Clinical severity and prognosis of hand eczema.

BACKGROUND: Hand eczema (HE) is a frequent, long-lasting disease with both personal and societal repercussions. Consequently, more information is needed on factors that maintain symptoms. OBJECTIVES: In this study, patients with HE were followed for 6 months from the first visit to a dermatologist to identify factors associated with severe disease and a poor prognosis. METHODS: Study participants were 799 patients with HE from nine dermatological clinics in Denmark. Severity assessment of the HE was done at baseline and at the 6-month follow-up using the Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) and by patients using a self-administered photographic guide. Additional information was obtained from a baseline questionnaire. RESULTS: At baseline, 60.3% assessed their HE as moderate to very severe using the self-administered photographic guide compared with 36.1% at follow-up. The mean HECSI value decreased from 19.9 points at baseline to 11.2 points at follow-up (P < 0.001). In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, statistically significant associations with severe HE at baseline were older age (P < 0.001), atopic dermatitis (P = 0.01) and > or = 1 positive patch test (P < 0.001). Being an unskilled worker was a predictor for a poor prognosis at follow-up (P = 0.04), and the presence of frequent symptoms during the previous 12 months was associated with severe initial disease (P = 0.02) and a poor prognosis (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the disease had improved 6 months after the dermatological examination: nevertheless, many patients continued to have significant symptoms. Dermatologists should pay special attention to patients with frequent eruptions and to unskilled workers.

Plasma kinin activation in tranexamic acid treated patients with hereditary angioneurotic edema.

Plasma kinin formation after in vitro activation of factor XII in the coagulation system was examined in 4 patients with hereditary angioneurotic edema. Compared to controls activationcurves showed a steeper increase and higher maximum levels. Administration of tranexamic acid to the patients resulted in partial normalisation of plasma kinin activation.

[Results of treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer in a dermatologic practice. A prospective study]. / Behandlingsresultater af non-melanom hudkraeft i en dermatologisk speciallaegepraksis. En prospektiv undersøgelse.

The study was carried out to determine the results of treatment of a cohort of patients with histologically verified non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosed and followed prospectively for two years in a private practice of dermatology. Throughout the follow-up period, any new non-melanoma skin cancers among this cohort were recorded. Six hundred and forty-six consecutive patients seen in the Dermatology Clinic, Vesterbro 99, Aalborg, Denmark, from July 1, 1990, to June 30, 1993, had a total of 768 tumours that were histologically verified as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma or Bowen's disease. Six hundred and twenty-eight tumours in 526 patients were treated in our clinic, 91% of these with curettage followed by electrocautery. Hundred and twenty patients with a total of 140 tumours were referred to a local hospital for treatment. Thirty-six of the 508 basal cell carcinomas treated in the clinic recurred during the follow-up period, and one mixed tumour (basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma) recurred. During the follow-up period, 151 new non-melanoma skin cancers were detected. In addition, 10 patients each developed 10 or more new tumours.

Severity of hand eczema assessed by patients and dermatologist using a photographic guide.

BACKGROUND: The severity of hand eczema is of interest in epidemiological studies. Ideally, as no validated methods of self-assessment exist, a dermatologist should examine all subjects. However, this is very resource intensive. OBJECTIVES: To examine if severity grading performed by patients with hand eczema using a self-administered photographic guide was in agreement with the assessment performed by a trained dermatologist. Furthermore, to measure the correlation between the severity of hand eczema expressed on a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the clinical severity assessment, using the photographic guide. METHODS: Fifty-three consecutive outpatients with hand eczema were included, a number based on a prestudy statistical calculation. The patients were asked to grade current severity of their hand eczema by choosing one of four groups of photographs representing differing severities of hand eczema. On the same day all patients were examined by an experienced dermatologist, who graded the severity using the same photographic guide. The photographic guide was a modified version of a validated guide for use by physicians. In addition, the patients rated the severity of their hand eczema on a VAS. RESULTS: Fifty-one of the respondents completed the full questionnaire. For 37 of the 51 patients (73%) the clinical severity assessments of patient and dermatologist were identical. The measure of agreement, Cohen's kappa coefficient, was 0.61, indicating good inter-rater agreement. The correlation between the dermatologist-rated severity and the corresponding score by the patients on the VAS was only moderate (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient rho = 0.52). CONCLUSIONS: The photographic guide for the self-assessment of hand eczema is an easy instrument to use, and for research purposes can be a reliable tool for patients with hand eczema to grade severity. A VAS can only be considered as a mediocre tool for estimation of the dermatologist-rated clinical severity, but should be validated as an independent instrument to assess severity of hand eczema.

