Using the Dermatology Index of Disease Severity (DIDS) to assess the responsiveness of dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: The Dermatology Index of Disease Severity (DIDS) is designed as an instrument for staging severity of inflammatory dermatoses. It measures the therapeutic effectiveness and magnitude of clinical improvement in several types of dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis. When used in the Psoriasis Outcomes Study, it was simpler and easier than the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. The reliability and validity of DIDS have already been established in our previous study. AIM: To test the responsiveness of the DIDS in patients with various types of dermatitis following treatment. METHODS: The DIDS was used to stage patients with dermatitis over time. In total, 142 patients with dermatitis were enrolled into the study. Only 55 patients completed the follow-ups on days 30 or 60, thus the data from these 55 patients only were analysed. The Wilcoxon signed rank test for paired comparisons was used to test for significance of shift in the individual's DIDS staging over the time period. RESULTS: 35 patients were seen on or close to day 30 after the initial visit, of whom 34 patients (76%) had an improvement of at least one stage on DIDS. There were 51 patients seen at or close to day 60, of whom 40 patients (78%) had an improvement of at least one stage on DIDS. The remaining 22-24% of patients did not improve, but neither did they worsen. The joint shift of each individual's DIDS staging from baseline to follow-up was statistically significant (P < 10(-5), two-sided t-test). CONCLUSION: The results of this study support the responsiveness of the DIDS for tracking severity of disease over time in patients with various types of dermatitis.

Use of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in a midwestern US urban clinic.

BACKGROUND: The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), a self-administered general dermatology quality of life instrument, was originally developed and published in a dermatology clinic at University Hospital of Wales. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to test the feasibility of having patients answer the DLQI in a busy dermatology clinic and to find out to what extent results vary from those published in Wales. We also wanted to examine the validity of the index in terms of the correlation between DLQI scores and stage of illness (disease severity). METHODS: We administered the DLQI to 200 consecutive patients who were seen in a dermatology clinic at Indiana University Medical Center. Results were examined in light of results found by those who originated the DLQI. A pilot group of patients were given the DLQI and rated for severity of disease by means of the Dermatology Index of Disease Severity (DIDS). RESULTS: Overall, the DLQI is easy to administer and can be completed within 3 minutes. The scores in our study were compatible with those previously reported by the DLQI originators. There was a "ceiling" effect in that 11% of the patients indicated no quality of life impairment on the DLQI rating. This index shows stratification with severity of disease. CONCLUSION: The DLQI is an easy and efficient instrument for assessing quality of life in dermatology patients. Patients needed minimal assistance with the form. Our results were similar to those of the DLQI originators, and this further shows reliability and validity of the DLQI. In addition, this study further supports the use of DLQI as a quality of life instrument suitable for use in international studies.

[Value of ultrasound diagnosis in pediatrics]. / Die Stellung der Sonographie in der Pädiatrie.

Due to its easy applicability, lack of invasiveness, and high yield of information, ultrasound performed by the experienced examiner has become an indispensable diagnostic tool in many areas of clinical pediatrics. This is reflected by the large numbers of ultrasound studies both in pediatric private practice and in children's hospitals. Therefore, quality standards and quality control are of paramount importance. For many clinical problems, ultrasound has led to new diagnostic and even therapeutic concepts. In the German-speaking countries, ultrasound has officially been established as a screening method for the hip, but in clinical practice also for other organ systems. Due to technological developments of the last few years, the diagnostic yield has significantly been improved, and new areas of application have been established.

The specialty of the treating physician affects the likelihood of tumor-free resection margins for basal cell carcinoma: results from a multi-institutional retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cutaneous malignancy. Surgical experience and physician specialty may affect the outcome quality of surgical excision of BCC. METHODS: We performed a multicenter retrospective study of BCC excisions submitted to the respective Departments of Pathology at 4 major university medical centers. Our outcome measure was presence of histologic evidence of tumor present in surgical margins of excision specimens (incomplete excision). Clinician experience was defined as the number of excisions that a clinician performed during the study interval. The analytic sample pool included 1459 tumors that met all inclusion and exclusion criteria. Analyses included univariate and multivariate techniques involving the entire sample and separate subsample analyses that excluded 2 outlying dermatologists. RESULTS: Tumor was present at the surgical margins in 243 (16.6%) of 1459 specimens. A patient's sex, age, and tumor size were not significantly related to the presence of tumor in the surgical margin. Physician experience did not demonstrate a significant difference either in the entire sample (P <.09) or in the subsample analysis (P >.30). Tumors of the head and neck were more likely to be incompletely excised than truncal tumors in all the analyses (P <.03). Compared with dermatologists, otolaryngologists (P <.02) and plastic surgeons (P <.008) were more likely to incompletely excise tumors; however, subsample analysis for plastic surgeons found only a trend toward significance (P <.10). Dermatologists and general surgeons did not differ in the likelihood of performing an incomplete excision (P >.4). CONCLUSION: The physician specialty may affect the quality of care in the surgical management of BCC.

Sonography of acute appendicitis in children: 7 years experience.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this prospective study was to determine the accuracy in diagnosing appendicitis in children by using high-resolution graded compression sonography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During a 7-year period, 3859 children (mean age 9.9 years) with clinically suspected appendicitis were evaluated by sonography with the graded compression technique. The ultrasound results were correlated with the intraoperative and histopathological findings or clinical outcome. RESULTS: High-resolution sonography was performed in 3859 children. Of the 610 patients who underwent a laparotomy, 494 had histologically proven acute or perforated appendicitis (prevalence 13%). In these children, sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy of sonography were 90%, 97% and 96%, respectively. The reasons for false-negative and false-positive results are discussed. CONCLUSION: Although the use of ultrasound to diagnose acute appendicitis in children has excellent results, the decision for surgery remains a clinical one because of the continuing false-negative and false-positive results from sonography.

Neonatal screening for congenital hypothyroidism in Texas.

The Texas newborn screening for congenital hypothyroidism detects 90 to 150 cases each year; no affected babies have been missed. Babies dismissed from the hospital less than 24 hours after birth have a greater chance of an abnormal screening test, but most of the reported values reflect physiologic responses to birth and do not represent true hypothyroidism. A few represent thyroid disease. The astute physician recognizes a truly significant value; the unwary ignores a significant report and places the patient and himself at risk.

Isolated menarche in juvenile hypothyroidism.

Isolated menarche is an unusual presentation of the advanced sexual development relative to bone age found in some patients with juvenile hypothyroidism. A case is presented, demonstrating that hypothyroidism should be considered in the evaluation of vaginal bleeding in childhood, particularly if skeletal maturation is delayed.