Forum for Nord Derm Ven 2008, Vol. 13, No. 2 37

Dermato-Venereology in the Nordic Countries

For over 100 years Oslo has had two academic dermatology de-

partments, at Rikshospitalet and at Ullevål University Hospital.

The one at Rikshospitalet was established as early as 1841 (1).

Among its professors is Cæsar Boeck, who described sarcoidosis

(2). The last three department heads have been Georg Rajka,

famous for the Hanifin & Rajka’s criteria of atopic dermatitis

(3), Ole Fyrand and Jørgen Rønnevig. While Rikshospitalet

originally served all Norway and, more recently, parts of east-

ern Norway, Ullevål University Hospital has mainly served the

population of Oslo. Roar Bjørnstad, who described Bjørnstad’s

syndrome (4), was its department head in the 1970s.

The number of beds at the two departments has been reduced

dramatically over the last few decades. This is in line with sci-

entific improvements, allowing for better and more effective

treatments to be provided on an out-patient basis. In 2006, the

number of beds was 15 and 13, respectively, with the numbers

of out-patient consultations, doctors and nurses being about

the same (Table I) (5).

The Norwegian hospital system was reorganized in 2002 with

the establishment of five regional health authorities, of which

Rikshospitalet belonged to Helse Sør and Ullevål University

Hospital to Helse Øst. In 2007, Helse Sør and Helse Øst were

merged into Helse Sør-Øst in order to improve the productivity

and quality of healthcare services at lower costs.

With two relatively small dermatology departments in one

city, it was decided in January 2005 to start a process to merge

the two departments into one. A task force recommended that

the dermatology department at Ullevål University Hospital

should be moved to Rikshospitalet, establishing a larger

department there, close to other elective medical and surgical

services and research facilities at that hospital. The merger

was implemented in late 2007. Jan-Øivind Holm, associate

professor at Ullevål, became the head of the new department.

In January 2008, the clinic for sexual transmitted diseases,

The Olafia Clinic, located in downtown Oslo, joined the new

organization.

The clinical services are split into four: out-patient and

in-patient services at the main building at Rikshospitalet;

ultraviolet (UV)-treatment, photodynamic treatment and

leg ulcer treatment at Villa Derma, a house located a few

minutes walk from the main building; and The Olafia Clinic

located downtown. The number of beds was reduced from

28 to 22, and this number has since been reduced to 17. It

remains to be seen if this is sufficient for a population of 2.6

million people with no other in-patient dermatological care

services. The staff will also be reduced, initially mainly the

nursing staff. However, an on-going “improvement project”

at the hospital will probably also lead to a reduction in the

number of doctors.

Currently the academic staff consists of five part-time profes-

sors or associate professors and two full-time clinical research

fellows. With an increasing number of medical students and

fewer patients available for clinical teaching, it remains to

Dermatological Merger in Oslo

Petter gjersvik

University of Oslo, Department of Dermatology, Rikshospitalet, N-0027 Oslo, NorwayE-mail: petjense@online.no

The dermatology departments of Rikshospitalet and Ullevål University Hospital in Oslo have joined forces. The new department at Rikshospitalet, with 17 beds, is the only dermatology hospital department for the 2.6 million inhabitants of south-east-ern Norway. The merger poses great challenges for Norwegian dermatology.

Table I. Staff and activity at the dermatology departments of Rikshospitalet

(RH) and Ullevål University Hospital (UUS) in 2006 (5).

RH UUS

Consultants* 7 7

Residents* 5 6

Nurses 25.5 27

Secretaries 9.3 8.5

Beds 15 13

In-patients 403 403

DRG in-patients 347 290

Consultations 11,703 10,278

Ultraviolet (UV)-treatments 6,148 16,950

*In 2007.

DRG: Diagnosis-related groups.

Forum for Nord Derm Ven 2008, Vol. 13, No. 238 Dermato-Venereology in the norDic countries

Petter Gjersvik – Dermatological Merger in Oslo

be seen how the merger will affect the teaching and research

activities. A reduction in clinical services will probably lead

to more selected referrals and patients, which could be an

advantage. Academic dermatology in Norway is in a very

challenging position, with minimal funding and limited in-

terest for scientific research. The merger of the two academic

departments in Oslo means that Norwegian dermatology is at

a critical point in its history. However, challenges and crises

can also provide new opportunities.

