PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Mazzatenta

Publications and source records attributed to C Mazzatenta.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Clinical evaluation of the trophic effect of polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) in patients undergoing skin explants. A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study was to assess the effects of intramuscular and subcutaneous PDRN in favouring the wound-healing process in donor sites of grafts. METHODS: 26 adult patients of both sexes (15 males and 11 females; mean age: 68.2 +/- 16.1 years) subjected to skin explants due to plastic surgery were eligible to participate in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients were randomly allocated into the PDRN group (14 subjects) or the placebo group (12 subjects). PDRN (5625 mg/vial) or placebo were administered by the intramuscular route once daily, associated with a subcutaneous administration of the same dosage form (2 vials every 3 days) for 10 consecutive days. The primary end point for efficacy was the evolution of wound healing in donor sites, which was evaluated measuring wound surface area and then calculating percentage re-epithelialisation. Secondary end points were local subjective symptoms, such as pain and itching, and objective signs such as perilesional erythema and blisters. Signs and symptoms were quantified through an analogue scale. RESULTS: At day 7 of the treatment period, the difference in percentage of re-epithelialisation was statistically significant (p < 0.008) in favour of the PDRN group. At the end of the observational period, between-group comparison demonstrated that patients treated with PDRN had a more prompt trophic effect. No adverse events were reported during the trial. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of our study demonstrated that PDRN is able to modify positively the repair processes in donor sites of autologous skin grafts. This could improve the clinical outcome and decrease the need for additional therapies or hospital stay.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy induces apoptosis of infiltrating lymphoid cells in patients with mycosis fungoides in early stages. A quantitative histological study.

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ExP) is a well-tolerated new form of chemoimmunotherapy, which is considered to be effective for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and the treatment of choice for Sézary syndrome. Improvements have also been seen in patients with non-erythrodermic mycosis fungoides (MF) in the early stages, even when tumour cells are not detectable in the peripheral blood. In this study, we used ExP as a monotherapy in seven patients who had early stage (Ib) MF, and who were no longer responsive to or had contraindications for other therapies. We observed a clinical improvement in the disease after 12 months of treatment: one patient showed a complete response, five a partial response, and one remained stable. In each patient we compared skin biopsies of large plaque lesions before and after the treatment. We undertook a histological evaluation of the infiltrate. The lymphoid cell proliferation and death rates were quantified using the following parameters; lymphoid cell density (LCD), Ki67 + lymphoid cell nuclei percentage (Ki67 + Lcn percentage), and apoptotic index (AI). Significant decreases in the lymphoid cell infiltrate and in cell proliferation, and a significant increase in AI were observed after therapy. The mean LCD decreased from 187 +/- 33 to 34 +/- 17.7, Ki67 + Lcn mean percentage decreased from 16.9 +/- 3.9 to 4.9 +/- 2.4, and the AI mean value increased from 0.05 +/- 0.03 to 2.41 +/- 1.54. Our results suggest a role for apoptosis in the improvement of the skin lesions and are in line with some reports on the mode of action of ExP. Although the way in which ExP works needs to be clarified further, it does seem to stimulate a CD8+ cell-mediated anticlonotypic activity against circulating pathogenic clones. Furthermore, a release of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) by circulating monocytes has been demonstrated after ExP. Both are known to induce cell death by apoptosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

The behaviour of Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis in human skin: an ultrastructural study.

The biology of Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis is poorly understood because of the lack of an in vivo or in vitro propagation system. To obtain more information on the mite behaviour in its natural habitat we conducted an ultrastructural study of burrows in a number of patients with common scabies. Scanning electron microscopy furnished attractive images of the tunnel, parasite body and eggs architecture and demonstrated the presence of holes in the tunnel roof probably representing aeration structures. Transmission electron microscopy showed a marked keratinocyte damage around burrowing mites, well evident ahead of the mite capitulum also. Faecal pellets containing keratinocyte micro-organelles (melanosomes and mitochondria) were documented in posterior midgut. For the first time we disclosed the adhesion mechanism of eggs to the burrow floor. We showed that the typical finger-like projections of the outer layer of the egg shell gradually disappear where the eggs are in contact with the tunnel floor. This allows the inner layer of the egg shell to fuse and stick with the damaged keratinocytes lining the tunnel floor. Our observation substantiates that Sarcoptes scabiei produces a proteolytic substance (salivary secretions?) that has a key role in its life cycle allowing burrowing, feeding and eggs-burrow adhesion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Mid-dermal elastolysis: an ultrastructural and biochemical study.

