An outbreak of furniture related dermatitis (‘sofa dermatitis’) in Finland and the UK: history and clinical cases

In February 2007, an epidemic of severe dermatitis from Chinese recliner chairs and sofas started to unfold first in Finland and a few months later in the UK. Some patients reacted in patch tests (PTs) strongly to the material of their furniture, either leather or fabric. There have been hundreds of reports of chair or sofa dermatitis from Finland and the UK, with all cases linked to the same furniture factory in China. Clinical findings in both countries were very similar and unlike any known dermatosis. Many cases have been quite severe, resembling mycosis fungoides or septic infections, requiring hospitalization. Commercial PTs did not reveal the cause but a fungicide was strongly suspected, although such use was denied by the factory. The laboratory of Malmö University Dermatology Clinic has helped in the process by making thin layer chromatograms from sofa or chair materials and test substances of suspected chemicals. Finally, sachets marked with ‘mouldproof agent’ were found in varying numbers and distribution in the sofas. These contained dimethyl fumarate (DMF) which proved in skin tests to cause strong positive reactions with down to 0.01 dilution. Reports from other countries (Belgium, France, Ireland, Sweden and Spain) have since appeared, and the EU has banned the use of DMF in consumer products.     

Family stress and BMI in young children

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate if family stress and parental attachment style are associated with body mass index (BMI) in young children, and identify possible explanations. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey with a two‐stage design was used. Parents of 873 children participated. They completed a demographic questionnaire, the Swedish Parenthood Stress Questionnaire (SPSQ), the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) and reported their children’s television‐viewing habits (as a marker of physical activity). Children’s height, weight and BMI were obtained from a general population‐based register, BASTA. Associations with over‐ and underweight in children were assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Family stress indicated by SPSQ‐score was associated with suboptimal BMI. Maternal, but not paternal, SPSQ‐stress score was statistically significantly associated with overweight and underweight, with adjusted odds ratios (and 95% confidence interval) of 4.61 (3.11–6.84; p < 0.001) and 3.08 (1.64–5.81; p < 0.001) respectively. Associations between childhood BMI and parental attachment style were identified, but were not independent of maternal SPSQ‐score. Conclusion: Our findings support a role for family stress in development of both overweight and underweight among young children. This is likely to be attributed to behavioural mechanisms but a more direct metabolic influence of stress could also be involved.     

Hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection without cirrhosis

AIM:To investigate and characterise patients with chronic hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection presenting with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) in the absence of cirrhosis.METHODS:Patients with chronic hepatitis C infection without cirrhosis presenting with HCC over a 2-year period were identified.The clinical case notes,blood test results and histological specimens were reviewed to identify whether additional risk factors for the development of HCC were present.RESULTS:Six patients(five male,one female) with chro...     

Hyper IgE (Job's) syndrome: a primary immune deficiency with oral manifestations

Autosomal dominant hyper IgE (HIES or Job's) syndrome is a rare primary immune deficiency characterized by eczema, recurrent skin and lung infections, extremely elevated serum IgE, and a variety of connective tissue and skeletal abnormalities. Individuals with HIES share a characteristic facial appearance and many oral manifestations including retained primary dentition, a high arched palate, variations of the oral mucosa and gingiva, and recurrent oral candidiasis. Mutations in STAT3 account for the majority, if not all, of the cases of autosomal dominant HIES, but the pathogenesis of the many varied features remains poorly understood. In this review, we discuss the clinical phenotype of HIES including immunologic and non-immunologic features, the genetics of HIES, and treatment.     

Physician board certification and the care and outcomes of elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND: Patients and purchasers prefer board-certified physicians, but whether these physicians provide better quality of care and outcomes for hospitalized patients is unclear. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated whether care by board-certified physicians after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was associated with higher use of clinical guideline recommended therapies and lower 30-day mortality. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We examined 101,251 Medicare patients hospitalized for AMI in the United States and compared use of aspirin, beta-blockers, and 30-day mortality according to the attending physicians' board certification in family practice, internal medicine, or cardiology. RESULTS: Board-certified family practitioners had slightly higher use of aspirin (admission: 51.1% vs 46.0%; discharge: 72.2% vs 63.9%) and beta-blockers (admission: 44.1% vs 37.1%; discharge: 46.2% vs 38.7%) than nonboard-certified family practitioners. There was a similar pattern in board-certified Internists for aspirin (admission: 53.7% vs 49.6%; discharge: 78.2% vs 68.8%) and beta-blockers (admission: 48.9% vs 44.1%; discharge: 51.2% vs 47.1). Board-certified cardiologists had higher use of aspirin compared with cardiologists certified in internal medicine only or without any board certification (admission: 61.3% vs 53.1% vs 52.1%; discharge: 82.2% vs 71.8% vs 71.5%) and beta-blockers (admission: 52.9% vs 49.6% vs 41.5%; discharge: 54.7% vs 50.6% vs 42.5%). In multivariate regression analyses, board certification was not associated with differences in 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment by a board-certified physician was associated with modestly higher quality of care for AMI, but not differences in mortality. Regardless of board certification, all physicians had opportunities to improve quality of care for AMI.