References

1. Fyrand O. The history of Norwegian dermato-venereology during the last two centuries. Int J Dermatol 1983; 22: 593–597.

2. Hem E. Boeck’s sarcoidosis – a centennial. Int J Dermatol 2000; 39: 545–549.

3. Brenninkmeijer EE, Schram ME, Leeflang M, et al. Diagnostic criteria for atopic dermatitis. Br J Dermatol 2008; 158: 754–765.

4. Hinson JT, Fantin VR, Schönberger J, et al. Missend mutations in the BCS1L gene as a cause of the Björnstad syndrome. N Engl J Med 2007; 356: 809–819.

5. Moslet AB. Jan-Øivind Holm: Fusjonert hudavdeling på Rikshos-pitalet. Legekunsten 2008 (no. 1): 40–41. (in Norwegian).

Are You Aware...

that you, as a member of a Nordic dermatology society, are entitled to get an online

subscription of Acta Dermato-Venereologica free of charge.

When a new issue of Acta Dermato-Venereologica is available online an alert is sent

to your e-mail. It is therefore necessary that the editorial office has your correct e-mail

address. If you never have received such an alert but been a member for some time,

please send an e-mail to anna-maria@medicaljournals.se. Mark the e-mail “Forum

subscriber ADV”.

If you would like your own paper copy of Acta Dermato-Venereologica you can

subscribe for only 600 SEK per year. On the website http://medicaljournals.se/

adv/subscribe/ you can subscribe online. Do not forget to fill in the discount code

“ForumNDVmember” to receive the correct discount.

If you prefer a paper copy of the subscription form please order one from the editorial

office (daniela@medicaljournals.se).

Editorial Office

ISSN 0001-5555

International Journal for Skin Research, Clinical Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases

IN THIS ISSUE

Review: Ichthyosis Therapy

Loss-of-function Variants of the Filaggrin Gene are Associated with Phenotypes in Sweden

Burn Injuries and Skin Cancer

Skin Infections in Children with Varicella: Negative Impact of NSAIDs?

Itch in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis: A Patients’ Perspective

Acne Itch: Do Acne Patients Suffer From Itching?

Acta D

ermato-Venereologica Volum

e 88, 2008. No. 1 pp. 1–96

Contents Acta Dermato-Venereologica Volume 88, 2008. No. 1

Acta Dermato-Venereologica

www.medicaljournals.se/adv

Volume 88

2008

No. 1

Structured Content 1

In This IssueFocus on Filaggrin Accumulates: New Swedish Data, K. Thestrup-Pedersen 3

Review ArticleCongenital Ichthyosis: An Overview of Current and Emerging Therapies

A. Vahlquist, A. Gånemo and M. Virtanen 4–14

Investigative ReportsLoss-of-function Variants of the Filaggrin Gene are Associated with Atopic Eczema and Associated Phenotypes

in Swedish FamiliesE. Ekelund, A. Liedén, J. Link, S. P. Lee, M. D’Amato, C. N. A. Palmer, I. Kockum and M. Bradley 15–19

Burn Injuries and Skin Cancer: A Population-based Cohort StudyB. Lindelöf, B. Krynitz, F. Granath and A. Ekbom 20–22

Bacteriological Study of Epidermal CystsS. Kuniyuki, Y. Yoshida, N. Maekawa and K. Yamanaka 23–25

Bacterial Skin Infections in Children Hospitalized with Varicella: A Possible Negative Impact of Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs?

F. Dubos, V. Hue, B. Grandbastien, B. Catteau, The Hospital Network for Evaluating the Management of Common Childhood Diseases and A. Martinot 26–30

Increased Prevalence of Onychomycosis among Psoriatic Patients in IsraelV. Leibovici, K. Hershko, A. Ingber, M. Westerman, N. Leviatan-Strauss and M. Hochberg 31–33

Clinical ReportsItch in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis: A Patients’ Perspective

E. Rishe, A. Azarm and N. V. Bergasa 34–37Acne Itch: Do Acne Patients Suffer From Itching?

A. Reich, K. Trybucka, A. Tracinska, D. Samotij, B. Jasiuk, M. Srama and J. C. Szepietowski 38–42Malignant Transformation of Multiple Familial Trichoepithelioma: Case Report and Literature Review

