Safety of parenteral dexamethasone vs. oral prednisolone in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris

To observe the safety of parenteral dexamethasone compared with oral prednisolone in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris. A clinical trial was carried out in the department of Dermatology and Venereology, Bangabandu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Total number of patients was thirty. Among them fifteen patients were treated with injection dexamethasone [group A] and other fifteen were treated with oral prednisolone [group B]. Statistically significant improvement was observed in both groups in all clinical parameters after 6 weeks. But dexamethasone group showed statistically more significant improvement than prednisolone group in all clinical parameters except Nikolsky's sign. Most common adverse effects in both groups were weight gain, increased appetite, puffy face and hyperglycemia. In dexamethasone group other side effect was sleep disturbance. In prednisolone group other side effects were gastritis, sleep disturbance, nausea and vomiting, herpes zoster infection, reactivation of tuberculosis and mood change. Parenteral dexamethasone appears to be safer than oral prednisolone in the management of pemphigus vulgaris with an acceptable efficacy profile

Pattern of dermatoses of pregnancy in Bangladeshi women

To register the patterns of specific dermatoses of pregnancy in Bangladeshi pregnant women. A total of 327 pregnant women, aged 20-40 years, were selected by random sampling method. They were screened for specific dermatoses by detailed history and clinical examination. 43 pregnant females had specific dermatoses of pregnancy. Twenty one [48.8%] women had pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy, followed by pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy in 11 [25.6%], pruritus gravidarum in 8 [18.6%], prurigo gestations of Besnier in 2 [4.7%] and papular dermatitis in 1 [2.3%] female. The majority of females with dermatoses were found in the 25-30 years age groups. The present study highlights the pattern of specific dermatoses of pregnancy in Bangladeshi pregnant women. It was felt that the obstetricians ignore and do not give much attention to pregnancy associated dermatoses causing exhaustive irritation and ill effect of mental disturbance.