Mid-dermal elastolysis (MDE) is a particular elastic tissue disorder in which selective loss of elastic fibres occurs in the mid-dermis. It is clinically characterized by the appearance of fine wrinkling of the epidermis and perifollicular protrusion which gives the skin an aged appearance. It is sometimes associated with an inflammatory event such as urticaria while other cases are regarded as idiopathic. The pathogenesis of MDE is still obscure. Some authors have underlined the role of macrophage activation and others have imputed UV radiation. We report here a typical case of MDE arising after several attacks of solar urticaria. Electron microscopic and biochemical studies were carried out. Ultrastructural examination showed active elastophagocytosis by macrophages and mast cells, often degranulated, near phagocytosing cells. Biochemical studies demonstrated that fibroblasts derived from lesional skin of the MDE patient produced high levels of elastase and cathepsin G compared with fibroblasts from a healthy sex- and age-matched control. Phagocytosis of morphologically normal elastic tissue is a noticeable characteristic feature of MDE. In our case mast-cell activation and the abnormal synthesis and/or release of fibroblast elastolytic enzymes seemed to play a role in the pathogenesis of the MDE.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Vulvar squamous papillomatosis and human papillomavirus infection. A polymerase chain reaction study.

Squamous papillae of the vulvar vestibule and introitus are quite a common clinical finding, however their origin is uncertain. They were formerly described as a normal variant of the mucosal epithelium, but recently they have been attributed to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Eight women with clinical findings compatible with a diagnosis of vulvar squamous papillomatosis were studied. All were free of other clinically evident HPV-related diseases. Vulvar scrapes and biopsy specimens were collected and used for DNA extraction and microscopic examination. DNA extracted from vulvar scrapings and from paraffin-embedded tissue was subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The reactions were performed with two sets of primers designed for the amplification of numerous HPV genotypes including those most commonly encountered in the genital area. Histological examination failed to reveal clear-cut signs of HPV infection in any subject. The PCR on the DNA extracted from vulvar scrapings revealed HPV infection in two cases. PCR performed on the DNA extracted from the paraffin-embedded tissue failed to detect HPV-DNA in any case. A 6-month follow-up showed no changes in the lesions. These results along with literature data, which is clearly inconsistent, indicated that the presence of HPV is coincident to, rather than causal of, vulvar squamous papillomatosis lesions. Patients with symmetrically distributed, long-standing vulvar papillae should, therefore, be carefully evaluated before starting therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Detection and typing of genital papillomaviruses in men with a single polymerase chain reaction and type-specific DNA probes.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection of the genitalia can produce both visible and subclinical lesions. Because different genotypes are preferentially associated with benign or malignant lesions, HPV detection and typing is clinically important. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to assess a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based, noninvasive procedure for HPV diagnosis and evaluate the reliability of the acetic acid test for revealing subclinical HPV lesions. METHODS: Mucosal samples were collected by gentle scraping, and PCR-positive samples were typed by hybridization with specific DNA probes. RESULTS: Seventy-eight men were assessed. The PCR procedure was reliable and easy to perform. No significant difference was found in the prevalence of HPV infection between patients whose results were acetowhite-positive and those whose results were acetowhite-negative. CONCLUSION: Detection of acetowhite epithelium, although useful for clinical examination, is not sufficiently specific and should not be used as a sole criterion for the diagnosis of HPV infection.

Acetates↗