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Biomedical subjects

A K Markopoulos

Publications and source records attributed to A K Markopoulos.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Bilateral aplasia of parotid glands correlated with accessory parotid tissue.

Congenital absence of major salivary glands, especially the parotid gland, is a rare entity. It is usually monolateral and is not correlated with accessory salivary gland tissue. Aplasia of parotid gland may occur alone or in association with abnormalities of other salivary glands, first branchial arch developmental disturbances or other congenital anomalies.We report an interesting case of bilateral aplasia of the parotid glands together with bilateral accessory parotid tissue, without other congenital or developmental anomalies, and we describe the clinical and radiological findings.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Epidermal growth factor in saliva and serum of patients with cyclosporin-induced gingival overgrowth.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in patients receiving cyclosporin therapy who had gingival overgrowth and to determine whether there were any differences between these patients and normal healthy controls. Seventeen patients with cyclosporin-induced gingival overgrowth and seventeen age- and sex-matched controls who were taking cyclosporin but had healthy gingiva were used for this study. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from all individuals by expectoration. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was also collected from all individuals. Blood was additionally collected from all subjects and serum was separated by keeping the samples overnight at 4 degrees C. EGF levels in all cases were measured by an ELISA assay. EGF concentrations were found to be significantly higher in the saliva of patients with cyclosporin-induced gingival overgrowth compared to the control group (401.2 +/- 31.1 pg/ml and 144.3 +/- 31.4 pg/ml, respectively), whereas the results were reversed in the serum (67.0 +/- 15.6 pg/ml and 141.6 +/- 17.7 pg/ml, respectively). EGF was not detected in the samples of GCF in either group. This study thus demonstrated an increase in EGF levels in the saliva and a decrease of EGF in the serum of patients with cyclosporin-induced gingival overgrowth.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed2000

Benign tumors of adipose tissue of the oral cavity: a clinicopathologic study of 13 cases.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical and histologic features of 9 simple lipomas, 2 fibrolipomas, and 2 infiltrating lipomas of the oral cavity. In addition, 10 cases of infiltrating lipoma of the oral cavity previously reported in the literature were reviewed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All cases were retrieved from the archives of the Department of Oral Medicine/Pathology of the University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Data on age, sex, location, clinical appearance, duration, recurrence, and histologic appearance were evaluated. RESULTS: This study showed that the sex distribution of the simple lipomas was approximately equal, and the mean age of patients was 60.2 years. The buccal mucosa was the most frequent location of the tumors. Their size ranged from 0.2 to 1.5 cm, with an average rate 0.8 cm. In 3 cases, the tumor was not encapsulated. The sex distribution of the infiltrating lipomas was equal, and the mean age of the patients was 36.8 years. The most frequent location was the tongue. CONCLUSIONS: Tumors of adipose tissue represent rare neoplasms of the oral cavity. The diagnosis is based on both the clinical and histologic characteristics. Caution is required during their surgical excision to avoid recurrence, especially with infiltrating lipomas.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Immunohistochemical detection of insulin-like growth factor-I in the labial salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the presence of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the labial salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome and healthy controls and to determine if there are any differences between these two groups. DESIGN: An immunohistochemical study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients with Sjögren's syndrome, 20 healthy controls and 20 patients with mucoceles of the lip were used in this study. All individuals underwent a systemic evaluation and a lip biopsy. Sections from the lip biopsies were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Immunohistochemical staining was also performed using a three-step indirect immunoperoxidase for IGF-I. RESULTS: The light microscopic examination revealed the presence of a mononuclear infiltration in the labial salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome. Most of the infiltrates were lymphocytes. Immunohistochemically an intense staining result was apparent in the same group. In contrast sections of labial salivary glands of healthy individuals and of patients with mucoceles revealed very weak staining. CONCLUSIONS: The above findings and the fact that both lymphocytic infiltration and IGF-I were predominantly seen in ductal regions, suggest that IGF-I may be a target of autoimmunity in Sjögren's syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Prevalence of oral lichen planus in diabetes mellitus according to the type of diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of oral lichen planus (OLP) in a population of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) as compared with a control population. DESIGN: A clinicopathologic study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty-nine patients with type I DM, 353 patients with type II DM and 274 controls were examined for clinical evidence of OLP. The clinical evidence of OLP in the diabetic and control patients was confirmed by histopathological examination. RESULTS: The prevalence of OLP in type I diabetic patients was 5.76%, in type II 2.83%, and 1.82% in the controls. The prevalence of OLP was significantly higher in patients with type I DM and slightly higher in patients with type II DM in comparison to the prevalence in the control sample. CONCLUSIONS: The above findings and the fact that type I diabetes and OLP are characterized by autoimmune phenomena and T cell immune responses respectively, suggest that the immune system may play a critical role in the appearance of OLP in patients with type I DM.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies in saliva of children with type 1 diabetes.

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) autoantibodies in the saliva of children with type 1 diabetes. A total of 30 diabetic children were used in this study while 80 healthy individuals of similar age were used as controls. Total saliva and peripheral blood was collected from all diabetic children and controls. Determination of GAD autoantibodies was performed using an enzyme immunoassay (Varelisa) which is based on a recombinant human GAD65. The results of this study showed that GAD autoantibodies were found to be present in 21 out of 30 diabetic serum samples, while they were present in all samples of diabetic saliva. In contrast, they were absent from serum and saliva of healthy controls. Since GAD is considered one of the basic antigenic targets of the autoimmune process in type 1 diabetes in the pancreatic beta cells, its presence in the saliva may be relevant as a predictive marker.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1997

Malignant potential of oral lichen planus; a follow-up study of 326 patients.

