Erythrocyte Membrane Unsaturated (Mono and Poly) Fatty Acids Profile in Newly Diagnosed Basal Cell Carcinoma Patients

Studies have reported different changes in the fatty acid composition of red blood cell (RBC) total lipids in patients with various types of cancer. It has been indicated that n-3/n-6 ratio plays a key role in the general consequence of skin photocarcinogenesis. However, to our knowledge there was no study examining the unsaturated fatty acid profile in basal cell carcinoma (BCC) patients. So, we explore the fatty acid composition of RBCs in newly diagnosed BCC patients in a hospital-based case-control study. This study has been conducted on new case BCC patients in Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Fatty acid concentration in erythrocyte membranes defined as relative values after extraction, purification and preparation, by gas chromatography.Analysis revealed that heptadecenoic acid (p = 0.010) and oleic acid (p < 0.001) was significantly higher in BCC patients in comparison with control group. Among polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), linoleic acid (LA), and arachidonic acid (AA) were significantly higher in BCC patients (p < 0.001). It has been indicated that n-3 was significantly lower (p = 0.040) and n-6 was significantly higher (p = 0.002) in BCC patients. In addition, total PUFA (p < 0.001) and n-6 PUFAs/n-3 PUFAs (p = 0.002) were significantly higher in BCC patients compared to the control group. Here we indicated that new case BCC patient had significantly higher n-6 PUFA and lower n-3 along with other differences in unsaturated fatty acid in comparison with healthy subjects. Our study provides evidence that lipids are important in BCC development.

Demographic and histopathologic study of Kaposi's sarcoma in a dermatology clinic in the years of 2006 to 2011

Kaposi's sarcoma is a low-grade vascular tumor that its prevalence is increasing all around the world due to the increasing prevalence of HIV and organ transplantations. In this study, we assessed risk factors of Kaposi's sarcoma among Iranian patients were referred to Dermatopathology Department of Razi Hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences between the years of 2006 to 2011. Also, disease stages have been assessed on pathologic specimens. Thirty four patients diagnosed with Kaposi's sarcoma entered the study. Of the 34 patients, 29% were female, and 71% were male, mean age was 66 years and average disease duration was 6 months. The most common patient's pathologic stages were reported: patch 32%, patch to plaque 24%, plaque 12%. The most prevalent location of involvement was lower extremity [88%], and upper extremity was involved in 24%. At presentation time, the mean number of lesions was 3 to 4. 15% of patients had a history of smoking and 15% had a history of immunosuppressive drugs. HIV infection did not observe in the patients. Based on the present study, Kaposi's sarcoma is a disease of elderly and is higher in older men. The most common site of Kaposi's sarcoma involvement is lower extremity, and the most common pathologic stage was the patch to plaque

[ frequency of cigarette smoking in patients with psoriasis vulgaris: a comparative study]

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory disease of the skin. Recently, nicotinic cholinergic receptors have been demonstrated on keratinocytes, stimulating calcium influx and accelerating cell differentiation. Therefore, smoking and nicotine seem to influence inflammatory processes in psoriatic skin. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of cigarette smoking as an independent risk factor in patients with psoriasis who attended the department of dermatology at Razi Hospital in Rasht during the years 2008 and 2009. In this descriptive-inferential study, we recruited 96 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 96 individuals as the controls. The participants were adjusted for sex, age and body mass index. The collected data related to smoking status, duration of smoking habit, smoking intensity, pack-year smoking history, and passively exposure to smoking were documented in a researcher-devised questionnaire. Subsequently, the data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics such as ?2, t-test and Mann-Whitney U test by SPSS software. The smoking rate was 33.3% in the patients and 19.4% in the controls. Packyear history, regarded as the intensity and duration [years] of smoking, significantly increased the risk of psoriasis vulgaris [P<0.05, OR=2.07, 95% CI=1.17-3.68]. Being a passive smoker did not make significant differences between the cases and the controls. Our study demonstrated that psoriasis vulgaris had a relationship with duration and intensity of cigarette smoking and revealed the importance of smoking cessation, particularly among patients with psoriasis

Azithromycin in pityriasis rosea: a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Pityriasis rosea is an inflammatory skin disorder with a known response to erythromycin. Considering similarities between erythromycin and azithromycin and lesser adverse effects of the latter, in a pilot study, we gave azithromycin to seven patients with pityriasis rosea and observed a noticeable improvement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of azithromycin in patients with pityriasis rosea. A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed in our clinic. Sixty patients over a period of 20 months were alternatively assigned to the treatment group or the placebo group. Patients in the treatment group received azithromycin, 250 mg/day, for 14 days. The response was categorized as complete response, partial response, or no response. All patients were followed up for 2 months. Age at presentation, sex, and average duration of the disease were comparable in both groups. Complete response was observed in 19 patients [63.3%] in the treatment group and two in the placebo group [p<0.0001]. Oral azithromycin is effective in treating patients with pityriasis rosea

[Pachyonychia congenita type II: report of a case]

Pachyonychia congenita [PC] is a rare genodermatosis affecting the nails, skin, oral mucosae, larynx, hair, and teeth. General clinical presentation includes thickening of finger and toenails, painful plantar keratoderma, hyperhidrosis, oral leukokeratosis, follicular keratosis, palmar keratoderma, cutaneous cysts, hoarseness, twisted hair and prenatal or natal teeth. Clinically, PC is divided into 4 distinct subtypes. Here, we present a three-year-old girl with PC type II

[Localized darier's disease or acantholytic dyskeratotic epidermal nevus: a case report]

Patients with keratotic lesions distributed in a unilateral, linear, zosteriform or localized pattern and revealing histopathologic features of dyskeratoticacantholysis have been reported previously. There is some controversy in the appropriate nosologic classification of this entity. Some authors consider it as a localized form of Darier's disease while others place it as a variant of epidermal nevus. We report a 19-year-old girl who presented with 14 years history of an asymptomatic, hyperkeratotic area of skin-colored papules in a dermatomal distribution on the dorsum of her left hand and forearm. Pathological evaluation showed acantholysis and dyskeratosis. The controversy regarding the correct classification of such a patient is discussed