BACKGROUND: There are some variables including chamber size in irritant patch test responses. Several non-invasive bidengineering methods for quantifying and obtaining information have been developed in recent decades. OBJECTIVE: Our study was done to compare the effect of chamber size and the volume effect on the irritation potential of 1% SLS solution. METHODS: Patches with 1% sodium lauryl sulfate(SLS) solution were applied to the volar forearm of 14 healthy volunteers for 24 h. Finn chambers with 8mm(20ul), 12mm(60pl), 18mm(80ul, 200ul) inner diameters were used. Visual score and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were measured at 30 min after removal of the patches, and every 24 h up to 4 days. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows. 1. Visual scores were 0.18+0.32(8mm), 0.75+0.33(12mm) and 0.64+0.41(18mm) at 24 h after removal of 1% SLS and were 0.11+0.29, 0.50+0.34 and 0.25+0.26 on 4 days after removal. They were inereased 30 min and 24 h after removal and decreased towards normal 4 days after removal. By chamber size, the skin response with the large Finn chamber(12mm) increased more significantly than with the small Finn chamber(8mm). However, there were no significant differences in skin response between large and extralarge Finn chambers(18mm). 2. TEWL values were 11.86+4.09, 23.05+6.1l and 22.24+7.54g/m/h at 30 min after removal and were 9.37+2.30, 1..49+3.08 and 14.56+5.00g/m/h on 4 days after removal. They were increased 30 min after removal and decreased towards normal 4 days after removal. By chamber size, their results were the same as visual scores. 3. By visual score and TEWL, the skin response with 200pl of 1% SLS increased more significantly than 80pl in the extralarge Finn chamber. CONCLUSION: The small Finn chamber may be too small to elicit sufficient cutaneous irritation for evaluation. The large Finn chamber having larger test areas may be suitable to yield positive reactions to certain irritants. Also, the quantity of test solution per mm skin may be of importance for the skin response.
Forearm ; Healthy Volunteers ; Irritants ; Patch Tests ; Skin ; Sodium

BACKGROUND: Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are known to diminish corneocyte cohesion at the innermost levels of the stratum corneum and have been used in the treatment of various disorders of keratinization. However, their effect on skin barrier function and their irritant potential is not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: Our study was done to evaluate the skin irritancy of AHAs in normal human skin. METHODS: Patches with 1%, 5% and 10% solutions of lactic acid (LA) and glycolic acid (GA) were applied to the volar forearm of 20 healthy volunteers for 24 hours using large Finn chambers with filter paper. Visual scores, erythema (E-) index and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were measured at 30 min, 24 h and 48 h after removal of the patches. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows. 1. Visual scores were 0.1+/-0.3 (1%), 0.5+/-0.6 (5%) and 1.1+/-0.8 (10%) at 24 h after removal of LA, and were 0.2+/-0.4 (1%), 0.6+/-0.6 (5%) and 1.0+/-0.7 (10%) at 24 h after removal of GA. They were increased in proportion to the concentrations and there were significant differences in skin responses between the control and each concentration of the solutions. 2. E-indices were 9.1+/-2.1 (control), 8.8+/-1.8 (1%), 9.0+/-2.6 (5%) and 10.5+/-3.9 (10%) at 24 h after removal of LA, and were 9.4+/-1.8 (control), 9.3+/-2.3 (1%), 10.0+/-3.0 (5%) and 11.1+/-3.5 (10%) at 24 h after removal of GA. They were not increased in the patch areas of 1% and 5% solutions in both the LA and GA group, but were significantly increased in the patch areas of 10% solutions in both the LA and GA group. 3. TEWL values were 7.3+/-2.3 (control), 8.3+/-4.0 (1%), 9.8+/-4.5 (5%) and 16.7+/-9.1 (10%) at 24 h after removal of LA, and were 8.1+/-3.2 (control), 7.8+/-3.8 (1%), 8.6+/-3.0 (5%) and 10.9+/-4.1 (10%) at 24 h after removal of GA. They were not increased in the patch areas of 1% LA, 1% GA and 5% LA, but there were high significant differences between the controls and 10% solutions of both LA and GA. CONCLUSION: Visual scores were increased in all concentrations of AHAs tested, but the increase in E-index and TEWL values were not significant or minimal in 1% and 5% solutions of AHAs. These findings suggest that AHAs could be classified as non-corrosive irritants.
Erythema ; Forearm ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans* ; Hydroxy Acids* ; Irritants ; Lactic Acid ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Colonic Neoplasms* ; Rectum*

