Treatment of head lice with dimeticone 4% lotion: comparison of two formulations in a randomised controlled trial in rural Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Dimeticone 4% lotion was shown to be an effective treatment for head louse infestation in two randomised controlled trials in England. It is not affected by insecticide resistance but efficacy obtained (70-75%) was lower than expected. This study was designed to evaluate efficacy of dimeticone 4% lotion in a geographically, socially, and culturally different setting, in rural Turkey and, in order to achieve blinding, it was compared with a potential alternative formulation. METHODS: Children from two village schools were screened for head lice by detection combing. All infested students and family members could participate, giving access to treatment for the whole community. Two investigator applied treatments were given 7 days apart. Outcome was assessed by detection combing three times between treatments and twice the week following second treatment. RESULTS: In the intention to treat group 35/36 treated using dimeticone 4% had no lice after the second treatment but there were two protocol violators giving 91.7% treatment success. The alternative product gave 30/36 (83.3%) treatment success, a difference of 8.4% (95% CI -9.8% to 26.2%). The cure rates per-protocol were 33/34 (97.1%) and 30/35 (85.7%) respectively. We were unable to find any newly emerged louse nymphs on 77.8% of dimeticone 4% treated participants or on 66.7% of those treated with the alternative formulation. No adverse events were identified. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm the efficacy of dimeticone 4% lotion against lice and eggs and we found no detectable difference between this product and dimeticone 4% lotion with nerolidol 2% added. We believe that the high cure rate was related to the lower intensity of infestation in Turkey, together with the level of community engagement, compared with previous studies in the UK. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN10431107.

Calciphylaxis with recalcitrant ulcers in the presence of moderate renal insufficiency.

A 69-year-old woman with painful crural ulcers of 3 months' duration presented at the authors' outpatient clinic. Dermatological examination revealed a necrotic ulceration with eschar formation localized on the anterior left crural region and the lateral malleolus of the right ankle. According to the clinical and histopathological findings, she was diagnosed with calciphylaxis. She had moderate renal insufficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism due to hypertension. The ulcers improved significantly after 3 months of topical wound therapy. This case of calciphylaxis with recalcitrant ulcers in the presence of moderate renal insufficiency is presented to stress the importance of early diagnosis and management in this life-threatening disorder.

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) due to exposure to sulfuric acid and bromic acid vapor: a case report.

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP, toxic pustuloderma, pustular drug eruption) is a not uncommon cutaneous reaction pattern that is usually related to drug administration. The eruption is of sudden onset and appears 7-10 days after the medication is started. A 22-year-old male patient who was a student at a chemical faculty attended our outpatient clinic with a complaint of pustular eruption on his face. According to his history, the eruption started with pruritus and erythema on his chin 3 days ago and spread to his face and chest. He explained that he had performed an experiment with sulfuric acid and bromic acid and was exposed to their vapor. His dermatological examination revealed erythema and pustules on his cheeks, on his chin, above his upper lip, and on his eyebrows. He also had a few pustules on his chest. There were no ocular, mucous membrane, or pulmonary symptoms. Histopathological examination of the skin biopsy specimen revealed superficial orthokeratosis, focal subcorneal pustule formation, and perivascular chronic inflammatory cell infiltration in superficial dermis. After administration of systemic antihistamines and wet dressing topically, we observed rapid healing of the lesions. Because there was no systemic drug intake in his history, we were concerned that exposure to sulfuric acid and bromic acid vapor caused AGEP in this patient. We present this rare case to show that the vapor of chemical materials may cause AGEP or other drug eruptions.

Efficiency of benzoyl peroxide-erythromycin gel in comparison with metronidazole gel in the treatment of acne rosacea.

