BACKGROUND: The clinical behavior of vitiligo has not been clearly understood and hypothesis concerning the pathogenesis of the disease has been confusing and contradictory though autoimmune mechanisms have been considered important by many authors. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of the clinical features and pathogenesis of vitiligo. METHODS: We investigated clinical features of vitiligo in 1315 patients, and also compared the clinical course and features of non-segmental type(type A) and segmental type(type B) vitiligo patients to see whether the two types of vitiligo have a different pathogenic mechanism. RESULTS: Previously reported clinical patterns of the disease were reviewed and compared with our data, and the different clinical findings between the two types which supported the hypothesis of Koga et al. that type A and type B vitiligo had a different pathogenesis and autoimmune mechanisms played a role only in type A were shown. CONCLUSION: We investigated the clinical characteristics of vitiligo in Korea and showed that the type A vitiligo might have a different pathogenic mechanism with type B.
Clinical Study* ; Humans ; Korea ; Vitiligo*

PURPOSE: The cause and pathogenesis of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in elderly men is unclear. We analyzed the clinical and urodynamic findings of elderly patients with LUTS to search for accurate diagnosis and effective treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of 154 male patients older than 65 years old with LUTS who underwent urodynamic studies between January 2002 and December 2008. The patients were divided into irritative and obstructive symptom groups according to their chief complaints. The urodynamic findings between two groups were compared. And the prevalence of detrusor dysfunction (either detrusor underactivity; DU or detrusor overactivity; DO) according to age, history of urinary retention, the presence of an indwelling urethral catheter, neurologic disease, or diabetes was estimated. RESULTS: The mean age of men was 70.8+/-4.5 years. On urodynamics, detrusor dysfunction was detected in 116 (75.4%) of 154 patients. Seventy eight (50.6%) patients showed demonstrable evidence of DU of whom 33 (21.4%) had concomitant DO, while 18 (11.7%) had concomitant bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). BOO and DO was identified in 67 (43.5%) and 71 (46.1%) patients, respectively. The prevalence of was significantly greater in the presence of history of acute urinary retention and an indwelling urethral catheter. CONCLUSION: One hundred forty one (91.6%) elderly patients with LUTS showed urodynamic abnormalities such DO, DU and BOO. Urodynamic study would play a important role in establishing a correct diagnosis in elderly patients with LUTS and deciding on additional treatments.
Aged ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms* ; Male ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Retention ; Urinary Tract ; Urodynamics*

BACKGROUND: Reticulum fibers represent a special type of thin collagen fiber that measures from 0.2 to 1.0 micrometer in diameter. A reticulum stain is currently used for diagnosing liver cirrhosis, chemodectoma, differentials of lymphoid tissue tumors and vascular tumors. In particular, it has been used for diagnosing sarcoidosis in the field of dermatology. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to ascertain whether reticulum fibers appeared when diseases showing granulomatous reaction were stained with a reticulum stain. METHODS: Patients who had been clinically or histopathologically diagnosed as having a granulomatous disease were used in this study. Granulomatous diseases included: sarcoidosis, leprosy, skin tuberculosis, lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei, granuloma annulare, paraffinoma, silicon granuloma or foreign body granuloma. A patient without a graunlomatous disease was used as the control. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and reticulum staining using Gomori's silver impregnation method were performed in all cases. RESULTS: A reticulum stain revealed a network of reticulum fibers surrounding and permeating the granulomas of various forms in patients with a granulomatous disease, although it was less abundant in sarcoidosis. CONCLUSION: We concluded that reticulum fibers appear in all granulomatous diseases.
Collagen ; Dermatology ; Granuloma ; Granuloma Annulare ; Granuloma, Foreign-Body ; Humans ; Leprosy ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Paraganglioma, Extra-Adrenal ; Reticulum* ; Sarcoidosis ; Silicones ; Silver ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous

