Contact allergy to clindamycin is rare, especially in relation to its widespread use in topical formulation. Neverthless, when patients using topical clindamycin complain of itching, patch testing with this preparation and its separate ingredients should be considered. We report a case of allergic contact dermatitis due to clindamycin solution for acne vulgaris therapy in a 24-year-old woman.
Acne Vulgaris ; Clindamycin* ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Patch Tests ; Pruritus ; Young Adult

It has been well known that human sera exert an inhibitory effect on the growth of dermatophytes and candida. Several different inhibitory serum factors have been isolated and investigated by some workers. In clinical aspects, the patients with diabetes are prone to derrnatophyte and candida infections. The authors attempted to investigate whether diabetic sera would have any difference in inhibitory effect on in vitro candidial growth compared with norma1 sera, Fifty and 30 serum samples were obtained from patients with diabetes and bealtby adults respectively, Aliquots of candida albicans were mcubated in the test tubes containing nutrient kiroth with addition of eacb serum. Iron was also added to saturate transferrin in the serum. The degree of candidial growth was determined by the change of percent transmission on spectrophotometry of the candida-inoculated nutrient broth in the test tubes during 24-hour incubation. The results were as followings: 1. The sera from both patients with diabetes and healthy adults were found to retain the inhibitory effect on in vitro candidial growth, though the transferrin, a known serum inhibitor, was removed by saturation with iron. 2. The inhibitory effect of diabetic sera was weaker than that of normal sera. 3. The degree of the inhibitory effect of each diabetic serum was not correlated with corresponding serum glucose level.
Adult ; Arthrodermataceae ; Blood Glucose ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Humans ; Iron ; Spectrophotometry ; Transferrin

We roport herein three cases of pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy in two primigravidas and one multigravida in erythematous papules and urticarial plaques on both thighs, buttock and upper extremites. In the second case, lesions initially developed on both thighs and then preaded on abdomen, back and exter ities. Abdomen, thighs and extremites were involved in the third case. Histopathologic findings revealed acanthosis orfocal spongiosis in epidermis and lymphocytic perivascular infiltration with or without eosinophilsn dermis. They were treated with systemiror topical steroids and, mtihistamines. Itching was relieved within a few days after therapy and skin lesions resolved spontaneously after delivery.
Abdomen ; Buttocks ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Pregnancy* ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Steroids ; Thigh

A case of cutaneous cartilaginous tumor was diagnosed from solitary nadular skin lesion on a toe of 59-year old female. Lack of information about cartilage tumors in the dermatologic literature suggest that they rarely develop as supeficial lesions. General clinico-pathologic feature of the tumor is reviewed.
Cartilage ; Chondroma ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Toes

BACKGROUND: Epidermal cysts are the most common of all cysts. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to report the clinical and histopathologic features of epidermal cysts. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical and histopathologic features of 205 cases that were diagnosed with epidermal cysts at the department of dermatology in Anam Hospital of Korea University for 11 years, from January 1983 to December 1993. RESULTS: 1. Of the 3,400 cases of skin biopsy specimens, 205 cases were epidermal cysts(6%). There were 141 male cases (68.8%) and 64 female cases (32.2%). The ratio of male to female was 1:0.45. 2. Most patients with epidermal cysts belonged to age ranging from 20 to 59 with the highest incidence in the 3rd decade. 3. The site of predilection of the epidermal cysts were face 94(45.9%), trunk 37(18.0%), neck 23(11.2%), leg 21(10.2%), arm 19(9.3%),scalp 7(3.4%), scrotum 2(1.0%), and vagina 2(1.0%). 4. Histopathologically, 61 cases (29.3%) were ruptured. The most common cystic wall change was acanthosis followed by atrophy, hyperplasia, hypergranulosis, parakeratotis, basalioma-like change, squamous eddies, dyskeratosis. The most common cystic content was keratinous material followed by parakeratotic cells, pigment, bacterial colony, RBC, inflammatory cells, hair shaft, calcification, trichilemmal keratinization, pilomatricoma-like change. The most common stromal change was giant cells followed by fibrosis, granulation tissue formation,vessel proliferation, pigment. CONCLUSION: According to our results, which agree with those of Chung, the epidermal cysts occur as a disease particular to young men, especially on the face. Histopathologically, when an epidermal cyst ruptures and the contents of the cyst are released into the dermis, a considerable foreign body reaction with numerous multinucleated giant cells results.
Arm ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Dermatology ; Dermis ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Giant Cells ; Granulation Tissue ; Hair ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Incidence ; Korea ; Leg ; Male ; Neck ; Rupture ; Scrotum ; Skin ; Vagina

