Acne across Europe: an online survey on perceptions and management of acne.

BACKGROUND: Acne is common among young people. OBJECTIVE: To describe the burden, management and sources of advice of acne in a representative sample of young people in Europe. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in a representative sample of individuals aged 15-24 years from Belgium, Czech and Slovak Republics, France, Italy, Poland and Spain (n = 3099). RESULTS: Most individuals considered their acne (all severity stages) to be no/minor problem, although 29.7% considered it a major problem/burden. Over-the-counter (OTC) topical treatments were used more frequently than prescribed treatments. Acne was diagnosed by physicians in 47.6% of cases; other health professionals (nurses, pharmacists) or patients accounted for the remainder of diagnoses. Physicians were the source of acne information in just over one-quarter of cases (27.0%). The vast majority of advice was from friends/family and the Internet. CONCLUSION: Almost one-third of young people consider acne to be a major problem/burden. Fewer than half of acne diagnoses are made by a physician, and acne is often self-managed using OTC treatments.

Acne prevalence and associations with lifestyle: a cross-sectional online survey of adolescents/young adults in 7 European countries.

BACKGROUND: Although acne vulgaris is a common skin disorder, limited epidemiological data exist specifically for European populations. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of self-reported acne among young people in Europe and evaluate the effect of lifestyle on acne. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional population-based online survey in representative samples of individuals aged 15-24 years in Belgium, Czech and Slovak Republics, France, Italy, Poland and Spain (n = 10 521), identified by a quota sampling method based on age, geographic location and socio-professional category. RESULTS: The overall adjusted prevalence of self-reported acne was 57.8% (95% confidence interval 56.9% to 58.7%). The rates per country ranged from 42.2% in Poland to 73.5% in the Czech and Slovak Republics. The prevalence of acne was highest at age 15-17 years and decreased with age. On multivariate analysis, a history of maternal or paternal acne was associated with an increased probability of having acne (odds ratio 3.077, 95% CI 2.743 to 3.451, and 2.700, 95% CI 2.391 to 3.049, respectively; both P < 0.0001), as was the consumption of chocolate (OR 1.276, 95% CI 1.094 to 1.488, for quartile 4 vs. quartile 1). Increasing age (OR 0.728, 95% CI 0.639 to 0.830 for age 21-24 years vs. 15-17 years) and smoking tobacco (OR 0.705, 95% CI 0.616 to 0.807) were associated with a reduced probability of acne. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of self-reported acne was high in adolescents/young adults in the European countries investigated. Heredity was the main risk factor for developing acne.

Occupational skin diseases in Czech healthcare workers from 1997 to 2009.

BACKGROUND: The healthcare sector ranked in second place among economic sectors in the Czech Republic, with about 11.4 % of all occupational diseases in 2009. Skin diseases constituted about 20 % of all occupational diseases. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the causes and trends in allergic and irritant-induced skin diseases in the healthcare sector. METHODS: The data concerning occupational skin diseases (Chapter IV of the Czech List of Occupational Diseases, non-infectious skin illnesses) in the healthcare sector were analyzed from the Czech National Registry of Occupational Diseases from 1997 until 2009. The trends in the total counts and most frequent causes were evaluated. RESULTS: During the past 13 years, a total of 545 skin diseases were acknowledged in healthcare workers. Allergic contact dermatitis was diagnosed in 464 (85 %), irritant contact dermatitis in 71 (13 %) and contact urticaria in 10 subjects (2 %). Ninety-five percent of the patients were females. The overall incidence in individual years varied between 1.0 and 2.9 cases per 10,000 full-time employees per year. Disinfectants were the most frequent chemical agents causing more than one third of all allergic skin diseases (38 %), followed by rubber components (32 %) and cleaning agents (10 %). CONCLUSION: A general downward trend of diagnosed cases of occupational skin diseases in heath care workers in the Czech Republic over the past 13 years was demonstrated.

Common contact sensitizers in the Czech Republic. Patch test results in 12,058 patients with suspected contact dermatitis*.

The patch test results of 12 058 patients (4416 male and 7642 female) referred to 9 clinics in the Czech Republic between January 1997 and December 2001 were evaluated. Patients were tested with the same series of allergens by using the standardized patch testing method. The current standard tool for diagnosing allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in the Czech Republic is the Trolab test panel (Hermal, Reinbeck, Germany) which consists of 23 allergens. Only a few data exists on ACD in the Czech Republic. All patients were tested with the 23 allergen European standard series. Of these patients, 7661 (63.5%) had 1 or more positive reactions. On average, there were 2.8 positive reactions per patient. ACD, according to clinical relevance, was diagnosed in 5339 (69.7%) of these patients. The most frequent allergens were metals (22.9%), especially nickel sulfate (13.8%), and followed by Myroxylon pereirae resin (balsam of Peru) (7.3%), fragrance mix (5.8%), formaldehyde (4.2%) and lanolin alcohol (3.0%). Our results were compared with results from other countries. We conclude that the European standard series is suitable for detection of ACD in the Czech Republic.

[Syphilis in the third millenium]. / Syfilis a tretí tisíciletí.

BACKGROUND: For several decades the clinical picture of all stages of syphilis has been assumed to be immutable. The aim of the study was to describe the real spectrum of cutaneous and mucosal manifestations and organ changes and to ascertain whether the incidence of the disease has an increasing trend. METHODS AND RESULTS: The studied group included 92 patients (44 males, 48 females, average was 31.3 years) diagnosed in years 1992 to 1998 at our clinics. The diagnose was confirmed by a microscopic and/or serologic examination. Number of patients with the primary syphilis increased more than twice (1992 versus 1997), incidence of newly registered manifestations of the secondary syphilis has also increased (1996 to 1998), number of hospitalised patients in the stadium of syphilis latens increased at least twice (1992 versus 1996). Higher was the number of proven cases in pregnant patients: number of dead births increased twice, inborn forms of syphilis were three times more frequent. Among the newly described clinical forms the specific gastritis and specific uveitis were diagnosed. In immunosuppressed patients forms of lues maligna and the blue toes syndrome were identified. However, those forms were not diagnosed among our group of studied patients. CONCLUSIONS: During the last 10 years a significant increase of incidence of syphilis was reported in the population of Czech Republic. Such dangerous and almost explosive rise of new cases has been accompanied with increased number of inborn forms and with the occurrence of new clinical manifestations, namely in immunosuppressed patients.