Clinicopathological correlation of blistering diseases of skin.

Blistering diseases are alarming skin conditions where blister formation occurs in various ways and cannot be differentiated clinically. For confirmation of diagnosis, along with routine histological examination, immunofluorescence study is essential. Tzanck smear may be used as a rapid diagnostic tool. We included here 34 cases of different blistering lesions. Other than routine Hematoxylin and Eosin stain, direct immunofluorescence test was done in 31 cases, indirect immunofluorescence in 28 cases and Tzanck smear in 33 cases. Direct immunofluorescence stain was also applied on Tzanck smears. The most frequent diagnoses were pemphigus (n = 16), bullous pemphigoid (n = 11) and linear IgA dermatosis (n = 3). Clinical findings and histological examination were sufficient for the diagnosis of most cases. Direct immunofluorescence study is essential in many cases, and indirect immunofluorescence study is a useful method for diagnosis of some of the blistering diseases, especially in pemphigus. Direct immunofluorescence staining on Tzanck smear is a novel technique for the diagnosis of pemphigus.

Prostatic size before and after transurethral microwave thermotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia measured by transrectal ultrasound

Background: the application of microwaves for thermotherapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH] and other prostatic diseases is well distributed around the world. This treatment has recently begun in our country

Objectives: to study the effect of transurethral microwave thermotherapy [TUMT] for BPH on the prostatic size and lower urinary tract obstruction symptoms

Methods: men with symptomatic BPH [n=30] were treated with TUMT at the specialized surgical hospital in Baghdad using prostacare [Bruker spectospin]. The treatment was performed with an effect of 52 watt and a frequency of 915 MHz, which was generally well tolerated and no serious side effects was observed. The patients underwent a single TUMT session for one hour without complementary treatment during the follow up period of six months. The pretreatment evaluation included Madsen score, prostatic volume [measured by transrectal U/S], peak uroflow and urine residual volume. The measurements were repeated after 3 and 6 months and the results were analyzed

Results: there was over all decrease in Madsen score, prostatic size and residual volume and increase in peak uroflow

Conclusion: TUMT significantly alleviates lower urinary tract symptoms of BPH. Increase peak urinary flow rate and enhances patients quality of life. This minimally invasive treatment is easily administered in the outpatient setting. TUMT holds promise as a useful and cost-effective option for the clinical management of BPH

arabic self-reporting questionnaire [SRQ] as a psychiatric screening instrument in medical patients

The self-reporting questionnaire was originally developed by the WHO in order to screen for psychiatric disorders. To assess the validity of the Arabic self-reporting questionnaire [SRQ] as a screening instrument for psychiatric morbidity in a sample of Saudi medical patients. All patients referred for endoscopy underwent a semi-structured interview, and were then asked to fill out the SRQ. One hundred and sixty-six males and 126 females were included in the study. Sixty percent of the subjects were identified by the SRQ as psychiatric cases, compared to 48.6% identified using the psychiatric interview. A cut-off point between six and seven, was found to yield a sensitivity of 93%, a specificity of 70%, and a misclassification rate of 19%. Females had more psychiatric morbidity than males. The validity indices and receiver operating characteristic [ROC] analysis support the usefulness of the SRQ as a cost-effective screening instrument for psychiatric morbidity in a two-stage large population research