Dermatitis due to orthopaedic implants. A review of the literature and report of three cases.

The cases of three patients who had dermatosis that was caused by an orthopaedic implant are reported. The main clinical pattern was localized or generalized eczema or urticaria. The diagnostic criteria that have been proposed by various authors are reviewed. Removal of the implant did not always result in rapid disappearance of the dermatosis, presumably because a few particles of metal remained in the area of the implant.

[Oxiconazole cream versus ketoconazole cream. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter study in the treatment of inguinocrural dermatophytoses]. / Oxiconazole crème versus kétoconazole crème. Etude prospective, randomisée, en double insu, multicentrique, dans le traitement des dermatophytoses inguinocrurales.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare oxiconazole, 1 p. 100 cream, with ketoconazole, 2 p. 100 cream, applied once-daily, in the treatment of tinea cruris. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective, randomized, double-blind trial was performed in 8 dermatology departments on two parallel groups in patients having this type of mycosis confirmed by mycological examination. RESULTS: The efficacy was analyzed in 66 out of the 79 patients included in the study (36 patients treated with oxiconazole, 30 with ketoconazole). At Day 14, a first assessment was made and 77.1 p. 100 of the patients treated with oxiconazole had been cured; this result was significantly better (p < 0.05) than that obtained with ketoconazole (51.7 p. 100 of cured patients). At Day 21, after a further week of treatment, both treatments were efficient with statistically non-different results between the two groups: 97.2 p. 100 of the patients treated with oxiconazole, versus 86.7 p. 100 with ketoconazole. Thus, a greater rapidity of action of oxiconazole was observed. No correlation was detected between the ratio of cured patients and the duration of the mycosis. The safety was assessed in 74 patients. No adverse effects were reported for the patients treated with oxiconazole, whereas 9 patients treated with ketoconazole experienced contact sensitization reactions and irritant skin reactions due to the application of the product. The difference between the two groups of treatment was statistically greatly significant (p < 0.001). Furthermore, acceptance of the drug on the part of the patient was better (p < 0.05) with oxiconazole. DISCUSSION: After 3 weeks of topical treatment oxiconazole has revealed itself to be as efficient as ketoconazole, but it seems more rapidly efficient and better tolerated than ketoconazole.

[Leprosy. Developmental modalities]. / Lèpre. Modalités évolutives.

The very broad clinical spectrum of the Mycobacterium leprae infection is due to the diversity of the underlying immunological and genetic factors. The evolutive modalities of leprosy are mainly determined by a dual pathogenesis: An infectious disease due to a bacillus of low virulence which, even when dead, persists in the body for several years, independently of the antibiotic therapy prescribed. A dysimmune disease maintained by a chronic discharge of antigens. Neuropathies and leprous reactions are still the most troublesome episodes in the course of the disease. They constitute the principal prognostic factor in both pauci- and multibacillary forms of leprosy.