[The satisfied patient in aesthetic dermatology. Consensus work on patient satisfaction in botulinum toxin A treatment]

Patient satisfaction is an important factor for successful therapy. Many consensus reports have been published regarding correct treatment with botulinum toxin A (BTX-A). However, the focus of most of these publications has been on technical aspects and the important topic of patient satisfaction was often only one aspect among others. The Swiss Group of Esthetic Dermatology and Skincare (SGEDS) pursued these questions in a two-day consensus meeting. Patients of aesthetic dermatology are healthy and therefore place higher demands in contrast to ill patients of medical dermatology. This demands a great deal of the physician, the practice staff and the conditions in the practice to accommodate the special requirements of aesthetic clients. Informative consultation and patient education are of major importance; this also holds true for clinical performance and care before, during and after treatment with BTX-A. This publication aims at finding ways to gain greater patient satisfaction in daily practice.

Botulinum toxin A in the therapy of mimic facial lines

In aesthetic medicine, many different methods of skin rejuvenation are available. At the end of the 1980s, the neurotoxin Botulinum toxin A (BT-A) led to a revolution in aesthetic-corrective dermatology for the treatment of mimic facial wrinkles. The toxin is produced by Clostridium botulinum and causes a reversible, selective muscle relaxation that leads to a temporary flattening of the mechanical part of wrinkling without the stigmata of invasive surgery. After two decades of experience in different medical disciplines, there has been remarkable clinical development and progress in research, the identification of new botulinum toxin serotypes, and also innovation in indications and combined modalities. These lead to new and interesting questions. BT-A offers the experienced, critical dermatologist a time-saving, effective, cosmetically satisfactory, non-invasive treatment for mimic facial wrinkles and neck and decollete lines, with only minor side effects. Dermatologists should have a profound anatomical knowledge and should be able to perform all injection techniques to meet the needs of ever more demanding patients and to ensure optimization of patient satisfaction. The following review summarizes the historical development and the mechanism of action of both frequently and rarely used injection techniques with BT-A for the treatment of wrinkles and lines of the upper face, neck and décolleté, and gives an update of different experiences encountered.

Defects of mitochondrial respiratory chain in multiple symmetric lipomatosis

Using lymphocytes from nine unrelated patients with multiple symmetric lipomatosis we investigated a possible defect in the mitochondrial respiratory chain as the biochemical cause for the disease. A significant decrease in oxygen consumption of intact lymphocytes as well as a decreased activity of the individual components of the respiratory chain were detected. These findings are consistent with the recently described deletions and point mutations of mitochondrial DNA in patients suffering from this disease.

Relapsing eosinophilic perimyositis

Relapsing eosinophilic perimyositis is a rare entity. Only 11 cases have been reported in the literature. We describe a patient with relapsing myopathy, peripheral blood eosinophilia and cutaneous manifestations, who had histopathological features of eosinophilic perimysial inflammation. His disease responded to moderate doses of glucocorticosteroids, and pursued an apparently benign course. Serum levels of eosinophilic cationic protein correlate with disease activity, and may be helpful in monitoring treatment. The features of this case are compared with those of other hypereosinophilic syndromes. It appears to be part of the spectrum of eosinophilic myositis.