Objective This study was conducted to determine the caring burden of eight children with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) and its affecting factors. Patients and methods The sample size of this descriptive study was eight children with EB and their parents. The research data were obtained by going to the children’s homes and giving them a personal descriptive information form and by using the Zarit caregiving burden scale between 1 March and 30 March 2014. Data were then evaluated by using the SPSS. Results A total of eight children with EB from four families, including two siblings in each family, and their parents took part in this study. Half of the children were 3–5 years old and the other half were 6–9; 62.5% were girls and 75% had not attended school or nursery. The Zarit caregiving burden scale score of the caregiving parents was 47.25, which is considered to be advanced. In the present study, no statistical relevance was found between parents’ score on the caregiving burden scale and children’s sex and age, caregiver’s sex and age, and education level (P 0.05). A statistical relevance was found between parents getting support in providing care and the mean caregiving burden scores (P<0.05): ones who had support had lower mean caregiving burden scores. Conclusion It was found that parents who provide care to their children with EB have advanced caregiving burden and that having someone assisting them in providing care to children who are dependent in terms of wound care and activities of daily living reduces caregiving burden.

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Syringomas are appendageal tumors of intraepidermal eccrine sweat ducts found more commonly in women over the malar and periorbital regions. Here, we report on a 30-year-old HIV-positive woman on antiretroviral therapy for the past 3 years presenting with pruritic papules on the vulva. The diagnosis of vulvar syringoma was made on the basis of the characteristic double-lined ductal structures and solid epithelial cords found during a histopathological examination.

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Nail abnormalities are window to systemic diseases. Although they are not specific to a disease, they can be of great help in the diagnosis of a disease. Mees’ lines are white transverse bands present in nail that are commonly seen in arsenic poisoning. Here we report a case of Mees’ line secondary to paraquat. Paraquat is a herbicide commonly used in agriculture.

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Livedo reticularis is a cutaneous pattern caused by the inherent anatomical and physiological property of the superficial vascular networks and in particular the larger medium-sized vessels of the subcutaneous vascular plexi. We present two cases of livedo reticularis who presented to us in a dramatically varied clinical setting, wherein the clue to diagnosis was derived upon through a simple laboratory investigation rarely ordered by a dermatologist.

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Background The increased use of cosmetics has lead to an increased prevalence of allergic contact dermatitis to cosmetics, with an estimated 1–5.4% of the general population suffering from allergic sensitivity to one or more cosmetic components. As beauticians and hairdressers have recurrent exposure to several cosmetics as a part of their occupation, the incidence of cosmetic dermatitis among this group is bound to be high. Objectives The aim of this study was to study the patterns of cosmetic dermatitis among beauticians and hairdressers and to identify the most common allergens and cosmetic products causing dermatitis using patch testing. Patients and methods Thirty consecutive patients (beauticians and hairdressers) (M : F=11 : 19) with suspected cosmetic dermatitis were examined, detailed history regarding the use of different cosmetics was taken, and the pattern of dermatitis was noted. All of them were subjected to patch testing using the Indian Cosmetic Series and eight antigens of the Indian Standard Series. Results The study included 11 (36.67%) men aged between 23 and 54 years and 19 (63.33%) women aged between 28 and 49 years. The majority of the patients were in the 21–40 (86.67%; n=26) years age group. The most common sites of cosmetic dermatitis observed were hands in 18, face and neck in nine, and disseminated dermatitis in three patients. The most frequently used cosmetics were hair dyes (76.66%), soaps (76.66%), face creams (70%), shampoos (63.33%), perfumes (53.33%), and shaving creams (30%). Patch test positivity was seen in 22 (73.33%) patients, and the most common allergens were paraphenylenediamine in 13 (43.33%), fragrance mix in six (20%), thiomersal in four (13.33%), and cetrimide in two (6.66%) patients. Conclusion The incidence of cosmetic dermatitis is high among beauticians and hairdressers, with hands and face being the most commonly affected sites. Hair dyes and creams are the most commonly implicated agents, whereas paraphenylenediamine, fragrance mix, thiomersal, and cetrimide are the most common causative allergens.

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Context Endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (E-selectin) is expressed on endothelial cells in psoriasis vulgaris (PV). Alteration in E-selectin is one of the influential proinflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Aims This study aimed to assess the serum level of E-selectin and to determine the effect of narrow-band ultraviolet-B (UVB) therapy on serum E-selectin levels in patients with psoriasis and to assess the relationship between serum E-selectin levels and disease activity after this treatment. Settings and design This was a case–control study. Patients and methods Thirty-five patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and 35 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls were included. The concentration of soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin), determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was studied in the sera of patients before and after narrow-band UVB treatment sessions (three times per week for 3 months) and compared with normal nonpsoriatic controls. The disease severity was established using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scoring system. Results Levels of sE-selectin were significantly increased in the sera of patients with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis (compared with the controls). Clinical improvement, after treatment, in patients with PV was associated with a significant decrease in the serum levels of sE-selectin. There was a significant correlation of sE-selectin and disease activity in PV patients. Conclusion E-selectin might be an indicator of treatment response and acts as a marker of psoriatic disease activity; it is also suggested to be a useful tool for evaluating the efficacy of treatment by narrow-band UVB in patients with psoriasis.

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