Content - Volume 63, Issue 5

Immunoenzymatic (in light and in electron microscopy) and immunofluorescence techniques were performed, using monoclonal antibodies, on tissue sections of early lichen planus (LP) lesions versus late LP lesions from 20 patients. Control procedures were carried out in peripheral blood T cells from the same patients and from healthy donors. The OKT4-Leu3A/OKT8-Leu2A ratio in peripheral blood from LP ...

The in situ distribution of lymphocyte subclasses, macrophages and Langerhans´ cells was analysed with histochemical (ANAE staining), immunohistochemical (immunoperoxidase) and electron microscopic methods during the course of epicutaneous allergic and irritant skin reactions. Serial biopsies were taken during the first 5-72 hours following the allergen (nickel and chromium) or irritant (non-anoi ...

The natural killer (NK) cell activity of lymphocytes from 24 psoriatic patients was compared with that of 34 normal controls and 19 patients with non-psoriatic dermatoses. In the range of effector/target cell ratios used (6.25 to 100), the basal NK cell activity level was similar in the three groups. Moreover, both interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) augmented the NK cell ...

When Pityrosporum orbiculare and P. ovale were incubated with stratum corneum epithelial cells, suspended in phosphate-buffered saline for 90 min at 37 degrees C, short filaments were produced in 11-17.5% of the yeast cells. A successful culture of P. orbiculare and P. ovale on human stratum corneum in vitro is described. When the stratum corneum pieces were incubated for 5 days in an environment ...

The proliferation of fibroblasts cultured from psoriatic and normal skin was compared following addition of clobetasol propionate to the culture medium. Proliferation was stimulated at 0.1 microgram/ml and progressively inhibited at 1-10 micrograms/ml. A differential sensitivity to the drug was demonstrated: the fibroblasts from involved psoriatic skin were more stimulated than normal fibroblasts ...

Twenty patients with arthritis and various skin diseases were studied on a metabolic ward during a 2-week period of modified fast followed by a 3-week period of vegetarian diet. During fasting, arthralgia was less intense in many subjects. In some types of skin diseases (pustulosis palmaris et plantaris and atopic eczema) an improvement could be demonstrated during the fast. During the vegan diet, ...

A mycological and immunological survey was performed in 26 patients with clinical signs of dermatophytid. Only 10 patients fulfilled the main criteria of dermatophytid reactions, i.e. positive delayed skin test to trichophytin and dermatophyte isolated by culture. Trichophyton mentagrophytes--especially the zoophilic variant--was found in 9 patients of 10. In the majority of cases, inflammatory ti ...

The immunological activity in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was studied in 47 patients with early syphilis. The immunoglobulin production within the central nervous system (CNS) was estimated by analysing immunoglobulin G and albumin in CSF and serum and constructing an IgG index according to Tibbling et al. and calculating daily CNS IgG synthesis, according to Tourtellotte. In 10 (21%) of the 47 ...

Touch preparations from four amelanotic melanoma tissue samples were studied with the formaldehyde-induced fluorescence method. Fluorescent amelanotic melanoma cells could easily be detected under a fluorescence microscope. The fluorescence microscopic pictures obtained by the touch-fluorescence method were equally evaluated with those obtained by the classical fluorescence method. The method made ...

We evaluated subpopulations of T-lymphocytes by using the monoclonal antibodies OKT3, OKT4 and OKT8 in two groups of psoriatic patients, with active and stable psoriasis respectively. Whereas data from the patients with stable psoriasis were similar to those obtained from the control group, the patients in an acute flare condition revealed a relative decrease in lymphocytes reactive with OKT8, and ...

To study the role played by prostaglandins (PGs) in contact urticaria, concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF2 alpha, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, and thromboxane B2, the stable metabolites of PGF2 alpha, prostacycline and thromboxane A2 were measured by radio-immunoassay of the fluid taken from suction blisters in 11 patients. The blisters were raised on contact urticarial reactions induced by benzoic ...

The long-lasting effect of a flavour cosmetic constituent on male rat skin was studied. Topical daily application of citral (15.4%) solution for 3 months produced an increase in the number of sebaceous gland lobules and hyperplasia of sebaceous cells in each gland. It is suggested that the mechanism of this hyperplasia might be activation of the testosterone 5 alpha-reductase which induces the for ...

Seven cases of acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA), 11 cases erythema chronicum migrans (EMC) and 3 cases of lymphadenosis benigna cutis (LABC) have been analysed. In Warthin-Starry stained sections, spirochetal structures were present in all cases. The spirochetes were mesodermotropic and irregularly distributed.

The frequency and type of fungal infections of the finger- and toenails was studied prospectively by direct microscopic and culture examinations in dermatological out-patients without psoriasis (n = 41), in patients with psoriasis but no nail involvement (n = 39), and in patients with both psoriasis and nail involvement (n = 39). In these three matched groups the frequencies of dermatophytic nail ...

The prevalence of dermatophyte infections in hereditary palmo-plantar keratoderma of the Unna Thost variety was investigated. Sixty patients, who represented 7.5% of a well defined population, participated in the study. The prevalence was found to be about 40%. At the same time the correlation between direct microscopic examination and conventional culture methods was shown to be 88.5%.

In a patient with subcorneal pustular dermatosis (SPD) the appearance of new pustular lesions characteristic of the disease was triggered by two episodes of drug eruption (induced by dapsone and quinidine sulphate respectively) and by the intra-dermal injection of the recall antigens Candida and streptokinase-streptodornase, performed for evaluation of delayed hypersensitivity. Both episodes of dr ...

Treatment with cyclofenil for 9 months of a 10-year-old girl with localized scleroderma is reported. No clinical improvement was achieved. The drug was discontinued due to hepatotoxicity.

Only animal experiments have been published regarding the possible effect of penicillamine treatment on mineral balance. We examined 35 patients with a diagnosis of systemic sclerosis treated with penicillamine, in comparison with 10 patients with systemic sclerosis treated with other collagen inhibitors (glutamine, hydralazine, phenytoin, chlorpromazine). The following laboratory tests were perfo ...

Treatment with oral etretinate is reported in a case of arsenical keratosis with Bowen´s disease. Good (80%) clearance in keratoses was obtained, which is maintained after 15 months´ follow up.

Five patients suffering from lamellar ichthyosis and 3 from epidermolytic hyperkeratosis (previously called non-bullous and bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma) were treated from 11 to 52 months with the synthetic aromatic retinoid Tigason (RO 10-9359). In all cases of lamellar ichthyosis the results were judged as good to excellent, while none of the patients with epidermolytic hyperker ...

Two patients with lichenified eczematous lesions on the dorsal aspect of the hands were treated intralesionally with triamcinolone acetonide injected with an air-powered high-pressure device, Dermojet. The therapy was complicated by tendon rupture in one patient and by the development of a subcutaneous nodule, which was suspected to be a foreign body granulomatous reaction, in the other patient.

No abstract available.