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

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

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

This study was performed to estimate the effect of alphacalcidol supplementation or nutrition education on the nutrient intakes, bone mineral density and bone markers in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. The 90 CAPD subjects were randomly assigned to 3 groups (alphacalcidol group: AG, nutrition education group: NG, and control group: CG). Alphacalcidol supplementation(0.5 microgram/day) was carried out for 8 months. Nutrition counseling was performed according to the patient's individual question for the first 6 months and scheduled nutrition education with individual counseling was carried out for the last 2 months. In baseline data, there were no significant differences in age, sex, family number, education years and monthly income except the NG showed significantly less duration of CAPD (p <0.05) compared to other two groups. After intervention all three groups showed tendency of lower intakes. NG revealed less decrease in protein, especially in animal protein, calcium from Ca-P binder, dietary calcium, dietary iron and niacin. NG showed significantly more increase in dry weight (p <0.05) and AG in waist circumference (p <0.001) after intervention. The groups did not show significant differences in the changes of biochemical indices related to bone metabolism. NG revealed more increase in trochanter BMD (p <0.05) compared to other two groups. It seems that nutrition education is more effective in preventing deterioration or improving the bone and general nutrition status.
Animals ; Bone Density* ; Calcium ; Calcium, Dietary ; Counseling ; Education* ; Femur ; Humans ; Iron, Dietary ; Metabolism ; Niacin ; Nutritional Status ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: According to the areas and people that are examined, there are many differences in the prevalence of syphilis in Korea. However, the reactive rate of the serologi test for syphilis showed an increase in the 1960s, and it has deerea@sed from the beginning of the 1970s. OBJECTIVE: Comparing the results of tke serologic test for syphilis which lotad been performed for the 5 years(1987-1991) on the physical examines and pregnant women who were considered as healthy, with the results with normal people, who were considered as healthy, which had been already reported, we tried to observe the change of reactive rate of serologic test for syphili. METHODS: The serologic test for syphilis, including serum VDRL test and serum TPHA test, were carried out on 25,254 healthy adults(20,405 were physical examineea eamined at National Medical Center and 4,849 were pregnant women delivered at National Medical Cer ter). RESULTS: The reaetive rate of serum VDRL test was 0.8% in 25,25 the althy adults(physical examinees 0.8%, pregnant women 0.7%). There were no stistically differerces between the annual incidences. 85.5% of VDRL-reactive subjects showed low VDRL titers(below 1:4) by the quantitative serum VDRL test, The biologic false positive reaction of serum VDRL test was 29(19.5%) in 149 VDRL-reactive subjects, using serum TPHA test as a standard. CONCLUSION: This study suggested thai, there was a decrease in the prevslence of syphilis in Korea.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; False Positive Reactions ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Pregnant Women ; Prevalence* ; Serologic Tests ; Syphilis*

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*

The CRST syndrome, first reported by Winterbauer, represents a benign variant of scleroderma and consists of calcinosis(C), Raynauds phenomenon(R), sclerodactyly(S) and telangiectasia(T). The authors report a case of CRST syndrome confirmed by both clinical and histopathological findings. A 62-year-old female developed subcutaneous nodules on both elbow and knee joints, Raynauds phenomenon, sclerodactyly with acrosclerosis and scleroderrnatous changes on both hands and forearms and telangiectasia on the face, neck, and hands of 15 years duration, but she had no difficulty in swallowing. The authors treated a case of CRST syndrome with weekly intra-arterial administration of reserpine and were impressed not only by the marked loosening of the skin but also by the striking effect on the Raynauds phenornena; the latter disappeared within a few weeks of treatment.
CREST Syndrome* ; Deglutition ; Elbow ; Female ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Reserpine* ; Skin ; Strikes, Employee ; Telangiectasis