Cambison ophthalmic ointment is an easily available topical medicament in Korea, However, the allergic contact dermatitis lo Cambison ophthalmic ointment has not been reported in Korean dermatology literature. We report, a case of allergic contact dermatitis in a 28-year-old female who suffered from itchy, erythematous patches on both periorbital areas. She wore contact lenses and for the last year, she hac applied Cambison ophthalmic ointment to both periorbital areas. The skin lesions were aggravated gradually. A patch test showed positive reactions to Cambison ophthalmic ointment, neomycin, mercury and thimerosal. We suspect neomycin contained in Cambison ophthalmic ointment to be the etiologic agent. When contact dermatitis occurs on periorbital areas, topical ophthalmic ointment or lens cleaner may be considered as a causative agent.
Adult ; Contact Lenses ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Neomycin ; Patch Tests ; Skin ; Thimerosal

Irritant skin reactions can be evaluated by several techniques. Using different scores for the degree of erythema, edema, scaling and fissuring is the time-honored approach but implies t,he disadventagrs of lacking objectivity and pararretric properties. This paper describes the objective nteasurement of irritant. skin responses to various concentrations of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(SLS) and Ethanol by a color reflectance meter(Chroma Meter) and compares with visual scoring The results are summarized as follows : 1. Pretreatment assessments by a Chroma Meter on normal forearm area showed an average score of 7.70+1.53 for Chroma Meter value a*(rediies:; score). 2. Skin responses to SLS in various concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 7.5% under occlusion for 24 hours were assessed by visual scoring system. They are measured 0.56+1.10, 0.74+1.29, 1.19 1.36, 2.11+1.69, 2.19+1.91, 2.56+1.50 2.81+2.16 respectively. 3. Skin responses to SLS in various concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 7.5% under occlusion for 24 hour were assessed by a Chroma Meter valu a*(redness score). They are measured 8.29+1.98, 8.37+2.47, 9.31+2.27, 10.34+2.97, 10.35+3.18, 10.51+2.47, 11.61+3.45 respectively. 4. Skin responses to Ethanol in various concentrations were nearly negligible. 5. We have demonstrated there is a highly significant correlation between skin redness measured by the Chroma Meter and visually assessed erypthma(p<0.0001). It yields reproducible, objective, quantitative measurements of iryhema that parallel the subjective visual assessments.
Edema ; Erythema* ; Ethanol* ; Forearm ; Humans ; Male ; Skin* ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate* ; Sodium*

We repart herein a case of psoriasifomi sarcoidosis. A histopathological examination reveaied sarcoidal ulomas throughout the dermis. There wa no systemic nvolvement, The skin lesions resolved aftier one month following treatment with low dose oral prednisolone. This is the first case of psoriasiform sarcoidosis in Korea.
Dermis ; Korea ; Prednisolone ; Sarcoidosis* ; Skin

It has been increasingly clear that the defence against Mycobacterium leprae(M. leprae) appears mainly to depend on cell-mediated rather than humoral immune mechanism. Nevertheless, the M. leprae is not only capable of producing specific humoral antibody, but also stimulating the formation of a variety of autoantibodies, since mycobacteria are known to exert adjuvant effect. Although the exact role of the autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of leprosy is not known, it is remarkable that the prevalence of autoantibodies has been reported different by several investigators, suggesting the possibility of geographical or racial difference. This study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of some autoantibodies in Korean patients with leprosy. Eighty patients with leprosy registered at the Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital entered this study from February, 1977 through October, 1978, The diagnosis was made by clinical, histological, bacteriological and immunological assessments and the patients were classified according to the Ridley-Jopling scale. All patients were under anti leprosy chemotherapy with DDS (Diaminodiphenylsulfone) for various periods at the time of study. Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test was performed in 80 patients and the sera displaying reactive VDRL were subjected to re-examination by Treponema Pallidum Hemagglutinin Assay (TPHA). Rbeumatoid factor was sought by means of latex fixation test in 66 patients. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) was detected by means of latex agglutination reaction in 61 patients using polysterene latex complexed with calf thymus deoxyribonucleoprotein. Cryoprotein was detected as described elsewhere. Four of the 80 patients(5%) showed reactive VDRL, while rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody were not detectable in all cases. Cryoprotein was detected in 15 patients (27. 3 %). Compared with other reports on the prevalence of autoantibodies in Caucacian and African patients, we found a much lower frequency. This result may be expained partly by the racial or geographic difference in the pattern of leprosy as suggeste4 by Turk.
Agglutination ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Autoantibodies* ; Dermatology ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Hemagglutinins ; Humans ; Latex ; Latex Fixation Tests ; Leprosy* ; Mycobacterium ; Prevalence* ; Research Personnel ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Seoul ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Thymus Gland ; Treponema pallidum

63 of 348 patients patch tested with an European standard series, had positive reaction to either a fragrance mix or Balsam of Peru. Twelve showed positiv reaction to bot,h patches. The number of positive patch tests to the fragrance mix was 56, while those to Balsarn of Peru was 19 out, of the 63 patients, manifesting sensitivities of 83% and 30% repectively. The fragrance mix was considered a useful screening patch for fragrance allergies. Twenty-five of the patients showing fragrance allergy were further analysed with 8 individual fragrance ingredients at 2% petrolatum. Cinnamic aldehyde and cinnamic alcohol were considered as she most frequent and important. sensitizers.
Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Mass Screening ; Patch Tests* ; Peru ; Petrolatum