Cases referred to a tertiary hospital tend to be more difficult to manage. Therefore, the demographic pattern may differ and changes with time. To determine the prevalence and changing trend of skin diseases according to age, gender and ethnicity in Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Methods: This retrospective, cross sectional study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur from 1st January 2008 to 31st December 2014. Results: The top five skin diseases in descending order of frequency were eczema, infection, acne and acneiform disorders, psoriasis and urticaria/angioedema. Eczema is now the most common skin disease as compared to an earlier study from 1995 to 1999 where infection was the most common. A total of 58,252 clinic attendees consist of Malays (61.0%), followed by Indians (20.1%) and Chinese (18.9%). Out of these, 51.6% were females and 48.4% were males. Majority of patients were 20-29 years old (n = 11546, 24.6%) followed by 30-39 (n= 6621, 14.1%) and 10-19 years old (n= 6335, 13.5%). Conclusion: As eczema is now the most common skin disease encountered, the management of each patient need to be tailored according to the different type of eczema. Training for eczema and other skin diseases can be provided by primary care health providers as treatment for these cases are available at primary care level.

Antihistamine is standard chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) therapy. Weight gain is a side effect of concern as prolonged high dose therapy is common. We investigated the effects of 12-weeks loratadine therapy on weight, appetite and parameters of metabolic syndrome (MetS). A cohort study was performed involving CSU patients aged ≥18 years. Patients with diseases or on drugs affecting weight or appetite were excluded. CSU was treated according to standard management. Weight, height, waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP), Urticaria Activity Score 7 (UAS7), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), hunger and satiety questionnaire, fasting blood sugar (FBS) and fasting lipid profile (FLP) were obtained at baseline, week 6 and week 12. Loratadine cumulative dose were determined. Thirteen (33.33 %) males and 26 (66.67 %) females aged 33.00 (12.00) years participated. Median weight was 62.55 (18.30) kg, BMI 24.60 (6.80) kg/m2, 13(33.33%) patients had normal weight, 12 (30.77%) overweight, 11 (28.21%) obese and 3 (7.69%) underweight. Significant weight gain was observed at week 6, 67.56 ± 16.14 kg vs 68.16 ± 16.95 kg, p < 0.05 and 67.56 ± 16.14 kg vs 64.73 ± 14.60 kg, p = 0.04 at week 12. Changes in BMI, WC, BP, FBS and FLP were insignificant. Three patients developed MetS. Hunger and satiety scores were unaffected. Loratadine induced weight gain despite no effects on appetite. Weight should be monitored in patients on long term loratadine therapy.