Subepiderral calcified nodules is a special form of idiopathic calcinosis circumscripta with its distinct clinical and histopathologic features, which was originally described by Winer(1952) as solitary congenital no3ular czlcification of the skin. Although the lesions are usually solitary and congenital, subs aquent investigators reported multiple lesions and later onset. Clinically, th. leions are small hard. yellowish-white warty nodules developed. usually on the face and mostly in children and histopathologically are subepidermal calcified mass with s cvn4ry epidermal changes. Although the pathogenesis is still unexplained, it s seems that the disease is not associated with any systemic or cutaneous disease or any biochemial abnormalities. We present a first recorded case of subepidermal calcified no3ules developed on the left the a Korasn female, aged 23, which has been present for 7 years. Shave biopsy showed typical histopathologic and histochemical features of the subpidermal calcified nodules. Literature were reviewed.
Biopsy ; Calcinosis ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Research Personnel ; Skin

Roots of manually extracted scalp hairs among 86 healthy Koreans in different age groups were examined microscopically and the proportion of resting hairs to growing hairs were determined with the fol[owing results. 1. The proportion of resting hairs in all age groups was 10. 9% and there was no significant difference between male and female. 2. In each age group the proportion of resting hairs show's difference, being lowest (6. 8%) in below 9 years age group, increasing the rate by increasing the age group, highest (19. 7%) in over 60 years age group. 3. The proportion of resting hairs below the age of 29 years was below 10%, above 30 years to 49 years in between 10% to 15% and over 50 years in between 15% to 20%. 4. The normal range of the proportion of resting hairs among normal Koreans was below 20%.
Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Female ; Hair ; Humans ; Male ; Neutrophils* ; Reference Values ; Scalp

The present study was performed to evaluate clinical manifestations in 26 patients and histopathological findings in 19 patients with Behcets syndrome. 1. Clinical findings: A. Among the 26 patients, 9 were male and 17 were female (male to female ratio was 1: l.9). The age at onset of the disease varied from 10 to 62, with a mean of 26.9. B. The incidence of the major clinical manifestations: The oral ulcers were observed in all of the 26 patients, genital ulcers in 21 patients (81%), cutaneous manifestations in 25 patients (96%) and ocular lesions in 7 patients (27%). C. Saline intradermal test was positive in 62% and PPD intradermal test in 42% 2. Histopathological findings: Fourty-one specimens were taken frorn 19 patients with Behcets syndrome; Erythema nodosum like lesions (15), edematous papules (3), acneiform eruption (1), oral ulcers (4), genital ulcers (8), saline intradermal injection sites (5) and PPD intradermal test sites (5). As a control, 4 specirnens were taken from PPD test sites of the patients with erythem nodosum. The common histopathological findings were perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration, mainly composed of neutrophils and nuclear dusts, and vasculitis of varying degree. A. Cutaneous lesions; In erythema nodosum-like lesions main pathologic foci were in the deep dermis and/or the subcutis, and moderate to severe vasculitis were observed. In edematous papules, however, main foci were in the pa,pill- ary dermis and the upper dermis, papillary dermal edema was prorninent, and vasculitis was rather mild.
Acneiform Eruptions ; Behcet Syndrome* ; Dermis ; Dust ; Edema ; Erythema ; Erythema Nodosum ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injections, Intradermal ; Intradermal Tests ; Male ; Neutrophils ; Oral Ulcer ; Ulcer ; Vasculitis

