Nickel sensitivity is the most common cause of allergic metal dermatitides,, particularly in women. Women are uaually sensitized. by the objects wom close to the skin ('e.g. earring, necklace fasther, watch, suspenders, brassiere clips, etc.), and men are by occupational exposures (e.g. plating or printing industries, tools, etc.). Nickel dermatitis is frequently developed on the sites where seems to have been directly contact witb nickel substance, but secondary eruptions may develop on the areas where seems to have not been directly exposed to nickel, so that nickel dermatitie is sometimea misdiagnosed as atopic dermatitis, nummular eczema, stasis dermatitis, or other dermatitides. The authora prcsent two cases of nickel dermatitis confirmed by patch test with 2. 5% nickel sulfafte; first case-a 22 years old female who has erythemat,ous maculopapular patches on her ears, around neck, left wriat, elbows, and abdomen; second case tkat was previously misdiagnosed as mummular eczema-a 18 years old female who has large oozing and crusted patches on both lateral aspects of her right thigh and back, The authors reviewed the incidence of nickel sensitivity during past years in korea and the clinical aspect of distribution of nickel dermatitis.
Abdomen ; Adolescent ; Dermatitis* ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Ear ; Eczema ; Elbow ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Neck ; Nickel* ; Occupational Exposure ; Patch Tests ; Skin ; Thigh ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: According to the areas and people that are examined, there are many differences in the prevalence of syphilis in Korea. However, the reactive rate of the serologi test for syphilis showed an increase in the 1960s, and it has deerea@sed from the beginning of the 1970s. OBJECTIVE: Comparing the results of tke serologic test for syphilis which lotad been performed for the 5 years(1987-1991) on the physical examines and pregnant women who were considered as healthy, with the results with normal people, who were considered as healthy, which had been already reported, we tried to observe the change of reactive rate of serologic test for syphili. METHODS: The serologic test for syphilis, including serum VDRL test and serum TPHA test, were carried out on 25,254 healthy adults(20,405 were physical examineea eamined at National Medical Center and 4,849 were pregnant women delivered at National Medical Cer ter). RESULTS: The reaetive rate of serum VDRL test was 0.8% in 25,25 the althy adults(physical examinees 0.8%, pregnant women 0.7%). There were no stistically differerces between the annual incidences. 85.5% of VDRL-reactive subjects showed low VDRL titers(below 1:4) by the quantitative serum VDRL test, The biologic false positive reaction of serum VDRL test was 29(19.5%) in 149 VDRL-reactive subjects, using serum TPHA test as a standard. CONCLUSION: This study suggested thai, there was a decrease in the prevslence of syphilis in Korea.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; False Positive Reactions ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Pregnant Women ; Prevalence* ; Serologic Tests ; Syphilis*

Prurigo nodularis is a troublesome chronic dermatosis that showed unsatisfactory response to conventional therapies. Since thalidomide has been applied to the treatment of prurigo nodularis, although the action mechanism is still uncertain, many dermatologists have confirmed its effectiveness. We treated a 54-year-old male patient who had prurigo nodularis affecting the whole body for 10 years with 100 to 300mg of thalidomide daily as the sole therapy for 4 months. The skin lesions were flattened leaving postinflammatory hyperpigmentation and the pruritus also sub-sided. Two years after stopping thalidomide, no recurrence was observed.
Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prurigo* ; Pruritus ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Thalidomide*

Eosinophilic leukemia is a rare variant of granulocytic leukemia. It has distinct clinical features to involve central nervous system, heart, lung and skin more frequently than other leukemia and laboratory findings to reveal persistent eosinophilia with immature tendency, leukocytosis, anernia, thrombocytopenia and usually negative philadelphia chromosome in cytogenetic study. We describe a 33 year-old male patient who has suffered from generalizid weakness exertional dyspnea and has had well defined, hen eggs ized, oval shaped and non-in-durated ulcerative lesions on the right thigh since about 4 months prior to admission. The laboratory findings were persistent leukocytosis, eosinophilia and immature tendency in peripheral blood, nearly 100% cellularity and eosinophilic tendency (70%) in bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, and negative philadelphia chromosome in cytogenetic study. A biopsy specimen from ulcer margin showed relatively intact epidermis and heavy cellular infiltration composed of eosinophilic cytoplasm, dark and indented nucleus in entire dermis. Normal appearing skin also revealed same cellular infiltration in dermis with perivascular and periadnexal pattern.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow ; Central Nervous System ; Cytogenetics ; Cytoplasm ; Dermis ; Dyspnea ; Eggs ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Epidermis ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome* ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Myeloid ; Leukocytosis ; Lung ; Male ; Ovum ; Philadelphia Chromosome ; Skin ; Thigh ; Thrombocytopenia ; Ulcer

