ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease of the intertriginous areas. HS affects hair follicles causing perifollicular inflammation, resulting in the formation of nodules and painful abscesses. Intense pulsed light (IPL) uses selective photothermolysis to destroy the hair follicles. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of IPL hair removal as treatment for mild-to-moderate HS. MATERIALS & METHODS: We conducted a single-blinded, clinical randomized trial with patients with Hurley Stage I-II. Patients with symmetrical disease were randomized to monthly unilateral treatment of the axilla or groin. The contralateral side served as internal control. Concomitant treatment modalities for HS were not permitted throughout the study. Efficacy was assessed using Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response (HiSCR), modified Sartorius score (MSS) and patient-reported outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 17 patients completed the trial and were included in the analysis. HiSCR was not evaluated in patients without abscesses or inflammatory nodules pre-treatment. HiSCR was insignificantly different between the intervention side (8/12) and control side (4/10), P=0.467. There was, however, a significant reduction in regional MSS on the intervention side with a median score decreasing from 8.5 (IQR: 6.3-13.5) to 4.5 (IQR 1.8-8.0) post-treatment, P=0.006, and an insignificant score reduction in the control side from 6.0 (IQR: 4.5-8.3) to 5.0 (IQR: 2.5-9.0), post-treatment P=0.492. CONCLUSION: IPL hair removal resulted in a significant reduction on MSS on the treated area with no significant reduction on the control side. Our study suggests that IPL may be an effective treatment for mild-to-moderate HS.
Subject(s)
Hidradenitis Suppurativa/therapy , Intense Pulsed Light Therapy , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Single-Blind MethodABSTRACT
In this review, we discuss tinea capitis, which is a disease most prevalent in children and caused by dermatophytes infecting the hair and scalp. The clinical presentation varies from scaling and alopecia to inflammatory lesions with pain and pruritus. Treatment includes systemic and topical antifungal agents. Due to the aetiological shift in pathogens from zoophilic dermatophytes to anthropophilic dermatophytes, spread of the infection may occur more easily. Therefore, early disease detection and treatment of asymptomatic carriers is important to avoid epidemics.
Subject(s)
Tinea Capitis , Alopecia/drug therapy , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Child , Humans , Pain/drug therapy , Pruritus/drug therapy , Scalp , Tinea Capitis/diagnosis , Tinea Capitis/drug therapy , Tinea Capitis/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic skin disease characterized by inflammation and disfiguring scarring in the intertriginous body areas. Hidradenitis suppurativa is associated with overweight and impaired quality of life. This study sought to describe Body Image Quality of Life (BI-QoL) in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa and to compare it with patients with other skin diseases (controls). A total of 285 participants were recruited, 141 with hidradenitis suppurativa and 144 controls, at the Department of Dermatology at Zealand University Hospital, Denmark (during 2017-18). The Danish "Body Image Quality of Life Inventory" questionnaire measured BI-QoL. Patients with hidradenitis suppurativa had significantly lower mean BI-QoL than controls: Hidradenitis suppurativa BI-QoL (standard deviation; SD) -0.87 (0.98) vs. control BI-QoL (SD) 0.01 (1.11), p < 0.001. Predictors of negative BI-QoL were hidradenitis suppurativa, increased body mass index, female sex, symptoms of depression, and body mass index moderated by hidradenitis suppurativa. These data suggest that BI-QoL is impaired in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa compared with patients with other skin diseases after adjusting for confounders.
Subject(s)
Body Image/psychology , Hidradenitis Suppurativa/psychology , Quality of Life/psychology , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Body Mass Index , Case-Control Studies , Depression/psychology , Dermatitis/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Psoriasis/psychology , Sex Factors , Skin Neoplasms/psychology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Proximal subungual onychomycosis (PSO) is a rare subtype of onychomycosis with a clinical presentation characterized by proximal leukonychia in the lunular area of the nail. PSO is associated with immunosuppression and regarded a sign of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection when caused by Trichophyton (T.) rubrum. We present two cases of PSO caused by T. rubrum developed during treatment with TNF-α inhibitors combined with methotrexate (MTX).
