Effects of topical corticosteroids on adrenal function in childeren with atopic dermatitis

The aim of this study was to investigate the response to low-dose [500 ng/1.73 m2] adrenocorticoid hormone [ACTH] test in atopic dermatitis [AD] patients in comparison with the normal controls. Twenty-five prepubertal children were compared with 8 healthy control subjects [mean age 7.56 +/- 2.5 years, respectively; male to female ratio 1.1:1 and 1:1, respectively]. All patients were subjected to thorough medical history and clinical examination as well as random blood glucose, total and differential blood count and plasma cortisol [mug/dl] was measured by radioimmunoassay. The basal [0], peak [30], 60-minute and increment [peak minus basal] in plasma cortisol concentrations in children with mild AD used mild potent corticosteroid were not significantly different from the controls indicating a normal adrenal sensitivity to low-dose adrenocorticoid hormone [ACTH]. In moderate AD patients, used moderately potent corticosteroid, the peak and increment in the plasma cortisol levels were lower than the controls but within the normal values. Severe AD patients, used potent corticosteroid, showed lower peak and subnormal increment; while the basal and 60-minute plasma cortisol levels were within the normal level. There was a significant positive correlation between the peak, the basal, increment and 60-minute corticosteroid levels; whereas, they were inversely correlated with the eosinophilic count in all patients. The increment did not correlate with the basal and stimulated levels of plasma cortisol in the group of severe AD

Impact of vulval warts on uterine cervix-new colposcopic finding

There is a growing interest in human papilloma virus [HPV] infection of the cervix. The aim of, this work, is to study the impact of vulval warts on HPV related cervical disease and to compare, the results with findings in women without vulva warts. Seventy women paticipated in this work: 30 cases with vulval warts [study group] and 40 cases withhout vulval warts [control group]. All cases were subjected for full medical history, cervicovaginal cytology, colposcopy and biopsy from colposcopically abnormal areas. Cytological examination revealed 7 cases with cervical HPV infection [23.3%] in the study group, compared to 2 cases in the control group [5%] [P<0.01]. Three study cases showed dyskaryosis [2 mild and one moderate]. Abnormal colposcopic findings were detected in 13 cases of the study group [43.2%], compared to 3 cases [7.5%] of the control group [P<0.01]. The finding of micropapillary aceto - white epithelium with partial iodine uptake was prominently associated with cervical HPV infection in cases of vulval warts. Histopathology of the colposcopically directed biopsies revealed 5 cases with HPV infection [Flat condyloma in 2 cases and flat condyloma with CINI in 3 cases] and 2 cases with CIN, [one CINI I and one CIN II] in the study group, compared to only one cases of flat condyloma in the control group. The importance of these findings are discussed