Saline spa water or combined water and UV-B for psoriasis vs conventional UV-B: lessons from the Salies de Béarn randomized study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of UV-B therapy and saline spa water given alone or in combination for the treatment of psoriasis. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, comparative study with blinded observers. SETTING: Salies de Béarn, saline spa water center located in the southwest of France. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-one adult patients with psoriasis with a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score greater than 10. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: spa water alone (group A); UV-B 311-nm phototherapy alone (group B); and a combination of the 2 therapies (group C). The 3 groups were treated on a daily basis 5 days a week for a total of 21 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in PASI score from baseline as determined by an investigator blinded to randomization; variation in quality of life, adverse effects, and long-term effects (1 year after treatment). RESULTS: Four patients dropped out because of secondary effects. Efficacy was similar in groups B and C, with changes in PASI of -64% and -55%, respectively at 3 weeks. For group A, change in PASI was -29%, thus showing a minor therapeutic effect of saline spa water alone and poor efficacy compared with groups B and C (P<.001). More adverse effects were reported in groups A and C but did not reach significance. Combined saline spa water and UV-B therapy had no sparing effect on UV-B dosages. One year after treatment, no long-term benefit could be attributed specifically to a given regimen, but the patients had overall significantly better PASI scores than at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Saline spa water alone had a minor therapeutic effect in psoriasis, and the beneficial effect of bathing to enhance phototherapy was not demonstrated.

[Periungual capillaroscopy patterns in normal children]. / Etude des aspects capillaroscopiques péri-unguéaux chez l'enfant normal.

In children as well as in adults, capillaroscopy is an unsophisticated and non invasive technique which allows to investigate vascular acrosyndromes and systemic diseases. We have studied nailfold capillaroscopy patterns in 80 children without over vascular or systemic disease: pericapillary halos and haemorrhages increased with age and capillaries matured towards the typical hair pin structure seen in adults. The number of minor dystrophies increased with age and the venous subpapillary plexuses became less easily visible.

[Lichenoid pityriasis (parapsoriasis guttata) in children. Report of 17 cases]. / Pityriasis lichénoïde (parapsoriasis en gouttes) de l'enfant. A propos de dix-sept cas.

Seventeen cases of pityriasis lichenoides diagnosed over a nine-year period in children under 15 years of age are reported. Patients with this benign disease develop papular skin lesions covered with thick, coherent scales which detach in a single piece (reminiscent of sealing wax). Pruritus is not marked. Lesions may be necrotic (Mucha Habermann's small pox-like form, n = 6) or mild (leukodermic form, n = 2). Half of the patients studied developed several episodes and total duration of the disease exceeded two years in one third of cases. Recovery occurred after one or two episodes in half the children. Scars developed in some patients with severely necrotic lesions. None of the patients developed lymphoma. All patients with lymphomatoid papulosis progressing to lymphoma reported in the literature were adults. Pathogenesis of pityriasis lichenoides remains unknown but may involve lymphocytic vasculitis. No truly effective therapy is available. However, oral macrolides can be used especially in patients with early manifestations suggesting an infectious disease. Emollients, heliotherapy and ultraviolet therapy may also be recommended.

[Acute infectious cellulitis. Apropos of 28 cases]. / Les cellulites infectieuses aiguës. A propos de vingt-huit observations.

Acute infectious cellulitis is a common condition in pediatric patients. We retrospectively studied 28 cases seen over the last four years. Average age of patients was four years. Fever and a decline in general health were often found. Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus were the most common organisms in our series. Outcome was favorable under early antimicrobial therapy selected according to age and clinical features. Before three months of age, cellulitis suggests a streptococcus B infection and should be treated by ampicillin or parenteral penicillin, combined with an aminoglycoside if called for. Between 4 months and 2 years of age, Haemophilus influenzae b or a pneumococcus are the most likely organisms; Haemophilus cellulitis should be treated by a third generation cephalosporin for ten days or longer, followed by ampicillin or ampicillin-clavulanic acid per os for ten or 15 days. Beyond 2-3 years of age, all organisms may be the cause of cellulitis, but the most likely are Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus, treatment consists in administration of either a penicillin M or a macrolide, the route being selected according to the general condition and site of the cellulitis.

Evaluation of muscular lesions in connective tissue diseases: thallium 201 muscular scans.

We performed thallium 201 muscle scans to assess muscular involvement in 40 patients with different connective tissue diseases (7 with dermatomyositis, 7 with systemic lupus erythematosus, 12 with progressive systemic scleroderma, 2 with calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal involvement, sclerodactyly, and telangiectasia (CREST) syndrome, 3 with monomelic scleroderma, 6 with morphea, and 3 with Raynaud's disease). Only 12 of these patients complained of fatigability and/or myalgia. Electromyography was performed and serum levels of muscle enzymes were measured in all patients. Comparison of thallium 201 exercise recording with the other tests revealed that scan sensitivity is greater than electromyographic and serum muscle enzymes levels. Thallium 201 scans showed abnormal findings in 32 patients and revealed subclinical lesions in 18 patients, while electromyography findings were abnormal in 25 of these 32 patients. Serum enzyme levels were raised in only 8 patients. Thallium 201 scanning proved to be a useful guide for modifying therapy when laboratory data were conflicting. It was useful to evaluate treatment efficacy. Because our data indicate a 100% positive predictive value, we believe that thallium 201 scanning should be advised for severe systemic connective tissue diseases with discordant test results.

[Inaugural skin manifestations of Still's disease: dermographic urticaria and pseudodermatomyositis]. / Manifestations cutanées inaugurales d'une maladie de Still: urticaire dermographique et pseudo-dermatomyosite.

Unusually prominent cutaneous manifestations were observed in a patient with Still disease. They consisted in dermographic urticaria and edematous erythema of the face and limbs suggesting dermatomyositis. Surprising features in this case are the unusual occurrence of transient hematuria and the isolated cutaneous manifestations at onset.