title: Epidermal hydration and skin surface lipids in patients with long-term complications of sulfur mustard poisoning.
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.
  
  
  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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to SM could decrease the function of stratum corneum and lipid production as a barrier, even after several years of its exposure.
authors.affiliation: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Pouran
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Layegh
authors.affiliation: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maleki
authors.affiliation: Medical Toxicology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Reza
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Mousavi
authors.affiliation: Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Hadis
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yousefzadeh
authors.affiliation: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Akram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Momenzadeh
authors.affiliation: Nanotechnology Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Golmohammadzadeh
authors.affiliation: Medical Toxicology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balali-Mood
keywords: Epidermal hydration; skin lipid; sulfur mustard; xerosis