Citation

Layegh P, Maleki M, Mousavi SR, Yousefzadeh H, Momenzadeh A, Golmohammadzadeh S, Balali-Mood M. J. Res. Med. Sci. 2015; 20(7): 640-645.

Affiliation

Medical Toxicology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences)

DOI

10.4103/1735-1995.166200

PMID

26622252

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Despite almost the three decades passed since the chemical attacks of Iraqi's army against the Iranian troops, some veterans are still suffering from long-term complications of sulfur mustard (SM) poisoning, including certain skin complaints specially dryness, burning, and pruritus. We thus aimed to evaluate the skin's water and lipid content in patients with a disability of >25% due to complications of SM poisoning and compare them with a matched control group.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-nine male participants were included in this study; 43 SM-exposed patients, and 26 normal controls from their close relatives. The water and lipid content was measured in four different locations: Extensor and flexor sides of forearms and lateral and medial sides of legs by the Corneometer CM 820/Sebumeter SM 810. Collected data was analyzed and P ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

RESULTS: The mean age of the patients and controls was 49.53 ± 11.34 (ranges: 40-71) and 29.08 ± 8.836 (ranges: 15-49 years), respectively. In the veterans group, the main cutaneous complaint was itching and skin dryness. Cherry angioma, dry skin, and pruritus were significantly more common in the SM-exposed cases than in the controls. (P = 0.01, 0.05, and 0.04, respectively). The moisture and lipid content of all areas were lower in the SM-exposed group, but it was only significant in skin sebum of lateral sides of legs (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION: Exposure to SM could decrease the function of stratum corneum and lipid production as a barrier, even after several years of its exposure.

Language: en