Is there an association of melasma and anaemia?

Melasma is a very frequent cause of facial pigmentation, particularly in women and some men in our race. Little is known about the etiology of melasma, though there are a few known aggravating factors. To find out about the presence of anaemia [as is a common myth in this society] in melasma patients, this randomized control study is being undertaken. Thirty patients [29 F and 1M], presenting with clinical evidence of melasma and 30 [29 F and IM], age/sex matched controls [with minor dermatological disorders] were included from the out patients. A detailed history, thorough clinical examination and a full hematological assessment was done on all the subjects. Ten female patients and nine female controls, [no males] were found to have associated anaemia [Hg less than 11.0 G%]. No statistical difference found [P = NS], using student's t test. Thus melasma sufferers do not have a higher incidence of anaemia and their hematological status does not seem to be contributory to the expression of hypermelanosis

One week oral therapy with terbinafine in tinea corporis/cruris

Terbinafine has been used in different regimens. To evaluate short therapy for a week, 28 patients [24 male and 4 female] were randomly selected from Dermatology Out Patients, with myocologically proven cases of tinea corporis/cruris and given 250 mg terbinafine daily for seven days. They were followed up for clinical and myocological examination; every 2 weeks for over a period of 4 weeks and some seen for 8 weeks .Clinical assessment was done by the parameters of vesiculation, erythema, scaling and pruritis on 0-3 scale. Mean sum of scores of 8.4 on week 0 decreased to 1.80 on weeks 2 and 0.53 on week 4 showing highly signigicant improvement [p< 0.005]. Total clearance was seen in 70% of patients whereas 25% patients needed a second course of therapy and 5% were treated for a relapse. Thus one week's oral terbinafine is sufficient in vast majority of patients but a close follow up, over a period of 4 weeks is necessary for total clearance of the disease and for elimination of relapse

Cutaneous drug reactions

Adverse reactions to drug are extremely common and skin seems to be the most frequently affected target organ. There is no specific type of rash pathognomonic for drugs in general or one drug in particularcular. Any one drug may have the potential to cause a variety of reactions, which may develop at any time during the course of the drug intake. Even though cutaneous reactions to drugs are fairly common all over the world, yet there seems to be a much higher incidence of these reactions in this country. About 8-10% of the total inpatient admissions to local dermatology units are attributable to drugs directly or indirectly. Free availability and gross misuse of genuine and spurious drugs is a well-known problem, greatly appreciated by the profession. It is generally agreed that some effective steps ought to be taken in controlling the indiscriminate use of drugs in our society. Various types of cutaneous drug reactions including: Exanthematous and lichenoid drug reactions, urticaria, LE syndrome, Fixed drug eruption, drug induced alopecia and acne, Erythema multiform, Toxic epidermal necrolysis as well as vascular reaction, purpura and pigmentary changes are being discussed in the following text

Topical hydroquinone and spectraban-15 lotion [a sunscreen] versus topical hydroquinone alone in the treatment melasma

Melasma is a term applied to a pattern of hyperpigmention on the face, mainly in women but also seen in men particularly of Asiatic origin. Twenty six patients [21 Females and 5 males] suffering from Melasma were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups of ten and sixteen each. The second group was given Hydroquinone cream and Spectraban lotion. The patients were seen every two weeks for a period of eight weeks. The improvement was charted according to an arbitrary scoring system based on the colour and extent of the lesions. The treatment with Hydroquinone cream and sunscreen. Spectraban-15 lotion [Group-Il] was found to be significantly more effective [P <0.008] in reducing hypermelanosis. Use of customary veil and of cosmetics was found to have marked beneficial and deleterious effects respectively, on the extent and severity of Melasma. The skin type of the patient and number of hours of sun exposure were also found to have a significant effect on the disease expression

Comparison of cryotherapy with salicylic/lactic acid preparation of the treatment of verruca vulcaris

A clinical study was conducted to compare the efficacy of cryotherapy and salicylic/lactic acid preparation for the treatment of verruca vulgaris. The wart resolution was 100% in 1.58 weeks with cryotherapy as compared to 80% resolution in 3.18 weeks, for warts treated with salicylic/lactic acid preparation [P<0.05]