BACKGROUND: The Ingram regimen has been advocated for t.he treatment of psoriasis. It is an effective therapeutic moiality, but its complexity and frequent side reactions have restricted its use for therapy. There are several modified Ingrarn regimen, change of vehicle, shortening of application time, low-strerigth anthralin, combination with emollient. Previously, we have reportved the effectiveness of mocified Ingram regimen for psoriasis, however, the remission time and relapse rate of psoriasis has not been reported in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of the modified Ingram region for the treatment of psoiasis and the remission time and relapse rate of psoriasis following moclified Ingram therapy. METHODS: Sixty patients with plaque-form psoriasis were treated with the modified Ingra,n therapeutic regimen. They were divided into two groups, a moderate group which included 39 patients, and 21 patients in a severe group. RESULTS: The follwing results were obtained from this study. 1. Among 60 patients, 52 patients(86.6%) were successfully healed and 8 patients(13.3%) showed failure in their t eatment. 2. In 52 patients, 44 patients(73.3%) showed a clearing of psoriasis, 8 patients(13.3%) showed some improvement. 3. In 44 cleared patients mean numbers and duration of therapy reaching grade 4 were 13.0 and 21.0 days for the trunk and 15.1 and 24.7 days for the extremities, the difference was not significant statistically(p>0.05). The difference between the total dose in trunk and extremitis was significant statistica,ly(p<0.05). 4. In 44 cleared patients mean numbers, duration and total dose of therapy reaching grade 4 in the severe group were significantly higher than those in the moderate group (p<0.05). 5. There were some rotable side effects such as staining(17.3%), erythema(15.4%) and pruitus(13.5%), but in no case therapy was terminated. 6. According to the everity in 33 of the cleared patients, we observed 10 patients(17.4%) with early relapse((6 months), 7(21.7%) with late relapse(>6 months) and 14(60.9%) with riorelapse(>12 months) in the moderate group and also observed 10 patients(70.0%) with early IP, lapse, 2(20.0%) with latrelapse and 1(10.0%) with no relapse in the severe group. 7. In 33 pat,ients who were followed up at least one year later, the mean time of remission was 31.4 months in the moderate group and 6.0 mont,hs in the severe group. There were signilicant differences in the two groups(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the modified Ingram regimen is one of the effective therapeutic mocialities for cases of moderate psoriasis.
Anthralin ; Extremities ; Humans ; Korea ; Psoriasis* ; Recurrence

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*

BACKGROUND: Lichen planus is a papulosquarnous disease characterized by pruritic violaceous papules most commonly an the extremities of middle-aged adults. It may or may not be accompanied by oral and genital mucous membrane involvement. Its course is generally self-limited for a period of several months to years, but it may last indefinitely. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to find the clinical characteristics of lichen planus. METHODS: Thirty-five cases of lichen planus comfirrned clinically and histopathologically were analyzed. RESULTS: The incidenc of lichen planus was 0.073% of the total number of dermatologic patients. The age distribution was in the range of 14-63 years old being most prevalent in the 6th decade and there was ariequal sex ratio. The most common site of involvement was the mucous membrane, and the extremities were more common than the trunk. Pruitus or pain and discomfort developed in 28 pat,ients(80% ). In most cases, the treatment was topical corticosteroid and antihistamine. Sixteen cses improved within 1 month to 2 years. Five cases recurred in the improved cases. CONCLUSION: The clinical analysis of 35 patients with lichen planus was performed. The incidence of lichen planus was 0.073% of the total number of dermatologic patients. Males and females were equally affected Mucous membrane involvement was detected in 21 patients(60%).
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lichen Planus* ; Lichens* ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Sex Ratio

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; DNA* ; Ichthyosis* ; Xeroderma Pigmentosum*

Pigmented contact dermiatitis is a disease resulting from recirrent contact dermatitis due to hypersensitivity to cosmetic components, which produces secondery bizarre dark brown hyperpigmentation. Histological examinaition of this condition reveals liquefaction degeneration of the basal cells of the epidermis and melanopbages in the upper dermis. We report a case of pigmented contact dermatitis from musk tibeten, which was diagnosed by the histological examination, the patch and photopatch tests. Residul hisperpigmentation was seen on the region of the patch testing.
Dermatitis, Contact* ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Hyperpigmentation ; Hypersensitivity ; Patch Tests

