[Immunohistologic determination of extracellular matrix components in granuloma annulare]. / Imunohistologické stanovenie zloziek extracelulárnej matrix u granuloma anulare.

BACKGROUND: The histological diagnosis of granuloma annulare is based on assessment of a palisade-like granuloma and necrobiosis. The authors attempt to make a more accurate diagnosis of the disease based on immunohistological assessment of components of the extracellular matrix. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a group of 15 patients with granuloma annulare the authors assessed, using the immunoperoxidase method, collagens type I, III and V and fibronectin. An increased amount of collagens type III and V was found within the palisade-like granuloma and its neighbourhood resp. In the area of the necrobiosis the findings of the mentioned collagens depended on the degree of necrobiotic changes (12 of 15 patients). An increased occurrence of collagen type I was only indicated in the vicinity of granulomas or within the palisade-like granuloma in 7 of 15 patients. Larger amounts of fibronectin were found in the area of the necrobiosis and in the area of the granulomatous palisade-like infiltrate resp. (12 of 15 patients). CONCLUSIONS: In the author's opinion the higher incidence of collagens types III and V in the neighbourhood of the palisade-like granulomatous infiltrate and its size resp, as well as the finding of fibronectin in the area of necrobiosis and the granulomatous infiltrate justify the use of immunohistological assessment of the above constituents of the extracellular matrix as a supplementary examination in the diagnosis of the above disease.

[Mutagenic effects of coal tar used in the treatment of psoriasis]. / Mutagénne úcinky kamennouhol'ného dechtu pouzívaného pri liecbe psoriázy.

BACKGROUND: Pharmaceutic tar used in the treatment of psoriasis has a high contents of polycyclic aromatic carbohydrates which are considered to be carcinogenic. AIM: The study is aimed at the estimation of the genotoxic risk arising from the treatment of psoriatic patients by pharmaceutic tar. The estimation is performed by biomonitoring. METHODS: The used methods included: bacterial test on TA 98 strain of Salmonella typhimurium aimed at the assessment of mutagenity of urine and cytogenetic test aimed at the assessment of chromosomal aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes. RESULTS: The exposition of psoriatic patients to pharmaceutic tar significantly increased the index of mutagenity as an index of the presence of mutagen in urine, as well as the occurrence of chromosomal aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of monitoring have indicated that psoriatic patients treated by pharmaceutic tar are endangered by an increased genotoxic risk. (Tab. 2, Ref. 17.)

[Fibronectin, interstitial collagens and type IV collagen in dermatitis herpetiformis]. / Nálezy fibronektínu, intersticiálnych kolagénov a kolagénu typu IV u dermatitis herpetiformis.

BACKGROUND: In the pathogenesis of dermatitis herpetiformis the participation of some proteins of the extracellular matrix has not been elucidated so far. They are found more amply in the papillary derma where they are manifested most markedly as the mentioned type of dermatosis. The objective of the present work was to assess the participation of components of the extracellular matrix in the pathogenesis of diseases and the possibility of their detection to make a more accurate diagnosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a group of 11 patients (mean age 39 +/- 17 years) with dermatitis herpetiformis the diagnosis was established on the basis of the clinical and histological finding. Fibronectin and collagens type I, III, IV, V were assessed in the skin using rabbit antisera (INPHARM Co. Moscow). An elevated level of collagen type III and V was found in the affected papillae and on the floor of the blisters in the papillary derma, collagen type IV on the vault of the blister and fibronectin deposits in the affected papillae which had a netlike structure. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the above findings assessment of fibronectin, collagens type III, IV and V in the affected skin can be considered an important supplementary examination in the histological diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis.

[Mutagenic activity of urine of patients with psoriasis treated with pharmaceutical black coal tar]. / Mutagénna aktivita mocu psoriatických pacientov liecených farmaceutickým kamennouhol'ným dechtom.

BACKGROUND: Examination of patients exposed for prolonged periods to black coal tar used in dermatology for the treatment of psoriasis revealed its carcinogenic effect. The objective of the present work was to assess the mutagenicity of urine samples from psoriatic patients treated with pharmaceutical black coal tar before treatment, and 14 and 28 days after application of the preparation. METHODS AND RESULTS: To a group of 19 patients with psoriasis vulgaris (12 men, mean age 43.3 +/- 3.96 years and 7 women, mean age 44.7 +/- 4.02 years) daily black coal tar in the form of Sack's tincture for a period of 28 days was applied to 10 - 80% of the body surface, i.e. 1000 - 13,000 cm2 of skin, amounting to 10 - 40 g. The mutagenic activity of urinary extracts was assessed by means of the Ames test on bacterial strain TA 98. It was revealed that urine samples from all patients exposed during the therapeutic procedure has a greater mutagenic activity, as compared with controls, whereby the mutagenicity index was higher in smokers (2.1) than in non-smoker patients (1.88) in the presence of the metabolic activating system. The elevated values of the mutagenicity index were recorder after the 14th day (2.25) and after the 28th day of treatment (2.07), as compared with controls (0.93); p < 0.05. Before the onset of treatment the mutagenicity index was 1.64. CONCLUSIONS: The assembled results confirm the view of an increased genotoxic risk in psoriatic patients treated with preparations containing black coal tar.

Heat conductivity and skin temperature at the treatment of ischemic heart disease with curantyl and isoptin.

Forty one patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) of the age 60 +/- 12.3 years were hospitalized and treated two weeks with Curantyl (Dipyridamol) which was applied per os in a dose of 75 mg 3 times, and after another two weeks 34 of them wass applied Isoptin (Verapamil) in a dose of 40 mg 3 times daily. The heat conductivity (J.m-1, sec-1.degree C.10(-2), HC) and skin temperature (degree C, ST) were examined at the isothermic level 2 cm above the inner ankle by the apparatus Fluvograph 2 of Hartmann and Braun A. G. (BRD). The HC after Isoptin application above the left and right ankle was in 34 patients increased significantly (p less than 0.001). In patients with IHD after Curantyl application the HC and ST was significantly decreased above the left and right ankle in 9 (21.9%) and in 12 (30.0%), respectively. Curantyl could deteriorate HC and so to worsen legs ulceration healing and to point ap ischemia in patients with associated chronic postphlebitic syndrome with ulcera crurium.