BACKGROUND: One of the most, probable pathogenesis of vitiliga is autoimmune. Systemic cor tico st,eroids suppress immunity and may arrest the progression of vitiligo and lead to repigmentation. OBJECTIVE: We have assessed the clinical effect of a oral small oral dose of corticosteroid to minimize side effects in vitiligo patients. METHODS: Thirty four patients(9;male, 25;female) with vitiligo were evaluated in this study. The patients took 7.5mg-20mg prednisolone initially for 2 months and then the dosage was tapered to half of the initial dosiat the 3rd month and half of dose of 3rd month for the last 4th month. We compared the effcct of treatment of vitiligo before and aft.er the study by photographs. and side efferts were issessed at. 1, 2, 3 and 4 month. RESULTS: The arrest of the progression of vitiligo was noticed in 79% of patients and repigmentation was noticed in 59% of patients which is statistically significant. The effect, of treatment according to extent, duiation, type, and site of vitiligo were not statistically significant. The side effects of treatment were minimal and did not affect the course of treatment. CONCLUSION: Small doses of iral corticosteroids are effective without any significant side effects in preventing progression and loiiduce repigmentation of active spreading vitiligo and generalized type of vitiligo that is difficult to treat with topical corticosteroids.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Humans ; Prednisolone ; Vitiligo*

Eruptive vellus hair cysts and steatocystoma multiplex have clinical similarities in terms of age of onset, location and appeararice of the lesions, but histopathologic feitures are distinctively differen-tiated. We present herein a 37-year-old woman with eruptive vellus hair cyst and steatocystoma multiplex as well. The histopathologic sections from 2 different lesions showed features of both eruptive vellus hair cyst with sebaceous gland in and near the cyst wall, and steatocy toma multiplex with rudimentary hair follicle near the cyst wall. This case may support the premie that eruptive vellus hair cyst and steatocystoma multiplex have a common developmental origin.
Adult ; Age of Onset ; Female ; Hair Follicle ; Hair* ; Humans ; Sebaceous Glands ; Steatocystoma Multiplex*

The effects of histamine type 2(H2) receptor antagonists, cimetidine and ranitidine, on the induction of contact hypersensitivity and UVB induced suppression of contact hypersensitivity were studied. Our experiment showed that treatment with cimetidine or ranitidine slightly enhanced contact hypersensitivity to DNCB, but the suppression of contact hypersensitivity elicited by UVB were moderatly reversed by ranitidine. These facts suggest that H2-receptor antagonist may be responsible for th blocking histamine induced suppressor factor by acting upon UV-induced suppressor T cell.
Cimetidine ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Dinitrochlorobenzene ; Histamine ; Ranitidine

BACKGROUND: Dermatophytosis is sometimes difficult to diagnose deinitively if it has atypical clinical characteristics and mycological tests are negative. Histopathologic findings may be different depending upon the location and causative dermatophytes. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate histopathologic characteristics nf dermatophytosis depending upon the areas of involvement. METHODS: We evaluated the clinical and histopathologic features of 32 cases of dermatophytosis which were diagnosed by skin biopsies at the Dermatology Department of branch hospitals of Catholic University Medical College from March 1985 to August, 1994. Histopathologic features were observed in three dilferent groups divided by location, area of terminal hair, areas of vellus hair and hairless areas. RESULTS: Epidermal changes including hyperkeratosis, parakeratos, acanthosis, spongiosis and neutrophilic exocytosis were frecuently observed in the three groups of Iermatophytosis. In 7 cases of tinea capitis and linea barbae, follicular and inflamma or changes of the deep dermis were important. Hyphae and spores were observed in 71%(5 cases) and 57%(4 cases) respectively, in the follicles. In 19 cases of tinea faciale, tiriea corporis and tinea cruris, change epidermis and superficial dermis as well as findings of follicular infundibulum were important. Herphae were observed in 84%(16 cases) and 53%(10 cases) in the stratum corneum and vellus hir follicle respectively, and in 3 cases the hyphae were observed only in the vellus hair follicle. Sandwich sign, known to be important clue of dermaliophytosis, was observed in only 5%(1 cacse, In 6 cases of tinea manus and linea pedis, hyphae and spores were rebserved in 100% (6 cases) and 33%(2 cases) respectively, in the stratum corneum. CONCLUSION: We consider tha histopathologic observations may of great help to diagnose some difficult cases of dermatophytosis and the presence of hyphae n .he vellus hair follicle may be a more frequent and important finding than the sandwich sign the dermatophytosis of the vellus hairy regions.
Arthrodermataceae ; Biopsy ; Dermatology ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Exocytosis ; Hair ; Hair Follicle ; Hospitals, Satellite ; Hyphae ; Neutrophils ; Skin ; Spores ; Tinea Capitis ; Tinea*