The clinical and mycological investigation was made with 68 cases of tinea corporis who had visited the Dermatologic Clinic of N.M.C. from Nov. 1985 to Oct. 1988. The results were as follows : 1. The ratio of male to female was 1.1: 1, and tinea corporis was most preva lent in the twenties. 2. 25 cases (36.8%) had a history of contact with infected animals or soil. 3. 75% of cases had less than 2 lesions. The exposed area was more frequently affected, and the face being the most frequent site. 4, Concurrent infection of tinea corporis with other types of dermatophytosis were noted in 33 cases (48.8%), and the most common was tinea pedis. 5. From the 68 cases, 49 organisms composed of 4 species were isolated, which were T. rubrum (32 cases), M. Canis (11 cases), T. mentagrophytes (5 cases) and M. gypseem (1 case). 6. Of the clinical variants of tinea corporis, the annular type was most comm only noted. No species specificity was noted in annular type, but T. rubrum was the major causative organism of eczematous and plaque type, and M. canis was the only isolated organism in herpetiform type. 7. As compared with other dermatophytes, M. canis was more commonly isolated from the smaller lesion.
Animals ; Arthrodermataceae ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Soil ; Species Specificity ; Tinea Pedis ; Tinea*

The nevua of Ota is a congenital pigmentary disorder of the skin and mucaus membrane, partieularly in the periorbital region, the temple, the forehead, the malar area and the nose. The nevus of Ita differs from the nevus of Ota in its distribution in the supraclavicular, scapular, and deltoid regions. It may occur alone or in association with ipsilateral or rarely with bilateral nevus of Ota. We present a 22 year-old female who has had pigmentary anomalies on the both malar areas and left sclera associated with pigmentation of the right shoulder.
Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Membranes ; Nevus of Ota* ; Nevus* ; Nose ; Pigmentation ; Sclera ; Shoulder ; Skin ; Young Adult

The beneficial effects of sunlight and ultraviolet light for the treatment, of psoriasis vulgaris has long been recognized. Parrish et al were the first to introduce a controlled light source, which allowed the delivery of a known quantity of light energy to the patients skin after the patient had ingested a photosensitizer, 8-methoxypsoralen (methoxsalen) two hours previous to UVA exposure. This successful treatment has become known as PUVA (psoralen and UVA). PUVA photochernotherapy denotes a systemic approach that is based on the interaction of light and a photoactive drug. Parrish et al have described successful treatment of psoriasis with PUVA and other investigators alI over the world have confirmed their beneficial results. The rationale of photochemotherapy in psoriasis is the inhibition of the increased DNA synthesis within the psoriatic lesions by the interaction of psoralen molecule and light energy in the UVA range(320-400nm). The present study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of PUVA photochernotherapy combining orally administered methoxsalen and UAA exposure using Dermatron UVA phototherapy system in patients with wi5espread psoriasis. A total of 15 patients with psoriasis over more than 30% of their bodies were selected at the department of dermatology, National Medical Center through March 1978 to September 1978. Oral administration of methoxsalen, 20 to 50 mg doses according to body weight, was followed by exposure to a high-intensity longwave ultraviolet light emitting a continuous spectrum between 320 and 400nm (peak emission, 350 - 365nm). Initial UVA exposure times were based on each patients minimal phototoxicity dose (MPD) and exposure times were increased at each treatment by 1 - 2 minutes to maintain minimal erythema. Frequency of treatment was two to three times weekly. Once the psoriatic lesions had, cleared completely the patient was placed on a maintenance schedule. If psoriasis recurred the frequency of treatment was increased. The results were as follows: l. 5 patients were dropped out due to unknown reasons. 2. 7 cases showed clearing of over 95, of the lesions (Response 5'). Mean number of PU VA therapy was 16. 7. During 1 4 months follow-up period, 4 cases remained free of psoriasis but 3 cases couldn't be followed. 3. Immediate side effects of PUVA were temporary and generally mild. No significant changes in laboratory screenings were noted. Side effects of therapy included transient nausea(33.3%), dizziness(26.7%), erythema.(66.7%), pruritus (60%), increased pigrnentation(100 %). 4. Comparison of pre-and post-PUVA therapy in biopsy specimens by light microscopy revealed histologic improvement evidenced by diminished acanthosis and parakeratosis, and regeneration of granular layers in all of 8 cases. Glycogen accumulation in the affected epiderrnis was significantly decreased or absent after PUVA therapy in all cases.
Administration, Oral ; Appointments and Schedules ; Biopsy ; Body Weight ; Dermatitis, Phototoxic ; Dermatology ; DNA ; Erythema ; Ficusin ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glycogen ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Methoxsalen ; Microscopy ; Parakeratosis ; Photochemotherapy* ; Phototherapy ; Pruritus ; Psoriasis* ; PUVA Therapy ; Regeneration ; Research Personnel ; Skin ; Sunlight ; Ultraviolet Rays