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Biomedical subjects

C Piérard-Franchimont

Publications and source records attributed to C Piérard-Franchimont.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Sensitive skin at menopause; dew point and electrometric properties of the stratum corneum.

OBJECTIVE: A number of menopausal women experience skin sensitive to various environmental threats. METHOD: Two panels of 15 menopausal women on or without HRT were compared. We studied the response of their stratum corneum to variations in environmental humidity, either in air or in response to an emollient. Environment dew point and electrometric measurements on the skin were recorded to search for correlations. RESULTS: Data show that the baseline stratum corneum hydration is influenced by the dew point. HRT improves the barrier function of the skin. The use of emollient further extends the improvement in the functional properties of skin in menopausal women. CONCLUSION: Both HRT and an emollient can counteract in part some of the deleterious effects of cold and dry weather.

Epidermis↗
PubMed1998

The wide and deep excision of primary malignant melanoma: a dogma on the decline.

For years, a wide and deep excision of primary cutaneous melanomas has been recommended to achieve a better care and to decrease the risk of local recurrence of the disease. However, recent studies indicate that removal of peritumoral tissue beyond complete excision of the primary neoplasm does not decrease significantly the risk of local metastases. In addition, it confers no benefit to the patient survival.

Humans↗
PubMed1998

[Drug clinics. How I treat cutaneous melanoma].

Skin melanoma is one of the rare cancers whose prevalence has increased over the past decades. Its treatment is based on a classification into four anatomoclinical stages. Surgical excision is the mainstay of therapy. However, several protocols of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy also have specific indications in the therapeutic or palliative approach to the disease.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1998

[Atopic dermatitis].

For the past decades, the prevalence of atopic dermatitis is on the rise. Three phases of the disease are recognized according to the age of the patient, either in the newborn age, in infancy or after puberty. A partial enzymatic defect in delta-6 desaturase has been reported. Such metabolic anomaly would be responsible for the alterations in both the skin barrier function and in the Th2 inflammatory reactions in part mediated through IgE. Some microorganisms colonizing the skin play an important causal role in the clinical exacerbations. The influence of food allergy on atopic dermatitis remains obscure and often unconvincing. By contrast, irritant and allergic challenges from the environment exhibit an undisputable worsening effect. The prevention relies on the eviction of predisposing factors and is favourably influenced by emollients specifically designed for atopic dermatitis. A food supplementation in alpha-linoleic acid and some specific chinese herbal remedies might well be useful. The treatment relies primarily on topical applications of corticoids. Puva-therapy, UVB phototherapy and immunomodulation by cyclosporine are indicated for difficult cases.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1998

[Dermoscopy: magnified imaging of pigmented cutaneous tumors].

The early clinical identification of malignant melanoma is important. Pigmented neoplasms are sometimes difficult to diagnose by visual inspection alone. Dermoscopy increases the reliability of the clinical assessment. Dermoscopic criteria of malignancy are well defined on a descriptive ground. They allow an optimal interpretation of the clinical aspect without, however, reaching the sensitivity and specificity of the microscopic examination.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1997

[Cycle of hair growth and evaluation of alopecia].

Hair follows a cycle of growth and involution which is asynchronous among follicles. Three phases are distinguished, namely the anagen growth phase and the catagen and telogen phases of regression. Any kind of alopecia results from perturbations of the hair cycle. Among triggering factors, various hormones, cytokines and apoptosis-inducing agents are currently recognized. Some microorganisms inducing inflammation could modulate the severity of selected hair loss disorders.

Alopecia↗
PubMed1997

Povidone-iodine wash solutions in the prevention of superficial fungal infections; predictive evaluation using the corneofungimetry bioassay.

OBJECTIVE: Prevention of superficial mycoses remains a stubborn problem. The effect of antiseptics for that purpose is largely unknown. We studied the potential fungitoxic activity of povidone iodine (PVP-I) contained in wash solutions. METHODS: The corneofungimetry bioassay was conducted using PVP-I at 1.33%, 2.5%, 4% and 7.5% as test products and four target fungi, namely Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, var. interdigitale (20 strains) and Microsporum canis. RESULTS: Data show that PVP-I limits fungal growth on stratum corneum. Different species and strains of fungi are not similarly affected. There also exists a diversity of individual susceptibility of the stratum corneum to promote germination of yeasts and arthroconidia.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗
PubMed1997

Stochastic relationship between the growth fraction and vascularity of thin malignant melanomas.