Topical treatment with urea-hydrocortisone in atopic dermatitis. A controlled study against betamethasone 17-valerate.

When comparing 1% hydrocortisone in a stabilized 10% urea cream with 0.1% betamethasone 17-valerate cream in a double-blind study on 49 patients with atopic dermatitis or atopic winter feet, betamethasone cream was found to be the most potent. The study also showed that in approximately 60% of the patients the clinical response was equal. It is suggested that the urea-hydrocortisone combination may have its place in the long-term topical treatment of atopic dermatitis on account of its water-binding effect.

Tranexamic acid (Cyklokapron) in chronic urticaria: a double-blind study.

A double-blind study with tranexamic acid (Cyklokapron) was carried out in 17 patients with chronic urticaria. All patients had slightly depressed C1-chronic esterase inhibitor value. No significant differences were found between TA and placebo treatment periods.

Ketoconazole in Trichophyton rubrum.

10 patients with T. rubrum infection were treated with Ketoconazole 200-400 mg a day for 8 weeks. All patients had a skin infection and 2 in addition infection of the toe nails. Previous treatment with Griseofulvin and at least two different antifungal topicals had been ineffective. The infection was evaluated by clinical findings and mycological examination. The skin lesions disappeared in 6 patients, while none of the nail lesions were cured. However, at a follow-up 2 months after the end of the Ketonocazole treatment, recurrence was observed in 3 of 6 patients. It is suggested that Ketoconazole treatment of previously resistant T. rubrum infection should be continued for more than 2 months.

Oral sodium cromoglycate in chronic urticaria.

Fifteen patients were included in a double-blind cross-over trial to investigate the efficacy of oral sodium cromoglycate in the treatment of chronic urticaria. Only patients with positive oral provocation tests were entered into the study. The challenging agents were food additives or antirheumatic agents. Treatments were taken for 4 weeks and the dose of sodium cromoglycate was 200 mg four times daily. No significant differences were found between active and placebo treatment periods for diary card symptom scores. Six patients preferred the active treatment, two preferred placebo and seven had no preference. The clinician showed no preference for either treatment.

Stomatitis or systemically-induced contact dermatitis from metal wire in orthodontic materials.

5 patients with dermatitis or stomatitis related to the use of orthodontic appliances are described. All the patients were patch tested with the European standard series. One had a ++ reaction to potassium dichromate, one a ++ reaction to nickel, and the remaining 3 no positive patch tests. 3 of the patients had recurrent vesicular hand eczema, which flared after oral challenge with 1 of the metals used in their orthodontic appliances. 2 of these 3 patients had negative patch tests. The dermatitis of 4 of the 5 patients cleared completely upon the removal of their metal orthodontic appliances or their replacement with appliances made of acrylics.

Hypercalcaemic crisis after excessive topical use of a vitamin D derivative.

Topical application of the vitamin D analogue calcipotriol has been found to be of clinical value in the treatment of dermatological disorders. This is considered to be safe with respect to alterations in calcium homeostasis. We report a 17-year-old female patient who developed hypercalcaemic crisis after excessive use of calcipotriol for ichthyosis. The clinical condition and serum calcium improved after cessation of calciprotiol treatment and rehydration with intravenous fluids and electrolytes. The case emphasizes the importance of limiting the topical use of calcipotriol as recommended by the manufacturer.

Brachioradial pruritus.

Twenty-one patients seen in a temperate climate who had a clinical diagnosis of brachioradial pruritus are presented. The history and clinical manifestations of the patients indicate that the symptoms were neuralgiform and caused by cumulative sun exposure.

Chromate-allergic patients challenged orally with potassium dichromate.