We reviewed the clinical features and the skin biopsy slides of 27 patients who were diagnosed as PLEVA clinically or histapathologically in order to evaluate the clinical characteristics and the specific histopathological findings of PLEVA. The results were as follows : l. 13 of these 27 cases(48%) were confirmed as PLEVA. 2. PLEVA was more frequent in males(85% ), most of whom were young adults. 3. In most cases of PLEVA, the predilection site was on the trunk and extremities, and mild pruritus was a characteristic complaint. 4. Most cases of PLEVA were treated with tetracycline or PUVA therapy with temporary remission, but this therapy did not decrease the rate of recurrence. 5. Some histopathological findings previously described as typical in PLEVA(eg, trapped RBC in the epidermis, exocytosis of lymphocyte, dermal hernorrhage and lymphocytic perivasculitis) seemed not to be specific and were often seen in a variety of other dermatoses. 6. The histopathological findings of linear parakeratosis(85%) and dyskeratotic cells in the middle and upper epidermis(92% ) seemed to be significant findings for PLEUA. 7. The above mentioned histopat,hological findings for PLEVA were frequently found from the vesicular lesions or necrotic hemorrhagic papules.
Biopsy ; Epidermis ; Exocytosis ; Extremities ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Pityriasis Lichenoides* ; Pityriasis* ; Pruritus ; PUVA Therapy ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Tetracycline ; Young Adult

The serodiagnostic test of syphilis employed with the greatest freguency in this country is the VDRL procedure which is one of the flocculation test utilizing cardiolipin-lecithin as an antigen. As well known, the immunologically nonspecific nature of this test relegates it only to screening test, so that all the sera displaying weakly reactive or reactive VDRL in the absence of definite evidence of present or past syphilis should be confirmed by using the specific treponemal antigen tests. However, there are only lirnited numbers of institutions at which the specific treponemal antigen tests are carried out, because the tests usually need quite coaiplicatnl technology and specifically trained personnel. The Treponema. pallidum hema.gglutination assay (TPHA) which was first described by Rathlev in 1965 and established as more improved and standardized procedure in serodia,gnosis of syphilis by Tornizaxva and Kasamatsu (1966) has been found to h as sensitive and specific as the technically more complicated Fluorescent treponemaI antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) or Treponema pallidum immobilization (TPI) po cedure by rnany investigators from different parts of the world during these 10 years. The TPHA has also been found to have definite advantage over the other tests because it is easy to perform and economic. The present authors felt. that the TPHA meight be the most reasonable method to be used in this country and decided to evaluate it in the serodiagnosis of problem cases. Sera from 516 presumed normal persons, 686 pregnant women ancl 1345 patients with various diseases other than syphilis were screened with the standard VDRL procedure as described and recommanded by USPHS. Out of these, 475 of t.he presumed normal persons, 646 of the pregnant women and 1243 of the patient group wit;h various diseases other than syphilis v;ere serologically nonreactive and 10, 12 and Rl sera from each of the above groups, respectively, were found to be true syphilitc with definite evidence of clinical signs or history of syphilis. Thirty-one out of the presumed normal persons, 28 out of the pregnant women and 71 out of the patient group with various diseases other than syphilis showed either weakly reactive or reactive VDRI, in undiluted sera without definite evidence of syphilis and these 130 sera from 130 persons were the subject of the present study. The TPHA was carried out on these 130 sera. according to the ma.nual MEA-TP instructed by National Institute of Health, Japan. The reagents used in this study rvere rnanufactured and supplied hy the Fujizoki Pharmaceutical Co. Ten (32.3%) out of the R1 sera from preaumed normal persons, 11 (39.4%) out of the 28 sera from pregna.nt women a.nd 28 (69.4%) out of the patient group with various disea ses other then syphilis showed reactive TPHA. Eighty-seven of the total 130 sera showed weakly reactive VDRL so called rough result and 19 (21.8%) Of these 87 sera showed reactive TPHA, while 30(69.8%) of the 43 sera which showed reactive VDRL were found to be TPHA reactive. These results arc in general agreement with those of other investigators confirmed by the more complicated FTA-ABS or TPI. The overall incidence of syphilis was 3.87%, 3.35% and 4.38% in presumed normal persons, in pregnant women and in patient group with various diseases other than syphilis respectively. Considering the relative lack of study concerning to the false positive reactions in this country, these results may be helpful to the clinician to rnake a cert.ain diagnostic decision when they meet such a patient whose VDRL is weakly reactive or reactive in the absence of definite evidence of syphilis. The authors concluded that: the MHA-TP technique is easy in performance, economic and highly specific in serodiagnosis and that this technique is highly recommanded in this country. * The authors thank Fujizoki Pharrnaceutical Company, Tokyo, Japan which provided the TPHA reagents used in this study.
Absorption ; Bezafibrate ; False Positive Reactions ; Female ; Flocculation Tests ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Incidence ; Indicators and Reagents ; Japan ; Mass Screening ; Pregnant Women ; Research Personnel ; Serologic Tests* ; Syphilis* ; Treponema ; Treponema pallidum ; United States Public Health Service

