Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma versus 5% Topical Monixidil for the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) versus 5% topical minoxidil for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA). STUDY DESIGN: Randomised-controlled trial. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Dermatology, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, from 1st November 2021 to 31st July 2022. METHODOLOGY: Seventy AGA patients aged between 18-60 years of either gender were randomly divided into two groups. Group A was given 5% topical minoxidil and Group B was given PRP. Both groups were followed up over a period of 6 months, and the final analysis was done with the help of global photography, hair pull test, and patient satisfaction score. RESULTS: At the end of 6th month, 27 patients (77%) in Group A had a negative hair pull test as compared to only 14 (40%) in Group B (p = 0.001). In Group A, 32 patients (91.4%) reported improvement in hair scalp from baseline. Whereas, in Group B, 26 patients (74.3%) reported improvement from baseline (p = 1.00). PRP was effective in 26 patients (74.5%) and 5% topical minoxidil in 15 patients (43.7%) (p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: PRP therapy can be a useful alternative to topical minoxidil in the treatment of AGA. KEY WORDS: Androgenetic alopecia, Global photography, Platelet-rich plasma, 5% Topical minoxidil, Treatment.

The Use of Telemedicine in Providing Mental Health Support for the Flood Victims of Pakistan.

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Folliculotropic Mycosis Fungoides In A Child: A Rare Case.

Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (FMF) is a variant of mycosis fungoides characterized by infiltration of hair follicle epithelium by neoplastic lymphoid cells. Generally, it is usually typified by indurated plaques and tumours mainly on the head and neck. However, a wide range of clinical signs have been noted. The clinical presentation of FMF may include prurigo-like lesions, acneiform lesions, cysts, nodules, areas of scarring alopecia, and hypopigmented plaques or papules with follicular prominences. The average age of diagnosis is 60 years while it is rare in childhood and adolescence. We discuss the case of a 12-year-old male patient who had an asymptomatic, erythematous, infiltrating plaque across his left nasolabial fold for three months prior to presentation. Histological assessment of lesion showed characteristic findings of follicular mucinosis with predominance of CD4+ lymphocytes and immunohistochemical studies were positive for CD3+ stains. An increased CD4:CD8 ratio and negative CD20 was also shown. Both findings were consistent with diagnosis of FMF.

Linezolid and Ciprofloxacin-Induced SJS/TEN (Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermolysis Necrosis) Overlap in a Patient With Borderline Personality Disorder During a Single Hospital Stay: A Difficult Case to Manage.

SJS/TEN (Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermolysis necrosis) is a T-cell mediated hypersensitivity syndrome in which cytotoxic CD8+ cells react against keratinocytes, resulting in widespread apoptosis and cell necrosis. About 90% of these cases are attributed to drug reactions, while 10% are idiopathic. The disease is classified according to body surface area (BSA) involvement and the thickness of epidermal loss. We report a case of a female with borderline personality disorder on antipsychotic medication, who developed SJS/TEN overlap after taking ciprofloxacin for her urinary tract infection (UTI). Her condition improved with meticulous management, but after switching her antibiotic from intravenous clarithromycin to oral linezolid, she developed SJS/TEN again, this time with more severe involvement. She received active management involving a multidisciplinary approach. Her condition improved slowly and, after one month, her lesions began to heal, and she was discharged with advice not to use both antimicrobial drugs in the future.

Dermoscopic Nail Disorders in School-Going Children.

Introduction The majority of nail diseases in children are comparable to those in adults, while there are some physiological changes that start to happen around this age and go away over a few years. These conditions could be symptoms of infections and systemic illnesses. Pediatric nail disorders are typically easy to diagnose clinically, although there are occasionally conditions that masquerade as juvenile nail problems. Dermoscopy has grown in favour as a rapid, easy, non-invasive clinical procedure for examining nail diseases. This study aims to assess dermoscopic findings of child nail diseases. Methods A prospective analysis was conducted for seven months between January and July, 2022, at PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 180 patients who presented in the outpatient department with any dermatological complaint underwent thorough history and examination. Special emphasis was given to clinical and dermoscopic examinations of nails. Data analysis enclosed descriptive and inferential statistics. The quantitative data was presented with help of mean and standard deviation, while the qualitative data was presented with help of frequency and percentage tables. Chi-square test was applied to compare nail findings diagnosed on clinical examination and dermoscopic examination. Results The mean age of study subjects was 9.4±3.2 years and ranged between five years and 18 years. The most common nail changes were hand eczema (n=41, 23%) followed by nail changes due to nutritional disorders (n=38, 21%), anaemia (n=34, 19%) and habit tic deformity (n=31, 17.2%). Conclusions Clinical evaluation is crucial for nail disease diagnosis. Dermoscopy of nails can help with the final diagnosis of nail disease and confirm clinical diagnoses. Also, it aids in the management of nail illnesses by providing a clearer picture of pathology and nail structure.

