Atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis are common chronic skin diseases affecting children. These disorders negatively impact the quality of life (QoL) of patients in health-related aspects such as physical, psychosocial, and mental functioning. This health impact is more accurately represented when accounting for the numerous comorbidities associated with each disorder, and the impact the disorders have on patients’ families. A number of QoL tools have been developed and can be routinely implemented in the evaluation of QoL in pediatric patients and their caregivers. Ways to improve QoL include a multidisciplinary approach to care, education, and psychological support.
BackgroundAlthough there are several available management strategies for treatment of both acute pain of herpes zoster (HZ) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), it is difficult to treat them adequately.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intravenously administrated vitamin C on acute pain and its preventive effects on PHN in patients with HZ.MethodsBetween September 2011 and May 2013 eighty-seven patients who were admitted for HZ were assessed according to age, sex, underlying diseases, duration of pain and skin lesion, dermatomal distribution, and PHN. It was a randomized controlled study, in which 87 patients were randomly allocated into the ascorbic acid group and control group. Each patient received normal saline infusion with or without 5 g of ascorbic acid on days 1, 3, and 5 then answered questionnaires that included side effects and pain severity using visual analogue scale on days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. After discharge, the severity of pain was obtained at out-patient clinic or by telephone on weeks 2, 4, 8, and 16.ResultsThere was no differences in severity of pain on patients' age, sex, underlying diseases, duration of pain and skin lesion and dermatomal distribution between two groups (p>0.05). Since 8th week, pain score in ascorbic acid treatment group was significantly lower than control group (p <0.05). The incidence of PHN was significantly lower in the treatment group compared to control group (p=0.014). The changes of overall pain score was significantly different between the two groups (p<0.05).ConclusionIntravenously administered ascorbic acid did not relieve acute HZ pain; but is effective for reducing the incidence of PHN.
BackgroundFor many years, the etiology of neonatal occipital alopecia (NOA) has been thought to be friction. It is recently clear that NOA is related to the physiological hair shedding.ObjectiveWe sought to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with NOA.MethodsMedical records of 240 postpartum patients who had been delivered between January 2006 and June 2007 at our institution were reviewed. Phone interviews with 193 respondents were conducted to investigate the actual conditions of NOA.ResultsNOA was present in 39 babies (20.2%). Univariate analysis showed that NOA was not associated with the baby's sleeping position, but was significantly associated with maternal parturition age, the delivery method, and the gestational age (p<0.05). In multiple logistic regression analysis, the risk of NOA was higher in the group younger than 35 years at parturition (OR, 3.86; 95% CI, 1.08~13.82), in the group not undergoing a Caesarean-section delivery (2.47; 1.09~5.60), and in the group delivered after 37 weeks of gestational age (3.36; 1.22~9.26).ConclusionThe pregnancy-related factors, such as non-elderly gravida, non-Caesarean-section delivery, and enough gestational age, were associated with NOA. These findings support the recent theory that NOA is not an acquired alopecia, but a physiological condition, resulting from synchronized shedding of telogen hairs initiated in utero.
Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a common viral infection of the skin and mucous membrane that often affects young children. Generally, physical removal by surgical curettage is commonly used for the treatment of MC, but the pain during the treatment is a major problem. Thus immunotherapy using various antigens has been introduced recently. Here we present two cases of MC that improved with measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine intralesional injection. On the ground of our knowledge, they were the first cases of successful MMR intralesional injection in this disease entity.
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