Parry-Romberg syndrome is an extremely rare connective tissue disorder. It might be a form of linear scleroderma, and it manifests as progressive hemifacial atrophy, epilepsy, exophthalmos or alopecia. Herein we report a case of Parry-Romberg syndrome. A 68-year-old woman had left hemifacial atrophy, shortening and deformity of the left leg, and deformities to her side fingers that occurred from her 1st decade to 2nd decade. Sclerotic change had stopped spontaneously when she was 20 years old. Histopathologically, there were a few signs of skin appendages, but no sclerotic change. On autoimmune antibody test, no positivity was shown. X-ray showed shrinkage of the lung field, elevation of the left diaphragm, shortening of length and reduction of bone mass in the left femur, tibia, and fibula. And there were multiple melorheostasis. Neck CT showed left facial sclerotic change, bone mass loss, and multiple melorheostasis. Because the progression of sclerosis had stopped the patient did not receive any treatment.
Aged ; Alopecia ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Connective Tissue ; Diaphragm ; Epilepsy ; Exophthalmos ; Facial Hemiatrophy ; Female ; Femur ; Fibula ; Fingers ; Humans ; Leg ; Lower Extremity ; Lung ; Neck ; Scleroderma, Localized ; Sclerosis ; Skin ; Tibia

We report an extremely specific case of Pendred's syndrome, originally described with an association of thyroid organification defect and hearing impairment; normal-sized thyroid, severe hypothyroidism manifested by profoundly retarded physical and mental development, cardiomegaly and severe hypochromic & microcytic anemia associated with asymmetrical septal hypertrophy.
Adolescent* ; Anemia* ; Cardiomegaly ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Hypertrophy* ; Hypothyroidism ; Thyroid Gland

The fungiform papillae are generally described as being pink or red in colour. Pigmented fungiform papillae of the tongue (PFPT) are characterized clinically by pigmentation confined to these papillae and histopathologically by melanophages in the lamina propriae. PFPT appears to be relatively common among the black population, whereas this entity has rarely been reported in Asians. We report a case of PFPT in a 35-year-old Korean woman who had black dots, exclusively involved with fungiform papillae, on the anterior dorsolateral side of the tongue. The patient also had iron deficiency anemia. Histopathologic findings revealed an increase of melanophages in the upper dermis within the fungiform papillae.
Adult ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Dermis ; Female ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Pigmentation ; Tongue*

Pseudofolliculitis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disorder seen mainly in individuals with curly hair. This condition is caused by hairs curling back into the skin and is seen most frequently in black men who shave their beards (pseudofolliculitis barbae), but may also be seen in all races who shave the axillary (pseudofolliculitis axillae) and pubic skin (pseudofolliculitis pubis). We report a case of pseudofolliculitis pubis in a 23-year-old black woman, who presented with multiple, dark, black-colored papules on both inner thighs, on the edge of the bikini line, which she regularly shaved. Histopathologically, foreign-body inflammatory reaction surrounding an ingrown hair was observed. We recommended her to stop shaving pubic hairs and to remove the hairs by laser.
Continental Population Groups ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Male ; Skin ; Thigh ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Nevus*

No abstract available.
Alopecia ; Humans ; Male

BACKGROUND: Exposure to Rhus (Japanese lacquer) can cause many adverse effects such as contact dermatitis, pruritus, rash and even hepatitis in human, and these effects can be caused by contact or ingestion of Japanese lacquer. Many Koreans currently eat Japanese lacquer boiled with chicken although it has many side effects. Koreans believe that Rhus will improve their health. However, they don't known its adverse effects, and there is no experimental report on this topic. OBJECTIVE: The principle objective of this study was to gather evidence on the toxicity and negative effects of Japanese lacquer through an experimental study with rats. METHODS: A total of 60 Sprague-Dawley rats were included in the study; 30 rats (experimental group) were given 0.1 ml of Japanese lacquer sap extract, water and food, and 30 rats (control group) were given only food and water. The WBC, the Hgb, ALT, AST, BUN and creatinine levels, the presence of pruritis and skin eruption, the skin biopsy findings and the liver biopsy findings were all checked at 5, 10, and 15 days. RESULTS: The rats that were given Japanese lacquer sap showed a higher WBC and higher ALT and AST levels and only these rats demonstrated erythroderma (5th day: 30%, 10th day: 40%, 15th day: 70%). In addition, they exhibited frequently scratching behavior. On histological examination of the skin of the rats given Rhus, dermal edema and mild inflammatory cell infiltration were found. On histological examination of the liver of the rats given Rhus, there was no significant change as compared with the rats that weren't given lacquer. CONCLUSION: In this experimental study, it was proven that Rhus could induce pruritis, erythroderma, skin inflammation and hepatotoxicity.
Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biopsy ; Chickens ; Creatinine ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatitis, Exfoliative ; Eating ; Edema ; Exanthema ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lacquer ; Liver ; Pruritus ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhus ; Skin ; Water