Relatively little is known about the occurrence of neurocysticercosis in northeastern Brazil. There have been no published reports from the state of Ceará, but a review of the records at the Hospital São José in Fortaleza, Brazil identified 119 patients with neurocysticercosis diagnosed between January 1988 and April 1994. Patients came from 43 municipalities in Ceará. Their ages ranged from five to 74 years; the greatest number of cases were in persons 10-40 years of age; 63% were males. Seizures were the presenting complaint in 64% of the patients and headache in 22%. Two patients, each with several hundred intracranial lesions, presented with mental status changes; one was initially given the clinical diagnosis of viral meningoencephalitis. Computed tomography scans showed that 44% of the patients had five or more lesions. Cysts were found throughout the brain. The parietal lobe was the most frequent site of involvement; 85% of patients had one or more lesions there. The brain stem was involved in 8%. There was no consistent association between the severity of the clinical abnormalities and the radiologic findings. Computed tomography of the thighs was done in 10 persons; cysts were identified in nine.
Summary Background Most studies investigating steroid allergy have been performed with tixocortol pivalate, hydrocortisone butyrate and budesonide. Betnovate® and Dermovate® are widely prescribed in the U.K. but little is known about the frequency of sensitization to them.
Objectives To determine the optimum method to detect contact allergy to betamethasone valerate (BV) and clobetasol propionate (CP).
Methods Seven centres tested consecutive patients attending for investigation of suspected allergic contact dermatitis to these steroids at a range of concentrations in different vehicles.
Results Of 1562 patients tested, 16 (1%) reacted to either BV or CP. Ten patients (0·7%) reacted to BV and 13 (0·8%) to CP. Two patients of a further centre were included in analysis of dilutions and vehicles. Sixteen of a total of 25 reactions (64%) were identified with a 1% dilution in ethanol.
Conclusions Consideration should be given to adding BV and CP to a standard allergy series, given that both are frequently used in the treatment of eczema and that most patients sensitized to them are not identified with currently used markers of steroid allergy. If patch tests to BV and CP are initially negative, but an allergy is suspected, the patient should be further investigated. Further studies are required to identify the ideal patch test material.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.