K. H. Lee, J. E. Kim, B. K. Cho, Y. C. Kim and C. J. Park 43–46Conradi-Hünermann-Happle Syndrome (X-linked Dominant Chondrodysplasia Punctata) Confirmed by Plasma

Sterol and Mutation AnalysisA. Kolb-Mäurer, K.-H. Grzeschik, D. Haas, E.-B. Bröcker and H. Hamm 47–51

Multiple Self-healing Squamous Epithelioma of Ferguson-Smith: Observations in a Danish Family Covering Four Generations

S. Broesby-Olsen, A. Bygum, A.-M. Gerdes and F. Brandrup 52–56

Letters to the EditorNail Involvement in Pemphigus Vulgaris, M. Carducci, R. Calcaterra, G. Franco, A. Mussi, C. Bonifati and A. Morrone 58–60Reproducibility of Severity Rating for Atopic Dermatitis, E. Mazzotti, M. Paradisi, A. Provini and S. Tabolli 60–61Cinacalcet as First-line Treatment for Calciphylaxis, V. Pallure, C. Comte, H. Leray-Mouragues and O. Dereure 62–63Single Base Mutation in the Fumarate Hydratase Gene Leading to Segmental Cutaneous Leiomyomatosis, E. Huter,

N. C. Wortham, W. Hartschuh, A. Enk and U. Jappe 63–65Painful Eye Caused by Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Eyelid: Tumour Enlargement Resulting in Trichiasis, N. Rajan,

D. Varma, F. Chapman and J. A. A. Langtry 66Three Different Epidermal Naevi With No Organ Involvement: Sebaceous Naevus, Naevus Comedonicus and Becker’s

Naevus, O. Köse, E. Çaliskan and Z. Kurumlu 67–69Eosinophilic Granulomatous Reaction after Intradermal Injection of Hyaluronic Acid, S. Okada, R. Okuyama, H. Tagami

and S. Aiba 69–70Malar Lichen Planus: A New Variant, N. Al-Mutairi and A. Joshi 71–72Dialysis-related Amyloidosis on the Buttocks, K. Takayama, T. Satoh, R. Maruyama and H. Yokozeki 72–73Combination of Low-dosage Cyclosporine and Topical Pimecrolimus in Severe Atopic Dermatitis with Chronic Hepatitis

B, E. Campione, E. J. Paternò, L. Diluvio, L. Bianchi, G. Giorgetti and S. Chimenti 74–75Pyoderma Gangrenosum-like Primary Cutaneous Cryptococcosis, K. C. Jasch, B. Hermes, U. Scheller and W. Harth 76–77Chronic Urticaria and Angioedema with Concomitant Eosinophilic Vasculitis due to Trichinella Infection, R. Renner,

A. Fleck, S. Schubert, R. C. Baerwald, J. Beer, R. Schober, K. Holl-Ulrich and M. Sticherling 78–79Acute Urticaria Associated with Amoeboid Forms of Blastocystis sp. Subtype 3, A. Katsarou-Katsari, C. M. Vassalos,

K. Tzanetou, G. Spanakos, C. Papadopoulou and N. Vakalis 80–81Reactive Eccrine Syringofibroadenomatosis Associated with Venous Stasis and Plaque Psoriasis, H. L. Tey and S. H. Tan 82–84Cetuximab-induced Acneiform Eruption and the Response to Isotretinoin, P. Vezzoli, A. V. Marzano, F. Onida, E. Alessi,

B. Galassi, M. Tomirotti and E. Berti 84–86Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Induced or Exacerbated by Proton Pump Inhibitors, C. Dam and A. Bygum 87–89Outcome of “Short-term” Dead Sea Climatotherapy for Psoriasis, A. D. Cohen, J. Shapiro, D. Michael, E. Hodak, D. Van-

Dijk, L. Naggan and D. A. Vardy 90–91Collision of Pigmented Benign Tumours: A Possible Simulator of Melanoma, M.C. González-Vela, J. F. Val-Bernal, M. A.

González-López, M. Novell and H. Fernández-Llaca 92–93

Instructions to Authors 94

Announcement 96

Omslag88-1.indd 1 2007-12-10 13:17:05