Tropical eczema - a new entity

A new entity named as tropical eczema has been described in patients uniquely presenting with pruritic, papulovesicular rash in summer months, the majority of who was female in the middle are group. Morphologically, the lesions varied from erythematous, moist, excoriated papules and papulovesicles to dry, scaly, flattened papules and patches which chiefly involved the flexural areas, though others like arms, thighs and trunk were also additionally involved in many patients. Though the clinical picture resembled Grover's disease (transient acantholytic dermatosis) in many aspects, the age group, the sex and the sites of predilection were different and histological examination revealed only a picture of acute to chronic dermatitis with no evidence of acantholysis or dyskeratosis. Hence, this dermatosis has been labelled as "TROPICAL ECZEMA" for its occurrence in tropical climate with classical eczematous histology.

Geriatric dermatoses in southern Orissa

Two hundred geriatric patients, aged 55 years and above, studied at Medical College, Berhampur accounted for 3% of Skin & VD OPD attendance with a male preponderance (M:F::4:1). Majority (97%) of these patients were literate, 55% belonged to low socio-economic group. Among them 32.5% of males were farmers and all females were housewives. Forty nine dermatologic diseases were encountered, twenty nine patients presented with multiple complaints and the rest had single complaint. Pruritus was the commonest symptom (54%), 41.5% of which was associated with different dermatoses and the rest 12.5% with senile xerosis.

Fungal infection was the commonest dermatosis. Senile xerosis (12.5%), seborrhoeic keratosis (10%), psoriasis (9%), idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis (6.5%), malignant and premalignant conditions (5%), vitiligo (3.5%) and lichen planus (3%) were some of the other dermatoses seen. Diabetes was the commonest systemic disease (10.5%).

Warts - a clinicopathological study

Fifty patients attending an urban skin clinic and suffering from different types of wants were included in this study. Verruca vulgaris was the commonest type of wart comprising 44% of cases and epidermodysplasia verruciformis was the least frequent one. Persons of the age group 16 to 25 years were mostly affected and majority were in the middle income group (68.2%). In male, the genital area was the most commonly affected site while in female it was the upper extremity, namely, the fingers, and housewives were predominantly affected. Majority of patients had 2 to 5 lesions of 1 to 2 cm in diameter of 6 months to 1 year duration. Common histopathological features were hyperkeratosis, acanthosis with increased number of vacuolated cells in the stratum malpighii. None showed any sign of malignancy.

Steroids in alopecia areata : oral minipulse vs daily dose

Two groups of patients of acutely evolving and/or extensive alopecia areata, being matched for age, sex, extent and duration of illness, were selected. Each group comprised of 15 patients and treated with either oral minipulse betamethasone (0.2mg/kg body weight upto 5mg on 2 consecutive days every week) (group A) or daily oral prednisolone (1mg/kg body weight upto 40mg) (group B).

Group A patients showed slightly earlier response thought the end results of both the groups were similar. Both groups showed side effects which were somewhat different in each group.

Eumycetoma caused by Pyernochaeta romeroi - a case report

A 36 years old male presented with an inflammatory mass over the right foot with multiple sinuses and purulent discharge. It was clinically diagnosed as a case of madura foot. On microbiological investigation, it was finally diagnosed to be a case of eumycetoma and the fungus isolated was Pyrenochaeta romeroi, an unusual agent for eumycetoma.

Cutaneous rhinosporidiosis

A case of rhinosporidiosis with rare cutaneous affection along with its histopathological features is being described.

Pregnancy induced porphyria cutanea tarda

Prophyria cutanea tarda induced by pregnancy in a 20 year old primi is described along with clinical, biochemical and histological features. All the lesions except hypertrichosis resolved following childbirth.

Xeroderma pigmentosum - a family

A family of xeroderma pigmentosum is reported. Four children of different ages were afflicted with varying clinical presentation. Sequential development and progression of the disease from freckling to malignancy within the family are discussed.

Xeroderma pigmentosum with early and rapid development of malignancy

A case of xeroderma pigmentosum in a 9 year old child developing multiple tumours over a short period of 6 months is reported. The tumours showed two different types of malignancies-squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. Two other siblings exhibited cutaneous lesions of xeroderma pigmentosum without any malignant change.

Xeroderma pigmentosum with squamous cellcaricinoma of the skin and tip of the tongue

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare heterogenous group of disorders with a high incidence of cutaneous malignancies. However, malignancies of the mucosa are rare. We report a case of XP in an eight year old boy who developed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tip of the tongue within a short period of two months. Biopsy from both the lingual growth and a papule from the face showed SCC. We report this case for its rarity and for rapidity with which the tongue cancer developed.

Squamous cell carcinoma arising from lichen simplex chronicus

Squamous cell is known to occur over irritated skin due to many causes. Here we report a case of squamous all carcinoma arising from a plaque of lichen simplex chronicus, a rare event.

Kindler syndrome

Kindler syndrome is a rare genodermatosis characterized by acral blistering since early infancy, photosensitivity and progressive poikiloderma of the extremities. This syndrome in a 12 year old female with history of consanguinity among parents is being reported for it rarity.

Critical analysis of tuberous sclerosis in a family

Tuberous sclerosis (TS) is an autosomal dominant neurocutaneous genodermatosis. Sporadic cases have been reported. We report three cases of TS in a family.

A 30 year male labourer and his two offsprings, 10 year male and 8 year female, born of nonconsanguineous marriage, presented with facial angiofibroma, ash leaf macule, shagreen patch, periungual fibroma, mental deficiency, delayed milestone and epilepsy. Plain and contrast computerised tomography revealed subependymal calcification on the body of both lateral ventricles in the female child.

Meralgia paraesthetica and Beaus line in fractured leg

Meralgia paraesthetica and Beaus line appeared in a patient of simple fracture of right leg bones at fourth week of convalescence.