Pathogenesis and treatment modalities of localized scleroderma.

Localized scleroderma is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily of the dermis and subcutaneous fat that ultimately leads to a scar-like sclerosis of connective tissue. The disorder manifests as various plaques of different shape and size with signs of skin inflammation, sclerosis, and atrophy. This is a relatively rare inflammatory disease characterized by a chronic course, unknown etiology, and insufficiently clear pathogenesis. Many factors may influence its appearance: trauma, genetic factors, disorders of the immune system or hormone metabolism, viral infections, toxic substances or pharmaceutical agents, neurogenic factors, and Borrelia burgdorferi infection. Various therapeutic modalities are being used for the treatment of localized scleroderma. There is no precise treatment scheme for this disease. A majority of patients can be successfully treated with topical pharmaceutical agents and phototherapy, but some of them with progressive, disseminated, and causing disability localized scleroderma are in need of systemic treatment. The aim of this article is not only to dispute about the clinical and morphological characteristics of localized scleroderma, but also to present the newest generalized data about the possible origin, pathogenesis, and treatment modalities of this disease.

[Relationships between the incidence of onychomycosis and nail psoriasis]. / Onichomikozes ir nagu zvynelines daznumo sasajos.

UNLABELLED: The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of onychomycosis in affected nails among psoriatic and nonpsoriatic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 559 patients (168 males and 391 females) examined for fungal infection of nails using direct microscopy and culture tests. RESULTS: Of the 559 patients, 30 (5.3%) (9 males and 21 females) had psoriasis. The incidence of onychomycosis (determined according to positive results of culture tests) among psoriatic patients was 23.3% (7/30) as compared to 23.6% (125/529) among nonpsoriatic patients (P>0.05). Among psoriatic patients, dermatophytes were detected in 5 (71.4%) of the 7 cases, and in the remaining 2 cases, yeast and yeast-like fungi were found. Among nonpsoriatic patients, dermatophytes, yeast, and mould were detected in 66, 43, and 16 cases of the 125 positive cultures, respectively. The sensitivity of the microscopic examination versus culture for the identified dermatophytes and yeasts was 87.3% and 18.6%, accordingly. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in the incidence of onychomycosis and distribution of fungal infections among psoriatic and nonpsoriatic patients. Onychomycosis was detected in less than one-third of the patients with clinically affected nails. The culture test is an important tool in diagnosing onychomycosis and selecting systemic treatment.

Metastatic amelanotic nodular melanoma during pregnancy.

This case report presents a very aggressive course of amelanotic nodular melanoma during pregnancy resulting in death five months after delivery. A 34 year-old Caucasian woman at 19th week of the second pregnancy was diagnosed having amelanotic nodular melanoma (tumor thickness - 2.5 mm) with metastases to the regional right inguinal lymph node. Amelanotic nodular melanoma represents malignant melanocytic tumor of the skin, which clinically mimics a variety of benign and malignant skin conditions and therefore commonly leads to delayed diagnosis. Though primary tumor was excised immediately, other treatment procedures as radical lymphadenectomy and chemotherapy were delayed, and immunotherapy was not given totally. At the 29th week of pregnancy, the woman via naturalem delivered a healthy female child, and the chemotherapy was started. Since pregnancy limits the prescription of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, the prognosis for melanoma during pregnancy detected later than in the second stage is poor and can be illustrated by our reported case. Such patients seems to be at higher risk to develop metastasis of melanoma in the internal organs and occasionally even in the fetus; therefore, they should be timely informed about that.

Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus in pediatric and adult male patients with congenital and acquired phimosis.

Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus is a chronic inflammatory sclerotic and atrophic disease of unknown cause that predominantly affects male and female genital skin. This study was designed to evaluate histological characteristics of congenital and acquired phimoses among pediatric (n=60) and adult (n=60) male patients who were admitted for circumcision to the Clinics of Urology and Pediatric Surgery of Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital between 2000 and 2003 and to determine the rate of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus and other histological diagnoses among them. This study demonstrates that 45.1% of congenital and 62.3% of acquired phimoses show histological signs of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus. The rate of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus was statistically significantly higher among patients with acquired than congenital phimosis. Boys with acquired narrowing of prepuce were statistically significantly 3.9 times more likely to develop lichen sclerosus et atrophicus than those with congenital phimosis. There were no statistically significant differences between rates of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus and other dermatological diagnoses among pediatric and adult male patients if the type of phimosis (acquired or congenital) was considered. Histological features of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus and other histological diagnoses in boys and men with phimosis were detected with equal frequency irrespective the age of the subjects. The rate of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus was similar among all boys (56.7%) and men (53.3%) treated for phimosis. Only the type of phimosis had a statistically significant influence on the rate of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus and other histological diagnoses.