Female-pattern hair loss: therapeutic update.

Female androgenetic alopecia or female-pattern hair loss (FPHL) is highly prevalent and has a great impact on the quality of life. The treatment is a routine challenge in dermatological practice, as many therapeutic options have a limited level of evidence and often do not meet patients expectations. Lack of knowledge of the pathogenesis of the hair miniaturization process and the factors that regulate follicular morphogenesis restricts the prospect of innovative therapies. There is also a lack of randomized, controlled studies with longitudinal follow-up, using objective outcomes and exploring the performance of the available treatments and their combinations. Topical minoxidil, which has been used to treat female pattern hair loss since the 1990s, is the only medication that has a high level of evidence and remains the first choice. However, about 40% of patients do not show improvement with this treatment. In this article, the authors critically discuss the main clinical and surgical therapeutic alternatives for FPHL, as well as present camouflage methods that can be used in more extensive or unresponsive cases.

From dermatological conditions to COVID-19: Reasoning for anticoagulation, suppression of inflammation, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

COVID-19 generates a complex systemic inflammatory response that can lead to death due to wide macrophage activation, endothelial damage, and coagulation in critically ill patients. SARS-CoV-2-induced lung injury due to inflammatory mediated thrombosis could be similar to the livedoid vasculopathy in the skin, supporting a translational comparison of these clinical settings. In this article, we discuss anticoagulation, suppression of inflammatory response, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the context of severe COVID-19 and livedoid vasculopathy.

Comfort and religious-spiritual coping of intensive care patients' relatives.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the level of comfort and religious-spiritual coping of family members of intensive care unit patients and to analyse the sociodemographic/clinical variables that influence this association. METHODS: Cross-sectional study on the adult and paediatric intensive care units of two public hospitals in the state of São Paulo, between January and September 2016. Participants were divided into two groups: adult (n = 96) and paediatric (n = 70). We used the religious-spiritual coping brief (RSC-Brief) and the comfort scale for relatives of people in critical states of health (ECONF). RESULTS: Comfort was low in both groups and the family members used limited strategies in the RSC-Brief. The multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the variable length of hospitalization (ß = 0.69; p < 0.01) influenced comfort and was also associated with the RSC-Brief (ß = -0.18; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Family members' comfort was low in both groups. It increased with the hospitalisation time of the patients' relative and tended to decrease with the severity of the disease.

Case for diagnosis. Noninfectious suppurative panniculitis induced by mesotherapy with deoxycholate.

A 28-year-old white female patient presented with multiple erythematous-to-violaceous, painful, suppurative nodules on the buttocks and thighs that appeared after two weeks of mesotherapy with deoxycholate, caffeine, sunflower liposomes, and sinetrol for localized fat. She was treated for atypical mycobacteriosis, but with no satisfactory response after antibiotic therapy. Bacterial, mycobacterial, and fungal culture were all negative. Histopathologic examination of the biopsy showed noninfectious suppurative panniculitis. It resolved after treatment with methotrexate, prednisone, and hydroxychloroquine. This report highlights the rarity of this complication, the importance of its early recognition, and differentiation with atypical fast growing mycobacterioses.

Case for diagnosis. Noninfectious suppurative panniculitis induced by mesotherapy with deoxycholate

Abstract A 28-year-old white female patient presented with multiple erythematous-to-violaceous, painful, suppurative nodules on the buttocks and thighs that appeared after two weeks of mesotherapy with deoxycholate, caffeine, sunflower liposomes, and sinetrol for localized fat. She was treated for atypical mycobacteriosis, but with no satisfactory response after antibiotic therapy. Bacterial, mycobacterial, and fungal culture were all negative. Histopathologic examination of the biopsy showed noninfectious suppurative panniculitis. It resolved after treatment with methotrexate, prednisone, and hydroxychloroquine. This report highlights the rarity of this complication, the importance of its early recognition, and differentiation with atypical fast growing mycobacterioses.

Quality of life and religious-spiritual coping in palliative cancer care patients.

