Ana Sofía Ayala-Cortés

Clinical Features and Outcome of Mucormycosis

Mucormycosis (MCM) is a life-threatening infection that carries high mortality rates despite recent advances in its diagnosis and treatment. The objective was to report 14 cases of mucormycosis infection and review the relevant literature. We retrospectively analyzed the demographic and clinical data of 14 consecutive patients that presented with MCM in a tertiary-care teaching hospital in northern Mexico. The mean age of the patients was 39.9 (range 5–65). Nine of the patients were male. Ten patients had diabetes mellitus as the underlying disease, and 6 patients had a hematological malignancy (acute leukemia). Of the diabetic patients, 3 had chronic renal failure and 4 presented with diabetic ketoacidosis. All patients had rhinocerebral involvement. In-hospital mortality was 50%. All patients received medical therapy with polyene antifungals and 11 patients underwent surgical therapy. Survivors were significantly younger and less likely to have diabetes than nonsurvivors, and had higher levels of serum albumin on admission. The clinical outcome of patients with MCM is poor. Uncontrolled diabetes and age are negative prognostic factors.

Interpretability of the Modified Melasma Area and Severity Index (mMASI).

Author Contributions: Drs Bernet and Fiorentino had full access to all of the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Study concept and design: Bernet, Lewis, Fiorentino. Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: Bernet, Lewis, Rieger, Casciola-Rosen, Fiorentino. Drafting of the manuscript: Bernet. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: Bernet, Lewis, Rieger, Casciola-Rosen, Fiorentino. Statistical analysis: Bernet, Fiorentino. Administrative, technical, or material support: Lewis, Rieger, Casciola-Rosen. Study supervision: Lewis, Fiorentino.

Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a common dermatosis most often seen in those with skin of color. PIH results when cutaneous inflammation or injury promotes activation of cytokines that induce melanin production and dispersion in the epidermis. Damage to the basement membrane results in pigment incontinence and eventual phagocytosis by melanophages in the upper dermis. The most common causes of PIH include acne, lichen planus, contact dermatitis, mechanical trauma, and skin-directed physical therapy such as dermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser surgery. PIH is a clinical diagnosis with light–dark brown macules or patches at the site of inflammation or trauma. Prevention is critical given the well-documented adverse effects on quality of life as well as the management challenge that it presents. PIH can take months to years to fade away. Diverse treatment modalities have been documented with variable success and include topical preparations, chemical peels, and laser therapy. Currently, the gold-standard treatment for PIH is 4% hydroquinone in combination with photoprotection.

A neglected giant metastatic melanoma.

tion after NIMFRF treatment. Improvement in pigmentary conditions has been previously reported with fractional lasers. No infectiozus complication was reported despite the absence of antibiotic and antiviral treatment. This aspect is another advantage over the CO2 fractional laser, which can have an infection rate of up to 9%, despite antiviral premedication. Nevertheless, NIMFRF could also be combined with CO2 fractional lasers to optimize results, as demonstrated in the treatment of stretch marks. The efficacy was similar for both indications (scar and photoaging), thus confirming the versatility of the technique and its efficacy in the main dermal remodelling indications. In conclusion, our study shows that the NIMFRF is efficacious in treating scars and photoaging, with the advantages of minimal post-treatment effects and very high patient satisfaction, in real-life clinical setting.

Mestizo familial trombidiasis: a clinico-dermoscopic and histopathologic correlation.

oxidant enzyme with three activities: paraoxonase, arylesterase and dyazoxonase that protects low-density lipoprotein and lipoproteins from oxidation, which are important biomolecules produced during oxidative damages in atherosclerosis. There are a lot of factors modulating serum activities of the PON1 including coronary artery disease, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, type 2 diabetes, chronic renal or liver diseases, malignancies and medications. In this study, participants who have any feature or disease which may affect the PON1 enzyme activity were excluded. Exclusion criteria for all study participants included: smoking, alcohol intake, pregnancy, concomitant inflammatory diseases such as systemic or local infection and autoimmune disorders, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, acute-chronic liver, kidney or thyroid diseases, coronary artery disease, history of haematological or neurological disease, presence of neoplastic diseases and recent major surgical procedure. Also for inclusion into the study group participants had to have no any treatments (drugs or sunblock) at least for 6 months. None of the participants were professional athletes or active in sports. Routine biochemistry test and complete blood count were performed and cases with abnormal laboratory results such as high fasting glucose, cholesterol or triglyceride levels, impaired liver or kidney tests or anaemia did not included in this study to exclude potential confounders. But erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein and thyroid function test did not checked routinely. In conclusion, our findings suggest that decreased PON1 activities and increased oxidative stress levels may play a role in the pathogenesis of rosacea. The result should encourage further studies examining the exact role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of rosacea.