The relationship between self‐esteem and hair transplantation satisfaction in male androgenetic alopecia patients

Summary

Background

Frustrated with the embarrassing appearance, patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) suffer from poor quality of life and low self‐esteem. Moreover, several researches indicate that self‐esteem is an important factor affecting outcomes of cosmetic surgery.

Objective

This retrospective study aims to investigate the impact of hair transplantation on patients' self‐esteem and satisfaction with appearance, as well as relationship between self‐esteem and patient satisfaction which includes preoperative and postoperative satisfaction.

Methods

The preoperative and 9‐month postoperative self‐esteem were evaluated by Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale (RSES), and preoperative satisfaction indicators (satisfaction with appearance, visual age and expected visual age) were assessed by Face‐Q scale. At the same time, postoperative satisfaction indicators (satisfaction with appearance, visual age, satisfaction with decision, psychological well‐being, and social function) were reevaluated as well.

Results

Of the 1106 male AGA patients, 875 completed a 9‐month postoperative questionnaire. Compared with preoperative scores, postoperative scores of self‐esteem and satisfaction with appearance showed an increase of 1.56 and 30.25 respectively (P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with high self‐esteem level trended to have higher scores of postoperative satisfaction with appearance (P = 0.129), psychological well‐being (P = 0.168), social function (P = 0.027), and satisfaction with decision (P = 0.043) compared with patients with low and average self‐esteem level.

Conclusion

Hair transplantation significantly elevated self‐esteem level and increased satisfaction with appearance of AGA patients. Meanwhile, patients with low self‐esteem level trended to have worse postoperative satisfaction. Thus, apart from ensuring the quality of operation, plastic surgeons should offer guidance based on patients' psychological state to improve postoperative satisfaction.

http://bit.ly/2BBGzqa

Carotid body tumor with hidden internal carotid artery aneurysm

Abstract

Background

The most common head and neck paraganglioma is the carotid body paraganglioma. Treatment of carotid body tumors is primarily surgical, and uncontrolled growth leads to cranial nerve deficits and more morbid resection.

Methods

A 60‐year‐old man was referred for evaluation of carotid body tumor, and workup revealed an internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysm within the known mass.

Results

Interventional Radiology performed angiogram and stenting across aneurysm with interval dramatic reduction in size of mass, and surgery was avoided altogether.

Conclusions

Surgical resection is indicated for carotid body paragangliomas when the patient can tolerate the surgery and when the tumor was not very advanced. This patient had a small tumor that initially appeared easily resectable. Failure to detect the ICA aneurysm before resection may have resulted in devastating vascular injury and possible stroke or death. Identification of underlying vascular pathology is essential for safe treatment and should be prioritized, especially considering this case.

http://bit.ly/2rResPa

Simulation‐Guided Tracheotomy in a Patient With Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a rare disorder that causes heterotopic bone formation leading to chest wall and spinal deformities. This case describes an 11‐year‐old female with FOP who presented in respiratory failure necessitating two emergent fiberoptic nasotracheal intubations. The patient had severe trismus, rotary flexion of the neck, and distortion of the airway. A three‐dimensional printed model based off of a computed tomography reconstruction was created for an in situ simulation before the true procedure. The surgery and trach change were both uneventful. We propose that with careful preoperative planning, tracheotomy can be an appropriate option for FOP patients. Laryngoscope, 2018

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Inflammation and allergic disease: An irrefutable combination

http://bit.ly/2SgEJSx

A cross-sectional study of the prevalence of food allergies among children younger than ages 14 years in a Beijing urban region

http://bit.ly/2Ad4egu

Clinical updates in aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease

http://bit.ly/2SjuOM0

New and evolving therapies for hereditary angioedema

http://bit.ly/2AeCect

Update on peanut allergy: Prevention and immunotherapy

http://bit.ly/2SgEJC1

Clinical burden of asynchrony in patients with asthma when using metered-dose inhalers for control

http://bit.ly/2AfedSz

Effect of inhaled corticosteroids on serum periostin levels in adult patients with mild-moderate asthma

http://bit.ly/2SgEGGl

Systemic reaction rates with omalizumab, subcutaneous immunotherapy, and combination therapy in children with allergic asthma

http://bit.ly/2AgWb2i

Anaphylaxis risk factors for hospitalization and intensive care: A comparison between adults and children in an upstate New York emergency department

http://bit.ly/2SgEEyd

A cross-sectional, population-based survey of U.S. adults with symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis

http://bit.ly/2AdK0mR

Direct oral amoxicillin challenge without preliminary skin testing in adult patients with allergy and at low risk with reported penicillin allergy

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Pearls and pitfalls of food challenges in infants

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For the Patient

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Abstracts presented at the New England Society of Allergy, October 20‐21, 2018, Plymouth MA

