No abstract

Arsenic is a metalloid, a known poison as well as carcinogen that occurs naturally in earth,s crust. It is found in most of the environmental media such as air, soil and water. It enters the body through ingestion, inhalation and per cutaneous route. Health hazards of arsenic toxicity can occur as acute and chronic forms. Recently arsenicosis has emerged as a public health problem in many countries of South East Asian region. DOI: 10.3126/jcmsn.v6i3.4079Journal of College of Medical Sciences-Nepal, 2010, Vol. 6, No. 3 pp.58-63

Introduction: Chronic renal failure is a pathophysiologic process with multiple etiologies, resulting in the inexorable attrition of nephron number and function, and frequently leading to end stage renal disease. There are various cutaneous changes in chronic renal failure. Objectives: To observe the cutaneous manifestations in chronic renal falure and find out any difference in occurrence of cutaneous manifestation with modality of treatment of CRF.  Methods: The study was conducted in 50 (fifty) adult patients with chronic renal failure and another 50 (fifty) patients with similar age admitted with other renal diseases but not suffering from chronic  renal failure as control to facilitate comparison were considered in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology and the Department of Medicine, Shree Birendra Hospital, Chhauni from September 2008 to June 2010. Results: A significant occurrence of pruritus, xerosis and pallor in CRF patients: the highest being pruritus followed by xerosis and pallor. Occurrence of pruritus was found to be more in HD patients (68%) than in IPD patients (38%). No correlation was found between ages, sex, and duration of dialysis with complaint of pruritus. Skin xerosis is considered an important factor contributing or initiating pruritus. Conclusion: Pruritus is the commonest cutaneous manifestation of chronic renal failure. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/mjsbh.v9i2.5020 Medical Journal of Shree Birendra Hospital Vol.9(2) 2010: 13-16