ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Rosacea is a chronic skin disease which primarily affects the face. There have been many basic and clinical studies on rosacea in the West, but little in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study was to investigate clinical features of rosacea in Korea and to compare them with those in the West. METHODS: During a 20-month period, 67 patients diagnosed as having rosacea were examined for their clinical presentations by means of personal interview. RESULTS: Erythema and telangiectasia were found in almost all of the 67 patients. Comparing with the results in the West, flushing and telangiectasia were more common whereas papules, pustules, and rhinophyma were less common with no case of ocular complaints or migraine. CONCLUSION: Because early detection and treatment is necessary to prevent the progression of rosacea, it is important to realize that rosacea is not uncommon in Korea and to recognize its somewhat different clinical manifestations from those in the West.
Subject(s)
Humans , Erythema , Flushing , Korea , Migraine Disorders , Rhinophyma , Rosacea , Skin Diseases , TelangiectasisABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Arsenics have been used for various medical purposes. These arsenics can cause different kinds of cutaneous and internal malignancies. The arsenic-induced malignancies can be fatal or cause severe morbidity. OBJECTIVE: For early detection and prevention of the arsenic-induced malignancies, the authors analyzed the clinical characteristics of arsenic-induced skin diseases. METHODS: Medical records of 15 patients(10 males, 5 females) with arsenical keratosis(AK) during a period from September 1994 to October 1999 were reviewed. Interview, physical examinations, skin biopsy, and laboratory tests were performed. RESULTS: 14 patients used Korean proprietary pills(KPP, "Hwan-Yak"), which were suspected to contain certain amount of arsenics, as a drug for treatment of certain diseases such as vitiligo(4 patients, 26.7%), laceration, syphilis, etc. The other formulation of medication was Salvarsan injection. Age at KPP or Salvarasan medication was from seven to thirty-five years old. Duration of medication was from one month to four years. Bowen's disease(BD), squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) and basal cell carcinoma(BCC) were detected in ten(66.7%), three(20%) and one(6.7%) patients, respectively. One(6.7%) patient had lung cancer. Sites of predilection were palmoplantar area(100%) for AK, trunk(60%) for BD and lower extremities(45%) for SCC and BCC. CONCLUSION: Chronic exposure to arsenic can induce the cutaneous and systemic malignancies. To prevent these malignancies, strict managements and supervising programs on certain arsenic-containing drugs(probably KPPs) are required, and regular cutaneous and systemic examinations for the patients with AK should be performed.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Arsenic , Arsphenamine , Biopsy , Keratosis , Lacerations , Lung Neoplasms , Medical Records , Physical Examination , Skin , Skin Diseases , Skin Neoplasms , SyphilisABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) has been detected in all forms of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). The role of HHV 8 in dermatologic diseases other than KS is controversial. Some studies based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) findings suggest an association between HHV8 and epithelial tumors of the skin. OBJECTIVE: To assess the presence of HHV8 sequences in classic KS and some premalignant and malignant cutaneous epithelial tumors by nested PCR and find out any variations in HHV8 DNA by direct sequencing. METHODS: In total 71 sample tissues were obtained from Korean patients: 5 classic KS, 12 Bowen's disease (BD), 19 actinic keratosis, 14 squamous cell carcinomas and 21 basal cell carcinomas. The first and nested PCR were performed to amplify the fragments of HHV8 open read frame (ORF) 26 and ORF 75 which were directly sequenced by dideoxy termination methods. RESULTS: HHV8 DNA sequences were found in 3 of 5 classic KS (60%) and in 1 of 12 BD. Other epithelial tumors were negative for HHV8. On sequencing PCR products, substitutions at 1033 C->T, 1086 C->T, and 1139 A->C were detected in ORF 26 of all 4 positive PCR products. In 2 of 3 KS positive for ORF 26, substitution was detected at 237 G->A in ORF 75. CONCLUSION: All of our Korean samples were included in the Zong's C strain. This study suggests that C strain is predominant in classic KS in Korea. But it is rare in non-KS cutaneous epithelial tumors. Studies of the length difference in the HHV8 genome should follow.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Base Sequence , Bowen's Disease , Carcinoma, Basal Cell , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , DNA , Ecthyma, Contagious , Genome , Herpesvirus 8, Human , Keratosis, Actinic , Korea , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Sarcoma, Kaposi , SkinABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) has been detected in all forms of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). The role of HHV 8 in dermatologic diseases other than KS is controversial. Some studies based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) findings suggest an association between HHV8 and epithelial tumors of the skin. OBJECTIVE: To assess the presence of HHV8 sequences in classic KS and some premalignant and malignant cutaneous epithelial tumors by nested PCR and find out any variations in HHV8 DNA by direct sequencing. METHODS: In total 71 sample tissues were obtained from Korean patients: 5 classic KS, 12 Bowen's disease (BD), 19 actinic keratosis, 14 squamous cell carcinomas and 21 basal cell carcinomas. The first and nested PCR were performed to amplify the fragments of HHV8 open read frame (ORF) 26 and ORF 75 which were directly sequenced by dideoxy termination methods. RESULTS: HHV8 DNA sequences were found in 3 of 5 classic KS (60%) and in 1 of 12 BD. Other epithelial tumors were negative for HHV8. On sequencing PCR products, substitutions at 1033 C->T, 1086 C->T, and 1139 A->C were detected in ORF 26 of all 4 positive PCR products. In 2 of 3 KS positive for ORF 26, substitution was detected at 237 G->A in ORF 75. CONCLUSION: All of our Korean samples were included in the Zong's C strain. This study suggests that C strain is predominant in classic KS in Korea. But it is rare in non-KS cutaneous epithelial tumors. Studies of the length difference in the HHV8 genome should follow.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Base Sequence , Bowen's Disease , Carcinoma, Basal Cell , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , DNA , Ecthyma, Contagious , Genome , Herpesvirus 8, Human , Keratosis, Actinic , Korea , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Sarcoma, Kaposi , SkinABSTRACT
We report a case of follicular mucinosis in a 12-year-old girl. She had an erythematous indurated plaque with an ill-defined border on the chin. A biopsy specimen showed reticular degeneration, cystic space formation, and abundant mucin deposition in pilosebaceous follicles. She had been treated with topical corticosteroid for 3 months. The skin lesion was completely resolved.