Clinical and Laboratory Findings of Pigmented Purpuric Dermatoses

( Muzeyyen Gonul ),( Seray Kulcu Cakmak ),( Nimet Ozcan ),( Isil Deniz Oguz ),( Ulker Gul ),( Zeynep Bıyıkll ) 대한피부과학회 2014 Annals of Dermatology Vol.26 No.5

Background: Pigmented purpuric dermatoses (PPD) are chronic, recurrent group of disorders characterized by petechial and pigmentary macules usually localized on the lower limbs. Its etiopathogenesis is unknown. There are very few clinical and etiological studies on PPD in the literature. Objective: We aim to examine the etiopathogenetic factors of PPD retrospectively. Methods: Demographic characteristics, history of co-morbid disorders and drug usage, hepatitis markers, levels of serum lipids, findings of Doppler ultrasonography in lower extremities, and patch test resultsof the 24 patients of PPD were examined retrospectively. The patch test results, history of drug use, and co-morbid disorders of the patients were compared with those of thecontrol groups. Results: The male-to-female ratio was 1 : 2, and 83.3% of the patients had Schamberg disease. Seventeen patients had co-morbid disorders and 16 used various drugs, but there was no statistically significant difference between the controls and patients. One patient was positive for hepatitis B surface antigen and 1, for anti-hepatitis C virus antibody. Nine had elevated total cholesterol levels, and 5 had elevated triglyceride levels. Further, 30% of them were positive for at least 1 allergen, while 16% of the controlsubjects were positive for at least 1 allergen, but statistically significant difference was not found between the 2 groups. Variable degrees of venous insufficiency were detected in 75% of the patients on Doppler ultrasonography of the lower extremities. Conclusion: Venous insufficiency and hypercholesterolemiamight be the basic predisposing factors for PPD. Further studies are needed to show if diabetes mellitus and hypertension may cause perivascular inflammation in PPD. (Ann Dermatol 26(5) 610∼614, 2014)

Prevalence of herbal therapy usage in patients with psoriasis in Turkey

Keseroglu, Havva Ozge,Gonul, Muzeyyen,Kurmus, Gokce Isil Cellmed Orthocellular Medicine and Pharmaceutical 2015 셀메드 (CellMed) Vol.5 No.2

Many patients with psoriasis look for treatment options other than conventional treatment to control their disease with less side effects. We evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of herbal therapy usage among patients with psoriasis in Turkey. A self-prepared questionnaire about herbal therapies was applied to the psoriatic patients attended our dermatology clinic between October 2013 and December 2013. A total of 100 patients (55 male, 45 female; 7 - 80 years of age) were included in this study. Fortynine percent of patients used at least one form of herbal therapies. Juniperus oxycedrus and Aloe vera were found to be the most frequently used plants. 36.7% of the patients get benefit from herbal therapy. Only 12.2% of patients had informed their clinicians during or after herbal therapy usage. 22.4% of the patient had continued conventional treatment during herbal therapies. Side effects related with herbal therapy were developed in 26.5% of the patients. The risk of side effects was found to be 5.23 times more in patients using phytotherapies systemically compared with ones using topically. Our results show that herbal therapy usage is common among patients with psoriasis in Turkey. Since herbal therapies have the potential of interacting with the medical treatment modalities and causing life threatening allergic reactions, clinicians should be aware of plants used in psoriasis and possible adverse reactions related with them and also should not forget asking about herbal therapy history.

Serotonin Expression in Lichen Planus Lesions and Its Relationship with Depression/Anxiety

( Gokce Isil Kurmus ),( Muzeyyen Gonul ),( Filiz Canpolat ),( Demet Yilmazer ),( Eylem Sahin Cankurtaran ) 대한피부과학회 2019 Annals of Dermatology Vol.31 No.2

Background: Psychological factors such as stress, depression, and anxiety have been documented to contribute to the development of lesions in lichen planus (LP). Objective: To evaluate the relationship between serotonin expression in LP lesions and depression/anxiety. Methods: Forty patients (22 females, 18 males) with LP and 20 healthy control subjects were included in this study. The severity of LP was assessed with the palmar method (using the measurement of affected body surface area [BSA]). The depression and anxiety scores were measured with Beck's depression inventory (BDI) and Beck's anxiety inventory (BAI). The expression of serotonin was determined via immunohistochemistry in LP lesions and in the control group skin using a monoclonal antibody to serotonin. Results: The skin biopsies of the LP patients had significantly higher levels of serotonin than those of the control subjects (p<0.001). In the LP patients, and there was a positive correlation between serotonin expression and LP severity (p=0.022). Based on the results from the BDI and BAI, there was a significant relationship between the severity of depression/anxiety and intensity of serotonin expression (p <0.001). Conclusion: Data from this study suggest that serotonin may have a possible role in the pathogenesis of LP. Further, the relationship between serotonin expression in acute cutaneous lesions and the depression/anxiety scores indicates that serotonin may be a mediator for the association of LP and depression/anxiety simultaneously. There is a need for more specific studies showing the expression of serotonin in the lichen planus to demonstrate the cause or effect. (Ann Dermatol 31(2) 146∼153, 2019)

Skin Findings in Newborns and Their Relationship with Maternal Factors: Observational Research

( Ozlem Ekiz ),( Ulker Gul ),( Leyla Mollamahmutoglu ),( Muzeyyen Gonul ) 대한피부과학회 2013 Annals of Dermatology Vol.25 No.1

Background: Cutaneous lesions are commonly seen in the newborn period and exhibit inconsistency from the skin lesions of an adult. Objective: The present study was carried out with an aim to determine the frequency of physiologic and pathologic cutaneous findings in newborns. Methods: Typically, 1234 newborns were included in this study. A questionnaire about maternal gestational history, maternal and family history was issued to the parents of each newborn. The presence of cutaneous lesions was recorded. Results: Overall, 642 (52%) of the newborns were male and 592 (48%) were female. Typically, 831 newborns (67.3%) had at least one cutaneous lesion. The prevalence of genital hyperpigmentation and milia was significantly higher in males. In premature newborns, the pervasiveness of cutis marmorata and genital hyperpigmentation was found to be significantly higher. Caput succedaneum, transient neonatal pustular melanosis and cyanosis appeared predominantly in vaginally born infants. Erythema toxicum neonatorum was seen in infants, who were born by cesarean section. The predominance of Mongolian spots and erythema toxicum neonatorum were significantly higher in the newborns of the multiparous mothers; however, caput succedaneum was significantly higher in newborns of the primiparous mothers. Conclusion: A number of studies about neonatal dermatoses have been carried out involving different methods in various countries. We consider that our study may be useful in literature, as it has been carried out involving large number of maternal parameters. (Ann Dermatol 25(1) 1∼4, 2013)

CASE REPORT : Two Cases of Unilateral Lichen Planus Following the Lines of Blaschko

( Derya Yayla ),( Seray Kulcu Cakmak ),( Isıl Deniz Oguz ),( Muzeyyen Gonul ),( Esra Ozhamam ),( Aysel Colak ),( Ulker Gul ) 대한피부과학회 2014 Annals of Dermatology Vol.26 No.5

A 50-year-old man and 71-year-old woman presented to ourclinic with unilateral, linear, erythematous, pruritic lesions along the lines of Blaschko. On the basis of clinical andhistopathological findings, the lesions were diagnosed as lichen planus with a Blaschkoian distribution, which is a rare form of lichen planus. The patients were treated with topical corticosteroids and antihistamines. (Ann Dermatol 26(5) 636 ∼638, 2014)