Objectives: to compare the quality of life and religious-spiritual coping of palliative cancer care patients with a group of healthy participants; assess whether the perceived quality of life is associated with the religious-spiritual coping strategies; identify the clinical and sociodemographic variables related to quality of life and religious-spiritual coping. Method: cross-sectional study involving 96 palliative outpatient care patient at a public hospital in the interior of the state of São Paulo and 96 healthy volunteers, using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Brief Religious-Spiritual Coping scale. Results: 192 participants were interviewed who presented good quality of life and high use of Religious-Spiritual Coping. Greater use of negative Religious-Spiritual Coping was found in Group A, as well as lesser physical and psychological wellbeing and quality of life. An association was observed between quality of life scores and Religious-Spiritual Coping (p<0.01) in both groups. Male sex, Catholic religion and the Brief Religious-Spiritual Coping score independently influenced the quality of life scores (p<0.01). Conclusion: both groups presented high quality of life and Religious-Spiritual Coping scores. Male participants who were active Catholics with higher Religious-Spiritual Coping scores presented a better perceived quality of life, suggesting that this coping strategy can be stimulated in palliative care patients.

Quality of life and religious-spiritual coping in palliative cancer care patients / Qualidade de vida e coping religioso-espiritual em pacientes sob cuidados paliativos oncológicos / Calidad de vida y coping religioso-espiritual en pacientes bajo cuidados paliativos oncológicos

ABSTRACT Objectives: to compare the quality of life and religious-spiritual coping of palliative cancer care patients with a group of healthy participants; assess whether the perceived quality of life is associated with the religious-spiritual coping strategies; identify the clinical and sociodemographic variables related to quality of life and religious-spiritual coping. Method: cross-sectional study involving 96 palliative outpatient care patient at a public hospital in the interior of the state of São Paulo and 96 healthy volunteers, using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Brief Religious-Spiritual Coping scale. Results: 192 participants were interviewed who presented good quality of life and high use of Religious-Spiritual Coping. Greater use of negative Religious-Spiritual Coping was found in Group A, as well as lesser physical and psychological wellbeing and quality of life. An association was observed between quality of life scores and Religious-Spiritual Coping (p<0.01) in both groups. Male sex, Catholic religion and the Brief Religious-Spiritual Coping score independently influenced the quality of life scores (p<0.01). Conclusion: both groups presented high quality of life and Religious-Spiritual Coping scores. Male participants who were active Catholics with higher Religious-Spiritual Coping scores presented a better perceived quality of life, suggesting that this coping strategy can be stimulated in palliative care patients.

RESUMO Objetivos: comparar a qualidade de vida e o coping religioso-espiritual de pacientes em cuidados paliativos oncológicos com um grupo de participantes sadios; avaliar se a percepção de qualidade de vida está associada às estratégias de coping religioso-espiritual; identificar as variáveis clínicas e sociodemográficas relacionadas à qualidade de vida e ao coping religioso-espiritual. Método: estudo transversal, realizado com 96 pacientes de ambulatório de cuidados paliativos, em um hospital público no interior do Estado de São Paulo, e 96 voluntários saudáveis, por meio de questionário utilizando dados sociodemográficos, o McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire e o Coping Religioso-Espiritual-Breve. Resultados: foram entrevistados 192 participantes que apresentaram boa qualidade de vida e alta utilização do Coping Religioso-Espiritual. Houve maior uso de Coping Religioso-Espiritual negativo no Grupo A, assim como menor bem-estar físico, psicológico e de qualidade de vida. Observou-se associação entre escores de qualidade de vida e Coping Religioso-Espiritual (p<0,01) em ambos os grupos. Sexo masculino, religião católica e escore de Coping Regioso-Espiritual-Breve influenciaram, de forma independente, os escores de qualidade de vida (p<0,01). Conclusão: ambos os grupos apresentaram escores altos de qualidade de vida e de Coping Espiritual-Religioso. Participantes do sexo masculino, praticantes de religião católica e com maiores escores de Coping Espiritual-Religioso apresentaram melhor percepção de qualidade de vida, sugerindo que essa estratégia de enfrentamento possa ser estimulada em pacientes sob cuidados paliativos.

RESUMEN Objetivos: comparar la calidad de vida y el coping religioso-espiritual de pacientes en cuidados paliativos oncológicos con un grupo de participantes sanos; evaluar si la calidad de vida percibida está asociada a las estrategias de coping religioso-espiritual; identificar las variables clínicas y sociodemográficas relacionadas a la calidad de vida y al coping religioso-espiritual. Método: estudio transversal, desarrollado con 96 pacientes de ambulatorio de cuidados paliativos en un hospital público en el interior del Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, y 96 voluntarios sanos, mediante cuestionario utilizando datos sociodemográficos, el McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire y el Coping Religioso-Espiritual-Breve. Resultados: fueron entrevistados 192 participantes que presentaron buena calidad de vida y alta utilización del Coping Religioso-Espiritual. Fue encontrado mayor uso de Coping Religioso-Espiritual negativo en el Grupo A, y también menor bienestar físico, psicológico y de calidad de vida. Fue observada asociación entre los scores de calidad de vida y Coping Religioso-Espiritual (p<0,01) en ambos grupos. Sexo masculino, religión católica y score de Coping Religioso-Espiritual-Breve influenciaron de manera independiente los scores de calidad de vida (p<0,01). Conclusión: ambos grupos presentaron altas puntuaciones de calidad de vida y de Coping Espiritual-Religioso. Participantes do sexo masculino, practicantes de religión católica y con mayores scores de Coping Espiritual-Religioso presentaron mejor percepción de calidad de vida, sugiriendo la posibilidad de estimular esa estrategia de enfrentamiento en pacientes bajo cuidados paliativos.

