Etiology of cutaneous vasculitis: utility of a systemic approach / Etiología de las vasculitis cutáneas: utilidad de una aproximación sistémica.

Cutaneous vasculities (CV) represents a diagnostic challenge, occurs as primary cutaneous disorder or as a manifestation of other entities. Objective: To search the cause of CV. Methods: Patients with CV were prospectively evaluated. In all patients, skin biopsies were drawn, and direct immunofluorescence was done in most of the patients. American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and Chapel Hill Consensus Conference Criteria (CHCC) were used for classification. Results: 32 patients were studied. There was female predominance (71.8%). Children presented drug-associated CV or Schönlein-Henoch púrpura (SHP). Adults presented more frequently SHP, systemic lupus erythematosus or paraneoplastic vasculitis, other diagnosis as polyarteritis nodosa, microscopic polyangiitis, thrombotic vasculitis (post-puerperal), antiphospholipid syndrome, Churg-Strauss syndrome, and drug-associated CV were presented. Using the ACR and CHCC criteria, 50% of cases were classified. Discussion: In our institution, during this work the etiologic diagnostic of CV increased more than twice. However, in the case of HSV or LA and SHP none of the proposed criteria had high specificity; other parameters were used to discern between both. Six patients remained as not classified. In our view, cryoglobulins and hepatitis serology do not seem useful unless patient's history supports they need to be done. Unclassified patients were followed-up closely for 2 years.

Las vasculitis cutáneas (VC), primarias o como manifestación de enfermedades sistémicas, constituyen un reto diagnóstico. Objetivo: Determinar las causas de VC. Métodos: Se incluyeron pacientes con diagnóstico de CV, a los cuales se les realizó valoración clínica, biopsia cutánea y exámenes de laboratorio. En la mayoría de los casos se realizó inmunofluorescencia directa. Los casos se clasificaron con los criterios del American College of Rheumatology (ACR) y la Chapel Hill Consensus Conference (CHCC). Resultados: Se incluyeron 32 pacientes; la frecuencia fue mayor en mujeres (71.8%). Los niños presentaron VC asociadas a medicamentos o púrpura de Schönlein-Henoch (PSH). En adultos se reportó con más frecuencia PSH, vasculitis asociada a lupus eritematoso sistémico y vasculitis paraneoplásicas; otros diagnósticos etiológicos incluyeron poliarteritis nodosa (PAN), poliangeítis microscópica (PAM), vasculitis trombótica (pospuerperal), síndrome antifosfolípidos (SAF), síndrome de Churg-Strauss (SCS) y VC asociada a medicamentos. Utilizando los criterios del ACR y la CHCC para vasculitis se clasificó el 50% de los casos. Discusión: En el Hospital Gea, durante este trabajo, el diagnóstico etiológico de las CV se incrementó más del doble. Sin embargo, en relación a los diagnósticos vasculitis por hipersensibilidad (VHS) y PSH ninguna de las clasificaciones utilizadas contaba con criterios específicos. Seis pacientes permanecieron sin clasificar. Observamos que los estudios de crioglobulinas y serología para hepatitis no son útiles como estudios iniciales, salvo que la historia clínica del paciente lo sugiera. Los pacientes sin clasificar se siguieron por dos años.

Telemedicine in wound care: a review.

Telemedicine (TM) is a new, rapidly evolving area and can be of great value in the provision of healthcare to remote and rural populations. Wound healing and wound management are prime candidates for TM. The treatment of skin ulcers requires frequent assessments of local wound status and adjustment of therapy. The availability of reasonably priced photographic equipment and quick electronic transfer of high-quality digital images should make the assessment of wound status by remote experts possible. Several studies showing the feasibility and the usefulness of teleconsultations in dermatology have already been described in the literature, and high accordance for diagnosis and treatment between face-to-face visits and teleconsultations has been reported. Some used digital photographs and sent the image and clinical data via the Internet to a wound care specialist (store and forward), whereas others used a webcam (televideoconferencing). Tele-wound care offers great potential for the future in chronic wound care. By reducing the need to travel long distances to the hospital or to consult with a physician, TM decreases the costs and improves the quality of life for patients with chronic wounds, while still maintaining high standards of wound care. The intent of TM is to reduce, in a clinically equivalent way, the number of visits to a specialized clinic, but not necessarily to eliminate all visits. Further well-designed research is necessary to understand how best to deploy TM services in healthcare.

Nail unit tumors: a study of 234 patients in the dermatology department of the "Dr Manuel Gea González" General Hospital in Mexico City.

