Itraconazole is the first orally active triazole antifungal agent. Authors performed multicenter trials to evaluate the therapeutic effect of itraconazole in dermatophytoses. During 6 months from September, 1988 to February, 1989, 246 patients with dermatophytoses were included in this study. 74 of these cases lost to follow-up and 3 cases developed drug eruption were excluded from analysis of therapeutic efficacy. Duration of therapy were 4 weeks in tinea pedis and tinea manus, and 2 weeks in tinea cruris and tinea corporis. The obtained results were as follows : 1. The everall cure rate of itraconazole in dermatophytoses were 81.3%, and the cure rate in each dermatophytosis were 80.3% in tinea pedis, 100.0% in tines manus, 85.3% in tinea cruris and 68.6% in tinea corporis. 2. The cure rate at two weeks after completion of the therapy(81.3%) was higher than that at the end of the therapy(74.3%). 3. Trichophyton rubrum(70.0%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes(81.3%), Microsporum canis(7.3%) and Epidermophyton floccosum(0.9%) were isolated from 110 cases among the enrolled patients. 4. Seven of the 190 patients experienced adverse effects of the treatment: abdominal discomfort(one); nusea(one); constipation(two); and drug eruption(three). Therefore we impressed that itraconazole is an effective and safe new oral therapeutic: agent for dermatophytoses.
Drug Eruptions ; Epidermophyton ; Humans ; Itraconazole* ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Microsporum ; Tinea Pedis ; Tinea* ; Trichophyton

Pedunculated lipofibroma is a rare disorder characterized by ectopic deposits of mature adipose tissue in the dermis. It is a dorne shaped or sessile papule which occurs at any site and develops later in life. We, herein, report two cases of pedunculated lipofibroma which have developed on the chin of a 64-year-old man and the buttock of a 47-year-old woman.
Adipose Tissue ; Buttocks ; Chin ; Dermis ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND: c-erbB-1 (epidermal growth factor receptor) and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein have common tyrosine kinase activities, and alteration in their expression has been defined in various visceral tumors. However, relatively little is known about their expression in skin tumors. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the distribution and expression pattern of c-erbB-1 and c-erbB-2 in skin neoplasms. METHODS: We have undertaken an immunohistochemical survey of c-erbB-1 and c-erbB-2 in the tissue specimens of keratoacanthoma (KA), actinic keratosis (AK), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). RESULTS: Membranous c-erbB-1 expression had a tendency to be down-regulated in some specimens of SCC and dysplastic portions of AK. In invasive lesions of SCC, we observed increased cytoplasmic accumulation of c-erbB-1. Most specimens of BCC showed rather decreased expression of c-erbB-1 compared with other skin tumors. c-erbB-2 oncoprotein showed strong cytoplasmic staining in SCC, especially in the invasive tumor mass, and in some deeply dysplastic or hyperplastic portions of AK, though the difference of intensity was not striking between tumors. BCC revealed relatively weaker expression of c-erbB-2 than other skin tumors, which was similar in pattern to c-erbB-1. CONCLUSION: The expression patterns of c-erbB-1 and c-erbB-2 are altered in various skin neoplasms, and seem to be related to the dysplastic status or differentiation level of tumor cells.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cytoplasm ; Keratoacanthoma ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Skin Neoplasms ; Skin* ; Strikes, Employee

Elephantiasis nostras, the result of recurrent skin infection or chronic lymphedema is characterized by marked skin fibrosis and massive enlargement of a body part. We present a case of elephantiasis nostras due to chronic recurrent erysipelas which affected the lower extremities in a 62-year-old man. The patient had had persisting non-pitting edema, and tender multiple verrucous brownish plaques and nodules on both lower legs for 1 year. On histological examination, there was hyperkeratosis and papilomatosis in the epidermis, fibroplasia, dilated thick walled venules and collagen fibers oriented vertical to the skin surface, and hyperplasia of eccrine ducts in the dermis.
Collagen ; Dermis ; Edema ; Elephantiasis* ; Epidermis ; Erysipelas ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Leg ; Lower Extremity ; Lymphedema ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Venules