326 patients with oral lichen planus were followed for periods ranging from 6 months to 10 years (mean 4.8 years), in an attempt to clarify the malignant potential of this disease which is still controversial. Malignant transformation occurred in 4 patients (1.3%) in a mean time of 6.5 years after the onset of lichen planus. Before cancer development, 3 of these patients manifested the erosive form of oral lichen planus, while the others, a combination of the papular/atrophic form. Malignant transformation in our patients could not be associated with any evident factors, such as family history, local irritation, alcohol consumption, nutritional disturbances or other systemic diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Desquamative gingivitis: a clinical, histopathologic, and immunologic study.

Desquamative gingivitis is believed to be a clinical sign of certain mucocutaneous diseases rather than a distinct pathologic entity. The prevalence of desquamative gingivitis was studied in a group of patients with the most common mucocutaneous diseases. Of 414 patients with pemphigus vulgaris, mucous membrane pemphigoid, or oral lichen planus, 49 (11.8%) exhibited gingival lesions in the form of desquamative gingivitis. Desquamative gingivitis was most prevalent in the patients with mucous membrane pemphigoid (41.6%) followed by those with pemphigus vulgaris (9.1%). Other clinical characteristics, as well as histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings, that aid in early diagnosis are presented.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Eosinophils in oral and cutaneous lesions of erythema multiforme.

The purpose of this retrospective clinicopathologic study was to investigate the presence of eosinophils in oral and skin lesions of erythema multiforme. Seventeen cases were selected which fulfilled clinical and histopathologic criteria for the disease. Twelve out of 13 sections taken from skin biopsies and 4 out of 5 sections taken from oral lesions contained eosinophils in varying densities. The occurrence of eosinophils in the lesions of erythema multiforme is parallelized and discussed with the existence of certain clinical and histopathologic aspects. Therefore, we suggest that eosinophils occur in cutaneous and oral lesions of erythema multiforme and are occasionally numerous.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Kaposi's sarcoma of the oral cavity: case reports.

Classic Kaposi's sarcoma is a rare malignant neoplasm of endothelial cell origin. Oral manifestation of Kaposi's sarcoma is even more uncommon. The purpose of this article is to describe two cases of classic Kaposi's sarcoma and to discuss the current knowledge regarding its pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and therapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Cyclosporin-induced gingival hyperplasia: an ultrastructural study of the oral epithelial prickle cells.

In this study the ultrastructural characteristics of the prickle cells of the human gingival epithelium after cyclosporin-A treatment are described. The prickle cell layer shows hyperplasia, along with the well known hyperplasia of the connective tissue components. The prickle cells show large numbers of free ribosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum profiles and well developed Golgi complexes. The intercellular space is usually large and the neighboring cells are joined by desmosomes. In many cases the intercellular space is almost diminished and the cells are joined by a lot of desmosomes. Occasionally, a single cilium was observed to project into the intercellular space but the functional significance of this observation is unknown. The tonofilaments exhibit a specific arrangement in the cytoplasm of the prickle cells and it is believed that they contribute to the formation of a 'tonofilament network' which, along with the desmosomes, provide strength to the epithelium. Possible mechanisms regarding the gingiva overgrowth are discussed.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗
PubMed1990

Submucous dirofilariasis involving the cheek. Report of a case.

Dirofilariasis is characterized by the presence of numerous filarial worms in the subcutaneous tissues, and by the formation of subcutaneous nodules. The clinical symptoms and histologic features of the disease are discussed, together with a case report from Greece.

Cheek↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Histopathological and immunohistochemical features of the labial salivary glands in children with type I diabetes.

The aim of this study was to investigate the morphological alterations of labial salivary glands in children with type I diabetes. For this purpose labial salivary glands under local anesthesia were excised from the lower lip of ten diabetic children at the onset of diabetes (mean age, 10 years). Additionally ten similar biopsies were obtained from ten healthy children (mean age, 9 years). The tissues were conventionally processed and embedded in paraffin wax. The first section was stained with hematoxylin/eosin, while two additional sections were stained immunohistochemically using the indirect immunoperoxidase avidin-biotin method to detect T and B lymphocytes. The results showed that a mononuclear infiltration was apparent in all diabetic children. Lymphocytes were particularly seen around various ducts. In contrast, the salivary glands of healthy controls were free of infiltrates. The immunohistochemical analysis showed that the majority of these cells were T cells. B cells were found to a lesser extent. These findings indicate that a destruction of labial salivary glands takes place in type I diabetes. This phenomenon is T-cell mediated. The similarity of this condition with the insulitis suggests that labial salivary glands and pancreas may share a common antigen that might be the target of the autoimmune process in type I diabetes.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Oral leukoplakia. A clinicopathologic study of 190 cases].

In this study an attempt was made to correlate the causative factors of leukoplakia. Histologic criteria helped for the classification of our cases in three groups according to widely accepted standards. As final result it is that smoking and excess use of alcoholic drinks could be involved as causative agents. The clinical appearance of the leukoplakia lesions with their histological type is also correlated.

Adolescent↗