Biomedical subjects
E Rytina
Publications and source records attributed to E Rytina.
Hidradenitis suppurativa, Dowling-Degos and multiple epidermal cysts: a new follicular occlusion triad.
This case illustrates the rare association between hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and Dowling-Degos disease (DDD). Furthermore the association of HS, DDD and multiple epidermal cysts has not to our knowledge been described before, but their coexistence in the same patient is likely to reflect the same follicular anomaly. It is possible that a single underlying defect of follicular proliferation may account for the coexistence of these conditions.
Elastophagocytosis: a feature of resolving Sweet's syndrome.
We report the case of a patient with atypical Sweet's syndrome characterized by an annular erythema that showed consumption of elastic fibres by giant cells and histiocytes. Although the lesions were found on sun-exposed sites and the first biopsy demonstrated extensive elastophagocytosis, our patient did not have photodamaged skin clinically. A repeat biopsy 5 weeks later demonstrated an abundant collection of neutrophils supporting the diagnosis of Sweet's syndrome. To our knowledge, an elastolytic granulomatous reaction pattern has not been previously reported in Sweet's syndrome.
Woody hands.
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Pustular pyoderma gangrenosum.
Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an idiopathic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology, frequently associated with an underlying systemic condition such as inflammatory bowel disease or haematological malignancy. Its occurrence tends to parallel exacerbations of the underlying disease. Four clinical variants of PG have been described and these include ulcerative, pustular, bullous and vegetative types. We report two cases of the pustular form, which is an uncommon variant of PG, where the pustules do not progress to form ulcers. Both our patients suffered with inflammatory bowel disease which remained quiescent as the pustular PG developed.
Palmar filiform hyperkeratosis (FH) associated with underlying pathology?
We describe two patients with palmar filiform hyperkeratosis, characterized by multiple thin spiny keratotic projections on the palms. The condition has been associated with an underlying malignancy in some cases. One patient has myelofibrosis, an association not previously described. In addition we describe a further patient with filiform hyperkeratoses of both palms and soles with no associated underlying disorder. In view of the relatively high risk of underlying malignancy occurring in patients with filiform hyperkeratosis, these patients should always be investigated fully.
Merkel cell tumour associated with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
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Elastosis perforans serpiginosa and associated disorders.
We report elastosis perforans serpiginosa (EPS) arising in three patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta and Down's syndrome. These cases illustrate some of the rare but well-recognized disease associations with EPS. The other causes of EPS are reviewed.
Cutaneous alternariosis in a cardiac transplant recipient.
A 55-year-old male cardiac transplant recipient presented with cutaneous nodules on the limbs caused by Alternaria alternata. Oral fluconazole 200 mg daily for 3 weeks was ineffective. Itraconazole 100 mg oral daily was ceased when hyperglycaemia developed. Individual lesions were successfully treated with either curettage and cautery or double freeze-thaw cryotherapy. Alternaria spp. are ubiquitous fungal saprophytes which may cause cutaneous infections particularly in immunocompromised patients.
Antiepiligrin (laminin 5) cicatricial pemphigoid complicated and exacerbated by herpes simplex virus type 2 infection.
A 50-year-old man with antiepiligrin (laminin 5) cicatricial pemphigoid (AeCP) involving the eyes, mouth and skin required a combination of systemic drug therapies to suppress the ocular disease. Herpes simplex virus type 2 infection of the mouth and pharynx precipitated an acute deterioration, with laryngeal involvement and an increase in oral ulceration. This is an unusual complication of long-term immunosuppression and illustrates some of the difficulties in the management of patients with AeCP. Clinical improvement was obtained with oral antiviral therapy and adjustment of his immunosuppressive regimen.
Treatment of verrucous carcinoma of vulva with acitretin.
We describe a 60-year-old patient with verrucous carcinoma of the vulva, which recurred 6 years after simple vulvectomy and radiotherapy. Treatment with acitretin led to significant improvement and ongoing disease control has been achieved with low-dose maintenance therapy of 10 mg acitretin daily.
Effect of H1-receptor blockade on late cutaneous reactions to antigen: a double-blind, controlled study.
This study is of the effect of the blockade of histamine H1 receptors by a long-acting antihistamine on the immediate and late clinical response to antigen (Ag) and on the recruitment of eosinophils in the late-phase cutaneous reaction. Ten adult volunteers with late-phase reactions to the intradermal injection of either Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus or Phleum pratense (timothy) pollen performed a double-blind, crossover study. Each volunteer took astemizole, 10 mg, or identical placebo, daily for 2 weeks. Ag in the concentration that induced a late reaction in the screening visit was injected intradermally at the end of each drug period. The early reaction was measured serially for 30 minutes and the late reaction at 4 and 6 hours. Biopsies of the Ag and control sites were also performed at 6 hours. After a 6-week washout period, subjects then took the opposite medication for 2 weeks and returned for skin testing and biopsy. Skin testing demonstrated that astemizole inhibited the immediate response to both histamine and allergen but had no effect on the late response at 4 hours and at 6 hours. Biopsy specimens revealed no significant effect on eosinophil recruitment at 6 hours. We conclude that histamine H1-receptor blockade has no effect on the late cutaneous reaction to Ag.
Properties of porcine liver and testicular steroid sulphotransferases: reaction conditions and influence of naturally occurring steroids and steroid sulphates.
Sulphotransferase activity has been assayed in porcine liver and testis cytosol using either 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phospho [35S]sulphate (PAPS) or unlabelled PAPS as sulphate donors. In porcine liver the sulphotransferase for DHA was linear for up to 10 min, the optimum pH was 7.7 and optimum temperature, 37 degrees C. The apparent Km value was found to be 91 mumol/l and the activity was inhibited non-competitively by 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 beta-yl sulphate, with all concentrations used (0.02-25 mumol/l) inhibiting the enzyme to the same extent. Time courses for sulphoconjugation of pregnenolone and 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 beta-ol were linear for up to at least 10 min or up to only 5 min, respectively. The optimum pH values and temperatures were pH 8.0 and 37 degrees C in each case. The porcine testicular sulphotransferase activity for DHA as substrate was linear with time up to 10 min, the apparent Km for the reaction was 2 mumol/l and apparent Vmax 10 nmol/l/mg/min. 5 alpha-Androst-16-en-3 beta-yl sulphate (11.3-45.2 mumol/l) failed to inhibit the enzyme activity. The time-course for the reaction, when pregnenolone was used as substrate, was also linear up to 10 min at the optimum pH 8.0 but, in contrast to the reaction when DHA was the substrate, had an apparent Km of 20 mumol/l and was inhibited by pregnenolone sulphate, 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 beta-yl sulphate, DHA and 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 beta-ol, but not by DHA sulphate. 5 alpha-Androst-16-en-3 beta-yl sulphate inhibited the reaction non-competitively and to the same extent at concentrations over the range 11.3-45.2 mumol/l. These data suggest that DHA and pregnenolone may not be sulphoconjugated by the same sulphotransferase. With 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 beta-ol as substrate, the time-course for its sulphate formation was linear up to 15 min, and this reaction could explain the quantities of 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 beta-yl sulphate that are found endogenously in porcine testis. Our results further suggest that these quantities could well inhibit the sulphation of pregnenolone in porcine testis in vivo, and the possibility of control of sulphoconjugation in this tissue is discussed. Having regard to the smaller quantities of 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 beta-yl sulphate present in porcine liver, our results suggest that the sulphation of DHA there may not be so much affected.