This study was designed to investigate the effect of local hyperthermia on contact hypersensitivity (CHS) and elucidate it's mechanism through assessment of number of epidermal LCs and transfer of spleen cells. Depilated dorsal skin of mouse was immersed into controlled water bath at 52 ℃ for 30 seconds in vivo. The number of epidermal LCs was counted by adenosine triphosphate staining, and CHS to 2,4-dinitro-l-fluorobenzene was assessed by ear swelling and transfer of spleen cells. The number of LCs was significantly reduced 1 to 3 days after the hyperthermia treatment and recovered to normal 5 days after the treatment. CHS was significantly suppressed in mice sensitized 5,7, or 10 days after hyperthermia treatment, but the suppression was meager in mice sensitized 1 or 3 days after the treatment. There is a discord between the number of LCs and degree of CHS. When mice received spleen cells from hyporesponsive donors, CHS was remarkably sup-pressed in the recipient mice compared with positive control. These findings suggest that tfeatment of local hyperthermia suppress CHS in mice, which may be associated with the induction of suppressor cells. The nature of the discord between the the number of LCs and degree of CHS in this investigation remains to be cleared by further studies.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Baths ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Ear ; Fever* ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Langerhans Cells* ; Mice* ; Skin ; Spleen ; Tissue Donors ; Water

We report herein a case of lymphomatoid papulosis in a 23-year-old female who had recurrent erythematous pinhead to pea sized papules and nodules on the both inner thighs and forearms for 4 years. Some lesions showed central hemorrhagic necrosis or scale formation. Individual lesions persisted for several months and showed spontaneous regression leaving pigmentation or depigmented atrophic scar. Histopathologically, there was marked cell infiltration, especially in the dermoepiderrnal junction and perivascular area. Infiltraled cells consisted of sorne ncutrophils and numerous atypical cells that had variable sized and irregular shaped nuclei. Electronmicroscopically, some atypical cells had cerebriform nuclei with marked peripheral condensation of chromatin and cytoplasm contained a few organelles, many polyribosomes and some dense bodies.
Chromatin ; Cicatrix ; Cytoplasm ; Female ; Forearm ; Humans ; Lymphomatoid Papulosis* ; Necrosis ; Organelles ; Peas ; Pigmentation ; Polyribosomes ; Thigh ; Young Adult

No Abstract Available.

Necrotizing fasciitis, first described by Wilson in 1952, is one of the most dramatic infectious diseases which develops at the level of superficial fascia and involves the overlying dermis. Clinical diagnosis is often initially confused with cellulitis, and delay in the diagnosis and treatment is associated with high mortality in the range from 30% to 70%. Early diagnosis and prompt excision of all devitalized tissue are critical because any remaining necrotic tissue will continue the rapidly progressive infectious process. We, herein, report a 64-year-old man who was presented with a typical clinical course of necrotizing fasciitis.
Cellulitis ; Communicable Diseases ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Subcutaneous Tissue

We report a case of multiple Bowen's disease associated with leprosy. A 68-year-old man was seen because of slightly pruritic multiple erythematous scaly patches and plaques on the trunk and the both extremities for 5 years. He has been treated for leprosy with many kinds of drugs consisting of the herb medications for over 40 years. He also showed decreased cell-mediated immunity in skin tests. It is considered that depressed cellular immunity may be an important predisposing factor in the development of mutiple Bowen's disease in this case, .although arsenics can not be completetly excluded.
Aged ; Bowen's Disease ; Causality ; Extremities ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Leprosy* ; Skin Tests

BACKGROUND: It is not yet clear whether the abnormal cytokine production in relation to serum IgE levels in atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with the amount of mRNA of cytokine gene. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to delineate the effect of reciprocal correlation in the level of mRNA between interleukin-4 (I") and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in severe AD. METHODS: We examined 15 cases including 5 AD patients with high serum IgE (>2,000 kU/liter), 5 AD patients with low serum IgE (<100 kU/liter), and 5 healthy controls. Using semi quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, IL-4 and IFN-γ gene expressions in peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) were examined. RESULTS: 1) IL-4 gene expression in spontaneous PBMC was higher in AD patient groups than in control group, significantly higher only in AD patient group with high serum IgE level (p < 0.05). 2) IFN-γ gene expression in spontaneous PBMC showed increased tendency in AD patient groups than in control group without statistical significance. 3) IL-4 and IFN-γ gene expressions in stimulated PBMC were not different among all three groups. CONCLUSION: In light of our results, high and low IgE subgroups in AD can exist and AD may not be R characterized by the shift in the reciprocal relationship between IL-4 and IFN-γ when T cells are stimulated under antigen presenting cell-independent conditions.
Dermatitis, Atopic ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Interferon-gamma* ; Interleukin-4* ; RNA, Messenger ; T-Lymphocytes