Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Vocks.
A 38-year-old male homosexual patient, who had suffered from hepatopathy for many years and from rosacea since 15 years, showed pronounced exacerbation of the rosacea following HIV infection.
At the Davos Clinic for Dermatology and Allergy (Alexanderhausklinik), patients suffering from psoriasis were treated with natural UV irradiation over 6 weeks in 1987: the average doses applied amounted to 1.042 J/cm2 UVB (= 41.7 sunburn units (SU] and 41.511 J/cm2 UVA. These doses were far below those of artificial UV sources usually required in the treatment of psoriasis. The doses were also far below those which statistically increase the incidence of non-melanotic skin cancer.
Skin protection has a particular importance in occupational dermatology. The skin has to be protected from different occupational noxae for example physical like heat, cold, UV-radiation or friction or chemical like toxic or allergenic contactants. The protection measures are specified, in detail new formation of workrooms to prevent irritation of the skin, protective clothes and gloves, different noxa-adapted, skin protective preparations including different detergents and care of the skin. Their valence concerning prophylaxis and present occupational eccema is discussed.
A 12-year-old girl developed a myxoid liposarcoma on the inner side of her right thigh. Liposarcomas are extremely rare at this age compared to benign lipoblastomas, which are the most frequent tumors of fatty tissue in childhood. The prognosis of myxoid liposarcoma is good, especially when, as in this patient, the tumor is located in the subcutis where a large and deep excision is possible and often curative.
The present study was designed to evaluate basic differences in surface structure and viscoelastic properties of nonatopic versus atopic skin and facultative acute changes following ultraviolet irradiation. Therefore, biophysical measurements by means of profilometry and cutometry were carried out on sun-protected unaffected gluteal skin areas in both groups before and 24 h after single UVA and UVB irradiations. The results indicate that the clinically unaffected skin of patients with atopic eczema differs from normal skin in terms of increased roughness parameters, but not concerning depth of furrows or viscoelastic properties (viscosity and biological elasticity, cutometrically calculated). Single UVA irradiation with 50 J/cm(2) induced neither measurable changes in the skin's surface structure nor in its viscoelastic properties in both groups after 24 h. However, irradiation with a single erythemogenic dose of 1 MED UVB was followed by a short-term significant increase in the depths of furrows and decrease in biological elasticity in normal and atopic skin, accompanied by an increase in viscosity in normal skin.
During a period of a few months we observed 3 female patients suffering from contact urticaria by use of rubber gloves. In one case the local urticarial reaction at the fore arms was followed by asthma. In all 3 cases we could prove type I allergy against latex by radio allergo sorbent test (RAST).