30 patients who had positive patch tests to potassium dichromate participated in a placebo-controlled oral challenge with 2.5 mg chromium given as potassium dichromate. 17 reacted to chromate but not to the placebo, 2 reacted to both chromate and the placebo, and 4 reacted to the placebo but not chromate. 7 patients had no reaction. A specific reaction to chromate was most common among patients with dermatitis of the hands and/or feet.

Plantar Trichophyton rubrum infections may cause dermatophytids on the hands.

Over a 2-year period, we saw 37 patients with a diagnosis of dermatophytid on the hands based on 1) culture-proven dermatophytosis on one or both feet; 2) symmetrical, secondary vesicular eruptions on the fingers and/or palmar aspects of the hands; and 3) a resolution in both areas of involvement after treatment of the dermatophytosis on the foot. During the study period, 128 patients had culture-proven dermatophytosis of the feet caused by Trichophyton rubrum. Nine of these (7%) developed dermatophytid. Seventy-eight patients had dermatophytosis of the feet caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Twenty-seven of these (35%) developed dermatophytid. One of 6 patients infected on the feet with Epidermophyton floccosum developed dermatophytid.

Can oral challenge with balsam of Peru predict possible benefit from a low-balsam diet?

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that some patients sensitive to balsams and/or fragrances obtain long-term benefits by following a low-balsam diet, whereas others do not. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to determine whether a low-balsam diet was a helpful long-term treatment for selected patients sensitive to balsam of Peru and/or a perfume mixture and to determine whether oral challenge with balsam of Peru could predict which balsam-sensitive patients might benefit from a reduction in balsam intake. METHODS: Questionnaires were sent to 46 patients with positive patch test results to balsam of Peru and/or a perfume mixture and chronic dermatitis of a morphology consistent with endogenous dermatitis who had experienced improvement after 1 to 2 months on a diet intended to reduce the intake of balsams. The questionnaires were mailed 1 to 3 years after the initiation of the diet treatment to inquire about a possible long-term benefit of the diet. RESULTS: Twenty-eight of the 46 patients stated in the questionnaire that they had long-term benefits from the diet treatment. These included 16 of 22 patients who had reacted to a placebo-controlled oral challenge with 1 g balsam of Peru, 3 of 10 who had no reaction or a placebo reaction to the oral challenge, and 9 of 14 who had not been challenged orally. The efficacy of the diet treatment was not correlated to whether the patient had patch test reactivity to either balsam of Peru, the perfume mixture, or both substances. Food items most commonly mentioned by patients as causing aggravation of their symptoms on at least three different occasions were wine, candy, chocolate, cinnamon, curry, citrus fruit, and flavorings. CONCLUSIONS: In its present form, the oral challenge procedure with balsam of Peru offers only limited assistance in selecting patients who are likely to benefit from diet treatment.

Reduced nickel sensitivity in young Danish women following regulation of nickel exposure.

In most western countries, nickel is the most common contact allergen among young women. In 1991, Denmark implemented a statutory order calling for the reduction of exposure to nickel in nickel-plated items in close contact with the skin. In a retrospective analysis, a comparison is made of the number of positive patch tests to nickel seen in a private practice of dermatology before and after this statutory order was implemented. From 1 January 1986 to 31 December 1989, 35 of 1135 (3.1%) men patch tested and 628 of 3024 (20.8%) women patch tested had positive reactions to nickel. From 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1999, 48 of 1104 (4.3%) men and 424 of 2193 (19.3%) women had positive patch tests to nickel. During the 1st period, 155 of 702 women under the age of 20 (22.1%) had positive patch tests to nickel, compared to 54 of 324 (16.7%) during the second period (p<0.05). The most likely explanations of this decrease in nickel sensitivity are reduced exposure to nickel and increased public awareness of the risk of nickel sensitization.

Ketoconazole in a case of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis.

An 8-year-old girl with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis was treated with Ketoconazole 100 mg daily for 6 weeks. Oral thrush disappeared after a week, while cutaneous lesions cleared within a month. Her nail dystrophy disappeared during the following months. Repeated cultures were negative for Candida albicans. The patient has remained in remission for an 8-month period. Our findings thus support previous reports indicating that Ketoconazole is an effective agent against this disease.