Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections in Periorbital Hyperpigmentation in Skin Phototypes III and IV: Strengthening the Assessment of Treatment Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Periorbital hyperpigmentation (POH) is a therapeutic problem. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been successfully used in some pigmentary disorders including POH. Proper evaluation of treatment in POH can be difficult. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of PRP injections for POH in skin phototypes III and IV by multiple clinical tools. METHODS: A clinical trial included 30 patients with POH, skin phototypes III and IV. Three sessions of intradermal PRP injections were used in periorbital area every month. Treatment was assessed on different clinical levels 1 month after the last session by POH severity grading, blinded photographic assessment, and patient satisfaction. Adverse effects of PRP were evaluated. RESULTS: A significant improvement in POH was documented by disease severity grading, patient satisfaction, and to a lesser extent by photographic evaluation. Grade II-POH showed the best improvement. More than half of the cases were satisfied and very satisfied. Lower disease grades, constitutional POH, and epidermal pigmentation showed significant improvement. Side effects were mostly tolerated. CONCLUSION: The present results confirmed the beneficial role of PRP in improving POH. Multiple clinical tools are preferred for a more reliable assessment of treatment. Certain clinical types and grades of POH are suggested to respond more to PRP therapy.

Relation of pharmacopenile duplex ultrasonography parameters and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in diabetic patients with erectile dysfunction / Relación de los parámetros de la ecografía dúplex fármaco-penile y el nivel de hemoglobina glicosilada (HbA1c) en los pacientes diabéticos con disfunción eréctil

Introduction and objectives: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the main threats in diabetic patients. This research aimed to assess the relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level and pharmacopenile duplex ultrasonography (PPDU) indices in diabetic patients with ED.Materials and methods: A total of 130 males with ED were recruited (100 had diabetes mellitus (DM) and 30 did not as control). The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) was used to evaluate patients for ED. Measurement of HbA1c, lipid profile and assessment of erectile function using PPDU were performed. All participants were assessed to take the medical history.Results: The mean age±SD was 53.8±8.9 and 53.6±2.8 years for patients and controls, respectively. Patients had variable grades of ED: mild in 20%, mild to moderate in 32.3%, moderate in 35.3%, and severe in 12.3%. A significant association was found between the existence of DM and a deprived response to intracorporeal injection (ICI), rising end-diastolic velocity (EDV), and reducing resistance index (RI) values. Comparing all diabetic groups according to HbA1c with controls, a significant relationship was found in; severity of IIEF-5 score, poor response to ICI, decreased peak systolic velocity (PSV) at 10min, increased EDV at 10, 20min and decreased RI at 10, 20min. A significant relationship was found between smoking, dyslipidaemia, and decreased PSV at 10, 20min and decreased increment ratio. However, a non-significant relationship was observed between age, type of DM and PPDU parameters.Conclusion: Poor glycaemic control of DM is associated with an increase in EDV and decrease in RI, and PSV of PPDU. (AU)

Introducción y objetivos: La disfunción eréctil (DE) es una de las principales amenazas en los pacientes diabéticos. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la relación entre el nivel de hemoglobina glicosilada (HbA1c) y los índices de la ecografía dúplex fármaco-penile (PPDU) en los pacientes diabéticos con DE.Materiales y métodos: Se reunió a un total de 130 varones con DE (100 con diabetes mellitus [DM] y 30 no diabéticos como control). Se utilizó el Índice Internacional de Función Eréctil (IIEF) para evaluar la DE en los pacientes. Se midieron los valores de HbA1c, perfil lipídico y evaluación de la función eréctil utilizando PPDU. Se evaluó a todos los participantes para realizar la historia médica.Resultados: La edad±DE fue de 53,8±8,9 y 53,6±2,8 años para los pacientes y controles, respectivamente. Los pacientes tenían grados variables de DE: leve en el 20% de los casos, de leve a moderado en el 32,3%, moderado en el 35,3% y grave en el 12,3%. Se encontró una asociación significativa entre la existencia de DM y la ausencia de respuesta a la inyección intracorpórea (ICI), incremento de la velocidad diastólica final (VDF) y reducción de los valores del índice de resistencia (IR). Con arreglo a la HbA1c, la comparación entre todos los grupos diabéticos y los controles arrojó una relación significativa en cuanto a: gravedad de la puntuación IIEF-5, mala respuesta a la ICI, reducción de la velocidad sistólica pico (VSP) a los 10min, incremento de VDF a los 10 y 20min y reducción de IR a los 10 y 20min. Se encontró una relación significativa entre tabaquismo, dislipidemia y reducción de VSP a los 10 y 20min y reducción del ratio de incremento. Sin embargo, se observó una relación no significativa entre la edad, tipo de DM y parámetros PPDU.Conclusión: Un mal control glucémico en la DM está asociado al incremento de VDF y a la reducción del IR y de la VSP de PPDU. (AU)

