A Case of Cutaneous Cryptococcosis Resembling Pyoderma Gangrenosum / 대한피부과학회지

Cryptococcosis is a disease caused by Cryptococcus neoformans, that most commonly affects immunosuppressed patients. Cutaneous cyptococcosis occurs in 10-15% of disseminated cases and its clinical manifestation is variable. We have presented an unusual manifestation of cutaneous cryptococcosis in a patient with iatrogenic Cushing syndrome. Clinically, the ulcers were considered to be pyoderma gangrenosum but the tissue biopsy and culture revealed cryptococcosis. This case illustrates that in making the diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum, one must exclude deep fungal infection.

Efficacy of Itraconazole Melt-Extrusion Tablet One-week Therapy in Treatment of Hyperkeratotic Type of Tinea Pedis and/or Tinea Manus / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Since the bioavailability of itraconazole capsule is influenced by patients gastric acidity, it results in treatment failure due to its low dissolution and subsequent low absorption when administered in fasting. Itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet has been lately developed in order to improve its dissolution profile. It is the first clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of itraconazole melt-extrusion tablet 400mg daily for 1 week(pulse therapy) for hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and manus. METHODS: A clinical and mycological investigation was made of 812 outpatients with hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus who had visited at 52 general hospitals under the lead of the Korean Dermatological Association from June to December, 1998. Patients confirmed by clinically and microscopically as hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus were administered 2 tablets twice a day for one week and followed up for 8 weeks from the start of the medication. RESULTS: The results were summarized as follows; 1. Clinical symptoms of hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea mauns were significantly improved at the end of study, week 8(p<0.001). 2. Clinical response rate, defined as more than 50% decrease of the sum of the clinical symptom scores, was 79.3%(512/646). 3. Mycological cure rate, dafined as both culture and KOH negative at week 8, was 78.2%(244 /312). 4. 40(5.5%) patients, of the 727 patients evaluable for drug safety evaluation, were reported to have adverse event. CONCLUSION: Itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet 400mg/day for 1 week (pulse therapy) is effective and safe in the treatment of hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus.

A Case of Neuroendocrine Carcinoma / 대한피부과학회지

Neuroendocrine neoplasms have been described in virtually every organ where neuroendocrine cells are distributed throughout the body. It commonly exhibits multiple lines of divergent differentiation. We report a case of neuroendocrine carcinoma occurring in a 52-year-old woman. She had multiple subcutaneous nodules on the trunk. The light microscopic appearance and immunohistochemical stains were consistent with a neuroendocrine carcinoma. But it showed some differences from Merkel cell carcinoma in clinical and immunohistochemical findings. It may be strongly suggested that it was probably metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Cutaneous Abscess Caused by Paecilomyces lilacinus in a Renal Transplant Patient / 대한의진균학회지

Paecilomyces lilacinus is an ubiquitous saprophytic fungus and very rarely pathogenic to the human. Although it has been reported to cause endophthalmitis, orbital cellulitis, prosthetic valve endocarditis, and pulmonary infection, cutaneous infection caused by Paecilomyces lilacinus has been rarely reported. A 46-year-old Korean man had asymptomatic slowly growing multiple cutaneous nodules on the left arm and wrist for 8 months. He received a renal transplantation in 1991 because of end-stage renal disease. Postoperatively, he has taken cyclosporin and deflazacort for immunosuppression. Physical examination revealed that the lesions were discrete or confluent, firm, elevated, well-defined fluctuating nodules. Histologic section showed multiple well-encapsulated intradermal abscesses with some foci of chronic granulomatous changes composed of lymphocytes, histiocytes and giant cells. PAS positive fungal hyphae and spores were also found. On the Sabouraud's dextrose agar media, the organism grew rapidly to form velvety lilac-colored colonies with shallow radiating furrows. Slide culture showed brush-like conidiophores ending in flask-shaped phialides carrying chain of conidia. Because of the poor response to the oral antifungal drug for 2 months, all the lesions were completely excised.

Chediak-Higashi Syndrome with Hyperpigmentation

No abstract available.

Significance of Hair Follicle Mite Examination by Skin Surface Biopsy in Disease Associated with Hair Follicle Mite / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: The pathogenic role of the hair follicle mite in rosacea is still a matter of debate. Although the hair follicle mite may induce a pathologic condition by dermal invasion or excessive number of mites, the number of mites necessary to induce a pathologic condition has not been established in Korea. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to know the causative role of the hair follicle mite in rosacea and the threshold value between 'normal' and 'abnormal' density of the hair follicle mite on Korean facial skin. METHODS: We applied skin surface biopsy to investigate the population density and distribution of hair follicle mites in the facial skin of 50 patients with rosacea (9 with episodic erythema, 29 with stage I, 12 with stage II), 7 patients with demodicidosis and 54 control subjects. The mites were counted in measured skin surface biopsy specimens obtained from three standard facial sites(2cm on cheek and chin, 1cm on nose) with cyanoacrylate glue. RESULTS: 1. The mean mite count per 5cm was 3.4+/-0.7 in control subjects and 10.7+/-1.9 in patients with rosacea(p<0.05) The density of Demodex(mite count/ 5cm) was significantly higher in patients with demodicidosis (115+/-14.2) than in the control (p<0.001) and rosacea patients(p<0.05). 2. The highest density of mites was found on the cheek in the control and diseased subjects. The incidence of hair follicle mites was higher on the nose than on the cheek in the control subjects and rosacea patients. In demodicidosis, the incidence of the hair follicle mites was higher on the cheek than on the nose. 3. The distribution of hair follicle mite was not significantly different among the three clinical stages of rosacea. The mite counts in stage II rosacea were higher than those of control subjects (p<0.05). 4. The distribution of the hair follicle mite in the control subjects was related to a increase of age but not related to sex. The distribution of the hair flooicle mites in rosacea patients was not related to age or sex. 5. Hair follicle mites were found in 33 out of 54 control subjects(61%) and in 40 out of 50 rosacea patients (80%). The mite counts of all control subjects and all rosacea patients were less than 5/cm and 10/cm, respectively. The mite counts of all demodicidosis patients were more than 10/cm. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the increased nomber of mites play a part in the pathogenesis of rosacea and demodicidosis is a specifio disease entity differentiated from rosacea. When the density of the hair follicle mites is above 5 /cm2, a pathologic condition of the skin, such as rosacea and demodicidosis, would have to be considered. Demodicidosis should be suspected when the density of the hair follicle mites is above 10 /cm. In addition, skin surface biopsy is recommended as the most simple and useful clinical method in search of the distribution of the distrbution of the hair follicle mites.

A Case of Spontaneous Remission of Histiocytosis X / 대한피부과학회지

Histiocytosis X(Langerhans cell histiocytosis) is a rare prolifertive disorder of Langerhans cells that includes Lettere-Siwe disease, Hand-Shiiller-Christian his ase and eosinophilic granuloma. Since many authors have reported in anintermediate and poarl classified form histiocytosis X has a namenclatural had nosologic problem. We report a case benign cutaneous variant of histiocytisis X. A four-month-old boy had shown multiple skin-colour papules on the trunk, head and nik for one month. Extensive in- vestigations failed to detcct any systemic involvement. The clixron microscopic findings of the skin biopsy specimen were Qefinitely diagnostic for histiocytosi. X Since he did not sbow evidence of internal organ involvernent and any further progression of he skin lesion, no therapy was given. Over the next two months the disease underwent spontane us and complete remission.