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‘Prevalence and determinants for xerosis cutis in the middle-aged and elderly population: a cross-sectional study’

→Dry skin is a common skin discomfort amongst the elderly. 60% of our community-based population suffers from dry skin. Determinants and associated diseases vary with extent of the xerosis. Greater body coverage of dry skin is more strongly linked to comorbidity and drug use.

http://bit.ly/2ByJjo0

Use of a prognostic gene expression profile test for T1 cutaneous melanoma: will it help or harm patients?

http://bit.ly/2QN79qS

Reply to “Use of a prognostic gene expression profile test for T1 cutaneous melanoma: will it help or harm patients?”

http://bit.ly/2BHEbhs

A method for more precise sampling of the scalp and eyebrows in frontal fibrosing alopecia

http://bit.ly/2QN746y

Building a scale for measuring burden of hand eczema: BoHEM

http://bit.ly/2ByJoIk

Discrepancies in the Mohs Micrographic Surgery Appropriate Use Criteria

A previously unreported guideline discrepancy in the Mohs Micrographic Surgery Appropriate Use Criteria highlights the importance of the report's disclaimer that the ultimate judgment of appropriateness must be made by the physician and the patient. Furthermore, it emphasizes the potential for future revisions in light of emerging data.

http://bit.ly/2QN6YvI

Episcleritis in a patient with mucosal melanoma treated with interferon alfa-2b and radiotherapy: a case report

Mucosal melanoma of the head and neck is a rare malignant tumor associated with a poor prognosis. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and biotherapy are common strategies for treating mucosal melanoma of the ...

http://bit.ly/2rQfpam

Sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation of the spleen (SANT) in a patient with clear cell carcinoma of the uterus: a case report

Sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation of the spleen is a very rare benign vascular lesion recently described. Usually, sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation of the spleen is an incidental findi...

http://bit.ly/2LwbTLA

Case Report and Literature Review of a Pathologic Mandibular Fracture from Metastatic Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Distant metastasis to the jaws, including the maxilla or mandible, is very rare. Although the mandible is the preferred sight of these rare metastases, it is extremely rare for oral cavity malignancies to present as pathological mandibular fractures. Here, we present a case of esophageal adenocarcinoma metastasizing to the mandible, and the first reported case presenting with a pathological mandibular fracture secondary to esophageal adenocarcinoma. We also review the 9 other reported cases of metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma to either the maxilla or mandible.

http://bit.ly/2ELBM9w

Sarcoidosis Presenting as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown origin. It typically involves the lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes in a chronic fashion. However, acute syndrome has been reported possibly in response to systemic release of proinflammatory cytokines. Acute pulmonary manifestations, especially acute respiratory failure or acute respiratory distress syndrome, remain extremely uncommon in individuals without a prior diagnosis. We present the case of a 41-year-old African American female, who presented with ARDS. An extensive workup into the cause of her illness remained negative, and she subsequently succumbed to her illness. A diagnosis of sarcoidosis was made upon autopsy, after exclusion of other granulomatous illness. The case highlights the need to consider this uncommon diagnosis in patients with unexplained ARDS to guide therapy.

http://bit.ly/2RcusJR

Human antibodies eluted from ligand-free Sepharose capable of binding bacterial polysaccharides and sulfated glycans

Publication date: February 2019

Source: Molecular Immunology, Volume 106

Author(s): K.L. Dobrochaeva, N.R. Khasbiullina, N.V. Shilova, P.S. Obukhova, Yu.A. Knirel, A.Yu. Nokel, N.V. Bovin

Abstract

Sepharose matrix without immobilized ligands binds antibodies from human blood serum or immunoglobulin preparations. The eluted antibodies bind bacterial polysaccharides having no structural similarity to agarose (Sepharose is a cross-linked polysaccharide agarose) with a high affinity. It is concluded that the identified antibodies are capable of recognizing spatial rather than linear epitopes of bacterial polysaccharides. This side activity of Sepharose matrix should be taken into account in isolating target antibodies and other proteins from human blood.

http://bit.ly/2EJOVPP

Differential impact of age on survival in head and neck cancer according to classic Cox regression and decision tree analysis

Abstract

Objectives

To assess the impact of age on the survival of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using different statistical methods.

Design

A retrospective population based study.

Setting

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database.

Subjects and methods

A total of 28639 patients with newly diagnosed HNSCC were enrolled between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2013. The effect of age on 5‐year disease‐specific survival was calculated using a Kaplan‐Meier method and compared using log‐rank tests. A Cox proportional hazards model was used for a multivariate analysis. A classification and regression tree (CART) analysis that partitioned patients with significantly different Kaplan‐Meier curves was introduced to identify the important cancer‐related parameters influencing survival.