BACKGROUND: Sodium lauryl sulfate(SLS) is the most widely utilized model for studying acute and cumulative irritation. Sodium lauroyl glutamate(SLG) has exhibited a low irritation potential and an anti-irritating effect on other anionic surfactants. OBJECTIVE: Our study was done to compare the skin irritancy of SLS and SLG using non-in- vasive techniques. METHODS: Patches with 1% SLS and SLG solution were applied to the volar forearm of 20 healthy volunteers for 24 h. Finn chambers with 8mm(20pl) and 12mm(60pl) inner diameters were used. Visual scores, transepidermal water loss(TEWL) and an erythema(E)-index were measured at 30 min after removal of the patches, and every 24hours(h) up to 4 days. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows. 1. Visual scores were 0.20+0.30(8mm) and 0.73+0.34(12mm) at 24 h after removal of 1% SLS and were 0.15+0.29(8mm) and 0.30+0.41(12mm) at 24 h after removal of 1% SLG. They were increased at 30 min and 24 h after removal and decreased towards normal at 4 days after removal. By chamber size, the skin response with large Firin chamber(12mm) increased more significantly than with the small Finn chamber(8mm). In the small Finn chamber, there were no significant differences in the skin response between 1% SLS and 1% SLG. In the large Finn chamber, the skin response with 1% SLS increased more significantly than with 1% SLG. 2. TEWL values were 11.14+4.77(8mm) and 20.48+10.61(12mm) at 24 h after removal of 1 % SLS and were 10.38+3.99 and 14.87+7.46 at 24 h after removal of 1% SLG. They were increased at 30 min after removal and decreased towards normal 4 days after removal. By chamber size, their results were the same as the visual scores. Also, on comparison between 1% SLS and 1% SLG, their results were the same as the visual scores. 3. E-index was 10.05+2.70(8mm) and 11.15+2.56(12mm) at 24 h after removal of 1% SLS and was 10.15+2.16 and 10.60+2.26 at 24 h after removal of 1% SLG. They were increased at 30 min after removal and decreased towards normal 4 days after removal. By chamber size, their results were the same as the visual scores. In the small and large Finn chamber, there were no significant differences in the skin response between 1% SLS and 1% SLG. CONCLUSION: SLS is more irritating than SLG. The large Finn chamber may be more suitable to yield positive irritant reactions than the small Finn chamber. Also, TEWL measurements may be a more accurate and sensitive method than the E-index.
Forearm ; Glutamic Acid* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Skin ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate* ; Sodium* ; Surface-Active Agents

We report an uncommon case of sebaceous adenoma in a 36-year-old male who had a solitary, well-de6ned, 0.5×0.8cm sized, round, erythematous nodule on the right side of his forehead. Microscopically, the nodule was composed of poorly developed sebaceous lobules that were irregular in size and shape in the deep reticular dermis. The lobules were composed of mature sebaceous cells in the center and undifferentiated basaloid cells at the periphery. In most lobules, the two types of cells occured in approximately equal proportions. We excised the lesion completely and no evidence of recurrence was observed for 2 years.
Adenoma* ; Adult ; Dermis ; Forehead ; Humans ; Male ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a strong urticariogenic agent and a primary irritant. A DMSO test which measures erythema and wheal responses in skin after exposure for 5 min could be a simple and easy method in evaluating cutaneous irritation. Several non-invasive bioengineering methods for the evaluation of skin irritancy have been developed in recent decades. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the DMSO test using filter paper discs instead of the open well with measurements of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and erythema index (E-index) could be useful to study skin irritancy. METHODS: Twenty healthy volunteers (19-29 years, 10 males and 10 females) with no history of atopic dermatitis were included. DMSO solutions (90%, 95%, and 100%) of 60l were applied to the left volar forearm for 5 min using filter paper discs (12mm) for large Finn chamber. Visual scores (whealing scores and erythema), TEWL and E-index were measured at 30 min after removal of the filter papers. RESULTS: The number of subjects showing erythema and wheals after DMSO exposure were: 6 (30%), 8 (40%) with 90% DMSO solution; 14 (70%), 15 (75%) with 95% DMSO solution; and 20 (100%), 20 (100%) with 100% DMSO solution, respectively. Whealing scores were 0.5±0.6 (90%), 1.4±1.1 (95%), 3.5±0.9 (100%), and erythema ones were 2.9±4.9 (90%), 7.7±7.2 (95%), 20.0±6.5 (100%). E-index results were 10.0±3.4 (90%), 10.9±3.1 (95%), 12.3±2.7 (100%), and TEWL values were 14.6±4.9 (90%), 21.0±8.8 (95%), 44.9±15.3 (100%). As the DMSO concentrations were increased, there were significant increases in whealing scores, and erythema and TEWL values. E-index results were not significant, but showed a rising score tendency. There were no significant differences between the males and the females. CONCLUSION: DMSO testing may be a quick and simple method to assess cutaneous irritation. Also, TEWL measurements may be more accurate and sensitive than those of E-index measurement in the assessment of erythema and wheals. DMSO testing using filter paper discs with TEWL measurement could be a useful method in the study of cutaneous irritation.
Bioengineering ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide* ; Erythema ; Female ; Forearm* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans* ; Male ; Methods ; Skin* ; Water

