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Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 was declared a pandemic by WHO in March 2020. The Indonesian Ministry of Health has recommended many prevention strategies including the use of hand sanitizers (HSs) and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), especially for healthcare workers. Previous research reported that the increase in the use of HS and PPE is directly proportional to the increase in the incidence of occupational skin diseases. Aims: To find out the prevalence of work-related contact dermatitis patients related to the use of PPE in healthcare workers at Prof. DR. Chairuddin Panusunan Lubis Universitas Sumatera Utara and H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, with a history of atopy dermatitis. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive study including 104 healthcare workers. The results of the study were analysed using prevalence and frequency data distribution. Results: In this study, we found that the majority of occupational skin diseases in healthcare workers are female (n = 64; 62.5%), and the most common age group was 31-33 years old (44.2%). The incidence of contact dermatitis due to the use of PPE in healthcare workers at Prof. DR. Chairuddin Panusunan Lubis Universitas Sumatera Utara and H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, was found only in 15 subjects (14.4%), and only 5 (33.3%) of them had a history of suffering from atopy dermatitis. Conclusion: There is high prevalence of contact dermatitis due to PPE at Prof. DR. Chairuddin Panusunan Lubis Universitas Sumatera Utara and H. Adam Malik Hospital, Medan; in 104 research subjects, only 15 people (14.4%) suffered from work-related contact dermatitis with a history of atopy in 5 people (33.3%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition common in early childhood. Acute exacerbation is frequently associated with Staphylococcus aureus colonization. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to explore the relationship between S. aureus skin and nasal colonization with pediatric atopic dermatitis. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted by comparing atopic dermatitis patients aged ≤18 years and nondiseased controls. A random-effects model was used to obtain the pooled prevalence and odds ratio of S. aureus colonization at eczematous skin, nonlesional skin, and nasal cavity. Subgroup analyses for colonization with methicillin-resistant S. aureus were also evaluated. Results: A total of 2,670 cases and 1,224 controls from 26 studies were included in the meta-analysis. S. aureus colonization at eczematous skin and nasal cavity is significantly higher in atopic dermatitis compared to control with odds ratios of 10.55 (95% confidence interval [CI]; 4.85-22.92, P < .001) and 2.38 (nasal cavity; 95% CI; 1.46-3.90, P < .001), respectively. The pooled prevalence of skin and nasal colonization were 55.0% (eczematous skin; 95% CI; 38.3-71.7), 23.3% (nonlesional skin; 95% CI; 12.6-33.9), and 56.3% (95% CI; 43.2-69.4), respectively. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus strain was obtained from the nares and eczematous skin with rates of 11.6% (95% CI; 6.5-16.7) and 8.5% (95% CI; 4.3-12.8), respectively. Conclusion: Children with atopic dermatitis are more prone to skin and nasal colonization by S. aureus compared to nondiseased individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nowadays noninvasive techniques are performed to evaluate the biophysical properties of skin in vivo. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the biophysical and ultrasonographic properties of skin in chronic contact or atopic dermatitis to provide better insight into pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment response. Materials and Methods: The stratum corneum hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), pH, erythema, melanin, sebum, friction, temperature, elasticity parameters (R0, R2, and R5), the thickness and echo-density of epidermis, dermis, and subepidermal low-echogenic band (SLEB) were measured on lesional, perilesional, and symmetrical skin of 22 chronic dermatitis patients. The average of perilesional and symmetrical skin values (control) was compared with lesional values. Results: Stratum corneum hydration (P<0.001), friction (P=0.02), sebum (P=0.01), and R0 (P<0.001) were significantly lower in lesion, TEWL (P=0.03), pH (P=0.001), erythema (P=0.004), and temperature (P=0.04) were significantly higher in lesion. The thickness of epidermis (P=0.002), dermis (P=0.034), and SLEB (P<0.001) were significantly higher in lesion; and the echo-density of dermis (P<0.001) and SLEB (P<0.001) was significantly lower in lesion. Conclusion: Chronic contact and atopic dermatitis are characterized by certain changes in biophysical and biomechanical properties of the skin. The evaluation of these parameters might be useful in the early diagnosis and assessment of treatment response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on Pityriasis alba being one of the minor factor of Hanifin and Rajka's criteria of atopic dermatitis. Topics include selecting one-hundred-and-twenty-two consecutive patients with pityriasis alba confirmed by two faculty members with postgraduate qualification in dermatology; and equal number of age group and sex-matched patients with common hypopigmented disorders other than pityriasis alba.

Background: Skin is the largest organ of the human body, and one of the most sensitive indicators of a child's general health. Skin disorders, especially among children, may cause an additional emotional and psychological stress to the patients and their family. Aim: We aim to compare the extent to which various skin diseases affect the quality of life among the pediatric age group (5–12 years) based on Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) scores. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 453 patients who attended skin clinic at a regional hospital in Northern India between November 2015 and May 2017. The study consists of questions regarding dermatoses. Patients were evaluated using a standardized pro forma and a CDLQI questionnaire. The diseases with abnormal high proportions were evaluated by the control chart technique. Results: Out of a total of 453 pediatric patients identified for dermatoses, the average quality of life based on the CDLQI score did not show significant variation across different seasons (P < 0.522). Although the type of skin disorders (P < 0.001) had a significant effect on the quality of life of the children. Based on the CDLQI scores, following diseases have a significant adverse effect on quality of life of the patients – miliaria, atopic dermatitis, scabies, impetigo, and pediculosis capitis. Conclusion: Our study has shown that skin diseases, irrespective of the type, adversely impair the quality of life of the child and in turn the family, therefore, calls for an enhanced level of compassion and care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]