Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions: A Single-Center Retrospective Study of 173 Patients in China

BACKGROUND: Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCAR) to drugs are a crucial public health issue and the use of systemic corticosteroids in SCAR has been controversial. OBJECTIVE: To analyze clinical features, causative drugs, treatment, outcomes, and prognostic factors of SCAR in the case-series of 173 patients, and add more information to the debate of using systemic corticosteroids in SCAR management. METHODS: A retrospective study of 173 SCAR patients diagnosed with drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) or acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) at a tertiary care institution in China between January 2014 and December 2017 was conducted. RESULTS: Of 173 patients, allopurinol, carbamazepine, and antibiotics are the most frequently implicated drugs for DRESS (40.4%), SJS/TEN (26.0%), and AGEP (40.0%) respectively. Moreover, there is a strongly negative correlation between early corticosteroids use and the progression (p=0.000) and severity (p=0.01) of skin lesions. However, there is no association between early corticosteroids use and the mortality of SCAR (odds ratio: 1.01, 95% confidence interval: 0.95~1.08). In addition, lymphadenopathy, eosinophilia, and interval from onset to corticosteroids treatment were correlated with SCAR prognosis. CONCLUSION: Prompt short-course systemic corticosteroids use is associated with early-stage skin lesions remission without influencing the disease mortality. Lymphadenopathy and eosinophilia were the independent poor prognostic factors of SCAR.

Increased Circulating CXCL10 in Non-Segmental Vitiligo Concomitant with Autoimmune Thyroid Disease and Alopecia Areata

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is a common acquired pigmentary disease caused by destruction of epidermal melanocytes in underlying autoimmune response. Few studies have been focused on the role of chemokines in non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) concomitant with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) and alopecia areata (AA). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the best serum biomarker for predictive role in the progression of vitiligo and to evaluate the influence of AA and/or AITD on vitiligo by using the biomarker. METHODS: This prospective cohort study recruited 45 NSV patients: 14 without either AITD or AA, 12 with AITD, 11 with AA, and 8 with both AITD and AA. Serum levels of CXCL1, CXCL8, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL12, CXCL13, and CXCL16 were analyzed by ELISA. CXCR3 mRNA expression was detected on PBMCs by RT-PCR. Improvement was evaluated using repigmentation scales. RESULTS: Serum CXCL10 levels, along with the expression of CXCR3 mRNA were higher in NSV patients with AITD or AA alone than in those without AITD or AA. Moreover, serum CXCL10 levels, along with the expression of CXCR3 mRNA were higher in NSV patients with both AITD and AA than in those with AITD or AA alone. Poorer repigmentation was observed in NSV patients with both AA and AITD than in those with AA or AITD alone. CONCLUSION: CXCL10 could be a biomarker to predict the progression of NSV. Dermatologists should pay much attention to those NSV patients concomitant with AITD and/or AA, for comorbidity might lead to more active autoimmune reaction.

Curative Effect of Botulinum Toxin Type A Combined with Plastic Operation of Pouches on Patients with Eye Skin Relaxation / 现代生物医学进展

Objective:To investigate the curative effect of botulinum toxin type A combined with plastic operation of pouches on patients with eye skin relaxation and its impact on patients' satisfaction,and to provide reference for clinical application.Methods:A total of 60 patients with eye skin relaxation,who were treated in Baoji Central Hospital from June 2015 to June 2016,were selected as subjects and divided into control group (n=28) and treatment group (n=32) according to the patients' choices.The patients of control group were treated with plastic operation of pouches,while the patients of treatment group were treated with botulinum toxin type A combined with plastic operation of pouches.The two groups were followed up for 6 months.The improvement of crow's feet,the relief of pouches and the improvement of eye skin gloss of the patients after operation were observed and recorded.The incidence of complications were also observed.At the end of the follow-up,the satisfaction degrees of the patients were investigated with the self-made questionnaire.Results:After treatment,the improvement rate(100％) of crow's feet of the treatment group was significantly higher than that(60.71％) of the control group;the improvement rate (96.88％) of pouches of the treatment group was significantly higher than that (32.14％) of the control group;the improvement rate (87.50％) of eye skin gloss of the treatment group was significantly higher than that (53.57％) of the control group,and the differences were statistically significant (all P＜0.05).After treatment,there was no significant difference in the incidence of incision swelling,small amount of secretions and small hematoma between the two groups (P＞0.05),the operation eye swelling and incision bruises outer canthus in the control group were more than those in the treatment group (P＜0.05).The total satisfaction rate [93.75％ (30/32)] of the treatment group was significantly higher than that[67.86％ (19/28)] of the control group,the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).Conclusion:Botulinum toxin type A combined with plastic operation of pouches in the treatment of eye skin relaxation has a better efficacy and safety,which can significantly reduce the incidence of operation eye swelling and incision bruises outer canthus,and improve patients' satisfaction rate.It is worthy of clinical application.

