BACKGROUND: Post-herpetic neuralgia is the most serious one of herpes zoster complications and its incidence becomes higher as the age of the patient increases. Nevertheless, besides considering the age and onset time of treatment, there is no more objective factor estimating the prognosis of post- herpetic neuralgia. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to understand the progression of herpes zoster and estimate the prognosis of post-herpetic neuralgia by practicing electrodiagnostic tests to patients with herpes zoster. METHODS: We evaluated the pain scales in 26 patients with herpes zoster on the first visit and 2 months later. We also performed electrodiagnostic tests, more objective and reproducible methods, including somatosensory evoked potentials and motor nerve conduction studies on both the involved and uninvolved sites of 32 lesions in 26 patients with herpes zoster, and then compared the results with the change of pain scales. RESULTS: 1. The pain category scale and visual analogue scale on the second examination were significantly decreased compared with those on the first examination (P<0.05). 2. Latencies of intercostal somatosensory evoked potentials recorded on scalp and spine were significantly delayed in involved sides compared with those in uninvolved sides (P<0.05). 3. In the latencies and conduction velocities of motor nerve conduction studies, no significant differences were seen between involved sides and uninvolved sides. 4. On the second examinataion, latency differences of somatosensory evoked potentials were significantly improved compared with those on the first examination (P<0.05). 5. Among the various somatosensory evoked potentials parameters, P1 latency difference of cortical somatosensory evoked potentials between involved and uninvolved sides correlated significantly with pain category scale ard visual analogue scale on second examination (r=0.48, P<0.05; r =0.51, P<0.05, respectively). N1 latency difference of spinal somatosensory evoked potentials between involved and uninvolved sides correlated significantly with a visual analoge scale on the first examination and pain category scale on the second examination (r=0.61, P<0.05; r=0.78, P<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Intercostal somatosensory evoked potentials can be a useful and reliable technique to predict the development and severity of post-herpetic neuralgia.
Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neural Conduction ; Neuralgia* ; Prognosis ; Scalp ; Spine ; Weights and Measures

We present a case of multiple trichoepithelioma associated with milia. A 12-year-old girl developed symmetrically distributed, numerous, skin-colored papules on her face, some of which were studded with milia-like whitish materials. Histopathological findings of these lesions revealed the typical findings of trichoepitheliomas with overlying milia in the upper dermis.
Child ; Dermis ; Female ; Humans

Fetal cystic hygroma is a rare congenital malformation of the lymphatic system appearing as a single or multiloculated fluid-filled cavity, most often in the neck. A case of fetal nuchal cystic hygroma was diagnosed by Ultrasonography at 22 weeks of gestation and the diagnosis was confirmed at autopsy. We present the case with a brief review of literature.
Autopsy ; Diagnosis ; Lymphangioma, Cystic* ; Lymphatic System ; Neck ; Pregnancy ; Ultrasonography

No Abstract Available.
Latex Hypersensitivity* ; Latex* ; Operating Rooms*

Erythema multiforme is a self-limited, usually mild and relapsing exanthematic intolerance reaction of the skin that is etiologically most often related to recurrent herpes simplex virus infection. Until now, despite its increasing incidence, varicella zoster virus has rarely been considered as an etiologic agent. We herein report a case of erythema multiforme following herpes zoster. A 52-year-old man complained of multiple targetoid lesions with central bullae which developed 1 day ago and were progressively spreading to his whole body. He had suffered from the thoracic herpes zoster along the right T11-, and T12-dermatomes for 10 days. He had no history of HSV infection. He had been intermittently taking analgesics such as acetaminophen for 1 year because of low back pain, but had no history of drug eruption due to analgesics. Histopathologic examination showed subepidermal bulla with necrotic keratinocytes and vacuolization of the basal layer. Based on the clinical morphology and the histopathologic findings, our case could be presumptively diagnosed as a bullous erythema multiforme following herpes zoster.
Acetaminophen ; Analgesics ; Drug Eruptions ; Erythema Multiforme* ; Erythema* ; Herpes Zoster* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Incidence ; Keratinocytes ; Low Back Pain ; Middle Aged ; Simplexvirus ; Skin

The aim of the present work is to evaluate the most accurate technique for analysirig low levels of serum IgE. Following results are obtained from experiments by PRIST, Overnight PRIST, PRIST using RAST anti-IgE tracer and Overnight PRIST using RAST anti-IgE tracer methods with cord serum and maternal serum of 21 individuals respectively. 1) There was no statistical significance in maternal serum IgE titer using above 4 methods. However, the higher level of IgE titer was found in PRIST method when IgE was over 190 IU/ml(5 cases) estimated by PRIST method and in Overnight PRIST using RAST anti-IgE tracer method when Ig.E was below lgp IU/ml (16 cases) (p40.05). 2) In cord serum IgE titer, only Overnight PRIST using RAST anti-IgE tracer method showed statistical significance. 3) The most desirable correlation coefficient between maternal serum and cord serum IgE titer was estimated by Overnight PRIST using RAST anti-IgE tracer method than any other rnethods.
Immunoglobulin E*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Pheochromocytoma*

No abstract available.
Acanthosis Nigricans* ; Tretinoin* ; Umbilicus*

No abstract available.
Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous*

A 61-year-old woman, who had been treated by acupuncture on the glabellar region due to frontal headache ten days ago, had a rapidly growing tumor on that region. Histopathologically, the tumor was shown to be a central crater filled with eosinophilic keratin & a marginal but-tress formed by invagination of the epidermis. According to clinical & histopatholpgical findings, we can easily diagnose our case as solitary keratoacanthoma. As shown in our case, we think that acupuncture should be counted as one of the causative factors in the development of solitary keratoacanthoma.
Acupuncture* ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Keratoacanthoma* ; Middle Aged