We describe a case of cutaneous angiomyolipoma found in the ear lobe, that is not associated with tuberous sclerosis. The lesion developed on the youngest patient yet reported in the literature.
Angiomyolipoma* ; Ear ; Humans ; Tuberous Sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Urticaria pigmentosa(UP) is primarily a disease of children. There have been no clinical studies of UP in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to find the clinical characteristics of UP in Korean child-hood patients. METHOD: Twenty-nine cases of urticaria pigmentosa confirmed clinically and histopathologically were analyzed. RESULTS: The maculopapular type was the most common with the usual age of onset before the age of 6 months, and the lesions tended to be distributed in the central portion of the body. Darier sign was positive in 92% of the patients(24/26). No systemic involvements were detected in any of the patients with minimal associated symptoms. Seven patients of the maculopapular type and one patient of the multiple nodular type followed up for more than 2 years showed a tendency to improve or clear by the age of 6 years. CONCLUSION: Neonatal or infantile-onset patients of UP in Korean pediatric population were considered to have a benign clinical course and to require no aggressive therapy.
Age of Onset ; Child* ; Clinical Study* ; Humans ; Korea ; Methods ; Urticaria Pigmentosa* ; Urticaria*

Hyponatremia is frequently seen in intracranial hemorrhagic patients and has been often attributed to inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone. But in recent years, a number of studies have shown that hyponatremia in many patients with intracranial disease may actually be caused by cerebral salt wasting (CSW) syndrome and circulating Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) are probably involved. This report describes a patient who developed bacterial meningites caused by pseudomonas aeruginosa and CSW syndrome after removal of pituitary adenoma. CSW syndrome resolved by fluid and salt replacement after 4 months.
Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Meningitis* ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; Pituitary Neoplasms* ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Pseudomonas* ; Wasting Syndrome*

BACKGROUND: Thymopentin(TP-5) is an immunomodulatory agent which may be a promising new drug in the treatment of patients with severe atopic dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of thymopentin for treatment of severe atopic dermatitis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Fifteen patients with severe atopic dermatitis received subcutaneous injections of 50mg thymopentin three times per week for 6 weeks. Clinical extent and severity parameters were assessed at baseline, at regular intervals during therapy and 4 weeks posttherapy. Use of antihistamine and topical steroid were permitted. RESULT: Significant reduction in severity scores and body surface area involvement was observed and no significant side effects were noted(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Thymopentin may be considered to be an effective adjunctive therapeutic agent in the treatment of severe atopic dermatitis. Further studies will be needed to determine the action mechanism of thymopentin.
Body Surface Area ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Thymopentin*

Intrarvesical instillation of Bacillus-Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is known to be one of the most effective treatment for prevention of recurrent transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, but its mechanism of action is not well defined yet. We evaluated the fraction of immunocompetent cells in peripheral blood of 17 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder before and after intravesical instillation of BCG. Among them, 7 patients had TURB and instillation of BCG(BCG group) and others had TURB only (non-BCG group). The fraction of B cells, total T (T3) cells, helper T (T4) cells, suppresser T (T8) cells, and natural killer (NK) cells in peripheral blood was determined using flowcytometric analysis. No significant changes of the fraction of B cells, T3, T4, T8 cells and T4/T8 ratio were noted after BCG instillation. The fraction of NK cells was significantly increased at 1 month after the start of BCG instillation (P=0.03), however, there was no significant increase in the fraction of them at 1 month after completion of 6 week course BCG instillation. In addition, none of parameters measured in this study showed any significant difference between BCG group and non-BCG group either before or after BCG instillation. Since no significant changes of systemic immune parameters in patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were observed after BCG instillation, local immune response may play a major role in the mechanism of BCG action for prevention of tumor recurrence.
Administration, Intravesical ; B-Lymphocytes ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Mycobacterium bovis* ; Recurrence ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms