We undertook a retrospective case note review of our monthly multi-specialty penile dermatoses clinic (which includes clinicians from Genitourinary medicine, Dermatology and Urology), to examine conditions presenting to the service, and compare clinical management and outcomes with other similar services in the UK. Over the 3-year study period, 226 patients were reviewed over 240 individual episodes. Lichenoid conditions were the most common category of genital pathologies seen (n = 60, 24%), but non-specific balanitis was the most common individual diagnosis (n = 55, 22%). Other common conditions seen included eczema and psoriasis (n = 28, 11%), Zoon/plasma cell balanitis (n = 26, 10%), malignancy/pre-malignant change (n = 25, 10%) and infective conditions (n = 24, 9%). The clinic had a biopsy rate of 10%; the most common indication was for confirmation of a clinical suspicion of malignancy/pre-malignancy. There was a high clinical-to-histological correlation in the biopsies of 79%. The most common treatment prescribed was topical corticosteroids and the clinic had a high discharge rate of 93%, the majority of patients discharged back to General Practice.
There was a trend towards significance when comparing the risks of carriage/contact with HIV between different sequence type clusters. Further research is therefore warranted to determine if NG-MAST data can be used to help identify high-risk sexual networks.
Partner notification (PN) is a vital tool used by genitourinary (GU) medicine services in the public health control of sexually transmitted infections. We audited our PN outcomes for syphilis and HIV, over an 18-month period, at the Edinburgh GUM clinic. Follow-up information on testing was only available for 58% of traceable syphilis contacts and 59% of traceable HIV contacts, though substantially larger percentages in each case, respectively 78% and 90%, were informed regarding their risk of exposure. Furthermore, the department achieved screening verification in 78% of identifiable syphilis contacts and 94% of identifiable HIV partners.
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