Clinical Efficacy of Botulinum Toxin type A Injection in the Treatment of Upper Facial Dynamic Wrinkles and Feasibility Analysis / 现代生物医学进展

Objective:To study the clinical efficacy of botulinum toxin type A injection in the treatment of upper facial dynamic wrinkles.Methods:A total of 35 patients with upper facial dynamic wrinkles treated in our hospital from February 2016 to October 2016 were selected as research objects.All the patients were treated with botulinum toxin type A.The excellence rate of 30min after treatment,3 d after treatment and 7 d after treatment were evaluated and compared.The facial wrinkles severity index of the patients were evaluated by the facial wrinkles scale (FWS),and the differences of the FWS index before treatment,4 weeks after treatment and 6 months after treatment were compared.The adverse reactions,like upper facial tension,fatigue and local injection of ecchymosis after treatment were observed and compared.Results:The excellence rate of the patients after treatment of 30 min,3 d and 7 d were gradually increased.The excellence rate of the patients after treatment of 3 d and 7 d were significantly higher than that of after treatment of 30 min,and the excellence rate of the patients after treatment of 7 d were significantly higher than that of after treatment of 3 d (P＜0.05).The FWS index of the patients after treatment of 4 weeks and 6 months were significantly lower than those of before treatment,and the FWS index of the patients after treatment of 4 weeks were significantly lower than that of 6 months after treatment(P＜0.05).After treatment,only 4 patients had slight discomfort and all of these symptoms were disappeared after 3-4 days,there was no effect on their normal work and life.Conclusion:Botulinum toxin type A injection has a remarkable clinical curative effect in the treatment of patients with upper facial dynamic wrinkles,can maintain tor a long time,and also has good safety,it is worthy clinical application.

Treatment of chronic posttraumatic thoracolumbar kyphosis by posterior pedicle subtraction osteotomy / 中华创伤杂志

Objective To retrospectively evaluate and analyze the clinical effect of posterior pedicle subtraction osteotomy in treating chronic, posttraumatic thoracolumbar kyphosis. Methods Nineteen patients (11 males and 8 females) with chronic, posttraumatic thoracolumbar kyphosis were corrected surgically. The patients were at age range of 29-61 years (mean 42 years). Preoperative kyphosis Cobb angle ranged from 31° to 63° (mean 47°) and trauma history ranged from 8 months to 63 months (mean 29 months). All patients were treated with pedicle subtraction osteotomy according to the size of Cobb angle, extent of spinal stenosis and source of compression. Results Sagittal alignment was improved to average 40.2°, with a correction rate of 85.8%. Two patients developed postoperative leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. Among them, one was combined with encephalic infection and cured with active treatment, and the other developed postoperative wound infection, which were treated conservatively with antibiotics and local wound care. There were no other severe complications. The average follow-up period was 15 months (range 6-41 months). At the last follow-up, clinical symptoms and neurological function were improved significantly. Neither loss of correction nor failure of internal fixators was observed. X-ray and dynamic X-ray films showed a 100% fusion in all patients. Conclusions The single-stage posterior pedicle subtraction osteotomy is a safe and effective procedure for correction of posttraumatic thoracolumbar kyphosis. It is possible and safe to obtain a correction within 55° on single segment by this technique.

Detection of pigment epithelium derived factor gene mutation in a human malignant melanoma cell line A375 / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective To detect the mutations of pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) gene in a human malignant melanoma cell line A375. Methods A375 cells and control melanocytes obtained from circumcised prepuce were cultured, genomic DNA was extracted from these cells. All eight exons of PEDF gene were scanned by single strand conformation polymorphism analysis ofpolymerase chain reaction products (PCR-SSCP) in both A375 cells and control melanocytes. DNA sequencing was performed for the PCR products separated into electrophoretic bands with altered mobility. Results Altered mobility was observed with SSCP analysis in amplicons of exon 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, with the most obvious alteration occurred in exon 5 and 6. DNA sequencing revealed mutations in both exon 5 and 6. The common type of mutations was single base-deletion in exon 5 and single base-substitution in exon 6. Conclusion Mutations of PEDF gene may contribute to the development of human malignant melanoma.