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Background and Aim: Hirsutism is defined as the presence of terminal hairs in androgen dependent areas in women. It is a common clinical condition and affects 5% to 10% of women of reproductive age. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical features and etiologic factors of hirsutism in premenopausal women.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 200 premenopausal women with hirsutism who were admitted at our dermatologic clinic during a 2-year period were nivestigated. After a careful history and physical examination, a transabdominal ultrasonography of the ovaries and laboratory evaluation including early morning total testosterone, prolactin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and 17-hydroxyprogestron in all patients and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in 10 patients were performed.
Results: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was the most common cause of the hirsutism (54.5%) followed by idiopathic hirsutism (40%). Other causes of hirsutism were prolactinoma (2%), hypothyroidism (1%) and drugs intake (2.5%). Hirsutism was mild in 109 patients (54.5%), moderate in 85 patients (42.5%) and severe in 6 patients (3%). Family history of hirsutism was present in 105 (52.5%) patients. Clinical conditions associated with hirsutism were: acne (52.5%), menstrual irregularity (35%), androgenetic alopecia (15%), acanthosis negricans (7.5%) and obesity (37.5%).
Conclusion: PCOS and idiopathic hirsutism are the most common cause of the hirsutism in premenopausal women. A detailed history and physical exam often provide enough information to determine the etiology of hirsutism.

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Background and Aim: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common cause of hair loss after puberty and its association with comorbid diseases including metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases has become well known over the past two decades. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between androgenetic alopecia with carotid artery intima media thickness as a marker for early diagnosis of atherosclerosis in women.

Methods: Fifty-four women, 27 with AGA and 27 healthy controls were enrolled in this case-control study. Demographic and clinical information of the patients were recorded in the predesigned questionnaires. Carotid intima media thickness was measured using ultrasound and the obtained data were recorded as well. Mann-Whitney and t tests were used to make comparisons between the two groups.

Results: The mean age of case and control groups were 28.8 ± 6.6 and 28.1 ± 6.7 years, respectively. No statistically significant association between AGA and carotid intima media thickness was found, although the findings showed an increase in carotid intima media thickness in patients (P>0.05) No statisctically significant association between carotid intima media thickness and the onset of disease, grade or pattern of AGA was found (P>0.05).

Conclusion: The results of this study did not show any statistically significant relationship between AGA and carotid intima media thickness. However, increased carotid intima media thickness in patients with AGA was found. Better designed studies with larger sample size are recommneded to evaluate carotid intima media thickness as a predictor for cardiovascular disease.

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Background and Aim: Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic skin disease which is treated by many systemic or topical drugs. There is no cure for this disease and patients have to take medicaments for a long time, so having knowledge on adverse effects of current medicaments may prevent them and improve treatment process. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of side effects of non biologic systemic drugs in psoriasis.

Methods: In this observational study, we evaluated 200 hospital charts of patients with moderate to-severe psoriasis referred to dermatology clinics of Shohada and Loghman Hospitals in Tehran in 2016. SPSS statistical tools were used to determine the percentage of adverse events. Chi square was used to show the association of gender-related complications and student T-test to evaluate age-related complications.

Results: %56 of patients were male, %26.5 were 25-34 year-old, with mean age of 42±14.2 years and %83.5 of patients had no family history of psoriasis. 11% of patients were hypertensive. Methotrexate was the most commonly used drug and the most common reported adverse event for it was increasing liver function tests (%6.2 in oral and %21.2 in IM injections). The most common reported adverse event for cyclosporine was increased blood pressure which was seen in 17 patients (15.3%). The most common side effect of acitertin was scaling, observed in 11 (%9.6) of patients. There was no relationship between age and sex of patients and development of side effects.

Conclusion: This study showed systemic treatments for psoriasis can change laboratory biomarkers and cause skin eruptions.

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Background and Aim: Curcumin possesses diverse pharmacologic effects including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activities. The aim of this study was to develop liposomal formulation of curcumin and evaluate the leishmanial effects of its topical use against L. major in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: Nanoliposomes containing 1, 2 or 3% curumin were prepared by fusion method and characterized for their size, morphology and stability. The in vitro efficacy of liposomal form of Curcumin against promastigotes and amastigotes form of L. major was also evaluated. Moreover, the leishmanial effect of formulations was evaluated in infected BALB/c mice. The lesions were treated topically by different formulations twice a day, for 4 weeks. During this time and 4 weeks after treatment, lesions size was measured every week. The level of splenic parasite burdens was investigated in week 4 after parasite inoculation.

Results: Curcumin showed no leishmanicidal effect against live promasigotes and amastigotes in culture media. There was no significant difference between treated and control animals regarding lesion size and splenic parasite burden.

Conclusion: The results of this study showed that nanoliposomes containing curcumin in topical form has no significant leishmanicidal effect in vitro and in vivo against
L. major.