Solar risk and sun protection in adolecents

Several studies proved that sunrays intense exposure, since childhood, is a primordial environment factor which increases risk of melanoma. The aim of this study is to evaluate the knowledge of a group of students concerning the consequences of sun exposure, and to insist on the importance of information and prevention. Method: a survey was conducted on a sample of 1000 students in several schools of Casablanca. A questionnaire with 21 items with open answers was auto-filled by all the participants. there were 66,6% girls and 33,4% boys, with a mean age of 13 year-old. 38% of girls and 24% of boys were frequently exposed to the sunrays. The time of exposure was between midday and 4pm. 16% of the students knew that it is the maximal luminal intensity and requires maximal sun protection. The frequency of sunburns was high [43% of girls / 34% of boys]. Most of them exposed themselves regularly at the highest risk hours. The use of external solar photo protector was less frequent when practicing sport [16% of girls and 7% of boys]. During sport, 13% of the students knew the need to renew the application every two hours or after the bath. 54% of girls and 45% of boys knew that the clothes are the best protection.This study shows that the risk of sun exposure is badly known within teenagers and it exists a misreading of the benefit of sunscreen and of the role of clothes. Information, education of children and their families and the awareness of doctors about the solar risk are the best way to eliminate the high increase of the bad effects of the sun [melanoma, hyperpigmentation]

Lupus erythematosus with revealing dermatitis in children: a 26 cases report

The infant lupus erythematosus is rare before the age of 15 years and exceptional during the first 2 years of life. Through a retrospective study of 26 child lupus erythematosus collected in Casablanca Ibn Rochd Dermatology Unit from January 1970 to December 2002, we tried to study anamnestic, clinical, paraclinical, therapeutic and evolutive characteristics of this disease in our context. The children were 7 day-old to 15 year-old with a mean age of 12 years and a clear female predominance [76.9%]. The cutaneous manifestations were the first symptom in all cases. The extracutaneous manifestations were detected in 10 cases [38.46%]. The anatomic clinical forms were: chronic lupus erythematosus in 13 cases, systemic lupus erythematosus in 9 cases, subacute lupus erythematosus in 2 cases, deep lupus erythematosus in one case, neonatal lupus erythematosus in one case. Treatment of the systemic lupus was corticotherapy in 10 cases. In pure dermatologic forms, dermocorticoids were given to 10 children and synthesis antimalarial to 3 children. The remission was obtained in 15 cases [57.69%] and 3 had relapses. Our study showed the predominance of the child lupus erythematosus in girls, the diversity of the clinical forms in this age with predominance of the chronic lupus erythematosus

Juvenile dermatomyositis: a 8 cases report

Juvenile dermatomyositis is a multisystemic rheumatic disorder characterized by non infectious inflammation of skin and striated muscle. The aim of this retrospective study is to stress the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties of dermatomyositis in children. From January 1990 to December 2002, 8 cases of childhood dermatomyositis were collected in the Dermatology Department of Casablanca University Hospital. The mean age of our patient was 10 year-old [3 to 14 year-old]. They were 6 girls and 2 boys. The evolution mean duration was 17 months. Cutaneous and muscular signs were found in all cases. Raynaud's phenomenon was present in 2 cases. Two children had bad general status and 1 child had a dysphagia. An inflammatory syndrome was present in all cases. Muscle enzymes were increased in 6 patients [75%]. Muscular biopsy has confirmed the diagnosis in 5 cases [62%]. High dose corticosteroid therapy was used in all cases, associated to immunosuppressive therapy in 1 case. The evolution was good in 2 cases. Three children had a relapse with cutaneous calcinosis in 2 cases. Three patients were lost from follow-up. Juvenile dermatomyositis is a severe disease. Corticosteroids, associated to immunosuppressors or immunoglobulins have decreased mortality. The prognosis depends on an early diagnosis and treatment

[Vulvar pathology]

We evaluated the main causes of vulvar dermatoses; in 785 patients with a vulvar diseases who visited Ibn Rochd Hospital Centre, Casablanca between January 1991 and December 2002. The average age was 31 years [range 2 months to 81 years]; 362 patients [41.52%] had vulvar pruritus, 273 patients [34.77%] had warts and 157 [20%] had one or more vulva ulcers. The most common infectious pathology was papillomavirus infection, found in 273 cases [34.77%], followed by vulvovaginal candidiases in 102 cases [12.99%], syphilitic chancre in 18 cases [2.29%] and herpes genitalis in 17 cases [2.16%]. The most common non-infectious pathology was vulvar dermatosis: 259 cases [32.99%]; idiopathic pruritus vulvae: 61 cases [7.7%]; and tumour-related conditions: 45 cases [5.6%]. The frequency of infectious conditions was over 50% and these were generally sexually transmitted infections

[Cutaneous calcinoses [5 cases]]

We report 5 cases of cutaneous calcinoses at the dermatology department in CHU Ibn Rochd university hospital of Casablanca the clinical picture is suggestive of the diagnosis The clinical picture is evokator in front of the appearance of subcutaneous nodules that become fistulization resulting in a chalking substance. The phosphocablcic complete examination is normal, the radiographies show nodular calcifications and the cutaneous biopsy confirms the diagnosis. An associate pathology is noticed in three cases, with respectively: sclerodermitis, dermatomyositis and Kahler's disease. The treatment depends on the associated affection. The cutaneous calcinoses are defined as a group of manifestations resulting of abnormal presence of phosphate of calcium in skin in the shape of hydroxyapatitis cristaline. There are various very dissimilar affections with pathologic calcifications that we can classify according to their mechanism of action