Clinical Aspects of Infectious Keratitis in Western Gyeongsangnamdo, Republic of Korea

PURPOSE: We investigated the regional characteristics and trends in causative agents, clinical features, and antibiotic susceptibility in infectious keratitis in western Gyeongnam province. METHODS: This retrospective chart review included 551 eyes of 551 patients with infectious keratitis, who were referred to our center from January 2004 to December 2017. The period of this study was divided into two terms of 7 years before and after 2011 to analyze the changes in causative organisms and antibiotic susceptibilities and to investigate the clinical features and regional characteristics in western Gyeongnam province. RESULTS: The most common occupation among patients was farming; the mean time taken for initial treatment was 8.6 days. The culture positivity rate was 35.8%, the most commonly isolated microorganisms were Staphylococcus epidermidis (14.5%) for Gram-positive bacteria and Pseudomona aeruginosa (13.5%) for Gram-negative bacteria. The distribution of culture-positive organisms before and after 2011 did not show any significant difference, but the increase in resistance to second and third generation quinolones was significantly greater in Gram-positive bacteria after 2011. There was no significant difference in clinical characteristics before and after 2011, but the hospital stay duration and treatment needs were significantly reduced. CONCLUSIONS: This was a large-scale study analyzing the clinical features of infectious keratitis in western Gyeognam province over a 14-year period. The results will help us understand the characteristics, microbiology, and community in infectious keratitis by analyzing patients referred to tertiary centers.

A Survey on Behavior Regarding Cosmetics Use of Teenagers in Western Gyeongnam Province / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Many students are interested in their appearance and express a strong concern about cosmetics use. However, few studies have reported on cosmetics use in teenagers visiting dermatologic clinics. Recently, there was a report on consumer's behavior regarding cosmetics in Korea, so we attempted to assess this behavior in our clinics. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess behavior regarding cosmetics use in teenagers. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey with 26 questions concerning cosmetics use behavior of teenagers who visited dermatologic clinics and participated in the campaign program. The questionnaire consisted of basic information about the type of cosmetics most frequently used. RESULTS: A total of 269 individuals participated in our survey, consisting of 118 men (43.9%) and 151 women (56.1%). Most participants (92.2%) used cosmetics. The most frequently used skin care and makeup product was sun cream (81.5%) and lip balm/gloss (40.7%). Most participants (80.2%) responded that they use cosmetics daily. This result shows that cosmetics use is common among teenagers. The common influences of starting cosmetics use are friends and neighbors. Teenagers used cosmetics mainly for cosmetic purpose (42.3%), followed by increasing self-regard (35.9%) and improving skin status (19.4%). Seventy-eight teenagers (31.5%) developed side effects after using cosmetics. The most common side effects were contact dermatitis (78.4%). CONCLUSION: This study found that teenagers are becoming a rising consumer in the cosmetics industry. Therefore, we suggest that dermatologist should provide teenagers with appropriate education and management on cosmetics use.

A Clinical Investigation of Cutaneous Malignant Tumors in Western Gyeongnam Province over 11 Years / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: The incidence rates of cutaneous malignant tumors in the Korean population are increasing. However, few clinical studies have been conducted on cutaneous malignant tumors in Gyeongnam Province. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of cutaneous malignant tumors in Western Gyeongnam Province and to compare the results with previous reports of cutaneous malignant tumors. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 46,277 outpatients who visited the Department of Dermatology from January 2005 to December 2015. Among them, 1,120 patients who underwent biopsy for skin tumors had tumors classified as cutaneous malignant tumors. We compared the histopathological diagnoses and analyzed the distribution of dermatologic diseases and clinical features, including age and sex. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 70.0 years. The ratio of male to female patients was 1：1.85. Cutaneous malignant and premalignant tumors were found in 2.4% of all new patients. The most common disease was basal cell carcinoma (39.6%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (31.5%), malignant lymphoma (6.3%), metastatic carcinoma (5.8%), keratoacanthoma (4.2%), malignant melanoma (4.1%), and extramammary Paget's disease (2.8%). The most common premalignant tumor was actinic keratosis (73.2%), followed by Bowen's disease (26.8%). The most common site of cutaneous malignant tumors and premalignant tumors was the face (75.3% and 80.8%, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study provides useful data on the incidence and characteristics of cutaneous malignant tumors. The frequency of malignant tumors was higher than that found in previous studies.