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Acne vulgaris (AV) is the eighth most common disease in the world. This condition can impair the affected patients' social and psychological functioning and lower their quality of life. In general, scar reduction, rather than complete scar removal, is the aim of AV treatment. Dermal abrasion, chemical peeling, laser resurfacing, subcision, punch methods, tissue-improving substances, and dermal fillers are the currently available therapeutic options. In this study, we focused on the rapidly developing field of dermal fillers used alone or in combination with other therapies to reconstruct skin affected by acne scars and to evaluate the improvement of facial appearance after using different types of dermal fillers.
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Scleredema is a rare sclerotic skin disorder that typically develops in conjunction with diabetes, monoclonal gammopathy, or infection and commonly involves the neck, back, trunk, and arms. Scleredema can be categorized into three types according to its cause. The local examination of the lesion is characterized by non-pitting induration that follows a symmetrical spread with sparing of the hands and feet. We present a case of a 19-year-old female patient that presented to the outpatient clinic complaining of facial skin lesions that have been progressive for four years. The skin lesions were found to involve the neck, back, trunk and both arms sparing the hands and there was no systemic involvement of the disease. The patient is non-diabetic but reported frequent attacks of tonsillitis over the past months. Initially, punch biopsy showed no signs of scleredema; however, repeated biopsy at follow-up confirmed the presence of mucin deposits which are suggestive features of scleredema. Due to the similarities with various other diseases, the diagnosis requires clinical and histopathological exclusion which makes the diagnosis quite challenging. It almost always starts in the neck but can present initially in rare cases from the face spreading symmetrically. Close follow-up and continuous monitoring are necessary for systemic organ involvement.
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Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become increasingly common in hospitals worldwide. In an era of pandemics, it is important to understand all types of infectious diseases in order to control its outcome and reduce mortality rates related to it. This study aims to identify the epidemiology of MRSA bloodstream infection, risk factors, and mortality in King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh. Methods This is a retrospective chart review study from January 2013 to June 2017. All patients with positive blood culture for MRSA at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), which is a tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were included. Data were extracted from electronic and paper medical records for patients who had a positive blood culture for MRSA. Data collected included demographics, microbiological details, risk factors, and 30-day mortality. Results From 2013 through June 2017, 633 Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia were reported in KAMC, of which 184 (29.1%) were MRSA with a mean age of 60±19 years. Almost all of our isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, linezolid, and tigecycline. The most common infectious syndrome these patients presented with was an endovascular infection which accounts for 30.4% while 19.9% presented as a case of pneumonia. The mortality within 30 days of collection of the positive blood culture was 20.65%. Male gender (OR = 2.33; 95% CI = 1.34-4.05; P-value = 0.003) and patients with history of recent hospital (OR = 2.34; 95% CI = 1.27-4.34; P-value = 0.007) or ICU (OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.09-2.52; P-value = 0.018) admissions were more likely to acquire MRSA. Conclusions The incidence of MRSA bacteremia at King Abdulaziz Medical City is high and increasing in conjunction with incidence rate posing a significantly high rate of mortality. Recent history of hospital admission, ICU admission and males were found to be significantly associated with higher rates of MRSA infection. Some modifiable risk factors that could be used to facilitate the reduction of MRSA acquisition rates is to avoid unnecessary hospital and ICU admissions.
