No abstract available.
Alopecia Areata* ; Alopecia* ; Bone Density*

Plasma cell cheilitis, an idiopathic benign inflammatory disorder of the lip, is characterized by dense plasma cell infiltration in the upper dermis. It usually presents as circumscribed erosive patches or plaques on the lower lip of an elderly person. The cause of plasma cell cheilitis is unknown, and the treatment is often disappointing. Tacrolimus is one of the newer immunomodulators which inhibit T-cell activation and inflammatory cytokine release. It is approved for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, and several reports have found topical tacrolimus to also be effective and well tolerated in other skin disorders, including other types of eczema, papulosquamous disorders, vesiculobullous diseases, vitiligo and connective tissue diseases. Herein, we report 3 cases of plasma cell cheilitis treated by topical tacrolimus ointment.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the age-related clinical features, risk factors, and prognoses of bacterial keratitis in Daejeon and Chungcheong provinces and the patterns and trends of fluoroquinolone antibiotic susceptibility. Methods: Medical records of 433 patients (433 eyes) who visited one of the five university hospitals in Daejeon and Chungcheong provinces and were diagnosed as culture-positive bacterial keratitis between January 2000 to December 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into younger and older groups based on an age of 60 years. Predisposing factors, prognostic factors, treatment method, causative organisms, and susceptibility to fluoroquinolone were analyzed. Results: Two hundred seventy three males (63.0%) and 160 females (37.0%) were included. The most common risk factors in the younger group were contact lens wear (27.5%) and trauma and foreign body (27.0%). The most common risk factors in the older group were trauma and foreign body (30.5%). Staphylococcus species was the most common causative Gram-positive bacteria, regardless of age, and Pseudomonas species was the most common among Gram-negative bacteria. The older group tended to have more severe keratitis required more surgical treatment and had a worse visual outcome than the younger group (p < 0.05). As of 2011, the resistance to fluoroquinolone did not differ significantly between the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions Bacterial keratitis in Daejeon and Chungcheong provinces indicated more severe clinical aspects and worse prognoses in older patients showing similar results from previous studies. Caution regarding trauma and foreign bodies and managing previous ocular disease is necessary for all age groups. Education regarding adequate contact lens care and hygiene is required for younger (<60 years) patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the age-related clinical features, risk factors, and prognoses of bacterial keratitis in Daejeon and Chungcheong provinces and the patterns and trends of fluoroquinolone antibiotic susceptibility. Methods: Medical records of 433 patients (433 eyes) who visited one of the five university hospitals in Daejeon and Chungcheong provinces and were diagnosed as culture-positive bacterial keratitis between January 2000 to December 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into younger and older groups based on an age of 60 years. Predisposing factors, prognostic factors, treatment method, causative organisms, and susceptibility to fluoroquinolone were analyzed. Results: Two hundred seventy three males (63.0%) and 160 females (37.0%) were included. The most common risk factors in the younger group were contact lens wear (27.5%) and trauma and foreign body (27.0%). The most common risk factors in the older group were trauma and foreign body (30.5%). Staphylococcus species was the most common causative Gram-positive bacteria, regardless of age, and Pseudomonas species was the most common among Gram-negative bacteria. The older group tended to have more severe keratitis required more surgical treatment and had a worse visual outcome than the younger group (p < 0.05). As of 2011, the resistance to fluoroquinolone did not differ significantly between the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions Bacterial keratitis in Daejeon and Chungcheong provinces indicated more severe clinical aspects and worse prognoses in older patients showing similar results from previous studies. Caution regarding trauma and foreign bodies and managing previous ocular disease is necessary for all age groups. Education regarding adequate contact lens care and hygiene is required for younger (<60 years) patients.

Purpose: Evidence suggests that long-term air pollution exposures may induce depression; however, the influence of physical activity on this effect is unclear. We investigated modification of the associations between air pollution exposures and depression by the intensity of physical activity. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1454 Korean adults. Depression was defined as a Geriatric Depression Scale score ≥8. Concentrations of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5: diameter ≤10 μm and ≤2.5 μm, respectively) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) level at each participant’s residential address were estimated. Based on metabolic equivalents, physical activity intensity was categorized as inactive, minimally active, or health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA). Results: Each 1-part per billion (ppb) NO2 concentration increase was significantly associated with a 6% [95% confidence interval (CI), 4%–8%] increase in depression risk. In older adults (≥65 years), a 1-ppb NO2 increase was associated (95% CI) with a 4% (1%–7%), 9% (5%–13%), and 21% (9%–33%) increase in depression risk in the inactive, minimally active, and HEPA groups, respectively. Compared with the inactive group, the minimally active (p=0.039) and HEPA groups (p=0.004) had higher NO2 exposure-associated depression risk. Associations of PM10 and PM2.5 with depression did not significantly differ by the intensity of physical activity. Conclusion We suggest that older adults who vigorously exercise outdoors may be susceptible to air pollution-related depression.