Daily topical sequential triple therapy(tretinoin, betamethasone valerate and hydroquinone), as proposed by Kligman et al and Gano et al, has been performed on 29 Korean female patients with melasma. After 4 weeks treatment with 2% hydroquinone cream, only three of eight patients (37. 5%) showed good to excellent results. However, after 4 weeks treatment with 4% hydroquinone cream, twelve of twentyone patients (57. 1%) showed good to excellent results and its therapeutic effects appeared more rapidly than the former group. Overall, after 4 weeks treatment. 96.6% of the total group showed fair to excellent results of which 57. 7% had a good to excellent rating. The fair-com- plexioned Koreans had a better response than dark-complexioned.
Betamethasone Valerate* ; Betamethasone* ; Female ; Humans ; Melanosis* ; Tretinoin*

No abstract available.
Betamethasone* ; Butyrates* ; Diethylpropion* ; Humans* ; Keratinocytes*

PURPOSE: To observe and characterize subconjunctival lymphatics in patients with subconjunctival hemorrhages. METHODS: Patients who visited our clinic with subconjunctival hemorrhage resulting from ocular trauma, or subconjunctival injection of gentamicin and betamethasone during a cataract operation, were included in this study. Subconjunctival hemorrhages and subconjunctival lymphatics were observed using slit lamp biomicroscopy. RESULTS: Apparent dilated lymphatics were found in one patient with subconjunctival hemorrhage after rubbing of the eye; thin lymphatics were found in 10 patients with traumatic subconjunctival hemorrhages; and apparent dilated lymphatics were found in 10 patients after subconjunctival injection. Slit lamp biomicroscopy using a green filter allowed easy visualization of subconjunctival lymphatics. CONCLUSIONS: Subconjunctival lymphatics, which are not visible in normal ocular conditions, are evident on subconjunctival hemorrhages, especially after subconjunctival drug injection.
Betamethasone ; Cataract ; Conjunctiva ; Gentamicins ; Hemorrhage ; Humans

A retrospective controlled cohort analysis of live-born singleton neonates prematurely born before 34 weeks’gestation was conducted in Tu Du Maternity Hospital in HCMC from January 2000 to December 2000. 217 premature infants were devided into 2 groups: group 1: 80 infants, whose mother taking prenatal betamethasone and group 2: 137 infants, whose mother without taking prenatal betamethasone. Data were analyzed with the T test, the Chi square test and Fisher exact test. Relative risk, 95% confident interval, other maternal and infant factors were calculated for betamethasone use. The results: the independent variables, which included maternal demographic, maternal clinical risk, infant characteristics were controlled. There were a significant statistical difference for Respiratory distress syndrome incidence of infants between 2 groups. Mean duration of ventilator and mean duration of neonatal hospital care were statistically different. All other short term side effects analyzed were similar between 2 groups
Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; Betamethasone ; Infant, Premature

Human ; Female ; Adult ; Betamethasone ; Calcitriol ; Psoriasis ; Scalp

BACKGROUND: In the treatment of vitiligo, topical corticosteroids are known to be effective, but are associated with serious adverse effects. Many studies have shown that topical calcipotriol is a promising therapeutic modality in vitiligo. In some studies, combined calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate ointment has been shown to be a more effective and well tolerated treatment for vitiligo. The combination therapy seems to synergistically act as an immunosuppressive and a pigment restorative agent. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the clinical efficacy of CCB (Combination Calcipotriol and Betamethasone dipropionate) gel compared with that of betamethasone dipropionate alone in the repigmentation of vitiligo. METHODS: In an intraindividual right-left comparison study (n=20), a CCB gel was applied once daily to a lesion on one side, and betamethasone dipropionate cream was applied to a lesion on the other side. The degree of repigmentation was assessed according to the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI) at baseline, 4, 12, 24, and 48 weeks. RESULTS: The CCB gel treated group showed a remarkably improved therapeutic outcome compared to the betamethasone dipropionate monotherapy group: the percentages of VASI relative to the baseline at CCB gel treated sites were 82.73+/-8.17%, 70.45+/-14.05%, 62.73+/-17.52%, and 56.24+/-18.49% at 4, 12, 24, and 48 weeks after treatment, respectively; while those of the other sites receiving betamethasone dipropionate were 89.55+/-7.24%, 84.55+/-10.60%, 77.73+/-14.38%, and 73.48+/-12.93%. Adverse effects such as atrophy and burning sensations were much less after CCB gel treatment than after betamethasone monotherapy. CONCLUSION: CCB gel is more effective and tolerable than betamethasone dipropionate monotherapy in repigmentation therapy for vitiligo.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Atrophy ; Betamethasone* ; Burns ; Sensation ; Vitiligo*