Results

Uni‐ and multivariate analyses indicated that patients who were older than 60 years had poorer 5‐year disease‐specific survival regardless of tumor subsite and TNM stage. However, the CART analysis determined that age played only a minor role in survival after comparing with other prognosticators. The relative importance of age using the Gini index was as follows: 3.21% for oral cancer, 8.32% for oropharyngeal cancer, 2.56% for hypopharyngeal cancer, and 16.51% for laryngeal cancer.

Conclusions

Different to traditional statistical methods, the CART analysis which was used to identify homogeneous populations, revealed that the impact of age varied for different patient groups according to the presence or absence of other prognosticators. This important information could help to guide our clinical decisions and future researches.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

http://bit.ly/2PZFbTg

Exploring the Emotional and Behavioural Reactions to Receiving Personalised Melanoma Genomic Risk Information: A Qualitative Study

Summary

Background

There is a need for greater understanding of the spectrum of emotional and behavioural reactions that individuals in the general population may experience in response to genomic testing for melanoma risk.

Objectives

To explore how individuals in the general population respond to receiving personalised genomic risk of melanoma.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with 30 participants (aged 24‐69 years, 50% female, 12 low‐risk, 8 average‐risk, 10 high‐risk) recruited from a pilot trial in which they received personalised melanoma genomic risk information. We explored participants' emotional and behavioural responses to receiving their melanoma genomic risk information. The qualitative data were analysed thematically.

Results

Many participants reported a positive response to receiving their melanoma genomic risk, including feelings of happiness, reassurance and gaining new knowledge to help manage their melanoma risk. Some participants reported short‐term negative emotional reactions that dissipated over time. Most individuals, particularly those who received average or high‐risk results, reported making positive behaviour changes to reduce their melanoma risk. Emotional and behavioural responses were linked to participants' expectations for their risk result, their pre‐existing perception of their own melanoma risk, their existing melanoma preventive behaviours and their genomic risk category.

Conclusions

Personalised melanoma genomic risk information alongside education and lifestyle counselling is favourably received by people without a personal history and unselected for a family history of melanoma. Participants described increased knowledge and awareness around managing skin cancer risk and improved sun protection and skin‐examination behaviours. Any initial feelings of distress usually dissipated over time.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

http://bit.ly/2rQTrnG

A randomised controlled proof‐of‐concept trial of digoxin and furosemide in adults with cutaneous warts

Summary

Background

Topical Ionic Contra‐Viral Therapy (ICVT) comprised of digoxin and furosemide inhibits the potassium influx on which DNA viruses rely for replication. Therefore, ICVT was hypothesised to be a potential novel treatment for cutaneous warts.

Objectives

To assess clinical efficacy, safety and tolerability of ICVT in adults with cutaneous warts. Secondary objective was to gain insight into underlying working mechanism of ICVT.

Methods

Treatment with ICVT was assessed for efficacy, safety and tolerability in a single‐ centre, randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled phase 2A trial. Eighty adult subjects with at least 2 cutaneous warts (plantar or common) were randomised to one of 4 treatments: digoxin + furosemide (0.125%), digoxin (0.125%), furosemide (0.125%) or placebo and administered the gel once daily for 42 consecutive days. Pre‐defined statistical analysis was performed with a mixed model analysis of covariance.

Results

Wart size and HPV load reduction was achieved in all active treatment groups. A statistically significant reduction in wart diameter of all treated warts was shown in the digoxin + furosemide treatment group versus placebo (‐3.0mm; 95% CI ‐4.9 to ‐1.1mm; p=0.002). There was a statistically significant reduction in HPV load of all treated warts in the digoxin + furosemide group compared to placebo (‐94%; 95% CI ‐100 to ‐19; p=0.03). With wart size reduction, histologically and immunohistochemically defined viral characteristics disappeared from partial and total responding warts.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates proof‐of‐concept for the efficacy of topical ICVT in adults with cutaneous warts.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

http://bit.ly/2LBinsI

Naevoid acanthosis nigricans or RAVEN (rounded and velvety epidermal naevus) and mosaic FGFR3 and FGFR2 mutations

Abstract

we read with interest the article by Larsabal et al.¹ describing two cases of RAVEN (rounded and velvety epidermal naevus) or naevoid acanthosis nigricans (NAN) associated with mosaic p.Arg252Asn FGFR3 and p.Ser252Trp FGFR2 mutations, adding to a probable case of RAVEN/NAN with comedones linked to the previously reported p.Ser252Trp FGFR2 mutation.² In the past two years, we had the opportunity to perform molecular analysis for FGFR2 and FGFR3 in seven unrelated patients with RAVEN/NAN and wish to add our experience.

http://bit.ly/2rPAulp