BACKGROUND: Several methods have been developed to measure skin thickness, including the use of the radiography, micrometer screw gauge, Harpenden's caliper, and ultrasound, but there are no reports to measure skin thickness using computed tomography. OBJECTIVE: We measured skin thickness on the CT films retrospectively. This study was to investigaste variations of skin thickness by age, gender, and different sites. METHODS: Skin thickness was measured on the CT films of 562 patients, including 357 males and 205 females who had undergone brain, chest, and abdominal CT in our hospital. Patients with endocrinologic, malignant, or collagen disease and those on antimetabolite or steroid therapy were excluded. Comparisons of histometric and computed tomographic methods weremade in 5 skin tumors and 1 localized lipodystrophy. Results: 1. The measurements of the skin thickness(mean) in examined sites varied from 0.84 to 3.07 milimeters : the posterior part at the level of the chest(aortic arch level) was the thickest and the anterior part at the level of the forehead(aortic arch level) was the thickest and the anterior part at the level of the forehead(frontal sinus level) was the thinnest. 2. Skin thickness in males wal generally thicker than in females : the anterior and lateral part at the level of the forehead(P<0.0001), the posterior part at the level of the bladder(P<0.2) were thicker in males than in females. 3. In each gender, the thickness of the skin increased with age of 40 or 60, and then decreased with age at every level. 4. Skin on posterior parts of the body was thicker than on other parts. 5. Unlike other levels, skin was thicker on the lateral parts than on the anterior parts at the levels of the forehead and bladder. 6. The measured skin thickness in about 7% greater in formalin fixed tissues than on CT films. CONCLUSION; Computed tomographic measurement of the skin thickness in a reliable method in the aquisition of normal values and their individual variations during cutaneous aging. Moreover, this method is useful in evaluating skin tumors and monitoring the response to therapy of inflammatory conditions.
Aging ; Brain ; Collagen Diseases ; Female ; Forehead ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Lipodystrophy ; Male ; Radiography ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin* ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder

Ants(Family Formicidae) are very successful organisms occuring in trernendous numbers worldwide in terrestrial habitats. All ant species may bite, and on species sting. 48 species in 26 genus have been reported in Korea, but only systemic reaction induced by the anti Brachyponera chinersis, has been reported in the Korea terature. A 48 year old man was stung on the neck, abdomen, and dorsum of the hand by flying stinging ants. He experienced moderate pain, burning and itching sensation. Clinical course and histopathologic findings of the lesions caused by the stinging ant was observed without specific treatment. The stinging ants collected from t,he patient.s skin and his house were identified as Euponera chosensis belonging to Subfamily Ponerinae. To the best of our know ledge, this is the first clinical repor of the insect sting by Euponera chosensis in the Korean literature.
Abdomen ; Ants ; Bites and Stings ; Burns ; Diptera ; Ecosystem ; Hand ; Humans ; Insect Bites and Stings* ; Insects* ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Pruritus ; Sensation ; Skin

Becker's nevus has been known as a sudden onset of hyperpigmentation on shoulder or arm in the second decade of life with slow peripheral extension and later development of hypertrichosis. We observed two cases of typical Becker's nevus which was confirmed by characteristicclinical and histopathological findings. One was 45-year-old male who has a patch of hyperpigmentation and hypertrichosis on left upper arm at birth, the other was 2()-year-old male who developed on right shoulder after sunburn which is a salient feature by Becker's initial description.
Arm ; Burns ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Hypertrichosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nevus* ; Parturition ; Shoulder ; Sunburn

Fibrous papule of the face occurs nearly always as a solitary lesion on the face, especially on the nose. The lesion which appears as a dome shaped papule, is skin colored, pigmented or red, We present herein three cases of fibrous papule of the face, which developed on the ala nasi of 45-year-old man, and 49-year-old woman, and on the nostrile of 25-year-old woman. Histopathologic findings showed dermal angiofibrotic changes in two cases. In one of the two cases, there were atypical cells with large irregular nucleus and a few multinucleated giant cells interspersed in the edematous dermis, and there was distinct perifollicular fibrosis in the other case.
Adult ; Dermis ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Nose ; Skin

No abstract available.

Anthracnose symptoms severely occurred up to 50% on leaves of English ivy growing in greenhouses in Cheongwon area of Korea during disease survey in April, 2000. The symptoms developed as concentric spots with dot-like acervuli on leaves of the plant. A total of 24 isolates of Colletotrichum sp. were obtained from the spotted lesions and identified as Colletotrichum trichellum based on the morphological and cultural characteristics. Leaf spots similar to the original anthracnose symptoms were induced on the host leaves by artificial inoculation with the isolates of the fungus. This is the first record of C. trichellum causing anthracnose of English ivy in Korea.
Colletotrichum* ; Cultural Characteristics ; Fungi ; Hedera* ; Korea* ; Plants