy (group A), and those with no reaction were treated with multidrug therapy only (group B).

Sensitivity and specificity of nerve palpation, monofilament testing and voluntary muscle testing in detecting peripheral nerve abnormality, using nerve conduction studies as gold standard; a study in 357 patients.

Objective: To determine sensitivity and specificity of clinical tools viz. nerve palpation (NP), monofilament (MF), and voluntary muscle testing (VMT), for assessing peripheral nerve function impairment (NFI) in leprosy, using nerve conduction studies (NCS) as gold standard.

Study Population And Methods: 357 untreated multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients were assessed using above tests.

Detection of previously undetected leprosy cases in a defined rural and urban area of Maharashtra, Western India.

Introduction: Leprosy has been a major public health problem in India for centuries. In India, between 2001 and 2005, the prevalence of leprosy was reduced by 80%. This sharp decline in the prevalence of leprosy alongside the cessation of active surveillance for detection of leprosy cases has raised a sense of alarm in the scientific community.

The effect of corticosteroid usage on the bacterial killing, clearance and nerve damage in leprosy: a prospective cohort study: part 1--study design and baseline findings of 400 untreated multibacillary patients.

Objective: To investigate possible adverse effects of therapeutic usage of corticosteroids on the killing and clearance of M. leprae and the clearance of granuloma, in patients with multibacillary (MB) leprosy.

Design: A cohort of 400 untreated MB patients were sub-grouped into those to be treated with corticosteroids (prednisolone 40 mg daily tapered to 5 mg over 12 weeks) along with MB-MDT for reaction and/or neuritis or silent neuropathy (SN) of <6 months duration (group A), and those with no reaction and to be treated with MDT only (group B).