Relation of pharmacopenile duplex ultrasonography parameters and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in diabetic patients with erectile dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the main threats in diabetic patients. This research aimed to assess the relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level and pharmacopenile duplex ultrasonography (PPDU) indices in diabetic patients with ED. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 130 males with ED were recruited (100 had diabetes mellitus (DM) and 30 did not as control). The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) was used to evaluate patients for ED. Measurement of HbA1c, lipid profile and assessment of erectile function using PPDU were performed. All participants were assessed to take the medical history. RESULTS: The mean age±SD was 53.8±8.9 and 53.6±2.8 years for patients and controls, respectively. Patients had variable grades of ED: mild in 20%, mild to moderate in 32.3%, moderate in 35.3%, and severe in 12.3%. A significant association was found between the existence of DM and a deprived response to intracorporeal injection (ICI), rising end-diastolic velocity (EDV), and reducing resistance index (RI) values. Comparing all diabetic groups according to HbA1c with controls, a significant relationship was found in; severity of IIEF-5 score, poor response to ICI, decreased peak systolic velocity (PSV) at 10min, increased EDV at 10, 20min and decreased RI at 10, 20min. A significant relationship was found between smoking, dyslipidaemia, and decreased PSV at 10, 20min and decreased increment ratio. However, a non-significant relationship was observed between age, type of DM and PPDU parameters. CONCLUSION: Poor glycaemic control of DM is associated with an increase in EDV and decrease in RI, and PSV of PPDU.

Efficacy of topical versus intradermal injection of Tranexamic Acid In Egyptian melasma Patients: A randomised clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Melasma is one of the common pigmentary problems affecting females in our community, owing to the frequent use of hormonal contraceptives as well as our sunny climate. A lot of treatment options are available but none of them is completely satisfactory. Many patients prefer the use of topical preparations and minimally invasive methods. Tranexamic acid (TA) is a potential treatment option for hyperpigmentation with different delivery routes. AIM: We designed the study in order to evaluate the efficacy of TA in melasma using 2 different routes of delivery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A randomised clinical trial was performed on 60 female patients with melasma, they randomly divided into three groups; A, B and C. Group (A) patients received TA (4 mg/mL) intradermal injections every 2 weeks with, group B received TA (10 mg/mL) intradermal injections every 2 weeks, group C received TA cream (10% concentration) twice daily, treatment continued for 12 weeks in all groups. Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) scores were measured for each patient before and after completion of treatment. RESULTS: The percentage of MASI score reduction was highest in group B (62.7%) versus (39.1%) in group A, while the percentage of MASI reduction was the lowest in group C (4.2%). CONCLUSION: Tranexamic acid is a safe effective and well-tolerated treatment option for melasma patients. Intradermal injection of TA leads to better results than the topical application. Topical TA cream (even in a high concentration) produce fair improvement of melasma.

Serum level of S100B in vitiligo patients: Is it a marker of disease activity?

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is a chronic depigmentary skin disorder, characterised clinically by the development of white macules and or patches caused by loss of epidermal melanocytes. S100B is a dual function protein released from epidermal melanocytes in response to injury. It considered a possible marker of disease activity in both malignant melanoma and vitiligo. AIM OF THE STUDY: To estimate the serum level of S100B level in vitiligo patients and correlate its level with disease activity and various disease parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty vitiligo patients and 60 healthy volunteers as controls were included in the study. Vitiligo Area Severity Index (VASI) and Vitiligo Disease Activity (VIDA) scores were estimated for each patient. Quantitative assessment of S100B level using ELISA technique was done for all participants. RESULTS: S100B level was significantly correlated with the presence of vitiligo (P = 0.01), while it showed no correlation with the disease activity using VASI or VIDA scores. As regards the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of S100B for diagnosis and discrimination of vitiligo, serum S100B showed area under the curve (AUC) of 0.781 with 73.3% sensitivity and 80% specificity. CONCLUSION: The serum level of S100B was related to the presence of vitiligo, but its level did not show any relation to the disease activity using either VASI and VIDA scores or various disease parameters.

