Skin disorders in patients with hemiplegia and papaplegia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of skin disorders in patients with hemiplegia and paraplegia. Several skin disorders have been reported previously in these patients. METHODS: Seventy inpatients with hemiplegia, 30 with paraplegia, and 90 individuals as a control group were included in the study. RESULTS: The most common skin disorder in the patient group was tinea pedis, which was observed in 18 of the 100 patients. The other common dermatological disorders in the patient group were onychomycosis of the toenails (n = 14), xerosis of the extremities (n = 13) and reduction in hair on the lower extremities (n = 12). The incidence of tinea pedis (p = 0.004), onychomycosis of the toenails (p = 0.010), xerosis of the extremities (p = 0.017) and reduction in hair on the lower extremities (p = 0.027) in the patient group were significantly more common than in the control group. There was no significant correlation between tinea pedis, onychomycosis of the toenails, xerosis of the extremities and reduction in hair on the lower extremities and the duration of hemiplegia and paraplegia. CONCLUSION: Dermatological disorders are observed more commonly in hemiplegic and paraplegic patients than in controls, therefore routine dermatological examination should be performed in these patients.

Upper gastrointestinal abnormalities and Helicobacter pylori in Behçet's disease.

BACKGROUND: There are few published clinical trials concerning upper gastrointestinal (GI) involvement in Behçet's disease (BD), and most have been performed on patients with upper GI tract symptoms. AIM: We sought to determine whether routine endoscopy is indicated in asymptomatic patients with BD and whether Helicobacter pylori plays a role in the pathogenesis of BD. METHODS: Forty consecutive patients with BD and 40 age- and gender-matched controls with tinea pedis were studied. All patients underwent fiberoptic esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Urea breath test was used to identify H. pylori. RESULTS: Abnormalities were noted in 37 patients (93%): hiatal hernia (53%), antral gastritis (33%), pan-gastritis (23%), gastric ulceration (8%), and duodenal ulceration (8%). Helicobacter pylori was found in 26 patients (65%) with BD and in 28 controls (70%) (no significant difference by chi-squared test, P > 0.05). We found a high incidence of upper GI abnormalities in BD, but the abnormalities were not specific for the disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Routine endoscopy and screening for H. pylori infection may not be necessary in asymptomatic patients with BD.