Experience of Pharmacists with Anti-Cancer Medicine Shortages in Pakistan: Results of a Qualitative Study.

This study aimed to examine the current situation of anti-cancer drug shortages in Pakistan, namely its determinants, impacts, adopted mitigation strategies, and proposed solutions. Qualitative semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 25 pharmacists in oncology hospitals in Pakistan from August to October 2021. Data were collected in person and online, recorded, and subjected to inductive thematic analysis after being transcribed verbatim. Most participants experienced anti-cancer drug shortages that increased during the pandemic. Etoposide, paclitaxel, vincristine, dacarbazine, and methotrexate were frequently short. Important causes included the compromised role of regulatory authorities, lack of local production, and inventory mismanagement. The impacts were delayed/suboptimal treatment and out-of-pocket costs for patients, patients' prioritization, increased workload, negative work environment, and patients' trust issues for pharmacists. The participants proposed that a cautious regulator's role is needed to revise policies for all stakeholders and support all stakeholders financially at their level to increase access to these medicines. Based on the outcomes, it is clear that anti-cancer medicine shortages are a current issue in Pakistan. Governmental authorities need to play a role in revising policies for all levels of the drug supply chain and promoting local production of these drugs. Stakeholders should also collaborate and manage inventory.

Onychopathy Induced by Nivolumab: A Targeted Immunotherapy.

Nivolumab is a human immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) monoclonal antibody that binds to the PD-1 receptor on T-cells and blocks its interaction with PD-L1 and PD-L2, releasing the PD-1 pathway-mediated inhibition of the immune response, including the anti-tumor immune response, resulting in decreased tumor growth. Here, we present a case of a 56-year-old lady with a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lip who presented with dystrophy of 20 nails, distal onycholysis, yellow-black discoloration of nail plates, painful paronychia with superimposed bacterial infection of big toes of both feet for three months. Few warty growths were also appreciated on big toes of both feet. She had undergone for her SCC 33 sessions of radiotherapy and 43 cycles of nivolumab 140mg for 60 minutes every two weeks. Following discontinuing this drug, the peri-ungual and nail bed inflammation improved, however nail plate dystrophy persisted. To our knowledge, the occurrence of nail dystrophy with nivolumab has never been reported before but it has been described with other targeted therapies.

Drug Shortage: Causes, Impact, and Mitigation Strategies.

Drug shortage is a global issue affecting low, middle, and high-income countries. Many countries have developed various strategies to overcome the problem, while the problem is accelerating, affecting the whole world. All types of drugs, such as essential life-saving drugs, oncology medicines, antimicrobial drugs, analgesics, opioids, cardiovascular drugs, radiopharmaceutical, and parenteral products, are liable to the shortage. Among all pharmaceutical dosage forms, sterile injectable products have a higher risk of shortage than other forms. The causes of shortage are multifactorial, including supply issues, demand issues, and regulatory issues. Supply issues consist of manufacturing problems, unavailability of raw materials, logistic problems, and business problems. In contrast, demand issues include just-in-time inventory, higher demand for a product, seasonal demand, and unpredictable demand. For regulatory issues, one important factor is the lack of a unified definition of drug shortage. Drug shortage affects all stakeholders from economic, clinical, and humanistic aspects. WHO established global mitigation strategies from four levels to overcome drug shortages globally. It includes a workaround to tackle the current shortage, operational improvements to reduce the shortage risk and achieve early warning, changes in governmental policies, and education and training of all health professionals about managing shortages.