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a fatal, acute, hypersensitivity reaction which is associated with certain drugs. The disease has often been managed by systemic corticosteroids. However, there have been a few reports of SJS caused by systemic corticosteroids in Western countries. We herein present two cases of SJS related to deflazacort and betamethasone sodium phosphate. It is worth mentioning that corticosteroids might be offending drugs for SJS. Due to the difficulty in predicting a cross-reaction between corticosteroids and also the existence of concomitant allergies to other corticosteroids, we should consider an alternative strategy such as intravenous immunoglobulin-G in patients with SJS caused by systemic corticosteroids.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Betamethasone ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Sodium ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome*

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the difference in concentration of 0.53% betamethasone in aqueour humor after betamethasone subconjunctival injection on upper and lower fornix after cataract extraction. A total of 8 rabbits were used. Cataract extractions were performed with the cryoprobe. After 6 hours, 0.53% betamethasone was subconjunctivally in upper fornix of the left eye and injected in lower fornix of the right eye. The control group of 3 rabbits underwent with the same procedures but the without lens delivery. the concentration of 0.53% betamethasone in aqueous humor was measured with HPLC(High Performance Liquid Chromatograph) after fine needle aspiration of aqueous humor. The results obtained were as follows. 1. In 5 eyes of the control group in 3 rabbits, 0.53%betamethasone was injected subconjunctivally on the lower fornix. The mean concentration of 0.53% betamethasone in aqueous humor was 0.544 +/- 0.0818 microgram/ml. 2. After 0.53% betamethasone subconjunctival injection on upper fornix after lens extraction, the mean concentration of 0.53% betamethasone in aqueous humor was 0.318 +/- 0.0117 microgram/ml. 3. After 0.53% betamethasone subconjunctival injection on lower fornix agter lens extraction, the mean concentration of 0.53%betamethasone in aqueous humor was 0.702 +/- 0.0332 microgram/ml. 4. The mean concentration of the betamethasone in aqueous humor after 0.53% betamethasone subconjunctival injection on lower fornix after lens extraction was significantly higher than on upper fornix(p<0.05).
Aqueous Humor* ; Betamethasone* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Cataract Extraction ; Rabbits

BACKGROUND: Various systemic agents have been assessed for the treatment of alopecia areata (AA); however, there is a paucity of comparative studies. OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare cyclosporine and betamethasone minipulse therapy as treatments for AA with regard to effectiveness and safety. METHODS: Data were collected from 88 patients who received at least 3 months of oral cyclosporine (n=51) or betamethasone minipulse therapy (n=37) for AA. Patients with ≥50% of terminal hair regrowth in the alopecic area were considered responders. RESULTS: The responder of the cyclosporine group was 54.9% and that of the betamethasone minipulse group was 37.8%. In the cyclosporine group, patients with mild AA were found to respond better to the treatment. Based on the patient self-assessments, 70.6% of patients in the cyclosporine group and 43.2% of patients in the betamethasone minipulse group rated their hair regrowth as excellent or good. Side effects were less frequent in the cyclosporine group. CONCLUSION: Oral cyclosporine appeared to be superior to betamethasone minipulse therapy in terms of treatment effectiveness and safety.
Alopecia Areata* ; Alopecia* ; Betamethasone* ; Cyclosporine* ; Hair ; Humans ; Pulse Therapy, Drug ; Self-Assessment ; Treatment Outcome

The study is to evaluate the effect of mannitol and betamethasone on postischemic brain edema. Brain ischemia was produced by transient occlusion of the both common carotid arteries with the vascular clip for duration of 3 minutes and 5 minutes. Each group was recirculated for 30 minutes, 1, 2, 3 and 6 hours after removing the clips from the arteries. Of 40 rabbits, twenty rabbits were untreated as control and the other twenty rabbits were treated with a combination of mannitol(2 gm/kg) and betamethasone(1 mg/kg) intravenously at 20 minutes before the occlusion. The water content, amount of Na and K were measured and compared with each group between the 3 minute and 5 minute occlusion groups, and between the control group and treated group with mannitol and betamethasone. The experimental results were summerized as follows; 1) The water content of the treated group was significantly decreased comparing with the control group in both 3 and 5 minute occlusion groups. The water content of the 5 minute occlusion group was much increased than that of the 3 minute occlusion group in the control group. 2) The amount of Na and K were significantly increased in the treated group comparing with the control group. 3) The amount of Na, K in relation to water content of the treated group were higher than that of the control group. With the above results, it might be concluded that postischemic brain edema(water content) was more significant in the prolonged occlusion group, and administration of mannitol and betamethasone is effective for the prevention and treated of postischemic brain edema.
Arteries ; Betamethasone* ; Brain Edema* ; Brain Ischemia ; Brain* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Mannitol* ; Rabbits*