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Introduction: Keloids are a fibroproliferative, multifactorial, cutaneous disorder whose pathophysiology is not completely understood. Various factors such as high blood pressure, pregnancy, female gender, mechanical tension of local sites, and prolonged wound healing are known to worsen keloids. Childhood-onset keloids are keloids that form before 10 years of age, before various factors in adulthood come into play, and thus studying childhood-onset keloids may provide additional insight into the underlying mechanisms that lead to keloid formation. Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed on all patients with childhood-onset keloids who were evaluated at our plastic surgery clinic (one of the largest keloid referral centers in Japan) over a 1-year period. Results: Of the 1443 patients with diagnosis of keloids, 131 patients had childhood-onset keloids. Of these, 106 patients (80.9%) were female, 38.9% of patients had family history of keloids, and 48.9% of patients had allergies or allergy-related conditions (asthma, atopic dermatitis, or allergic rhinitis). Vaccination (47.5%) and chickenpox (19.9%) were the most common triggers. Of vaccinations, BCG was the most common trigger. The majority of keloids from BCG were in female patients (92.9%). The most common location was the chest in male patients (30.0%) and the arm in female patients (41.1%). Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the largest report in the literature on childhood-onset keloids. There was overall female predominance in childhood-onset keloids, and even more significant female predominance in BCG-induced keloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Numerous studies have reported that various environmental factors during early life are key determinants for developing allergic disease. Herein, we aimed to investigate the impact of environmental factors on allergic rhinitis.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a single university in Japan (from April to June, in 2015 and 2016). Students voluntarily answered online questionnaires regarding their allergic rhinitis symptoms and their exposure to various environmental factors during preschool-age.Results: Overall, 3075 students participated the questionnaire. After excluding those with incomplete datasets, 3016 students were eligible. Of these, 49% had allergic rhinitis symptoms. Female sex was associated with a lower risk of allergic rhinitis symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68-0.99). Comorbidity of asthma or atopic dermatitis and a family history of allergy (asthma, atopic dermatitis, or allergic rhinitis) were associated with higher risks of allergic rhinitis symptoms. Regarding the number of household members, compared with subjects with <3 people, those with 5 (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.57-0.97) and ≥6 people (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.49-0.88) in their household showed lower incidences of allergic rhinitis symptoms. No other environmental factors, including birth order, number of siblings, living environment, passive smoking, furry pet ownership, housing, bedding, breastfeeding, dairy product intake, preschool setting, and starting age of preschool, was associated with the incidence of allergic rhinitis symptoms.Conclusion: Sex, current asthma and atopic dermatitis symptoms, family history of allergies, and the number of people in the household at preschool-age were associated with the incidence of allergic rhinitis symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Mutations in the gene encoding filaggrin ( FLG) have been shown to predispose to atopic eczema (AE). Objectives Further to establish population genetics of FLG mutations in the Japanese population and to elucidate effects of FLG mutations to filaggrin biosynthesis in skin of patients with AE. Methods We searched for FLG mutations in 19 newly recruited Japanese patients with AE. We then screened 137 Japanese patients with AE and 134 Japanese control individuals for a novel mutation identified in the present study. In addition, we evaluated FLG mRNA expression by real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and profilaggrin/filaggrin protein expression by immunohistochemical staining in the epidermis of the patients carrying the novel mutation. Results We identified a novel FLG nonsense mutation c.12069A>T (p.Lys4021X) in one patient with AE. Upon further screening, p.Lys4021X was identified in four patients with AE (2·9% of all the patients with AE). In total, there are at least eight FLG variants in the Japanese population. Here we show that about 27% of patients in our Japanese AE case series carry one or more of these eight FLG mutations and these variants are also carried by 3·7% of Japanese general control individuals. There is a significant statistical association between the eight FLG mutations and AE (χ2 P = 6·50 × 10−8). Interestingly, the present nonsense mutation is in the C-terminal incomplete filaggrin repeat and is the mutation nearest the C-terminal among previously reported FLG mutations. Immunohistochemical staining for filaggrin revealed that this nonsense mutation leads to remarkable reduction of filaggrin protein expression in the patients’ epidermis. Conclusions We clearly demonstrated that FLG mutations are significantly associated with AE in the Japanese population. The present results further support the hypothesis that the C-terminal region is essential for proper processing of profilaggrin to filaggrin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been reported that measurements of eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) may be useful for identifying eosinophil activities in allergic diseases including atopic dermatitis. Methods: EDN concentrations in the urine were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the number of eosinophils in the peripheral blood was counted in 30 patients with atopic dermatitis. The severity of atopic dermatitis was graded on the criteria proposed by Rajka and Langeland. The disease activity was assessed by each patient on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Results: Urinary concentrations of EDN in patients with atopic dermatitis showed a significant positive correlation with disease severity. Urine EDN concentrations also correlated with VAS scores for itching, skin condition, overall skin symptoms and total VAS score, but not with the VAS score for skin dryness. Urinary EDN concentrations did not correlate with the number of eosinophils in the peripheral blood. Conclusions: The urinary EDN concentration in patients with atopic dermatitis is a useful clinical marker for monitoring disease activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a case study of a 22 year old female with atopic dermatitis. Her disease got aggravated by alctometasone dipropionate. Patch test was performed to treat the patient. Almeta ointment was applied to the affected parts of the patient with a positive turn out. This ointment is widely used in Japan to cure such skin-related infection. Constituents of the ointment are listed.