Prevalence and predictors of colon polyps in patients with skin tags: A cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Acrochordons (fibroepithelial polyps, skin tags, papillomas) are common benign neoplasms of the skin. AIM: To identify the prevalence of colonic polyps among patients presenting with skin tags and to determine a useful criteria for screening with colonoscopy. METHODS: Two hundred patients who fulfilled the selection criteria underwent physical, biochemical evaluation (fasting blood sugar (FBS), body mass index (BMI) calculation, occult blood in stool), and histopathological examination of the skin tags. Colonoscopy was performed in patients with positive blood in stool, and any polyps identified were resected or biopsied. RESULTS: Occult blood in stool was insignificantly detected in 12 (6%) of the 200 subjects (p < 0.001), and they were referred for colonoscopy. A prevalence rate of 3.5% was reported, and of twelve colonoscopies performed, three patients were polyp-free, two were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), and seven patients were diagnosed with polyps that were removed and/or biopsied (p = 0.421). Of the seven polyps, three were hemorrhoidal polyps and the four other polyps were adenomatous polyps (villous adenoma). CONCLUSION: The mere presence of skin tags does not significantly correlate with existence of colonic polyps and does not justify screening colonoscopy unless other metabolic, GIT, and biochemical markers are identified.

Therapeutic implications of assessment of serum zinc levels in patients with vitiligo: A patient controlled prospective study.

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease characterized by patches of depigmentation. Zinc is an antiapoptotic molecule that exhibits antioxidant properties. The study aimed to investigate the serum levels of zinc in vitiligo patients compared to healthy controls and to whether exists a correlation between disease severity and serum levels of zinc. Fifty patients with vitilgo (group A) and 50 age and sex matched healthy controls (group B) were recruited and serum zinc level was measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and results were compared and correlated to each other and to disease severity and extension. The mean serum zinc levels in group A was 50.93 ± 11.02 in comparison to a mean of 77.09 ± 12.16 in group B (P = .049, T = -1.993). Vitiligo area severity index (VASI) scores in the vitiligo group ranged from 0.5 to 27 with a mean ± SD of (9.19 ± 4.47). A high statistically significant negative correlation was demonstrated between serum zinc levels and the extension of vitiligo (P value = .0001 and R value = - 0.835). A significant association exists between vitiligo and serum zinc levels. Serum zinc levels correlated negatively with vitiligo disease severity and extension. Zinc supplementation and use can be of potential importance in setting vitiligo treatment protocols.