Content - Volume 76, Issue 1

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Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-3 is important in regulating leukocyte function and T-lymphocyte-antigen presenting cell interactions. Soluble, circulating forms of ICAM-3 and ICAM-1 (cICAM-3, cICAM-1) exist in serum, and levels are elevated in a variety of autoimmune diseases. Two types of soluble circulating tumour necrosis factor receptor (cTNF-R1, cTNF-R2) are found in the sera of healt ...

The aromatic retinoids etretinate and acitretin are widely used in the systemic treatment of severe psoriasis. The purpose of the present investigation was to further elucidate the mode of action of acitretin on abnormal keratinization and epidermal hyperproliferation in an in vivo model. Studies on the interference of acitretin with epidermal hyperproliferation and abnormal keratinization in psor ...

The chemoattraction of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) from psoriatic patients, atopic patients and healthy control persons by Pityrosporum orbicularelovale was investigated using the Boyden chamber method. The chemotactical attraction of PMNs from psoriatic patients by Pityrosporum (stimulation index SI = 58 +/- 50) was significantly increased (p < 0.05) compared to PMNs from atopic patients ...

Recently, the possibility of direct involvement of the membrane attack complex of complement in the endothelial damage of immune complex vasculitis has been pointed out. However, no studies have so far elucidated this mechanism. The present study investigated the effects of complement on the membrane integrity of endothelial cells, using the fluorescein diacetate and ethidium bromide staining meth ...

The early immune response in alopecia areata is characterized by a Th1 T helper cell cytokine pattern and an aberrant expression of ICAM-1 and HLA-DR molecules on lesional hair bulbs. A counteracting cytokine pattern induced by a therapeutic contact dermatitis is supposed to mediate the hair regrowth. In addition to cytokines, growth factors have been shown to influence immune responses, and we th ...

The serum IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha and soluble IL-2 receptor levels were measured, and the presence of anti-Fc gamma receptor (Fc gamma R) antibodies was investigated in the sera of 18 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). An increase of TNF-alpha was detected in 8 of the 18 cases. II-1 beta was elevated in all the 18 patients. Both IL-2 and IL-4 were elevated in 7 cases. The ...

Does the integrin profile of basal cell carcinomas explain their non-metastasizing behaviour? Immunohistochemical Investigation of nodular (n = 31) and superficial (n = 17) tumours yielded a strong expression of alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 6, beta 1, and beta 3 subunits and a weak expression of alpha 4 subunits by the epithelial tumour component. alpha 5 subunits were focally detected in superficial b ...

The cell-mediated immunity of patients who had basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) removed was studied by measuring cuntaneous delayed hypersensitivity reactions to recall antigens (Multitest CMI, Pasteur-Merieux), and by measuring lymphocyte counts and subsets. One group of patients had multiple BCCs (3 or more) removed and were considered to have a high risk of new BCC formation. The other group consis ...

Eight hundred and eight sunbathing Danes were interviewed in order to register the duration of sun exposure and sunscreen use. The mean sun exposure time, 203 min, was found to be independent of sex, age and use of sunscreen. Overall, sunscreens were used by 65%, 73% of the females and 52% of the males. The median sun protection factor used by subjects older than 10 years was 5; in the case of chi ...

Flow cytometric analysis of T-cell surface markers in peripheral blood has revealed abnormal patterns in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL). Here we investigated CD7, CD25, CD45RO and CD45RA expression on CD4+ T-lymphocytes in patients with CTCL stage I/II and III/IV and in patients with severe inflammatory skin diseases (ISD), as well as in healthy controls. Only late stage CTCL (III ...

A case of juvenile xanthogranuloma of the skin was sequentially biopsied for 10 months. In the electron microscopic examination of the regressing lesions, we observed that cells with highly indented nuclei, Sézary-like cells, were in close apposition to vacuolated degenerating histiocytes in many foci. In immunohistochemical stain, the number of UCHL-1+ cells were increased in regressing lesions ...

A 78-year-old man is described, who over 18 years developed three different types of keratoacanthoma: multiple keratoacanthomas, keratoacanthoma centrifugum marginatum and giant keratoacanthoma. Histological examination of the different neoplasms showed similar changes, all typical of a keratoacanthoma. In situ hybridisation revealed no human papilloma virus in the tumours. Complete examination sh ...

Twenty-three patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria and 3 patients with urticaria pigmentosa received a 2-week treatment with daily application of potent topical steroid using plastic occlusion. Seventy per cent of the chronic urticaria patients had a statistically significant, immediate response, which, however, did not last until the final evaluation after 1.5 years. Relapse occurred after o ...

A case of circumscribed pruritus existing since 1 year on clinically uninvolved skin is reported, in which careful history revealed a 5-year previous episode of herpes zoster in the same dermatome. Impairment of cutaneous sensitivity was evaluated by use of a quantitative psychophysical examination and laser-evoked cortical potentials (LEP).

The ability to perceive two pruritic stimuli as separate depending on the distance between them (two-point discrimination of itch) was determined in a single-blind study of 20 patients with atopic dermatitis and 20 healthy subjects. Itch was induced with pairs of histamine injections (0.1 micrograms each) given on the upper arm, either along its axis (longitudinally within a dermatome) or at right ...

Both decreased and increased sympathetic nerve activity has been suggested as a possible underlying mechanism in inflammatory skin lesions. Modulation of sympathetic function has been proposed in the treatment of dermatitis. This case report describes the investigation strategy and normal findings in a case of dermatitis strictly confined to the median nerve territory, illustrating the need for sp ...

Contact allergy to gold sodium thiosulfate and gold sodium thiomalate was established by skin testing in a rheumatic patient intended for gold therapy. An intramuscular test dose of gold sodium thiomalate (Myocrisin) induced a flare-up of previously positive epicutaneous and intradermal test reactions, with a histological and immunohistochemical picture compatible with an allergic contact dermatit ...

We report 4 new families with Kaposi's sarcoma, occurring in 2 members of the same family (2 pairs of brothers, uncle and nephew and father and son) in a series of 160 patients with Kaposi's sarcoma. In addition, HLA typing was also carried out for 6 of the 8 patients. A detailed review of the literature is also presented. The total number of familial cases of Kaposi's sarcoma is low (only 30 case ...

The unusual case of an 8-year-old girl with a hair disorder is presented, characterized by brittle, short and sparse hair. On polarizing microscopy the latter reveals a "tiger tail" pattern, whereas severe cuticular defects are detected on scanning electron microscopy. The patient's hair has a normal cystine content but is completely devoid of methionine and reveals distinct changes of its visoela ...

In this case report a patient with therapeutically recalcitrant erythrodermic psoriasis is presented. After various attempts with several major therapies in this patient, the first substantial improvement was achieved using the combination of cyclosporine and calcipotriol, followed by the combination of UVB and calcipotriol. The therapeutic options for severe psoriasis are discussed, and since com ...

A multi-center study for investigating generalized pustular psoriasis was carried out in Japan in order to clarify the prevalence, the etiology, and the standard therapy. Through questionnaires, 541 cases of patients with generalized pustular psoriasis and related disorders were collected, and the history, the precipitating factors, the symptoms and the laboratory findings were analyzed from medic ...

Eight out of 30 consecutive patients with AIDS and cryptococcal meningoencephalitis (26,7%) presented cutaneous involvement, in the form of papulo-nodular lesions in 3 patients, molluscum contagiosum-like lesions in 3 patients, and pustular-ulcerative lesions in 2 patients. Skin localization represented an untoward prognostic sign, and in 3 out of 8 patients the lesions were diagnosed 2 to 6 weeks ...

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