Ayten Ferahbas

An epidemiology study of patients with uremic pruritus.

Background  Pruritus is a common problem in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and haemodialysis patients. There are few studies on the clinical characteristics of uremic itch, the cause of which is still unknown.

A pilot study evaluating anxiety and depressive scores in acne patients treated with isotretinoin

BACKGROUND: Isotretinoin therapy and its alleged adverse psychiatric effects have received considerable media attention during the past years. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether there was any association between isotretinoin therapy and anxiety, depression or suicidal ideation. METHODS: Forty‐five patients with severe recalcitrant acne were enrolled in this study. Isotretinoin was administered at a dose of 0.5–1 mg/kg per day in two divided doses with food for 16 weeks. All patients received a complete dermatological examination and the severity levels of their acne were scored according to the Leeds Revised Acne Grading system at baseline (before isotretinoin treatment) and follow‐up assessments at weeks 4, 8 and 16 of the treatment. Severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed with the Clinical Anxiety Scale and Montgomery‐Asberg Depression Rating Scale before and upon completion of the 16‐week isotretinoin treatment. RESULTS: Twenty‐three patients completed the final assessment. There was a statistically significant decrease in anxiety scores. Depression scores also decreased but were not statistically significant. No patient committed or attempted suicide. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study was unable to detect an association between the use of isotretinoin and an increased risk for anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts.

Clinical features of Behçet's disease in children.

Background  Behçets disease (BD) is a systemic inflammatory vasculitis of young adults with unknown etiology.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (Naxos disease): report of a Turkish boy.

Naxos disease is a recessively inherited arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in which the cardiac phenotype is associated with palmoplantar keratoderma and woolly hair. This disease is a heart muscle disorder causing life‐threatening ventricular arrhythmias, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. The pathological hallmark of the disease is the progressive replacement of myocardial cells by fat and fibrous tissue. It appears in families descending from the Hellenic island of Naxos. We presented a 13‐year‐old Turkish boy with Naxos disease associated with ventricular tachycardia because of its rarity, and reviewed the literature. (PACE 2003; 26:2326–2329)

Rosacea fulminans in pregnancy : Case report and review of the literature

Rosacea fulminans is a rare disease of unknown cause which occurs exclusively in women years after adolescence. Although the etiology is unknown, immunologic, hormonal, and vascular factors have been suggested. When rosacea fulminans occurs during pregnancy and in women taking oral contraceptive pills, hormonal factors may be a trigger. Rosacea fulminans is localized specifically to the face, with the chin, cheeks, and forehead bearing the brunt of the attack. A dull red, cyanotic erythema of all involved facial areas, extending beyond the inflammatory nodules, is typical.We present the case of a 31-year-old pregnant woman who had rosacea fulminans during the first trimester of her second pregnancy. She had multiple erythematous papules, pustules, nodules, and purulent discharging cysts on the face. Conventional therapeutic approaches with systemic corticosteroids were associated with clear improvement within 2 months, and subsequently only 0.75% metronidazole topical cream was used during the second trimester.

Different seizure types and skin lesions in oculocerebrorenal syndrome of lowe

Oculocerebrorenal syndrome of Lowe is an X-linked recessive disorder localized to Xq24-26.1. The phenotypic features of this disorder are Fanconi-type renal failure, mental retardation, and various eye abnormalities. Seizures may accompany the disease, and the skin-related findings are poorly defined. This case of a 9-year-old patient, diagnosed as having and followed for oculocerebrorenal syndrome of Lowe, has been presented for his seizures, which were initially myoclonic but subsequently atonic, and for his skin findings, understood to be trichoepithelioma, cystic in nature, and stemming from mature hair follicles. In monitoring the disease, the manifestation of the seizures as atonic seizures accompanied by focally initiated secondary generalized epileptic discharges is a finding previously undefined in oculocerebrorenal syndrome of Lowe. Moreover, the presence of dermal findings of a cystic nature is reported in few cases of this syndrome. In this rare syndrome, it is necessary to be aware of the presence of atonic seizures, which have an association with the progression of the disease that has not been previously reported in the literature, and of the cystic dermal lesions as part of the syndrome.

Patients with vulval pruritus: patch test results.

Background:  Persistent vulval pruritus is a frequent problem and patients may not show signs of a primary vulval dermatosis. Allergic contact sensitivity is an important factor in such patients but may also occur as a secondary event in women with vulval dermatoses.

Composite cutaneous haemangioendothelioma treated with interferon

© 2007 The Authors 503 JEADV 2008, 22 , 499–527 Journal compilation

Clinical Evaluation of Roxithromycin: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled and Crossover Trial in Patients with Acne Vulgaris

We clinically evaluated roxithromycin (ROM) in a double blind, placebo‐controlled, and crossover trial in patients with inflammatory acne. Patients with inflammatory acne who were attending our outpatient clinic for treatment and who had not received topical or systemic treatment for the previous month were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly separated into two groups. Group I consisted of 26 patients. The patients received 2 × 150 mg/day ROM orally in the first period and 2 × 1 placebo tablets/day in the second period. Group II consisted of 20 patients. These patients received 2 × 1 placebo tablets/day in the first period and 2 × 150 mg/day ROM orally in the second period. The first period was the first four weeks, and then there was a washout period of two weeks (5th and 6th). The second period was the next four weeks (7th to 10th weeks) after the washout period. Median acne scores had clearly decreased in both groups at the end of the study. Differences of median acne scores were statistically significant in both groups between at baseline and at the end of the study (p< 0.001). The results showed that ROM is a safe and effective alternative in the treatment of inflammatory acne with few side effects and good compliance.

Ocular Side Effects Associated with Systemic Isotretinoin

Purpose. To evaluate ocular side effects associated with systemic isotretinoin. Patients and Method. Thirty‐five patients with severe recalcitrant acne were enrolled in this prospective study. Isotretinoin was administered at a dose of 0.5–1 mg/kg/day in two divided doses with food for 16 weeks. In all patients, visual acuity, anterior segment examination, intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, Schirmer I test, tear film break‐up time (BUT), and color vision by Farnsworth‐Munsell (FM) 100 Hue color test were evaluated and microbiological investigation of conjunctival flora and anterior nares were performed. All these eye examinations were repeated before, during, and after treatment with isotretinoin by the same examiner. Results. There was no difference in visual acuity, and fundus examination in any of the cases after administration of the drug. No statistically significant difference was found between averages of IOP measurements and refraction (NS). On the other hand, the differences between FM 100 Hue test scores, Schirmer values, and BUT measurements that were evaluated before and during treatment were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Subjective symptoms such as dryness, itching, and contact lens intolerance occurred in 34% of the patients. Colonization of the conjunctiva and anterior nares by Staphylococcus increased significantly during treatment. All abnormal findings disappeared 1 month after stopping therapy. Conclusion. There are ocular side effects of isotretinoin that are treatable and they disappear after discontinuation of therapy.