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Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, recurrent, and inflammatory skin disease experienced mostly in childhood. Chronicity of the disease, relapses, constant need of regular skin care causes seeking for alternative treatments., Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the complementary and alternative treatments (CAT) used by parents' caregivers in pediatric patients diagnosed with AD, and the association between CAT use and patient characteristics., Materials and Methods: A questionnaire questioning the sociocultural and demographic characteristics of the family, the clinical findings of the patients, their treatments and CAT applications was recorded., Results: Eighty-three patients were included in the study. 68.7% of the patients used at least one type of CAT. Vitamins and oils were the most commonly used CAT (48.8% and 47%, respectively) and 73.3% of the patients using CAT continued normal AD treatment while using CAT. The biggest factor affecting CAT choice was the advice of the immediate circle (75%), and 40.6% of the patients stated that they benefited from the complementary therapy., Conclusions: CAT are widely used in AD. Physicians should know the socio-cultural structure of the region they are in, the CAT used and their side effects, and inform the families.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease where autoimmune dysregulations along with genetic susceptibility are hypothesized to play a role in pathogenesis., Objective: The aim of this study in to evaluate HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DQB1, and HLA-DRB1 profile and its relationship with clinical features in AA patients., Materials and Methods: Ninety-eight patients with AA and 100 healthy controls were included in the study. HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DQB1, and HLA-DRB1 frequencies were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP)., Results: HLA-B*39 and HLA-HLA-DRB1*15 allele frequencies were increased ( p  = .022 and p  = .023, respectively), HLA-A*11 and HLA-B*35 frequencies were decreased ( p  = .006 and p  = .014, respectively) in AA patients. HLA-B*13 and HLA-DRB1*11 were associated with poor prognostic factors. A class I allele, HLA-B*13 was associated with recurrence ( p  = .023) and presence of nevus flammeus ( p  = .022), while the class II allele HLA-DRB1*11 was associated with widespread hair loss (diffuse or universal alopecia) ( p  = .026), presence of ophiasis ( p  = .049) and juvenile onset ( p  = .018)., Conclusion: Belonging to two different classes of HLA family, HLA-B*13 and HLA-DRB1*11 alleles identified separate set of risk factors. In addition to increasing the risk of AA, HLA alleles may affect the prognosis of the disease.

Background: Acne Vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease that requires long-term treatment. Adherence to treatment is a problem in chronic diseases and may affect treatment outcomes. Objective: We aim to investigate treatment adherence and satisfaction of patients with acne and identify independent factors that affect them. Methods: Five hundred patients with acne were included in this cross-sectional study. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were recorded. Severity of acne was assessed using the Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) scale, and a five-point Likert scale was used to assess patients' satisfaction and adherence. Results: Adherence to treatment was poor in 64.4% of the patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that using oral isotretinoin (OR: 4.1, 95% CI 2.44-6.92, p  < .001) and satisfaction with treatment (OR: 2.1, 95% CI 1.31-3.43, p  = .002) were independent factors that affect adherence in patients. 51.8% of the patients were satisfied with their treatments and treatment satisfaction was higher in females (OR: 2.2, 95% CI 1.3-3.8, p  = .004) and patients using oral isotretinoin (OR: 14.8, 95% CI 9.4-23.2, p  < .001). Conclusions: Treatment adherence is poor among patients with acne. Identifying the factor that affects adherence may help the dermatologist recognize non-adherent patients and develop strategies to improve adherence.

Backround: Despite extensive usage of systemic isotretinoin in patients with acne for many years, laboratory monitoring protocols for adverse effects depend on the centers and there is no standardized practice for frequency and type of laboratory testing. We aimed to decrease unnecessary monitoring and to standardize our general clinical practice of our department as well as to provide patient comfort and cost saving. Materials and methods: The medical charts of 704 acne patients treated with systemic isotretinoin were reviewed retrospectively. The National Cancer Institute common terminology criteria for adverse events v3.0 grading system was used in order to categorize the laboratory abnormalities of liver functions and lipid levels. Results: All laboratory abnormalities were grade I. Abnormal liver function was seen in 7.2% of the patients ( n  = 51), maximum values were ALT: 87 IU/L, AST: 97 IU/L (normal values, ALT: 5-41 IU/L, AST: 5-40 IU/L) and median time of the abnormalities in liver function tests was in the second month. Lipid profile abnormalities were detected in 58% of the patients ( n  = 401). Maximum values during the laboratory monitoring were T g : 481 mg/dL CHOL: 314 mg/dL, LDL: 259 mg/dL (normal values, T g : 0-200 mg/dL, CHOL.: 0-200 mg/dL, LDL: 0-100 mg/dL). The median time of lipid abnormalities was in the first month (1-3 months). Abnormalities related to CBC were seen in 8.2% of the patients ( n  = 58). The median time of CBC abnormality was the second month of treatment. Anemia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia were seen in 3.4%, 3.7%, and 1.6% of the patients respectively. Conclusion: Clinically insignificant and reversible CBC abnormalities, mild to moderate elevation of liver transaminases and serum lipids are the most common laboratory abnormalities in patients with acne treated with oral isotretinoin. Due to these abnormalities are reversible even the isotretinoin therapy continued, and generally there is no need to discontinuation of treatment due to laboratory abnormalities, frequent biochemical monitoring is not recommended.

Background: Management of chronic urticaria (CU) is often difficult with oral antihistamines (OAs) despite long-term use., Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the extent of medication compliance (MC) and to assess the factors affecting the MC of patients with CU toward OA therapy., Methods: A 43-item questionnaire was administered to 201 adult patients. A compliance score (CS) of 6 points was chosen as a cutoff point. A CS of 0-6 corresponds to poor compliance and score of 6-9, to good compliance. Subsequently, associations with compliant and poorly compliant groups were made by univariate and multivariate analyses., Results: The median age and disease duration of all patients were 47 years (range: 18-88) and 15 months (range: 1.5-480), respectively. Overall, the rate of compliant and poorly compliant patients was 53.2% and 46.8%, respectively. Educational level and job status were significantly associated with MC. To have graduated from university and high school increased MC by 9.1-fold (p = .002, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.26-36.37) and 3.6-fold (p = .019, 95% CI: 1.26-13.47), respectively, compared with illiterates. Patients who had worked previously and were currently looking for work were 4.8-fold (p = .032, 95% CI: 1.14-19.97) more compliant than patients who had never worked., Conclusion: Most patients with CU had good compliance with OAs. Educational level and job status were significant predictors of MC to OAs in CU. The impact and long-term effects of education and job status should be evaluated in different patient groups.