Subject(s)
Erythema/pathology , Mucinoses/pathology , Skin Diseases/pathology , Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use , Adult , Biopsy, Needle , Erythema/complications , Erythema/drug therapy , Female , Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Mucinoses/complications , Mucinoses/drug therapy , Severity of Illness Index , Skin Diseases/complications , Skin Diseases/drug therapy , SyndromeSubject(s)
Eyelid Diseases/pathology , Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid/pathology , Aged , Biopsy , Female , Fluorescent Antibody Technique , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Skin/pathologyABSTRACT
A case of juvenile acute cutaneous leishmaniasis is reported. Treatment with freezing with CO2 snow was beneficial in healing of cutaneous lesions and no relapses have occurred.
Subject(s)
Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/diagnosis , Acute Disease , Child , Cryosurgery , Humans , Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/pathology , Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous/surgery , Male , Scandinavian and Nordic CountriesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Abnormalities in proteinase metabolisms have been found in psoriasis and higher concentrations of neutral proteinases in psoriatic skin lesions than in unaffected skin of psoriatic patients have been observed. AIM: The aim of the study was to determine whether repeated whole body UV-(UVB and PUVA) irradiation is associated with changes in proteinase inhibitor alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-M) in patients with active plaque psoriasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study, the sera alpha 2-M levels were evaluated in cases of active plaque psoriasis before UV-, four weeks UVB (15 patients) and PUVA (11 patients) irradiation, and two weeks after completed treatment. RESULTS: Both UVB and PUVA treatment had no significant influence on alpha 2-M levels in psoriatic sera, it was, however, sufficient to treat most of the skin lesions. DISCUSSION: The beneficial effect of phototherapy in psoriasis seems not to be mediated through increased binding of proteinases by proteinases inhibitor alpha 2-M from serum.
Subject(s)
PUVA Therapy , Psoriasis/blood , Psoriasis/drug therapy , alpha-Macroglobulins/metabolism , Adult , Amino Acid Sequence , Humans , Middle Aged , Molecular Sequence Data , alpha-Macroglobulins/analysisABSTRACT
The distribution of lysozyme was investigated in psoriatic skin lesions, perilesional skin and in skin from healthy controls, using the immunoperoxidase techniques avidin-biotin complex and alkaline phosphatase-anti alkaline phosphatase. Lysozyme was identified in polymorphonuclear leukocytes present in the Munro microabscesses and also occasionally in other parts of the skin, as shown by very strong cytoplasmic staining. Stratum corneum, stratum granulosum and stratum spinosum were weakly stained. In some cases positive staining along the dermal collagen bundles was demonstrated and is most likely to be related to the number of inflammatory cells in the papillary dermis. Psoriatic skin lesions stained significantly stronger for lysozyme than did perilesional skin (p < 0.0001), whereas skin from healthy controls stained weakly positive or was lysozyme negative. Lysozyme may be of some importance in the psoriatic disease process. By comparison the alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase was found to be the most specific of the two techniques.
Subject(s)
Muramidase/analysis , Psoriasis/enzymology , Skin/enzymology , Adult , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Middle Aged , Psoriasis/pathologyABSTRACT
Significantly lower lysozyme concentrations were found in saliva of 15 psoriatic patients compared with controls, whereas in serum, lysozyme activity, was significantly higher than in controls. The concentrations of IgA in serum of psoriatic patients were significantly higher than in controls, whereas in patients' saliva IgA concentrations were not significantly different from the controls. The findings indicate that lysozyme and IgA may be of significance in the pathophysiology of psoriasis.
Subject(s)
Immunoglobulin A/analysis , Muramidase/analysis , Psoriasis/enzymology , Psoriasis/immunology , Saliva/immunology , Adult , Humans , Middle AgedABSTRACT
A case of systemic mastocytosis with skin characteristics of telangiectasia macularis eruptiva perstans is reported. Systemic involvement was confirmed as a combination of highly increased urinary excretion of methyl imidazole acetic acid (Melm AA) and increased amounts of mast cells in skin, liver and colon transversum. Treatment with cimetidine (H2 receptor antagonist) resulted in diarrhea, however, the addition of cyproheptadine (H1 receptor antagonist) was beneficial in amelioration of the cutaneous symptoms of mastocytosis. The excretion of Melm AA was unchanged during treatment. After 7 months of continuous cimetidine and cyproheptadine treatment no side effects were observed.