Oral wide-spectrum antibiotics are the linchpin of rosacea treatment. Oral and topical metronidazole, topical tretinoin, and topical benzoyl peroxide may also be used in the treatment of rosacea. We aimed to show that benzoyl peroxide-erythromycin gel is efficient in the treatment of acne rosacea. Fifty-six patients with acne rosacea were enrolled in our study. We administered benzoyl peroxide-erythromycin gel to 27 patients and metronidazole gel to 29 patients. In all the patients, the intensities of erythema, telangiectasia, papules/pustules, and nodules were evaluated before, during and after the treatment. The positivity of Demodex folliculorum from skin scratches was compared between the two groups at each visit. At the end of the therapy on the third examination, in the benzoyl peroxide-erythromycin group, 91.7% of the patients showed marked clinical improvement, and 8.3% of them showed complete remission. In the metronidazole group, 73.3% showed marked clinical improvement, and 26.7% of them showed complete remission. Clinical improvement in the papular component was 65.2% for the benzoyl peroxide-erythromycin group, and 81.5% for metronidazole group. In the first examination, the clinical results of the agents were similar. Although both of the drugs were found to be effective in the second and third examinations, metronidazole gel was more effective than benzoyl peroxide-erythromycin. Both of the drugs were found to be significantly effective especially in treating the papular component of rosacea. Demodex folliculorum was found to be positive in 74.1% of the benzoyl peroxide-erythromycin group and in 62.1% of the metronidazole group at the beginning. In the benzoyl peroxide-erythromycin group, 40.7% of Demodex folliculorum positive patients, became negative by the first examination. This was 17.2% for the metronidazole group. In the benzoyl peroxide-erythromycin group, among the patients who were positive for Demodex folliculorum in the first examination, 37.5% of them became negative. This was 36.7% for the metronidazole group. Benzoyl peroxide-erythromycin gel was superior to metronidazole gel in decreasing Demodex folliculorum by the first examination, but the effect of the two drugs on Demodex folliculorum was similar by the second examination. As a result, topically applied combined benzoyl peroxide-erythromycin gel may be an alternative choice of treatment for acne rosacea.

Prevalence of skin conditions in primary school children in Turkey: differences based on socioeconomic factors.

Skin diseases are associated with environmental factors and a public health approach is particularly important. We determined the prevalence of skin conditions and associated socioeconomic factors in primary school children in Turkey. A questionnaire for determining the socioeconomic level and a complete dermatologic examination were performed in 785 children in two primary schools in different socioeconomic areas of suburban and central Manisa, Turkey. The study included 345 (43.9%) girls and 440 (56.1%) boys with a mean age of 9.25 +/- 1.55 (range 6-14 years). Infectious skin diseases were frequently observed: pediculosis capitis in 74 children (9.4%), scabies in 17 (2.2%), viral skin diseases in 30 (3.8%), and fungal infections in 6 (0.7%). The other common conditions were melanocytic nevi (14.4%), keratosis pilaris (12.5%), pityriasis alba (12%), xerosis (11.8%), and atopic dermatitis (6.8%). Pediculosis capitis, acne, and dandruff were more common in girls. The rate of infections, atopic dermatitis, xerosis, and pityriasis alba were significantly higher in the school children with poor socioeconomic conditions. Improvement in socioeconomic conditions along with education may be needed to decrease the prevalence of some of these skin disorders in order to decrease costs related to treatment.

Wolf's isotopic response: a case of zosteriform lichen planus.

Lichen planus is a lichenoid disorder characterized by shiny, flat papules. In addition to the classical appearance, there are several variants. Zonal or zosteriform lesions have been described. A 25-year-old male with a complaint of increasing numbers of erythematous swellings on his left groin for twenty days was admitted to our out-patient clinic. He had a history of herpes zoster in the same localization which had been treated with topical acyclovir two weeks prior to his admission. Dermatological examination revealed multiple, shiny, erythematous, umblicated papules localized to the left inguinal region in a linear pattern. A biopsy was taken from the lesions. According to the clinical and pathological findings the diagnosis was zosteriform lichen planus. Zosteriform lichen planus is a rare variant of lichen planus; its differentiation from zona zoster and other linear dermatoses is difficult. We presented our case because of its rarity as a variant of lichen planus and its appearance in the area of healed herpes zoster as an isotopic response.