Clinical study of psoriatic arthritis in Iraqi patients

Psoriatic arthritis is one of the important complications of psoriasis; It is a progressively destructive disease of the joints, especially of the hands and feet. This study is planned to determine the different clinical aspects of psoriatic arthritis. Twenty-two patients with psoriatic arthritis were included in this study. Clinical data was collected from the patients about onset, course and patterns of their joint involvement and also skin psoriasis. Laboratory investigations were done for all patients. Psoriatic arthritis is a disease of young, with nearly equal sex distribution. In most patients the arthritis followed skin psoriasis by years. Type of psoriasis was mostly psoriasis vulgaris. The commonest joint involvement was in the form of asymmetrical oligo-arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis is a severe sometimes-disabling complication of psoriasis. It should be considered in the clinical assessment of all psoriatic patients

Facial resurfacing of atrophic acne scars using high-energy pulsed carbon dioxide laser

Background and treatment of atrophic facial acne scars has been limited to the use of traditional methods such as dermabrasion and chemical peels for many years. Recently, high-energy pulsed carbon dioxide [CO 2] laser has been introduced for cutaneous resurfacing. This study was designed to determine the effectiveness and safety of high energy pulsed CO 2 laser in the treatment of facial atrophic acne scars and the occurrence of side effects. Patients and in this study, twenty-two patients with skin phototypes I. II, and III and moderate to severe atrophic facial acne scars were included. Each patient received one high-energy pulsed CO 2 laser treatment session using identical laser parameters by the same laser surgeon. Base line and postoperative clinical assessments and photographs were obtained in all patients. there was 90.5% average clinical improvement observed in acne scars following laser treatment. Side effects were limited to transient hyperpigmentation [4.5% of patients] lasting an average of 3 months. Prolonged erythema [2 months average] was usual and was considered a normal healing response. There was no hypoigmentation, hypertrophic scarring or skin infection following laser treatment. high-energy pulsed CO 2 laser proved to be a safe and effective method in the treatment of atrophic facial acne scars