No abstract available.
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli* ; Enterotoxins*

A psoriatic patient may have rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis(or both), osteoarthritis or gout. In so far as possible, each of these must be distinguished on clinical grounds with some help from laboratory tests. Psoriatic arthritis is very similar to rheumatoid arthritis but clinically, it is regarded as a unique disease entity, which is found in 1% to 32% of psoriatic individuals. We herein report two cases of psoriatic arthritis that are thought to be distal type and arthritis mutilans on the basis of clinical, serological and radiological features.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Psoriatic* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Gout ; Humans ; Osteoarthritis ; Psoriasis

Contact urticaria refers to a wheal-and-flare response occurring on the application of chemicals to intact skin. When contact urticaria is accompanied by systemic symptoms, it is known as the urticaria syndrome. Fourteen cases of cefotiam-induced contact urticaria have been reported in the foreign literature, but no such case, as far as we know, has been described in the Korean dermatology literature. We report a case of contact urticaria syndrome occurring in a 23-year-old nurse due to occupational contact exposure to cefotiam. She experienced generalized urticaria, itching of the skin, difficulty in breathing, and abdominal pain, when she was preparing an injection of cefotiam. An open patch test showed positive reactions to cefotiam, cefmetazole, and ceftriaxone. Since avoiding cefotiam, the symptoms disappeared and did not recurred.
Abdominal Pain ; Cefmetazole ; Cefotiam ; Ceftriaxone ; Dermatology ; Humans ; Patch Tests ; Pruritus ; Respiration ; Skin ; Urticaria* ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is primarily influenced by environmental factors including exposure to pollutants and indoor allergens (particularly, house dust mites). Al-though house dust mite antigens are the most prevalent components of indoor allergens in Korea, cockroaches also can be considered to act as an important allergen. OBJECT: This study was done to evaluate the differences in three different atopic patch test (APT) techniques, and the relationship between APT and skin prick test, total IgE, and specific serum IgE level using cockroach allergen. Methods: We performed patch test in 57 patients with AD and 30 normal controls on clinically lesional and normal appearing skin with German cockroach (GC) allergens (extract, as is) in three different techniques (standard, scratch, DMSO). Reactions were evaluated after 48hours, and compared with the results of skin prick test, total and specific IgE levels. Detailed atopy history and severity scoring were taken. RESULTS: In the GC (whole body) prick test positive group, there was 1263.02 IU/ml of total IgE, and this amount was significantly higher than GC (whole body) prick test negative group who had 549.46 IU/ml (P<0.05). The positive reaction rate to whole body of American cock-roach (AC) was significantly higher in the patient group than control group (p<0.05), but the positive rate to whole body of GC was high, but not significantly high in the patient group (p=0.053). There were significant differences in positive patch test reactions to either Ext or As is between patient group and control group (p<0.05). The positive rate to As is was significantly higher than to Ext in either lesional skin or non-lesional skin in patient group (p<0.05). But there were no considerable differences in positive reactions to either Ext or As is between 3 different methods (standard, scratch, DMSO mix) in both lesional and non-lesional areas (p>0.05). There was no significant relationship between the positive reactions to patch test and prick test to Ext and As is antigen. The APT results showed no significant concordances with skin prick test and RAST for cockroach antigens. CONCLUSIONS: APT seems to be a different dimension of atopic skin inflammation and may pro-vide further diagnostic information in addition to a patient's history, skin prick test, and RAST results.
Allergens ; Blattellidae ; Cockroaches* ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Dust ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Patch Tests ; Pyroglyphidae ; Skin