BACKGROUND: The frequency of nail unit tumors is not well known because they are often misdiagnosed, and the clinical appearance of benign and malignant tumors is not characteristic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 234 patients from the dermatology department of a general hospital in Mexico City were included in this study, from January 1982 to November 2006. RESULTS: The tumors most frequently diagnosed were fibrous tumors (29.05%), osteocartilaginous tumors (21.79%), and myxoid pseudocysts (11.96%). Malignant melanoma occupied the fourth place (9.82%), and the second most frequent malignant tumor was squamous cell carcinoma (SCC; 4.70%). Among other tumors were glomus, neurofibromas, giant cell tumors of tendon sheath, and pyogenic granulomas. The nail plate was affected in 46.5% of the cases studied. CONCLUSION: This study in a Mexican population sheds light on the frequency and the alterations produced by nail unit tumors, which we must keep in mind for a more accurate diagnosis.

Telemedicine in wound care.

Telemedical wound care is one of the applications of teledermatology. We present our experience using telemedicine in the successful assessment and treatment of three patients with hard-to-heal ulcers. Three patients were seen at the PEMEX General Hospital in Veracruz, Mexico. The first patient was a 53-year-old man with hypertension, morbid obesity, chronic venous insufficiency, recurrent erysipelas, leg ulcers and lymphoedema. There was one ulcer on his left lower leg (20 x 10 cm) and one on his right leg (9 x 7 cm). The second patient was a 73-year-old woman with class III obesity and ulcers in her right leg, secondary to surgical debridement of bullous erysipelas. The third patient was a 51-year-old female with rheumatoid arthritis with one ulcer on each leg and chronic lymphostasis. Photographs with a digital camera were taken and sent weekly via email to a wound care specialist in Mexico City. The photographs allowed the expert to diagnose and evaluate the chronic wounds periodically. In the present cases, telemedicine allowed us to have a rapid evaluation, diagnosis and treatment. The images were of enough quality to be useful and small enough to be sent via regular email to the remote physician who immediately gave his feedback. The expert was confident to give therapeutic recommendations in this way, and we considered this method to be very cost-effective, saving the patient and the health care system, especially in transportation.

Carcinoma epidermoide de la lengua: presentación de un caso / Epidermoid carcinoma of the tongue: report of a case

El carcinoma epidermoide es el cáncer bucal más frecuente que representamás de 90% de todos los tipos de cáncer de la cavidad oral. Se presenta el caso de masculino de 41 años de edad con un carcinoma epidermoide de rápida evolución a nivel de la lengua. Se observó una estomatosis localizada en el borde izquierdo de la lengua caracterizada por una neoformación de bordes elevados indurados, centro ulcerado, de 2 cm de diámetro y friable. Se detectaron adenomegalias del lado izquierdo de 2 cm. El paciente refería dolor a nivel del cuello y a niveldel oído izquierdo. Fumaba hasta dos cajetillas de cigarros al día. El estudio histopatológico reveló un carcinoma epidermoide ulcerado, invasor con áreas moderadamente poco diferenciadas. Se inició tratamientocon radioterapia 25 sesiones y quimioterapia con cisplatino. Se determinó mala tolerancia y respuesta al tratamiento establecido, por lo que éste se suspendió y se optó por tratamientos paliativos. La evolución del paciente fue tórpida y falleció a los 10 meses del diagnóstico. Las neoplasias de la cavidad oral son relativamente poco frecuentes, pero la letalidad alcanza hasta 78 por ciento entre las neoplasias de las vías aerodigestivas superiores y se diagnostican en etapas avanzadasen 65 por ciento de los casos. La prevención es fundamental, sobre todo la supresión del tabaquismo.

Epidermoid carcinoma is the most frequent oral cancer (90% of alloral cancer). We present the case of a 41-year-old man with oralcancer on the tongue. The lesion was localized on the left side of thetongue and was characterized by an ulcerated tumor with induratedborders, 2 cm of diameter. Lymph node metastasis was detected onthe neck. The patient had left ear pain and also a pain in the neck.He smoked two packs of cigarettes per day. The histopathologic studyrevealed an epidermoid carcinoma with poor and well-diff erentiatedareas. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy with cisplatin on were started.The patient did not tolerate and had a poor response, so the treatmentwas suspended. The patient died 10 months after the diagnosis. Oralcarcinoma is not frequent but the mortality is high, 78%, between thecarcinomas of the aerodigestive tract and frequently it is diagnosedwhen in advanced stages in 65% of the cases. The most important arethe prevention, mostly, tobacco consumption.