Search

BACKGROUND Corticosteroids have been the mainstay of treatment for alopecia areata (AA). Recently, the 308-nm excimer laser has been proposed for treating AA. OBJECTIVES To compare the efficacy and safety of excimer laser with intralesional corticosteroid (ILCS) in AA. METHODS Patients with at least two alopecic patches were randomly assigned to receive weekly excimer laser treatments or monthly injections of ILCS. Photographs and trichoscopy images were examined at baseline, the last treatment session, and after one month of follow-up. The hair regrowth score was evaluated on a 6-point scale. RESULTS Sixteen patients with 99 alopecic patches completed the study. At the last treatment session, the mean score of hair regrowth for the laser was significantly lower than the ILCS (p = 0.003). However, after a month of follow-up, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.148). Positive response in hair regrowth (≥50%) was achieved in 47% of laser-treated patches and 66% in ILCS-treated ones. Four (25%) and 8 (50%) patients experienced severe adverse events of laser and ILCS, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The excimer laser was safe and effective in AA. The effect of laser on hair regrowth might be delayed as compared with ILCS.

BACKGROUND Angiofibromas are common benign skin lesions that are diagnosed clinically and histopathologically. Fibrous papule (FP) is one of the clinical types of angiofibromas located primarily on the nose. METHODS The cases with the confirmed diagnosis of angiofibroma were enrolled. Demographic features of the patients and clinical characteristics of the lesions were extracted. Moreover, histopathological features of the available slides were microscopically reviewed. RESULTS From 83 cases of cutaneous angiofibromas, 57 (69%) had lesions consistent with FP. The mean age at diagnosis was 37.7 ± 16.3 years and the most common site of involvement was the nose (53% of cases). Regarding the histopathological evaluation of 71 slides, most cases represented vascular changes (97%) and dermal fibroplasia (87%). Melanin incontinence (41%), acanthosis (31%), and lichenoid features (25%) were other common histopathological findings. Moreover, a sparse inflammatory cell infiltrate was present in 68% of cases. The most prevalent inflammatory cells were lymphocytes (61%) and histiocytes (34%). CONCLUSION This study presented the histopathological findings of a series of cutaneous angiofibromas. Dermatopathologists should be aware of these features, especially those that are less common, to better diagnose and differentiate them from malignant neoplasms.

Actinic keratosis (AK) is a precancerous skin lesion associated with the development of squamous cell carcinoma. Approved topical treatments for AK are unmet needs. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of hydrogen peroxide topical solution 35% (H2 O2 ) with cryosurgery for the treatment of AKs. Eligible subjects were randomly assigned to receive H2 O2 and cryosurgery on each side of their scalp/face. Patients were assessed at baseline and after 3 months of follow-up. Efficacy was evaluated based on the Actinic Keratosis Area and Severity Index (AKASI) and dermoscopic assessments. Fifteen patients with 98 lesions completed the study. At the follow-up visit, the mean improvement of AKASI from baseline was 1.7 ± 0.9 for H2 O2 and 1.7 ± 0.8 for cryosurgery (p 0.05). Regarding safety, hypopigmentation occurred more frequently in the cryosurgery group (28.3% vs. 9.6%; p = 0.017). Moreover, patients endured more pain with cryosurgery application than H2 O2 (p < 0.001). The effect of H2 O2 solution was comparable to cryosurgery. This treatment was well tolerated and had a favorable safety in patients with AKs.

Background: Nosocomial Infection (NI) is one of the leading causes of short- and long-term morbidity and mortality among neonates, especially in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of NIs and associated factors. Methods: From March 2017 to September 2018, all the neonates who were admitted to the NICUs of Bahrami Children’s Hospital were enrolled. Nosocomial infections were identified based on the definition of CDC-NNIS. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data of the patients were extracted from the medical records. Results: A total of 979 neonates were admitted to the NICU, of whom 60 were diagnosed with NI. The incidence of NI was 6.1 per 100 hospitalized patients. The most prevalent NI was bloodstream infection (30%), followed by pneumonia (21.7%). The most frequent presentations were respiratory distress (31.7%) and poor feeding (26.7%). Major pathogens were Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus (25.7%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (25.7%). The mean hospital stay was 25.2 ± 20.89 days. The mortality rate of patients with NI was 16.7%. The factors associated with an increased risk of mortality among patients with NI were a lack of ventilation support, low birth weight, and WBCs with an abnormal range. Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that the incidence of NI was high, and the cultures collected from body fluids had a particular role in the diagnosis and treatment of NI. Standard infection control practices should be applied to reduce the incidence of NI and subsequent morbidity and mortality.

Background Facial asymmetry is considered a reason for patient dissatisfaction with the outcome of rhinoplasty. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of facial asymmetry on patient postoperative satisfaction with crooked nose and to investigate the relationship between visual perception of asymmetry and anthropometric measurements. Methods In this retrospective study, 61 rhinoplasty patients with crooked noses were assessed. Utilizing frontal view photos, pre- and postoperative nasal deviation angles were calculated. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on the visual presence of facial asymmetry. Moreover, anthropometric characteristics of the face were evaluated utilizing facial soft tissue landmarks. Patient satisfaction with surgery outcomes, including both aesthetic and functional aspects, was assessed employing the Persian version of the Standardized Cosmesis and Health Nasal Outcomes Survey. Results Based on the observations, 19 (30.2%) and 44 (69.8%) patients had I-type and C-type noses, respectively. In both groups, the deviation angle decreased significantly postoperatively (P Conclusions Rhinoplasty in patients with deviated noses and asymmetric faces may have comparable results with symmetric ones. Level of Evidence: 4

Pemphigus consists of a group of rare autoimmune blistering diseases that are typically characterized by the appearance of intraepithelial blisters on the skin and/or mucosa. Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and pemphigus foliaceus (PF) are 2 well-known forms of pemphigus. Although they have distinct clinicopathological features, each of these conditions could switch to the other. The Kobner phenomenon (KP) is described as the appearance of new lesions in the uninvolved skin as a consequence of different kinds of trauma. It has been described in several skin disorders, including psoriasis, vitiligo, lichen planus, and rarely pemphigus [1]. Here we report a patient with previously diagnosed mucocutaneous PV who developed PF after rituximab (RTX) therapy and developed crusted lesions some weeks after surgery for femoral avascular necrosis at the surgical site.

Background Benign cutaneous lesions, so-called cysts, are frequently seen in clinics and might evoke cosmetic and psychosocial concerns. Aim This study aimed to demonstrate the clinicopathologic findings of these lesions and also the importance of histological evaluation for prevention of misdiagnosing a benign-appearing malignant lesion. Methods A descriptive study was conducted of 2,438 cases who had a diagnosis of cyst confirmed with pathology. The data of patients over the 6-year period between 2011 and 2017, including gender, age, location, prevalence, complications, and microscopic evaluation, were gathered. Results From a total of 2,438 records with a clinical diagnosis of mucocutaneous cyst, 2077 had the pathologic diagnosis of cysts. They consisted of 910 women (43.8%) and 1167 men (56.1%) with a mean age of 42. The most common mucocutaneous cysts were epidermal cyst 994 (47.8%) followed by trichilemmal cyst 495 (23.8%). In 479 (19.6%) records, the clinical diagnosis was not congruent with histopathological diagnosis including 45 malignant cases. Basal cell carcinoma in 22 (48.9%) was the most common one. Conclusions This study reports on clinical characteristics of cutaneous cysts and the need for a decent diagnostic investigation, like histopathology, for achieving a reliable diagnosis regarding the benign mimicking malignant lesions, especially high risk ones.