Epidermolysis bullosa aimplex is a dominantly inherited syndrome characterized by the dissolution of the basal epidermal cells with mechanical stress. A 23 year-old man developed recurrent bullous eruptions with pain on hands, feet and face since childhood, which healed spontaneously without scarring. Grandmother of his father's side, father, aunt of his father's side and two of his three brothers had suffered similar skin lesions. Light and electron microscopy showed degeneration and bulla formation in the basal cell layer of epidermis and intact basement membrane attached to dermis.
Basement Membrane ; Cicatrix ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa* ; Fathers ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron ; Siblings ; Skin ; Stress, Mechanical ; Young Adult

The clinical triad of relapsing iritis, ulcers of the mouth and genitalia was first described in 1937 by Halusi Behcet. This entity, originally confined to the above triad of symptoms, appears to be a systemic disease manifested by skin lesions, thrombophlebitis, neurologic or visceral syptoms. The exact etiology of this syndrome has not been established. However, in recent years, many investigators suggested that the autoimmune mechanism could be the cause of this disease, and imrnunotherapeutic agents have been shown to have beneficial effects in controlling recurrent episodes of major manifestations. (countiuned..)
Behcet Syndrome* ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Iritis ; Mouth ; Research Personnel ; Skin ; Thrombophlebitis ; Ulcer

No Abstract Available.

The present study was performed to evaluate clinical manifestations and histopatological findings of 95 patients with pityriasis roses who visited the Department of Dermatology in National Medical Center from October of 1979 to September of 1982. The results are as follows, 1. Clinical Manifestations: 1. The number of patients with pityriasis roses were 95, which occupied 0. 98/o of new out-patients in the department of dermatology in the same period. 2. In sex distribution, males were 36 and females were 59, with male to female ratio of I: l. 6. R. Age of onset varied from 13 months to 58 years with a mean of 26. 0 years and 68% of cases belonged to 15 years to 84 years. 4. Seasonal incidence was 32% in winter, 27% in summer, 22% in autumn and l9% in spring. 5. iMild prodromal symptoms developed in 8 cases(%) and itching was noted in 58 cases (61%), which was mild to moderate exeept for severe itching in 2 cases. 6. Herald patch was found in 42 cases (44%) and the predilection sites were the trunk and the thighs. 7. Daughter lesions could be classified into macular type 69 cases (73g), pa.pular type 22 cases (23%), pustular type 2 cases (2%), urticarial type 1 case (I,3 and purpuric type 1 case (1%) They appeared on the back (79%), the chest (74%), the abdomen(73%), the thighs (47%), the upper arms (40%), the lower legs (24%),the forearrns (22%), the neck (16%), the face (7 %), dorsa of the hands (4%) and dorsa of the feet(2%). (countinue..)
Age of Onset ; Arm ; Dermatology ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leg ; Male ; Neck ; Nuclear Family ; Outpatients ; Pityriasis Rosea* ; Pityriasis* ; Prodromal Symptoms ; Pruritus ; Seasons ; Sex Distribution ; Thigh ; Thorax

Prurigo nodularis is a troublesome chronic dermatosis that showed unsatisfactory response to conventional therapies. Since thalidomide has been applied to the treatment of prurigo nodularis, although the action mechanism is still uncertain, many dermatologists have confirmed its effectiveness. We treated a 54-year-old male patient who had prurigo nodularis affecting the whole body for 10 years with 100 to 300mg of thalidomide daily as the sole therapy for 4 months. The skin lesions were flattened leaving postinflammatory hyperpigmentation and the pruritus also sub-sided. Two years after stopping thalidomide, no recurrence was observed.
Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prurigo* ; Pruritus ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Thalidomide*