Low-level laser therapy on the treatment of oral and cutaneous pemphigus vulgaris: case report.

Pemphigus vulgaris is a chronic autoimmune mucocutaneous disease that initially is manifested by painful intraoral erosions and ulcers which spread to other mucosa and the skin, generally more than 5 months after oral lesion manifestation. The treatment consists of prednisone alone or in combination with an immunosuppressive agent, and the clinical response is perceived within 2 to 4 weeks. Low-level laser therapy has been effective in accelerating the healing of injured tissue, thus inducing cell proliferation and increasing ATP, nucleic acid, and collagen synthesis. We reported two cases of pemphigus vulgaris that received systemic treatment associated with low-level laser therapy for oral and cutaneous lesions. We observed prompt analgesic effect in oral lesions and accelerated healing of oral and cutaneous wounds. Therefore, the present report suggests LLLT as a noninvasive technique that should be considered as an adjuvant therapy in oral and skin disorders in patients with PV.

Comparative study of the topical effectiveness of the Andiroba oil (Carapa guianensis) and DEET 50% as repellent for Aedes sp.

DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) is nowadays the most effective mosquito repellent available, however, its use can present some topical and systemic side effects. Some botanical compositions, as Andiroba (Carapa guianensis), have been proved repellent properties at low cost and toxicity. An experimental study was driven involving four volunteers submitting their forearms covered with Andiroba oil at 100%, DEET 50%, refined soy oil, Andiroba oil 15% and in the absence of products, directly to healthy females of Aedes sp. The times of first and third bites were checked. The results showed that the median of the first bite without any product was 17.5s and the third bite, 40.0s. In the soy oil, the bites happened in 60.0s and 101.5s, in the presence of Andiroba oil 100%, in 56.0s and 142.5s and in Andiroba oil 15%, in 63.0s and 97.5s. The volunteers using DEET 50% had not received bites after 3600s in most of the experiments (p < 0.001 Wilcoxon). Pure Andiroba oil compared to the soy oil, forearm without product and Andiroba oil 15%, showed discreet superiority (p < 0.001 Wilcoxon). Our conclusion is that this study demonstrated that the pure Andiroba oil presents discreet repellent effect against bite of Aedes sp., being significantly inferior to DEET 50%.

Comparative study of the topical effectiveness of the andiroba oil (Carapa guianensis) and DEET 50 percent as repellent for Aedes sp

O DEET (N, N-dietil-3-metilbenzamida) é hoje o repelente mais efetivo disponível, porém, seu uso pode apresentar importantes efeitos colaterais tópicos e sistêmicos. Alguns compostos botânicos, como a Andiroba (Carapa guianensis), têm demonstrado propriedades repelentes a um baixo custo e baixa toxicidade. Quatro voluntários hígidos submeteram seus antebraços recobertos com óleo de Andiroba a 100%, DEET 50% (controle positivo), óleo de soja refinado, óleo de Andiroba 15% e na ausência de produtos (controles negativos), diretamente a picadas de fêmeas saudáveis de Aedes sp. Foram aferidos os tempos da primeira e terceira picadas. Os resultados mostraram que a mediana da primeira picada nos antebraços sem produto foi 17.5s e a terceira picada, 40.0s. No óleo de soja, as picadas ocorreram em 60.0s e 101.5s. No óleo de Andiroba 100%, em 56.0s e 142.5s. Com Andiroba 15%, em 63.0s e 97.5s. Usando DEET 50% não houve picadas após 3600s na maioria dos experimentos (p < 0.001 Wilcoxon). O óleo de Andiroba 100% comparado ao óleo de soja, antebraço sem produto e óleo de Andiroba 15%, mostrou discreta superioridade (p < 0.001 Wilcoxon). Concluímos que o óleo puro de Andiroba apresenta efeito repelente discreto contra picada de Aedes sp., sendo significativamente inferior ao DEET 50%.