Comparative efficacy and safety of bifonazole 1% cream and the corresponding base preparation in the treatment of seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Seborrhoeic dermatitis is a common entity that conventionally is difficult to treat. Recently, topical ketoconazole has been proven successful. To determine if other azoles, and in particular the more modern ones, are also helpful in this condition, a double-blind multicentre randomized controlled trial was performed in patients suffering from seborrhoeic dermatitis involving individuals 16 years and older without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. One hundred patients were enrolled and treated according to a random plan with either bifonazole 1% cream or the corresponding vehicle once daily for 4 weeks. All patients were evaluated at the beginning of the study, as well as after 2 and 4 weeks, i.e. the treatment period proper, and after 6 weeks of follow-up. Clinical evaluation was based on scores of 0-3 for the following parameters: erythema, papules, infiltration, scaling, itch. In addition, mycological evaluation was performed using adequate contact plates for quantitative determination of Malassezia furfur. In the end, 92 patients were at least partially evaluable. In general, the verum preparation tended to be more efficacious, e.g. the score for erythema amounted to 0.75 after 4 weeks as compared with 0.88 in the control group, the baseline values being 2.18 and 2.04 respectively. With itch, the corresponding figures were 0.17 and 0.33 as compared with 1.42 and 1.38 before treatment. While in statistical terms there was significant difference in these parameters, such a difference was demonstrated by clinical judgement at follow-up.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Ciprofloxacin treatment in bacterial skin infections]. / Ciprofloxacin-Behandlung bei bakteriellen Hautinfektionen.

In a controlled bacteriological study, the effectiveness and tolerance of ciprofloxacin was investigated in 61 patients with extensive bacterial skin infections. The pathogens found, all of which were sensitive to ciprofloxacin, were, for the most part, Staphylococcus aureus and hemolytic streptococci. Ciprofloxacin was administered at a daily oral dose of 2 x 500 mg for an average of 12 days. Primary elimination of the pathogen was achieved in 96 per cent of the patients, in 4 per cent there was a marked reduction in in vitro pathogen growth. Clinical healing or improvement was observed in 98.3 per cent of the patients. Treatment with ciprofloxacin was very well tolerated. No changes in the laboratory parameters, blood count, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, urea, SGOT, SGPT or urinary status were observed. By way of undesired side effects, transient diarrhea occurred in only a single patient. The results of this study demonstrate the considerable therapeutic value of ciprofloxacin in the treatment of bacterial skin infections.

[Contact allergy to the antifungal agent naftifin]. / Kontaktallergie auf das Antimykotikum Naftifin.

Two patients treated topically against dermatophytes with a naftifine containing antifungal became allergic to the efficacious component naftifine. One of them also reacted to benzyl alcohol. Sensitization experiments in guinea pigs corroborated the suspicion that this allylamine is a contact sensitizer. To date, only few cases of allergic reactions to naftifine have been reported.

Cutaneous mucinous deposits.

A survey of conditions with mucinous deposits is given. The most important factors for their diagnosis are to consider these disorders and to stain the slides for proteoglycans or glycosaminoglycans; the most common routine techniques are the Giemsa and the Alcian-blue stain. More sophisticated methods allow differentiation between specific compounds, especially hyaluronic acid and various proteoglycans.

[Electron microscopic study of striate keratosis palmoplantaris (Wachters type)]. / Elektronenmikroskopische Studie einer striären Keratosis palmoplantaris varians (Typ Wachters).

We report on a patient suffering from striate palmoplantar keratoderma (Wachters' type). Ultrastructural findings are presented for the first time. There was orthohyperkeratosus without alterations indicating a specific disturbance of keratinisation.

[Circumscribed scleroderma combined with lichen sclerosus et atrophicus]. / Zirkumskripte Sklerodermie kombiniert mit Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus.

We report on two patients suffering from circumscribed scleroderma as well as lichen sclerosus et atrophicus. The cases are remarkable because it was possible to demonstrate histopathologic markers of both conditions in the same specimen.

[Congenital bullous erythroderma ichthyosiforme in 4 generations. Histological, electronmicroscopy findings and HLA typing]. / Erythrodermia congenitalis ichthyosiformis bullosa in vier Generationen. Histologische, elektronenmikroskopische Befunde und HLA-Typisierung.

Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis is a rare hereditary disease characterized by change of the dermatological signs with advancing age of the patients. At birth as well as during childhood, epidermolysis and blister formation are found; later the general picture of the disease presents horny hystrix-like lesions especially on the flexor parts of the extremities. Bullae become rare in adult life, vulnerability, however, remains. Here we report on 21 patients out of a 38-member family showing the above mentioned clinical findings. Electron-optical as well as histological studies are presented. For the first time HLA-type is reported.

[Gottron's erythrokeratodermia congenitalis progressiva symmetrica with atypical involvement of nails in the sense of pachyonychia]. / Erythrokeratodermia congenitalis progressiva symmetrica Gottron mit atypischem Befall der Nägel im Sinne einer Pachyonychie.

Erythrokeratodermia congenitalis progressiva symmetrica Gottron (ECPSG) is a rare hereditary disorder characterized by plaques of hyperkeratosis on an erythematous basis. The onset of the disease occurs predominantly in early childhood. Morphological and histological findings give hint for the diagnosis. Ultrastructural findings as well as HLA type (A2, A9, B18) are reported. ECPSG connected with pachyonychia has been observed for the first time.