ABSTRACT
Background@#Topical recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) is effective in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, surgical wounds, burns, and scars. Binding of EGF to EGF receptors results in cell proliferation and differentiation. @*Objective@#This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of topical rhEGF ointment compared with that of topical mupirocin in healing herpes zoster (HZ) lesions. @*Methods@#Thirty patients diagnosed with typical HZ were recruited in August, 2018. The rats were randomly divided into two groups: topical mupirocin and topical rhEGF ointment. HZ lesions were evaluated using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) at the initial visit, 1st, 2nd, and 4th weeks. @*Results@#The total number of recruited patients (n=30) included males (n=16, 53.3%) and females (n=14, 46.7%) with a mean age of 58.2. The proportion of patients with a 50% reduction in the VSS score (VSS 50) at 2nd week was significantly higher in the rhEGF group (33.0% vs. 72.0%, respectively, p=0.035). The complete resolution rate (VSS=0, 1) at 4th week was also higher in the rhEGF group (17.5% vs. 50.0%, p=0.03). @*Conclusion@#Topical rhEGF showed a more rapid treatment response and anti-scarring effect than topical mupirocin in patients with HZ lesions.
ABSTRACT
Background@#Few studies have investigated the association between Behçet disease (BD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of various CVDs in patients with BD. @*Objective@#The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of various CVD in patients with BD. @*Methods@#Between 2003 and 2015, we performed a retrospective cohort study involving patients with BD selected from Korea’s National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort database and age- and sex-matched controls. Age- and sex-matched controls were selected randomly from the NHIS-NSC database at a frequency of 1:5. @*Results@#Among the 998 patients with BD and the 4,990 controls studied, patients with BD showed significantly higher risk for angina pectoris (adjusted Hazard Ratio [HR] 1.522, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.020∼2.273;p=0.04) and peripheral arterial disease (adjusted HR 2.939, 95% CI 1.296∼6.664; p=0.01) than the controls. The cumulative incidence rates of these diseases in patients with BD were also significantly higher than those in the controls. @*Conclusion@#Patients with BD showed independent risk for angina pectoris and peripheral arterial disease.