Psoriasis in childhood and adolescence: evaluation of demographic and clinical features

BACKGROUND: The present study was aimed to define the gender ratio, familial occurrence, age of onset, precipitating factors, clinical types, nail and joint involvement of psoriasis in childhood and adolescence in Turkey. METHODS: A total of 61 children with psoriasis under 18 years old were evaluated retrospectively, for age, gender, age of disease onset, family history, concomitant disease, the clinical type of psoriasis, clinical localization, nail and joint involvement and treatment modalities. RESULTS: Of the patients, 23 (37.70%) were boys and 38 (62.30%) were girls. Mean age was 9.28 +/- 4.02 years in girls and 11.18 +/- 3.85 years in boys (9.96 +/- 4.03 years in all children). Mean age at the onset of the disease was 6.81 +/- 4.11 years in girls and 7.03 +/- 4.28 years in boys (6.89 +/- 4.14 years in all patients). In 14 (23%) cases, a positive family history was detected. The most frequent probable triggering factors were upper respiratory tract infections (14.8%) and positive throat culture for A group ss-hemolytic streptococcus (21.3%). Frequency of emotional stress and psychiatric morbidity were 54% and 9.8%, respectively. The most frequent localizations at onset were trunk (44.3%), extremities (54.0%), and scalp (36.0%). Three children (4.9%) had a history of dissemination from psoriatic diaper rash. In total, 51 (83.6%) patients presented with psoriasis vulgaris, eight (13.1%) with generalized pustular psoriasis, and the remaining two (3.3%) with erythrodermic psoriasis. CONCLUSION: The incidence of psoriasis among dermatological patients in childhood and adolescence was 3.8%. The disease tends to appear earlier in girls than boys. The authors suggested that stress and upper respiratory infections are the most important triggering factors in childhood and adolescence psoriasis.     

Does prophylactic sotalol and magnesium decrease the incidence of atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass surgery: a propensity-matched analysis

Background  

Atrial fibrillation can occur in up to 40% of patients undergoing coronary surgery.     

Oxybutynin versus propantheline in patients with multiple sclerosis and detrusor hyperreflexia

Hyperreflexia is the most common urological finding in patients with multiple sclerosis. A prospective randomized study was done to compare the effectiveness of 2 commonly used drugs, oxybutynin and propantheline. Of the 34 patients entered into the trial 19 were treated with oxybutynin and 15 with propantheline. The urological symptoms (frequency, nocturia, hesitancy, urgency and urge incontinence) were graded according to severity from 0 to 3. Patients with urinary infection were excluded. Urodynamic examination, consisting of cystometrography and electromyography, was performed in all patients before treatment. Both groups of patients had comparable neurological, urological and urodynamic status before treatment. In 4 patients (21 per cent) treated with oxybutynin and in 4 (27 per cent) treated with propantheline side effects were so severe that the treatment had to be discontinued. Symptomatic response to oxybutynin was good in 10 patients (67 per cent), fair in 2 (13 per cent) and poor in 3 (20 per cent). Propantheline produced good symptomatic results in 4 patients (36 per cent), fair in 1 (9 per cent) and poor in 6 (55 per cent). The mean increase in maximum cystometric capacity on cystometrography was significantly larger in the oxybutynin group than in the propantheline group (144 +/- 115 versus 35 +/- 101). Our results indicate that oxybutynin is more effective than propantheline in the treatment of detrusor hyperreflexia in patients with multiple sclerosis.     

Molluskizid wirksame Spiro-α-methylen-γ-butyrolactone

α-Methylene-γ-butyrolactones with Molluscicidal Activity The α-methylene-γ-butyrolactones 1-28 were tested in vitro for molluscicidal activity against Biomphalaria glabrata. The racemic compound 25 shows the best activity. The synthesis was carried out by modified Reformatzky reaction of the corresponding carbonyl compounds and bromomethylacrylic acid ethyl ester. 7-10, 17 and 22-27 have been synthesized for the first time.