Tumour vascularity has been proposed as a prognostic indicator for a number of solid tumours. In these respects the situation is unclear for cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM). The small number of MM cases studied to date have indicated controversial preliminary conclusions. Hence, tumour thickness remains currently the most reliable prognostic factor for MM. This variable has been shown in previous work to be correlated with both the S-phase fraction and the growth fraction of the MM cells. We studied the relationship between vascularity and growth fraction of 100 thin (< 1 mm) cutaneous MM using immunohistochemistry (Ulex europaeus agglutinin-type 1 (UEA-1) and MIB-1 antibody (Ki-67)) and computerised image analysis. A stochastic relationship was found between intra- and peritumoral vascularity, and between Ki-67 and UEA-1 measures. Approximately 20-40% of PC-MM showing a high Ki-67-positive growth fraction (breakpoint: 30/0.4 mm2) were characterised by a prominent vascularity at the boundary of the neoplasm. In these cases, vessels often exhibited either heterogeneous lumen sizes or a uniform prominent dilated network. The present study shows that the angiogenic phenotype of MM occurs as a stochastic event during neoplastic progression. Its expression is not mandatory for reaching high values in MM growth fraction. It can be hypothesised that the absence of a link between proliferation and vascularity might account for the unusual outcome of some cutaneous MM, including the dormant growth-stunted type and the metastasising thin MM.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Striae distensae of pregnancy. An in vivo biomechanical evaluation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Striae distensae of pregnancy is a common finding. There is currently a lack of information about the rheological characteristics of such lesions. The purpose of this study was to compare the mechanical properties of striae distensae before and after delivery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 79 primigravid entered the study. Rheological properties of skin were evaluated in vivo using a Cutometer equipped with a 2-mm probe. RESULTS: Mechanical properties of striae distensae developing during pregnancy resembled those of the surrounding skin. By contrast, significant differences were yielded during post-partum. Extensibility of striae distensae was increased although parameters of elasticity remained normal. CONCLUSIONS: Rheological properties of striae distensae of pregnancy vary in time. This might reflect the changes in hormones and in the mechanical stresses normally setting the skin under tension.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Age-related changes in facial skin contours and rheology.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the age effect on both the mechanical properties and wrinkling of facial skin. This topic has not previously been addressed in the literature. DESIGN: A total of 180 white women aged 18 to 67 years participated in the study. Each of the 5 decades of age was represented by 30 subjects, with the exception of menopausal women aged 48 to 57 years who were allocated to two groups of 30 according to the use or non-use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). SETTING: A University medical center, Belgian SSTC Research Unit 5596. MEASUREMENTS: Mechanical properties of the skin were measured on the face using a computerized suction device. Skin contours were assessed using optical profilometry and computerized image analysis. RESULTS: Skin aging of the face is characterized by a progressive increase in extensibility associated with a decreased elasticity. The loss of tonicity is accompanied by a progressive deepening of facial creases. HRT appears to limit the age-related rheological changes without showing a preventive effect on wrinkling of facial skin. CONCLUSION: Aging of facial skin resembles, in some ways, the features previously reported on sun-protected areas of the forearms. HRT has a beneficial effect that may slow the overall process of aging without, however, limiting the number and depth of wrinkles.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Topical retinol and the stratum corneum response to an environmental threat.

The functional consequences of using topical retinol on skin have not been thoroughly studied so far. The aim of this open study was to compare two preparations containing either retinol or vitamin E, using biometric evaluations. Three methods, namely the sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) corneosurfametry bioassay, the ultraviolet (UV) squamometry test and optical profilometry of the UV-induced wrinkling process, were used to assess some properties of the stratum corneum. The retinol preparation achieved better scores than the vitamin-E cream in all three tests and appears to improve the resistance of the stratum corneum against some chemical (SLS) and physical (UV) threats. It also limits UV-induced shallow wrinkling.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1997

Collision of primary malignant neoplasms on the skin: the connection between malignant melanoma and basal cell carcinoma.

Several studies have reported the association of cutaneous malignant melanomas (MM) with carcinomas. Collision malignancies cases from our files were retrieved. Among a series of 78,000 primary cutaneous cancers, 11 were collision tumors of MM with basal cell carcinoma and 106 were basosquamous carcinomas while no association was found between MM and squamous cell carcinomas. It is concluded that coexisting and confluent malignancies of the skin might not always be a random event.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Healing rate and bacterial necrotizing vasculitis in venous leg ulcers.

Morbidity associated with venous leg ulcers is important in the elderly. The biological processes involved during attempts at healing are much more complex than in most models of experimental wounds. In addition, there is still controversy on deleterious effects elicited by both microorganisms and antiseptics on cells involved in the healing process. Using histology, immunohistochemistry and iterative computerized planimetry, we evaluated the bacterial load, the inflammatory aspects and the healing rate of leg ulcers present in 15 eligible women aged from 57 to 73 years. Each patient had at least 2 chronic ulcers treated with hydrocolloid dressing alone or in combination with daily applications of povidone-iodine solution (PVP-I). The weekly reduction in wound area was superior for hydrocolloid+PVP-I treatment than in hydrocolloid-treated ulcers. After a 4-week treatment, hydrocolloid-treated ulcers contained clumps of microorganisms and showed massive infiltration by phagocytes including Mac 387+ and factor XIIIa+ cells. Leukocytoclastic vasculitis was present as well. These features were less pronounced in ulcers treated with hydrocolloid+PVP-I. In sum, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial such as PVP-I may be beneficial in reducing deleterious bacteria-related inflammation. As a result, the healing rate leg ulcers is enhanced.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Dermo-epidermal stimulation elicited by a beta-lipohydroxyacid: a comparison with salicylic acid and all-trans-retinoic acid.

Although ageing has been thought to be irreversible, studies made during the last decade have shown that a few topical compounds may limit or improve the age-related skin damages. The efficacy of tretinoin (all-trans-retinoic acid) in treating photoageing is well established. Identifying other compounds with similar effect and improved tolerance would be greatly valued. In this double-blind study, a new beta-lipohydroxyacid compound was evaluated. To address a comparison between products, 6 volunteers completed a 4-week study using twice daily 0.025% tretinoin, 5% salicylic acid, 1.5% beta-lipohydroxyacid or vehicle. Immunohistochemistry and computerized image analysis were performed on skin sections from biopsies taken after treatment. We searched for changes in epidermal renewal (Ki-67 labeling), modifications in cytokeratin (56-65 kD) and filaggrin patterns, and in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), Ulex europaeus and factor XIIIa expressively. The vehicle- and salicylic-acid-treated areas had an aspect similar to untreated control sites. Both beta-lipohydroxyacid and tretinoin induced enhanced epidermal proliferation and thickness with activation of factor XIIIa+dendrocytes. The effects were more pronounced at the tretinoin-treated site. We speculate that TNF-alpha might mediate some of the dermal effects. The beta-lipohydroxyacid mimics some of the stimulatory effects of tretinoin on the epidermis and dermis. This new compound should be listed among topical products boosting the skin tissues affected by ageing.

Administration, Topical↗