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Biomedical subjects

Bianca Maria Piraccini

Publications and source records attributed to Bianca Maria Piraccini.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Management of onychomycosis in children.

Terbinafine, itraconazole, and fluconazole are effective and well tolerated for treating onychomycosis in children. Dosage depends on body weight. Duration of treatment is the same for adults.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed2003

Treatment of nondermatophyte mold and Candida onychomycosis.

Mold onychomycosis often can be clinically suspected because of the presence of periungual inflammation. Treatment with systemic antifungals is very effective in onychomycosis caused by Aspergillus sp. Scopulariopsis brevicaulis and Fusarium sp. infection are difficult to eradicate and treatment with systemic antifungals should always be associated with topical treatment with nail lacquers. Candida onychomycosis is always a sign of immunodepression. Systemic treatment with itraconazole or fluconazole is usually effective, but relapses are very common.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed2003

Clobetasol propionate 0.05% under occlusion in the treatment of alopecia totalis/universalis.

BACKGROUND: Efficacy of topical steroids in alopecia areata is still discussed. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of clobetasol propionate 0.05% ointment under occlusion in 28 patients with alopecia areata totalis (AT) or AT/alopecia universalis. METHODS: A total of 28 patients were instructed to apply 2.5 g of clobetasol propionate to the right side of the scalp every night under occlusion with a plastic film. Treatment was performed 6 days a week for 6 months. When regrowth of terminal hair occurred, treatment was extended over the entire scalp. All patients were followed up for another 6 months. RESULTS: Of the 28 patients included in the study, 8 were treated successfully (28.5%). Regrowth of terminal hair began on the treated side 6 to 14 weeks after the start of treatment. Of these 8 patients, 3 had a relapse and were not able to maintain hair regrowth. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that clobetasol propionate 0.05% under occlusion is effective in inducing hair regrowth in patients with AT or AT/alopecia universalis. Occurrence of hair regrowth only on the treated half of the scalp clearly shows that efficacy of treatment is a result of a local and not systemic effect of the drug. Although only 17.8% of patients had long-term benefit by treatment, our results were obtained in a population of patients with severe and refractory forms of the disease.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2003

Drug-induced nail abnormalities.

This article reviews the different nail symptoms produced by drugs. Drug-induced nail abnormalities may result from toxicity to the matrix, the nail bed or the periungual tissues. The most common symptoms include Beau's lines/onychomadesis, melanonychia, onycholysis, and periungual pyogenic granulomas. Nail changes usually affect several nails and in most cases are asymptomatic. Drugs that most frequently produce nail abnormalities include retinoids, indinavir, and cancer chemotherapeutic agents. In this article, we also include nail adverse effects as a result of radiotherapy since they are commonly observed in clinical practice.

Humans↗
PubMed2002

Topical steroids versus systemic antifungals in the treatment of chronic paronychia: an open, randomized double-blind and double dummy study.

BACKGROUND: The involvement of Candida in the pathogenesis of chronic paronychia (CP) has never been proven, even though this condition is commonly considered a type of Candida onychomycosis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of systemic antifungals (itraconazole or terbinafine) with a topical corticosteroid (methylprednisolone aceponate) in the treatment of patients with CP. METHODS: The study involved 45 adult patients with CP. Medication was given in a randomized, double-blind and double dummy manner over 3 weeks. Patients were then followed for 6 weeks. Clinical and mycologic evaluations were performed at baseline, and at weeks 3 and 9. The efficacy measures included clinical and photographic evaluation. RESULTS: Of 48 nails treated with methylprednisolone aceponate, 41 were improved or cured at the end of the follow-up period. The statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the number of nails improved or cured by methylprednisolone aceponate and that of nails improved or cured with terbinafine (30 out of 57) or itraconazole (29 out of 64). Presence of Candida was not strictly linked to disease activity, and Candida eradication was associated with clinical cure in only 2 of the 18 patients who carried Candida at the beginning of the study. CONCLUSION: This study shows that topical steroids are more effective than systemic antifungals in the treatment of CP, and supports the view that CP is not a type of onychomycosis but a variety of hand dermatitis caused by environmental exposure.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Juvenile xanthogranuloma of the proximal nail fold.

An 18-month-old Caucasian boy presented with a firm 0.5 mm nodule, pink-red in color, with a yellow hue and some telangiectases on the surface, localized on the right thumbnail. The nodule involved all of the proximal nail fold and covered the proximal third of the nail. Pathology showed a dense dermal infiltrate of histiocytes, some of which had foamy nuclei, and multinucleated Touton giant cells. The lesion progressively decreased in size and had completely disappeared after 3 years. Periodic follow-up was important not only to monitor evolution of the juvenile xanthogranuloma, but also to avoid excessive growth of the lesion with possible definitive nail matrix damage.

Humans↗