Does interleukin-33 level correlate with the activity of Pemphigus vulgaris?: A case-control study.

Pemphigus is a group of immune-mediated blistering diseases of skin and mucus membrane caused by destruction of the intercellular junction (desmosomes) by autoantibodies. Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is considered the most common type of all pemphigus family. Various cytokines play a major role in pemphigus pathogenesis. Interleukin-33 (IL-33) role has been studied in various autoimmune diseases as; psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, yet it has not been studied in Egyptian patients with PV. The study aimed to evaluate the possible role of IL-33 in PV by assessing its level in the serum using ELISA and to detect its correlation with activity score using Pemphigus Disease Area Index (PDAI). Forty-four patients with PV and 36 age and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. After full history taking and complete dermatological examination, the severity score was calculated using PDAI, then serum samples were taken from each patient and control subjects and subjected to quantitative measurement of serum IL-33 using ELISA. Serum level of IL-33 is significantly raised in PV patients compared to control subjects (P-value = .007). The level of IL-33 was found to be strongly correlated with the activity of the disease measured by PDAI. IL-33 might have a role in PV pathogenesis as shown by its rising level in PV patients. In addition, serum level of IL-33 is strongly correlated with the activity of PV. Thus, we suspect that IL-33 can be used as marker for monitoring PV severity and measuring treatment efficacy.

Hepatitis C virus associated skin manifestations in upper Egypt: Before and after direct acting antiviral treatment.

Egypt displays a high-hepatitis C virus (HCV) burden and almost 20% of the patients develop cutaneous manifestations HCV-related. Direct acting antivirals (DAAs) drastically changed HCV patient's morbidity and mortality but their impact of the cutaneous manifestations remains elusive. Our aim was to find out the prevalence of different dermatological manifestations accompaning HCV infection in Egyptian patients. Also, to highlight the impact of DAAs on such manifestations and any potential dermatological side effects. A descriptive study was carried out at the Department of Tropical medicine and Gastroenterology in collaboration with the Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Andrology, Assiut University Hospitals. Medical history, full general, dermatological examination and photography were performed for all patients before the start of treatment with the full regimen of DAAs, every month and 3 months after reaching sustained virological response (SVR), and the changes of skin lesions were recognized and rated by two blinded dermatologists. Out of 1000 examined patient, 36.9% had skin manifestation. Itching was the commonenst presented in 190 patients (51.5%). Three months after reaching SVR, skin examination revealed improvement in the majority of patients (23 764.22%). Pruritis had significant clinical improvement in 152(80%) of patients with significant change in the Visual Analog Score (P = .000). Also, patients with both cutaneous vasculitis and eczema experienced improvement in their skin manifestations. Skin manifestations are common in Egyptian patients with HCV infection. Pruritis is the commonest. The use of DAAs in treatment of HCV is associated with significant improvement of skin lesions with very limited cutaneous adverse effects.

Evaluation of different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide solution (3% and 6%) as a potential new therapeutic option of nongenital warts: A randomized controlled triple-blinded clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Warts are common viral skin infections caused by human papillomavirus. None of the available treatment modalities fulfills the criteria of an ideal treatment option. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of hydrogen peroxide (HP) 3% and 6% solution as a topical treatment of nongenital warts. METHODS: This prospective randomized controlled study included 145 patients with nongenital warts. They were divided into three groups. Group 1 used topical hydrogen peroxide 6% solution under occlusion with a plastic tape for one hour daily for 6 weeks, group 2 used hydrogen peroxide 3% solution, and group 3 used normal saline 0.9% as a placebo. Patients were evaluated at the third and sixth weeks of treatment and 12 weeks after treatment completion. RESULTS: Treatment responses were significantly better in groups 1 and 2 than in group 3 with a better overall responses in group 1 than in group 2 (P = 0.0001*). Apart from mild hypopigmentation which was detected in only two patients in groups 1 and 2, no other side effects could be detected. Three months after treatment completion, no recurrence was observed. CONCLUSION: Hydrogen peroxide solution (3% and 6%) is an effective, safe, and cheap treatment modality for nongenital warts which can be used simply at home. Since the overall response was better with the 6% concentration, it should be the better therapeutic option.