The clinical and mycological investigation was made with 68 cases of tinea corporis who had visited the Dermatologic Clinic of N.M.C. from Nov. 1985 to Oct. 1988. The results were as follows : 1. The ratio of male to female was 1.1: 1, and tinea corporis was most preva lent in the twenties. 2. 25 cases (36.8%) had a history of contact with infected animals or soil. 3. 75% of cases had less than 2 lesions. The exposed area was more frequently affected, and the face being the most frequent site. 4, Concurrent infection of tinea corporis with other types of dermatophytosis were noted in 33 cases (48.8%), and the most common was tinea pedis. 5. From the 68 cases, 49 organisms composed of 4 species were isolated, which were T. rubrum (32 cases), M. Canis (11 cases), T. mentagrophytes (5 cases) and M. gypseem (1 case). 6. Of the clinical variants of tinea corporis, the annular type was most comm only noted. No species specificity was noted in annular type, but T. rubrum was the major causative organism of eczematous and plaque type, and M. canis was the only isolated organism in herpetiform type. 7. As compared with other dermatophytes, M. canis was more commonly isolated from the smaller lesion.
Animals ; Arthrodermataceae ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Soil ; Species Specificity ; Tinea Pedis ; Tinea*

The prevalence of dermographism in 96 patients of acute or chronic urticaria was studied using dermographic tester. The results were summarized as follows : 1. The prevalence rate of dermographism in acute or chronic urticaria was 26.0% (25/96). 2. Dermographism was more common in acute or chronic urticaria than in the general population(p<0.005). 3. There was no significant difference in the prevalence rate of dermographiam between acute and chronic urticaria. 4. The prevalence rate of dermographism was not significantly correlated with the level of serum IgE.
Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Prevalence ; Urticaria*

We compared the sensitivity and practicability for the direct examination of fungal hypae between the specimens treated with mixed Chlorazol black E solution and simple KOH(potassium hydroxide) solution in 118 cases of superficial myosis. The results were as follows: Higher positivity of fungal hypae in the specimens treated with mixed Chlorazol black E solution(99. 2%) than simple KOH solutiion(87. 3%.). 2, It was time-saving and easy to detect fungal hypae in the specimens treated with mixed Chlorazol black E solution than simple K(3H solution.
Diagnosis*

We observed 17 cases of cafe au lait spots histopathplogi ally. Out of 17 cases, 9 cases were neurofibromatosis with neurofibromas, 6 cases were neurofibromatosis without neurofibroma, and 2 cases were normal healthy persons. The results were as follows. l. In all 17 cases, melanin pigment was increased in melanocytes and keratinocytes. 2. Griant pigment granules were identified only in 3 cases of neurofibromatosis with neurofibromas.
Cafe-au-Lait Spots* ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Melanins ; Melanocytes ; Neurofibroma ; Neurofibromatoses

A 24-year-old female who have had pseudoxanthoma elasticum for 14 years, showed brownish, umbilicated papules forming serpiginous pattern on the anterior neck, A skin biopsy specimen from the neck lesion revealed epidermal hyperplasia and perforating canal containing basophilic, necrotic materials and degenerated elastic fibers, also showed short, swollen and irregularly clumped elastic fibers in the lower dermis.
Basophils ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Neck ; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum* ; Skin ; Young Adult

Senile sebaceous hyperplasia refers to a benign enlargement of a normal sebaceous unit which is not uncommon in the old age group, and is characterized clinically by single or multiple small cream to yellowish round papules developed on the face, chiefly on the forehead and cheeks. A case of florid senile sebaceous hyperplasia developed in a 81-year-old man was presented. Because this disorder is one of the geriatric dermatoses and the average life span of our people is remarkably lengthened in recent years, we believe dermatologists should pay more attention to this kind of dermatosis.
Male ; Humans