Azithromycin resistance and its molecular characteristics in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from a tertiary care centre in North India

Treatment guidelines for management of uncomplicated gonorrhoeae have been recently modified owing to alarming upsurge in azithromycin resistance. This study investigated the prevalence and genetic determinants of gonococcal azithromycin resistance in India. Four (5.7%) of 70 gonococcal isolates were resistant to azithromycin. Of 16 isolates investigated for molecular mechanisms of resistance, 13 (81.3%) and 6 (37.5%) isolates exhibited mutations in coding and promoter regions of mtrR gene, respectively. However, ermA, ermB and ermC genes or mutations in rrl gene were absent in all isolates. Azithromycin resistance is low in India posing no immediate threat to use of dual-therapy for syndromic management.     

Body dysmorphic disorder in patients attending a dermatology clinic in Nigeria: sociodemographic and clinical correlates

Background: Body dysmorphic disorder is a relatively common psychiatric disorder in the context of dermatology and cosmetic and plastic surgery but is underdiagnosed and underreported in Africa.Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder and symptoms of anxiety/depression and determine their sociodemographic and clinical correlates.Methods: A systematic random sampling design was made to recruit 114 patients with skin diseases. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained. The Body Dysmorphic Disorder Modification of the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was administered, and data were analyzed using SPSS 20.Results: Mean age of participants was 37.70±17.47 years, and 67/114 (58.8%) were females. Prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder was 41/114 (36.0%), and prevalence of anxiety/depression symptoms was 35/114 (30.7%). Prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder in patients with anxiety/depression symptoms was 15/41 (36.6%), and patients with facial disorders expressed the highest burden of anxiety/depression symptoms, in 15/35 (42.9%). Factors associated with significantly higher mean body dysmorphic disorder include age<50years (p=0.039), and anxiety/depression (p<0.001), education below high school was associated with higher mean anxiety/depression score (P= 0.031). In a binary logistic regression model, presence of anxiety/depression symptoms was predictive of body dysmorphic disorder (OR=10.0, CI: 4.1-28.2, p<0.001).Study limitations: the study is uncontrolled, conducted in a single source of care, thus limiting generalization to nonrelated settings.Conclusion: Prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder is high among dermatology patients and most prevalent in facial disorders. Facial diseases are associated with the highest burden of anxiety/depression symptoms. This is a clarion call for dermatologists to routinely assess for body dysmorphic disorder and appropriately refer affected patients to mental health care.     

Split-face comparative study between intradermal tranexamic acid injection alone versus intradermal tranexamic acid injection combined with Q-switched Nd:YAG laser in melasma treatment: dermoscopic and clinical evaluation

Lasers in Medical Science - Melasma is a chronic, dark brown–pigmented patches and macules commonly on the face. Many treatment modalities for melasma have been used as hydroquinone, laser...     

靶向测序诊断黑棘皮病1家系

【摘要】 报道临床症状不典型的家族性黑棘皮病1家系。先证者女，4岁，自1周岁时，颈部、腹部出现黑色斑片，近年来逐渐扩大至唇周、躯干前部。腹部皮肤全反式共聚焦显微镜检查可见乳头环下延扭曲及沟壑结构，乳头环内可见中高折光颗粒结构。先证者父亲及祖母既往有类似病史，但随着年龄增长色素沉着自发性消退，仅有局部皮纹增粗。采集先证者及父母、祖母外周血，对先证者外周血DNA行Panel靶向测序，结果显示，先证者存在FGFR3基因14号外显子c.1949A>C（p.Lys650Thr）错义突变，Sanger测序验证证实先证者及其父亲和祖母均存在此突变。诊断：家族性黑棘皮病。     

Comparison of guidelines and consensus articles on the management of patients with acne with oral isotretinoin

Guidelines and consensus on the management of patients with acne aim to give evidence-based, expert-group recommendations. This review compares current guidelines and consensus articles to provide a compilation of recommendations on the treatment of acne with oral isotretinoin. Ten common, relevant, clinical questions are addressed, based on published recommendations, including the indications of isotretinoin, the proposed daily dose, the cumulative isotretinoin dose and the laboratory monitoring needed. Recommendations on special considerations are also addressed, including the timing of procedures and the question of an association of depression or inflammatory bowel disease with isotretinoin. A major limitation is the use of different classification systems for acne across guidelines. The recommended daily dose ranges from 0.3 to 0.5 mg/kg in the European guidelines to up to 1 mg/kg in the US guidelines. A specific duration of treatment of at least 6 months is only recommended in the European guidelines. All guidelines report the need of strict pregnancy prevention measures. The European, French and US guidelines recommend to monitor for symptoms of depression. Important clinical questions that are inconsistently addressed in guidelines include the age indication, the recommendation for a cumulative dose, the timing of procedures, the association of isotretinoin with IBD, the recommendation for preventing acne flares and for appropriate laboratory monitoring. These topics should be clearly included in the recommendations of guidelines as they are often raised in everyday clinical practice.     

Tulio Briceño-Maaz,MD, and his time: the story of Venezuela

Tulio Briceño-Maaz, MD, was a multifaceted man. During his long life, he developed very many activities in several fields of medicine, including dermatology and mycology. All were signaled by quiet work, firm objectives, and measurable achievements. They showed tenacity, genteelness, and lasting positive results. His life span coincided with the sinusoidal transition of Venezuela from a rural background country, plagued by armed and civil unrest, to a nation ready to position herself in the ranks of countries achieving development. By the time of Dr Briceño-Maaz’s death, unfortunately, Venezuela involuted into a process of degeneration and autophagy still present today.