BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster is a relatively common dermatological disease and there have been several reports on the epidemiological study of herpes zoster in Korea. However there has not been any report on the epidemiology of herpes zoster in Chuncheon and the Northern Kangwon Province. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the epidemiological characteristics of herpes zoster in Chuncheon and the Northern Kangwon Province. METHODS: The authors evaluated about 461 cases of herpes zoster with retrospective methods with regard to annual, monthly and seasonal incidences, age, sex ratio, associated conditions, anatomical distribution and complications at the department of dermatology in Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University during a 3-Year-Period from Jan. 1994 to Dec. 1996. RESULTS: The annual incidence of herpes zoster in new patients from our dermatology clinic ranged from 4.3% to 4.8%(mean 4.5%), and the ratio of male to female was 1:1.12. The peak incidence of monthly and seasonal analysis was in December and in the Fall. The majority of cases occurred most frequently over the 6th decade. The most common anatomical distribution of herpes zoster inpatients(211 cases) was thoracic dermatome(52.9%), followed by the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve(17.0%), cervical(13.6%), lumbar(6.3%), sacral(4.4%), maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve(3.9%) and two different dermatomes (2.8%). Associated conditions of herpes zoster inpatients(211 cases) were observed in 108 patients (51.2%); hypertension(31.9%), gastritis(15.1%), diabetes mellitus(11.8%), hepatitis(9.2%), malignancy (8.4%), tuberculosis(4.2%), and so on. The complications including postherpetic neuralgia were observed in 58 patients(27.5%) and were common after the age of 50 years. The rnost common complication of herpes zoster inpatients(211 cases) was postherpetic neuralgia(14.7%), followed by ophthalmologic complications(8.1%), secondary bacterial infections(1.4%), neurogenic bladder(1.4%), otologic complications(0.9%), and so on. CONCLUSION: Most of the other results of our study were similar in comparison with reports from other regions in Korea, except for a higher annual incidence and significant differences in the monthly incidence. These differences reflected the regional characteristics of medical service delivery systems in Chuncheon and the Northern Kangwon Province.
Dermatology ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Gangwon-do* ; Heart ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons ; Sex Ratio

Basal cell carcinomas(BCCs) are usually treated with ablative proccdures, but a nonsurgical treatment would conserve tissue and obtain a better cosmetic out come as well as treat patients who refuse surgery or those who are not good surgical candidates. Because of inadequate drug penetration, low cure rates, high recurence rates, and adverse reactions, such as contact dermatitis, topical 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) is unsaitble to treat nodular BCCs. But, int,ralesional 5-FU has been reported to be effective for nodular BCCs. The efficacy and safety of intralesional injection of 5-FU have been evaluated for treatment of BCCs. The results revealed that intralesional injection of 5-FU seems to be effective in the treatment of various premalignant and malignant skin lesions as well as BCCs without side effects.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Fluorouracil* ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional* ; Skin

Granuloma gluteale infantum is a granulomatous lesion in the diaper area of infants. Athough usually seen in infants, it has been described in incontinent elderly patients. The causes of granuloma gluteale infantum are not clear, although child care equipment(ditergents1, diapers2, and starch3), corticosteroids2,4,5,6, candidial infection3 urine and feces7 have been postulated for its etiology. We report a case of granuloma gluteale infantum in a 5-month-old boy. He was healthy except for an asymtomatic 1.5×1.5cm sized, round, Rat-topped brownish and firm nodule on the perianal area, and two, 1×3cm and 1×6cm sized brownish plaques on the intertriginous area of the neck. The lesions were resistant to the treatment of systemic antibiotics. These nodules completely resolved in the three months after we tried to keep the diaper area clean without using any corticosteroids or other ointments and after changing from plastic diapers to cotton o A histological examination of the nodule on the perianal area showed mild hyperkeratosis, spongiosis, and focal infiltration of neutrophils in the epidermis. In the dermis, an inflammatory infiltrate composed of many lymphocytes, eosinophils, plasma cells, and histiocytes was
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child ; Child Care ; Dermis ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Granuloma* ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Infant ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Neck ; Neutrophils ; Ointments ; Plasma Cells ; Plastics

Lichen nitidus is an uncommon chronic dermatosis characterized by its typical clinical and histopathologic findings and has rarely been described in association with other diseases. We observed a patient with an association of lichen nitidus and molluscum contagiosum, which to the best of our knowledge has not been previously reported in the literature. It remains to be further studied about a possible pathogenesis of lichen nitidus secondary to some viral infections such as molluscum contagiosum, etc.
Humans ; Lichen Nitidus* ; Lichens* ; Molluscum Contagiosum* ; Skin Diseases

No abstract available.
Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses ; Neurofibromatosis 1

The multiple lentigines syndrome or LEOPARD syndrome is an autosomal dominantly inherited disorder with a variety of abnormalities and a familial occurrence. This syndrome is characterized by the presence of numerous dark brown macules on the skin but not the mucous surface, and by a marked increase in the number of lentigines from birth to puberty. The eponym LEOPARD stands for lentigines, EKG abnormalities, ocular hypertelorism, pulmonary stenosis, abnormalities of the genitalia, retardation of growth and deafness. We report a case of multiple lentigines syndrome in 7-year-old boy. He had numerous pinhead to pea sized, dark brownish macules scattered on the entire body and also had pulmonary stenosis, EKG abnormality, ocular hypertelorism and right exotropia. Interestingly, he also had a labial melanotic macule on the lower lip, which is usually spared in the multiple lentigines syndrome. Histologically, the biopsy specimen taken from the macule revealed an elongation of rete ridges, an increase of melanin pigments in the basal layer and mild inflammatory infiltrates intermingled with the melanophages in the upper dermis.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Child ; Deafness ; Dermis ; Electrocardiography ; Eponyms ; Exotropia ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Hypertelorism ; Lentigo ; LEOPARD Syndrome* ; Lip ; Male ; Melanins ; Panthera ; Parturition ; Peas ; Puberty ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; Skin

Aneurysmal benign fibrous histiocytoma(ABFH) is a relatively rare variant and has a distinctive histopathological features, that is collections of capillaries, foci of hemorrhage, siderophages, and foamy macrophages surrounding cleft-like and cavernous blood filled spaces in the tumor. But, in spite af the distinctive features, it is not infrequently confused with malignant melanoma, angiomatoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and vascular tumors such as spindle cell hemangioendothelioma, nodular Kaposi's sarcoma and angiosarcoma. We report a case of ABFH developed on the left upper extremity of a 41-year-old man.
Adult ; Aneurysm* ; Capillaries ; Hemangioendothelioma ; Hemangiosarcoma ; Hemorrhage ; Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous* ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; Humans ; Macrophages ; Melanoma ; Sarcoma, Kaposi ; Upper Extremity

We report a case of mycosis fungoides in a 30 year-old man who had been treated for multiple open fractures after a traffic accident. Histopathologic findings showed epidermotrophism wiih hyperchromatic haloed lymphocytes and atypical lymphocytic infiltration in the upper dermis. The infiltrated cells were positively stained with CD45Ro, but not with CD20. He had no evidence of extracutaneous involvement by laboratory studies, Skin lesions improved markedly after treatment with systemic PUVA therapy combined with topical corticosteroids for 3 months.
Accidents, Traffic ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adult ; Dermis ; Fractures, Open* ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous ; Mycosis Fungoides* ; PUVA Therapy ; Skin

No abstract available.
Chin* ; Polyps* ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Nevus, Epithelioid and Spindle Cell*