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Four challenging cases
were presented at a
Thieves Market of in-
patient dermatology
problems. M. Joy Rico
and William Carey of
the Department of
Dermatology at NYU
presented an unusual
case that could best
be classified as Systemic
Plasmacytosis with
Cutaneous Involvement.
Sarah A. Meyers of
the Division of
Dermatology at Duke
presented an unknown case
of Granulomatous
Dermatitis in an AIDS
Patient and received
several useful
suggestions concerning
diagnosis and treatment.
Warren R.
Heymann of the Cooper
Medical Clinic in
Marleton, NJ, presented
an instructive case of
Kwashiorkor/Zinc
Deficiency Following
Partial Gastrectomy. This
part of the program was
concluded by
Dr. Jan Dutz of the
Department of Dermatology
at the Univ. of
British Columbia who in
collaboration with R.D.
Sontheimer of the
UT Southwestern Medical
Center presented a case
of Hepatitis C-
Induced Cutaneous
Polyarteritis Nodosa
Successfully Managed with
Alpha-Interferon and
reviewed the evolving
link between hepatitis
C virus infection,
cryoglobulinemia, and
syndromes of cutaneous
vasculitis.
The remainder of the
scientific program was
devoted to a
discussion of ongoing and
planned studies by the MDS
Cooperative Systematic
Studies Group. Victoria
P. Werth of the Department
of Dermatology at the
University of Pennsylvania
presented a status
report of a multicenter
clinical trial of
Dapsone as a
corticosteroid-sparing
agent in pemphigus that
has reached the
point of beginning to
enroll patients. This
study represents a
very important pilot
and feasibility effort
by the MDS
Cooperative Systematic
Studies Group and Dr.
Werth is to be
congratulated for her
herculean efforts over
the past year in
bringing this study to
fruition. The MDS also
wishes to thank
Jacobus Pharmaceutical
Co., Inc. for its
support of this study
(provision of drug,
statistical support,
and assistance in
obtaining FDA approval).
Those interested in
discussing this
study with Dr. Werth can
reach her at the
following numbers:
phone - (215)
662-2399, Fax - (215)
823-5168, Email -
werth@mail.med.upenn.edu.
Following Dr. Werth's
presentation, Elizabeth
Dugan of the George
Washington Hospital
Center in Washington, DC
presented the current
status of an ongoing
collaborative effort
between herself and
Lisa Rider and Fred
Miller at the Food and
Drug Administration
Molecular Immunology
Laboratory to develop
and validate a cutaneous
assessment tool
for the systematic study
of skin lesions of
dermatomyositis.
Immediately following,
R.D. Sontheimer presented
a working draft
of a proposal for an
internet-accessible MDS
Adult Amyopathic
Dermatomyositis
(Dermatomyositis Sine´
Myositis) Registry that
might integrate into its
design the cutaneous
assessment tool for
the skin lesions of
dermatomyositis.
The scientific program was
followed immediately by
a business meeting that
was opened with reports
by the Bylaws Committee
(Lela Lee, [chair], Joy
Rico, Russ Hall) and
the Nominations
Committee (Warren Piette
[chair], Maria
Chanco-Turner, Irwin
Braverman ). The first
draft of a set of Bylaws
was discussed
and following revisions,
these Bylaws will be
formally presented
to the MDS membership by
mail for final approval.
A slate of
candidates for new
officers of the MDS was
presented by the
Nominations Committee and
elected by acclamation.
The officers for
1997-1998 are President
- Victoria Werth (one year
term), Vice-President -
Lela Lee (one year
term), and Secretary-
Treasurer - Art Huntley
(two year term). Rick
Sontheimer next
discussed the MDS email
discussion list, MEDDERM.
The list has
been building momentum
slowly and now includes 39
participants.
Dermatologists and
dermatology trainees
wishing to participate in
MEDDERM should
contact Rick
Sontheimer by email
at
sontheim@utsw.swmed.edu.
A number of other issues
were discussed
at the business meeting
including the 1)
possibility of some type
of mutually-beneficial
interaction between the
MDS and Society of
Investigative
Dermatology, 2)
suggestions for MDS
input into
scientific program design
for the 1998 American
Academy of Dermatology
National Meeting, 3)
possibility of publishing
future MDS meeting
proceedings in
Dermatology Online
Journal, 4)
establishment of a
Medical Dermatology
Society Distinguished
Career Award, 5) and
discussion of the costs
and benefits of
maintaining continuing
medical education
approval for the MDS
annual meeting (such
approval will not be
pursued for future
meetings because costs
would require an MDS dues
increase).
Distinguished
international audience
participants at this
year's meeting included
Professor Jean Revuz
from the Department of
Dermatology at Hopital
Henri Mondor, Creteil,
France and
Professor Takeji
Nishikawa from the
Department of Dermatology
at Keio University in
Tokyo, Japan.
The next annual meeting of
the MDS will be held on
February 26,
1998 in Orlando,
Florida. The
scientific
program for that
meeting will be organized
by the current
President, Victoria
Werth. Those interested
in registering for that
meeting should contact:
Art Huntley, M.D.,
Secretary-Treasurer,
Medical Dermatology
Society, Department of
Dermatology, University of
California at Davis,
1605 Alhambra Blvd.,
Sacramento, California
95816, phone - (916)
734-6795, Fax - (916)
734-6793, Email -
achuntley@ucdavis.edu.
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The third annual
meeting