Journal Watch
January 2001
in “
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology
”
TLDR A test for nail fungus was most accurate with PAS stain, low-dose spironolactone helped two-thirds of acne patients, metformin reduced symptoms of HIV-related fat distribution changes with some side effects, and skin examination with dermoscopy was better at detecting abnormal moles, while temporary tattoos can cause skin reactions.
In a study comparing diagnostic tests for onychomycosis, histopathologic examination with periodic acid-Schiff stain (PAS) showed the highest sensitivity at 85%, which slightly increased when combined with culture techniques. Another study reviewed the use of low-dose spironolactone (50 to 100 mg/day) in 85 patients for treating acne, showing that one-third of the patients had complete clearing, one-third had greater than 50% improvement, and one-third had partial or no improvement, with menstrual irregularities and lethargy being the most common side effects. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 26 patients showed that metformin treatment for HIV lipodystrophy syndrome resulted in significant reductions in insulin, weight, and diastolic blood pressure, with mild-to-moderate diarrhea as the main side effect. Lastly, a study on dermoscopy for detecting atypia in nevi found that dermoscopic evaluation improved diagnostic correlation from 28% with clinical examination to 45% with dermoscopy, and reports on temporary tattoos indicated that they can cause contact dermatitis due to paraphenylenediamine (PPD), with some cases severe enough to require systemic steroids.
