Sertaconazole 2% cream vs. miconazole 2% cream for cutaneous mycoses: a double-blind clinical trial.

The efficacy of 2% creams of miconazole nitrate and sertaconazole were compared in a double-blind clinical trial carried out on 100 patients with an established diagnosis of cutaneous dermatophytosis. Assessments were performed on days 0, 15, 29 and 43 in our dermatology clinic. Cure was defined according to clinical assessment confirmed by microscopical examination and culture. The groups were similar in age, gender, weight and clinical presentation. The reported side-effects, most commonly pruritus, occurred in 22 (40.0%) and 15 (33.3%) patients in the sertaconazole and miconazole groups, respectively (P = 0.28), but were not serious enough to stop the treatment. The only significant difference between the groups was in per-protocol cure rate by day 15, when patients in the sertaconazole group had a higher cure rate than the miconazole group (P < 0.01). In conclusion, sertaconazole was superior to miconazole in producing an early response in our patients. Given the higher price of sertaconazole and the ability of the considerably less expensive miconazole to produce equally good response after a month, the usefulness of sertaconazole as an alternative to miconazole in Iran requires further study.

Benign and malignant skin lesions in renal transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Skin lesions - benign and malignant - occur frequently in organ transplant recipients receiving long-term immunosuppressive therapy. These patients are at greater risk of skin cancers. AIMS: To study dermatologic problems in renal transplant recipients (RTRs). METHODS: One hundred patients (53 men and 47 women) were consecutively examined for benign and malignant skin complications since transplantation in Razi Hospital in Tehran Medical University. The main immunosuppressive therapy regimen in these patients was a combination of prednisolone, azathioprine, and cyclosporine. RESULTS: The early and most common complication was cosmetic side effects that occurred in 98% patients. Skin infections occurred in 83% of the patients and most of them were viral infections (65%), especially of human papilloma viruses (HPVs) in 40% of the patients. We found six cases of malignancy in these patients in that four cases were skin cancers, including one case of SCC, one BCC, and two cases of Kaposi's sarcoma. Dermatologic problems occur most frequently in RTRs, especially skin cancers which have higher frequency in these patients than general population, particularly, Kaposi sarcoma. Sun exposure has an important role in developing epithelial skin cancers following transplantation. The age of developing skin cancer in these patients was early than normal population. CONCLUSION: Our results emphasize the importance of dermatologic examinations and monitoring RTRs to obtain an early diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous manifestations.

Persistent periorbital edema as a sole manifestation of cutaneous lupus erythematosus: report of two cases.

In lupus erythematosus, dramatic periorbital edema and erythema without any evidence of other significant cutaneous or systemic involvement is unusual. We describe two patients with severe periorbital edema and erythema as the sole manifestation of cutaneous lupus erythematosus.