Biomedical subjects

Angel Vera

Publications and source records attributed to Angel Vera.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

[Linear Darier disease].

Darier disease is a genodermatosis with a pattern of autosomal dominant inheritance, which occasionally presents by following a linear or segmental pattern. We present the case of a 22-year-old woman who had presented for three years with small, linearly distributed, yellowish-brown papules on the right lower extremity, with no other skin, mucous membrane or appendage involvement. She had no personal or family history of any interest. Histologically, suprabasal acantholysis and abundant dyskeratotic cells were seen. All of this data led to the diagnosis of linear Darier disease.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

[Spindle-cell carcinoma in situ treated with 5% imiquimod].

We present the case of a 70-year-old woman with no personal history of interest who presented to her physician with a plaque in the right infraumbilical region whose largest diameter measured nine centimeters. The clinical and histological diagnosis was Bowen's disease. She was treated with 5 % imiquimod cream, once a day, four times a week, for eight weeks, with an excellent response. One year after treatment, no new lesions have appeared in the treated area.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

PubMed2006

Cytokine production, activation marker, and skin homing receptor in children with atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma.

T cells are known to develop a critical role in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) and bronchial asthma. T cells involved in AD express the skin homing receptor CLA, but no lung homing receptor has been identified in bronchial asthma. We compared different cell markers and the cytokine production in T cells from children with AD or bronchial asthma. We studied the involvement of CLA+ and CLA- T-cell subpopulations in these diseases. We studied 20 children with acute AD lesions, 15 with mild persistent asthma, and 15 non-atopic controls. All patients were sensitized to house dust mite (DP) and evaluated during the acute phase. Total and specific IgE were measured by immunoassay and the expression of different cell markers and the cytokine production was analyzed by flow cytometry in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Total IgE was significantly higher in AD children and IgE to DP in the asthmatic children. There was a significant increase in CD25+ CD4+ cells in asthmatic children and in HLA-DR+ CD4+ and HLA-DR+ CD8+ cells in AD. In the CD4+ subsets, there was an increase in IL-13, IL-5 and TNF-alpha in AD compared to controls, a decrease in IFN-gamma in asthmatic children compared to controls, and an increase in IL-13, IL5, IL2, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma in the AD compared to asthmatic children. Changes in cytokine production were mainly detected in CLA+ cells in AD and in CLA- cells in asthma. Differences exist in total and specific IgE, activation markers, and cytokine patterns between AD children and children with asthma, with the former expressing a Th2 pattern whereas in asthmatic children we only detected a decrease in IFN-gamma. Moreover, the subpopulations (CLA+ vs. CLA-) expressing these changes were different, indicating that the underlying mechanisms in the two diseases are not exactly the same.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

[Epidermodysplasia verruciformis].

We present the case of a 50-year-old Latin American woman who consulted her physician because of recent pruritic lesions on her arms and thighs. During the examination, we observed multiple flat papules on the limbs, as well as hypopigmented macules on the trunk which, according to the patient, began to appear during childhood. A histological study was performed on both types of lesions, and showed some enlarged keratinocytes with light blue cytoplasm in the upper layers of the epidermis. More than 20 types of HPV associated with EV (HPV-EV) have been described. Although it was previously thought that these were specific to EV, new molecular biology techniques have made it possible to isolate HPV-EV sequences in skin diseases, both benign and malignant, with epidermal hyperproliferation in the immunocompetent population.

Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis↗

PubMed2005

[Lentigo maligna treated with 5% imiquimod cream].

Lentigo maligna (LM) is considered to be an in-situ stage of lentigo maligna melanoma. Clinically, it presents as a pigmented macule, irregular in shape and tone. 30% to 35% of untreated lentigo malignas can progress into lentigo maligna melanoma. The treatment of choice for this pathology is surgical excision with margins of 0.5 cm. of clinically normal skin around the lesion, or Mohs microsurgery. Imiquimod is a topical immunomodulator that stimulates both acquired and innate immunity. We present the case of a patient with LM, treated with 5% imiquimod cream, with an excellent therapeutic response.

Aminoquinolines↗

PubMed2003

Improvement of toxic epidermal necrolysis after the early administration of a single high dose of intravenous immunoglobulin.

BACKGROUND: Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a severe disease often induced by drugs. Treatment is controversial, although intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) have been effective. OBJECTIVE: To report the case of a child with TEN after lamotrigine treatment, who improved 24 hours after IVIG administration. METHODS: Sequential blood and blister fluid samples were obtained for flow cytometry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analyses. RESULTS: The first blood sample, taken before IVIG administration, showed normal levels of lymphocyte subsets and CLA (4.0%) but high levels of activated lymphocytes (CD69) (18.0%). After treatment, the CLA+, CD69+, and memory cells increased until day 7, decreasing to normal values at days 15 and 30. In the blister fluid samples, taken on day 1, there were high levels of CD8+ (70.2%; CD4/CD8 ratio, 1:5), CLA+ (18.8%), and CD69+ (70%) cells, decreasing 24 hours after IVIG administration. In the blood samples, there was a Th1 cytokine pattern initially, tending to Th0 with time. Perforin, granzyme B, and Fas ligand were only observed before IVIG administration. CONCLUSIONS: A single high dose of IVIG interrupted the progression of skin disease and reduced the expression of the apoptotic markers. The immunologic changes, first seen in blister fluid and remaining several days in peripheral blood, indicate that T cells were first recruited to the skin and then recirculated to blood.

Anticonvulsants↗