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Biomedical subjects

C I Harrington

Publications and source records attributed to C I Harrington.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Synergistic effects of azathioprine and ultraviolet light detected by sister chromatid exchange analysis.

The immunosuppressant azathioprine and longwave ultraviolet (UV) light have been postulated to have a synergistic effect on DNA resulting in carcinogenic change. This study investigated the in vitro effect of UV light on renal transplant recipients (RTRs) immunosuppressed with azathioprine and prednisolone to prevent rejection and patients on azathioprine for skin conditions and normal controls on no drug therapy. The results show clearly that there is an increase in sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in both patient groups in response to UV light with the greatest increase shown by the RTRs. Both patient groups without exposure to UV also showed a significant increase, as compared with normal controls, with the RTRs again showing the highest level. Both patient groups also showed disruption of the cell cycle in response to UV light as measured by the proliferative rate index (PRI) but the controls did not. These findings support the hypothesis of a synergistic effect between azathioprine and UV light and correlate well with the clinical pattern of carcinogenesis observed in these patients, with RTRs having a well-documented increased risk of neoplasia, particularly skin carcinomas in light-exposed areas.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

An investigation into the incidence of auto-immune disorders in patients with localized morphoea.

Patients with localized morphoea have an increased incidence of auto-immune disorders, but this is not related to the age of onset, duration of disease nor the site or number of lesions. The patients have an increased incidence of tissue antibodies and these are more common when more than one lesion is present. The relatives of the patients have also been found to have an increased incidence of auto-immune disorders. These findings suggest an immunological basis for the disease and indicate that the patients should be investigated and followed up to detect the evidence of other auto-immune disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Pseudoporphyria complicating etretinate therapy.

Etretinate is recognized to have unwanted cutaneous effects such as dryness of the skin, pruritus and hair thinning. Photosensitivity has rarely been observed as an adverse reaction but we now describe a renal transplant recipient who developed lesions of cutaneous porphyria apparently as a result of etretinate prescribed to suppress cutaneous neoplasia.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Low concentration dithranol and coal tar (Psorin) in psoriasis: a comparison with alcoholic coal tar extract and allantoin (Alphosyl).

Psoriasis is difficult to manage in general practice, mainly because the standard treatments produce side effects, or are ineffective in both the short and long term. In recent years, the main topical therapies have included extracts of coal tar or dithranol. In a six-week within-patient trial, 23 patients applied two different treatments to the left and right halves of their bodies. A new preparation (Psorin, Thames Laboratories), containing relatively low concentrations of dithranol and crude coal tar, was significantly more effective and more acceptable than a refined alcoholic extract of coal tar with allantoin (Alphosyl, Stafford Miller Ltd).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Metabolism of azathioprine to 6-thioguanine nucleotides in patients with pemphigus vulgaris.

Azathioprine metabolism, to red cell 6-thioguanine nucleotides (6TGN), was studied in four patients with pemphigus vulgaris. Throughout treatment blood samples were taken for red cell 6TGN assay and differential white cell counts. Metabolite steady-state occurred in three patients in 2, 2 and 4 months respectively. In the fourth patient red cell 6TGN concentrations increased slowly over 3 years. There was a significant negative correlation between 6TGN concentrations and the white blood cell count (rs = -0.92, P less than 0.0005) in this patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Angiosarcoma: a complication of varicose leg ulceration.

Most reports of skin malignancy associated with varicose ulceration have described carcinomatous change (1). The development of fibrosarcoma in varicose ulcers is considerably rare but has also been described (2). We report a case of angiosarcoma developing at the site of longstanding varicose ulceration.

Aged↗