Sensitive skin: review of an ascending concept

Abstract: Sensitive skin is a condition characterized by stinging, burning and itching sensations. The diagnosis, pathophysiology and treatment of sensitive skin are still under discussion. In the last years, studies on its epidemiology have been performed, showing a high prevalence and impact on quality of life. Brazilian population was also considered in these studies. Cosmetics, climate changes and skin barrier impairment are the main factors that contribute for skin hyperreactivity. New studies are trying to bring new knowledge about the theme. This review will describe data on epidemiology, triggering factors, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment.

Risk prediction and impaired tactile sensory perception among cancer patients during chemotherapy / Predição de risco e incidência de percepção sensorial tátil alterada em pacientes oncológicos durante quimioterapia / Predicción de riesgo e incidencia de percepción sensorial táctil alterada en pacientes oncológicos durante quimioterapia

ABSTRACT Objectives: to estimate the prevalence of impaired tactile sensory perception, identify risk factors, and establish a risk prediction model among adult patients receiving antineoplastic chemotherapy. Method: historical cohort study based on information obtained from the medical files of 127 patients cared for in the cancer unit of a private hospital in a city in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data were analyzed using descriptive and bivariate statistics, with survival and multivariate analysis by Cox regression. Results: 57% of the 127 patients included in the study developed impaired tactile sensory perception. The independent variables that caused significant impact, together with time elapsed from the beginning of treatment up to the onset of the condition, were: bone, hepatic and regional lymph node metastases; alcoholism; palliative chemotherapy; and discomfort in lower limbs. Conclusion: impaired tactile sensory perception was common among adult patients during chemotherapy, indicating the need to implement interventions designed for early identification and treatment of this condition.

RESUMO Objetivos: Estimar a prevalência de percepção sensorial tátil alterada, identificar os fatores de risco e estabelecer modelo de predição de risco para seu desenvolvimento, em pacientes adultos, submetidos à quimioterapia antineoplásica. Método: Coorte histórica realizada a partir de informações obtidas em prontuários de 127 pacientes atendidos em uma unidade oncológica de um hospital privado de um município de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Os dados foram analisados por estatística descritiva, bivariada, com análise de sobrevida e multivariada por regressão de Cox. Resultados: Dos 127 pacientes analisados 57% desenvolveu percepção sensorial tátil alterada. As variáveis independentes que impactaram, de forma significativa e conjunta, com o tempo para ocorrência do desfecho foram: metástases óssea, hepática e de linfonodo regional, alcoolismo, quimioterapia paliativa e desconforto nos membros inferiores. Conclusão: A percepção sensorial tátil alterada foi um achado comum em pacientes adultos durante o tratamento quimioterápico, apontando para a necessidade da implementação de intervenções que visem identificar precocemente e prevenir ou tratar o problema.

RESUMEN Objetivos: estimar la prevalencia de percepción sensorial táctil alterada, identificar los factores de riesgo y establecer un modelo de predicción de riesgo para su desarrollo, en pacientes adultos sometidos a quimioterapia antineoplásica. Método: estudio de cohorte histórica, realizado a partir de informaciones obtenidas de fichas médicas de 127 pacientes atendidos en unidad oncológica de un hospital privado, en municipio de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Los datos fueron analizados con estadística descriptiva, bivariada, con análisis de sobrevivencia y multivariado con la regresión de Cox. Resultados: de los 127 pacientes analizados, 57% desarrollaron percepción sensorial táctil alterada. Las variables independientes que causaron impacto de forma significativa, y conjuntamente con el tiempo para ocurrencia del resultado, fueron: metástasis ósea, hepática y de linfoma regional; alcoholismo; quimioterapia paliativa; e, incomodidad en los miembros inferiores. Conclusión: la percepción sensorial táctil alterada fue un hallazgo común en pacientes adultos durante el tratamiento quimioterápico, lo que apunta para la necesidad de la implementación de intervenciones que objetiven identificar precozmente y prevenir o tratar el problema.

Somatic and psychiatric disorders and health care utilization among Iraqi refugees and Yemeni immigrant

Prior studies have reported increased prevalence of mental and somatic health disorders among refugees. However, many of these studies fail to include appropriate comparison groups. Moreover, there is a lack of studies focusing on health care utilization among refugee populations. We examined the distribution of somatic and mental health disorders as well as patterns of health care utilization among 116 Iraqi refugees as compared to 232 non-refugee Arab immigrants. Refugees as compared to non-refugee immigrants exhibit different distributional patterns with regards to several somatic and psychiatric disorders. In addition, specific somatic disorders [e.g., dermatologic and cardiovascular disorders] were found to be associated with greater health care consumption in refugees as compared to regular immigrants with identical diagnoses