Subject(s)
Cimetidine/therapeutic use , Cyproheptadine/therapeutic use , Mastocytosis/drug therapy , Telangiectasis/drug therapy , Biopsy , Cimetidine/adverse effects , Colon/immunology , Colon/pathology , Diarrhea/chemically induced , Drug Therapy, Combination , Humans , Liver/immunology , Liver/pathology , Male , Mast Cells , Mastocytosis/immunology , Mastocytosis/pathology , Middle Aged , Skin/immunology , Skin/pathology , Telangiectasis/immunology , Telangiectasis/pathologyABSTRACT
A 10-year-old boy with T. violaceum tinea capitis was given systemic ketoconazole therapy. After 4 weeks' treatment, liver enzymes had increased considerably. Ketoconazole treatment was stopped and 3 weeks later the values had returned to normal. Three weeks thereafter the patient was completely cured and no relapses have occurred.
Subject(s)
Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury , Ketoconazole/adverse effects , Tinea Capitis/drug therapy , Child , Clotrimazole/administration & dosage , Clotrimazole/therapeutic use , Humans , Liver Diseases/enzymology , Male , Scandinavian and Nordic Countries , Tinea Capitis/microbiology , TrichophytonABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to determine the levels of lysozyme in serum and saliva in 10 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). A significantly decreased lysozyme levels in saliva compared to controls (p less than 0.01) were showed, whereas no differences were found in lysozyme activity in serum of patients and controls. The reduced levels in saliva can hardly be explained. The decreased levels of lysozyme in external fluids may be one explanation for the well-known predisposition for AD patients to an increased susceptibility to many cutaneous infections.
Subject(s)
Dermatitis, Atopic/enzymology , Muramidase/metabolism , Saliva/enzymology , Adolescent , Adult , Dermatitis, Atopic/blood , Humans , Muramidase/blood , Muramidase/deficiencyABSTRACT
Ten patients with atopic dermatitis had significantly depressed lysozyme levels in saliva, compared with controls, whereas no differences were found in lysozyme activity in serum of patients and controls. The concentrations of IgA in saliva of patients with atopic dermatitis were also significantly lower than in controls, whereas IgA in patients' serum was within normal levels.
Subject(s)
Dermatitis, Atopic/enzymology , Immunoglobulin A/analysis , Muramidase/analysis , Adolescent , Adult , Dermatitis, Atopic/blood , Dermatitis, Atopic/immunology , Humans , Immunoglobulin A/physiology , Muramidase/physiology , Saliva/enzymology , Saliva/immunologyABSTRACT
In 20 patients with crural varicose ulcers with mean duration of 11 years the zinc level was determined in plasma and erythrocytes. The measurements were done using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Low plasma zinc level was found in 15% of cases, and in erythrocytes in 10% of cases. The difference from the control group was not significant statistically. The study showed that before administration of zinc-containing preparations to patients with crural varicose ulcers determination of zinc level in plasma is advisable for establishing the usefulness of this treatment.
Subject(s)
Varicose Ulcer/etiology , Zinc/deficiency , Aged , Erythrocytes/metabolism , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Varicose Ulcer/blood , Varicose Ulcer/drug therapy , Wound Healing/drug effects , Wound Healing/physiology , Zinc/administration & dosage , Zinc/bloodABSTRACT
External application of ovalbumin Lysozyme in normal saline in enzyme concentration 1 mg/ml shortened evidently the time of healing of standard skin wounds in guinea pigs (p less than 0.00001) as compared to control groups. The inflammatory reaction around the wound was reduced also. No manifestations of allergy to ovalbumin lysozyme were noted. This favourable effect of lysozyme on wound healing seems to be related to the cationic influence of lysozyme on cell membranes of keratinocytes and on change of wound pH.
Subject(s)
Muramidase/therapeutic use , Ovalbumin/therapeutic use , Skin/drug effects , Wound Healing/drug effects , Wounds and Injuries/drug therapy , Administration, Cutaneous , Animals , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , Female , Guinea Pigs , Male , Muramidase/administration & dosage , Ovalbumin/administration & dosage , Poland , Skin/injuriesABSTRACT
Twenty patients with chronic crural ulcerations refractory to previous treatment were subjected to local treatment with a solution of ovalbumin lysozyme in normal saline (1 mg/ml). Before this treatment cultures were made from the bottom of the ulcerations determining the type of the infecting micro-organism and its sensitivity to various concentrations of lysozyme. Good (5/20) and very good (15/20) results were obtained. No local or systemic unfavourable effect of lysozyme was noted. The ulcerations were cleared quickly of pus, granulation tissue developed, the inflammatory reaction around the ulcers decreased and pains were no longer felt. The cultured bacteria were insensitive in vitro to lysozyme concentrations applied in vivo. During the treatment with lysozyme the bacterial flora remained unchanged. The beneficial effect of lysozyme on wound healing may be due to its cationic influence on the cell membranes in the epithelium and to pH change in the ulcerations.
