International journal of dermatology
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Gabapentin was first approved by the FDA in 1993 as an add-on treatment for partial epileptic seizures. In May of 2002, it was approved as treatment for post-herpetic neuralgia by the Food and Drug Administration. It appears to be a promising agent in the treatment of pain, alterations of sensation and pruritus associated with dermatological disease, but no review of these uses exists. ⋯ Gabapentin is a very promising medication in the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia and pain. Because dermatological patients suffer pain from painful tumors, after surgery, in conjunction with neuropathic ulcers, during dressing changes involving serious medical conditions, its applications seem manifold. Future studies must assess its role in the treatment of pruritus and other dermatological conditions involving pain or alteration of sensation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Rapid initiation of repigmentation in vitiligo with Dead Sea climatotherapy in combination with pseudocatalase (PC-KUS).
Low catalase levels and cellular vacuolation in the epidermis of patients with vitiligo support major oxidative stress in this compartment. There is now in vivo evidence for increased epidermal hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) accumulation in this patient group by utilizing noninvasive Fourier Transform Raman spectroscopy (FT Raman). Epidermal H(2)O(2) can be removed with a topical application of narrow band UVB activated pseudocatalase cream (PC-KUS). (Mn/EDTA-bicarbonate complex, patent No. EPO 58471 1 A), yielding initiation of repigmentation. Dead Sea climatotherapy is another successful treatment modality for vitiligo, but the mode of action has escaped definition so far. ⋯ The results of this study show a significantly faster initiation of repigmentation in vitiligo after a combination of short-term climatotherapy (21 days) at the Dead Sea in combination with a pseudocatalase cream (PC-KUS) compared to either conventional climatotherapy at the Dead Sea alone or with placebo cream in combination with climatotherapy. This combined therapy is significantly faster in repigmentation than narrowband UVB activated pseudocatalase cream (PC-KUS) treatment alone. The results of this study support the necessity of epidermal H2O2 removal as well as the influence of solar UV-light in the successful treatment of vitiligo.
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Although pruritus is the predominant and commonest feature of atopic dermatitis, its clinical characteristics have not been explored. ⋯ The study provided a detailed description of pruritus in atopic dermatitis with new data on affective and sensory dimensions and associated symptoms. The questionnaire was found to be a useful tool in characterization of itch.