Nilgun Senturk

Combination of narrow band UVB and topical calcipotriol for the treatment of vitiligo.

Background  Narrow band ultraviolet B (NB‐UVB) phototherapy has been used successfully for the treatment of vitiligo. Recently, topical calcipotriol has also been claimed to be effective, either as monotherapy or as a part of combination therapies.

Methotrexate and ciclosporin combination for the treatment of severe psoriasis

Background.  Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that often requires long‐term therapy to control the symptoms. Combination therapies for severe psoriasis have advantages for disease control and are thought to reduce long‐term side‐effects.

Comparison of the efficacy of narrow band ultraviolet B and narrow band ultraviolet B plus topical catalase-superoxide dismutase treatment in vitiligo patients

Accumulation of free radicals in the epidermis and the role of oxidative stress have been demonstrated in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. So, new treatment modalities that support antioxidant systems may be a choice for treatment. We sought to determine the clinical efficacy of narrow band ultraviolet B plus topical formulation including Cucumis melo superoxide dismutase and catalase (Vitix), over the narrow band ultraviolet B treatment alone. Thirty vitiligo patients (18 female, 12 male; mean age 34 +/- 13 years) were included in this study. 15 patients in Group 1 were treated only with narrow band ultraviolet B whereas 15 patients in Group 2 were treated with narrow band ultraviolet B plus topical Vitix for 6 months. Areas of 21 lesions from each group were measured by point counting methods at the beginning and at the end of the treatment. Efficacy of treatment was graded as perfect, good, moderate and poor according to healing percentages of measured areas and both groups were compared statistically. In Group 1 two moderate; in Group 2 one perfect, four moderate healings were observed at the end of the treatment. There was no statistically significant difference according to healing percentages between the two groups (p > 0.05). No adverse effect was reported in either group. The superiority of narrow band ultraviolet B plus topical Vitix treatment over narrow band ultraviolet B treatment could not be demonstrated statistically. There is a need for further studies involving large case series to clarify the results of our preliminary study.

Evaluation of effects of platelet-rich plasma on human facial skin

Abstract Introduction: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been used for rapid healing and tissue regeneration in many fields of medicine. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of PRP application procedure on human facial skin. Methods: PRP was applied thrice at 2-week intervals on the face of ten healthy volunteers. It was applied to individuals forehead, malar area, and jaw by a dermaroller, and injected using a 27-gauge injector into the wrinkles of crows feet. Participants were asked to grade on a scale from 0 to 5 for general appearance, skin firmness–sagging, wrinkle state and pigmentation disorder of their own face before each PRP procedure and 3 months after the last PRP procedure. While volunteers were evaluating their own face, they were also assessed by three different dermatologists at the same time by the same five-point scale. Results: There was statistically significant difference regarding the general appearance, skin firmness-sagging and wrinkle state according to the grading scale of the patients before and after three PRP applications. Whereas there was only statistically significant difference for the skin firmness–sagging according to the assessment of the dermatologists. Conclusion: PRP application could be considered as an effective procedure for facial skin rejuvenation.

Evaluation of 532-nm KTP laser treatment efficacy on acne vulgaris with once and twice weekly applications

Abstract Background: Light-based therapies and lasers have been proposed for the treatment of acne vulgaris but the efficacy and application periods of 532-nm KTP laser treatment are not clear. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 532-nm KTP laser and compare the effects of once and twice weekly applications in the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Methods: Totally 38 patients were treated once weekly and twice weekly in group I and in group II respectively. One half of the face of each patient was treated with 532-nm KTP and the other half was remained as untreated. Patients were evaluated at the beginning, one and four weeks after the last treatment session with Michaëlsson acne severity grading score (MASS). Results: Statistically significant improvement was found at second control (p = 0.005) in group I, and at the first (p = 0.004), and second (p < 0.001) controls in group II for treated sides. For both groups, changes of MASS were insignificant for untreated sites. Improvement of MASS of treated sides was not statistically significant between two treatment groups for both controls. Conclusion: 532-nm KTP laser treatment may be an alternative method in selected acne vulgaris patients. No significant difference was noted between once and twice weekly applications.

Overexpression of bcl‐2 in lymphocytes of psoriatic skin

Bcl‐2 overexpression in lymphocytes play an important part in immunological and inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we investigated the bcl‐2 expression in dermal lymphocytes of psoriatic skin biopsy samples. From the archives of the Department of Pathology, Ondokuz Mayis University Medical School (Samsun, Turkey), tissue sections belonging to 28 psoriasis cases and 10 chronic non‐specific inflammatory skin disease cases were immunohistochemically stained by bcl‐2. Positive staining was semiquantitatively graded from 1+ to 4+. Of the 28 psoriasis cases 20 were found to express bcl‐2. Our data suggest that bcl‐2‐mediated inflammation plays a part in the pathogenesis and recurrent character of psoriasis.

Axillary hair removal with 1064‐nm Nd:YAG laser increases sweat production

Background.  Laser‐assisted hair removal has become a popular treatment for eradication of body hair. Many studies have been published concerning the safety and efficacy of several laser systems. Adverse events are hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, erythema, oedema, scarring, pain and blistering. Changes in sweating have not previously been reported.

Stevens–Johnson syndrome in two patients treated with cranial irradiation and phenytoin

Stevens‐Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a severe cutaneous eruption that most often appears as an adverse reaction to medication. In this report, we present two patients diagnosed with SJS, which developed in patients with brain tumour, after receiving cranial irradiation and phenytoin. Concomitant application of these two therapies may play an important role in the occurrence of the disease.

Lack of evidence for association between endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism (glu298asp) with Behçet’s disease in the Turkish population

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) could be a candidate gene for Behçet’s disease (BD). This study investigated the relationship of the eNOS Glu298→Asp polymorphism with the presence and severity of BD in the Turkish population. Ninety-two patients with BD and 100 controls were studied. Analyses of Glu298Asp polymorphism in exon 7 of the eNOS gene were made by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. The frequencies of the eNOS genotypes were similar for BD patients (GG:GT:TT=58.7%:38%:3.3%) and controls (59.2%:33.7%:7.1 %), P=0.335. No evidence of difference was found in the frequency of the T allele between BD patients (22.3%) and controls (24%), [OR=0.91, 95% CI (0.55–1.50), P=0.690]. Glu298→Asp polymorphism of the eNOS gene does not appear to be associated with the presence of BD in the Turkish population.

A case of Ferguson–Smith type multiple keratoacanthomas associated with keratoacanthoma centrifugum marginatum: response to oral acitretin

Keratoacanthoma centrifugum marginatum (KCM) is a rare entity, usually classified as solitary keratoacanthoma (KA). The Ferguson–Smith type is the most common form of multiple KAs. Because development of multiple KAs and KCM in a single patient has rarely been reported, this association presents a therapeutic challenge. We report a 46‐year‐old man with Ferguson–Smith multiple KAs and KCM, who was successfully treated with acitretin.