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Hirokazu Yasuno

Publications and source records attributed to Hirokazu Yasuno.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Characteristics of skin surface morphology and transepidermal water loss in clinically normal-appearing skin of patients with atopic dermatitis: a video-microscopy study.

In patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), it is debatable whether clinically normal-appearing skin is equal to non-atopic normal skin. The aim of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the characteristics of normal-appearing skin of AD. We examined the value of skin surface morphological changes using a new, simple, computer-assisted method with a video microscope. We also investigated the physiological function as represented by transepidermal water loss (TEWL) levels in 44 patients with AD and 15 normal controls. The morphological changes were represented by a variation coefficient score that reflected the irregularity of skin ridges, named the surface irregularity index (SII). There were significant differences between the normal-appearing skin of AD and non-atopic normal skin in both SII (P<0.001) and in TEWL (P<0.01). Especially for the SII, there were significant differences between AD subgroups subdivided by peripheral blood eosinophil count (Eo), serum lactate dehydrogenase level, and clinical score. TEWL values were significantly higher in the high-Eo AD group (n=15) than in the low-Eo AD group (n=29) (P<0.05). These findings indicate that clinically normal-appearing skin of AD patients with high disease activity differs from non-atopic normal skin in both surface morphology and physiology and that these changes reflect the current disease activity.

Adolescent↗

Effects of tacrolimus ointment on facial eruption, itch, and scratching in patients with atopic dermatitis.

The action of tacrolimus ointment on pruritus in atopic dermatitis is still unclear. In this open study we investigated both the relationship between the severity of eruptions and the degree of itch and scratching in patients with atopic dermatitis and the effects of topical tacrolimus on these symptoms. Seventy adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis with facial eruptions that were recalcitrant to topical steroids applied a 0.1% tacrolimus ointment twice per day after discontinuation of topical steroid. The eruption scores and an assessment of the itch and scratching were recorded for 12 weeks. Oral antihistamine was prescribed at least one month before the study and continued unchanged during the study in each patient. The percentage reduction in the score of itch and scratching after two weeks (n=59) was significantly higher than in the score of eruption. Although there was no significant relationship between the severity of the eruptions and the degree of itch and scratching during steroid application, a relationship became significant after four weeks (n=59) of tacrolimus use by a one-factor ANOVA analysis. This suggests that tacrolimus ointment is effective for the itch and scratching in cases where degrees might be discrepant from the severity of eruptions in patients with recalcitrant facial eruptions of AD.

Administration, Topical↗

Localized cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita on the back of a young man.

We report the clinical and light microscopic features of a case of cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita with a painful refractory ulcer that was found on the back of a young Japanese man. The ulcer was positioned on the upper back over the spinal bone. In addition to the anatomical location of the ulcer, the vascular ectases may have played a part in the refractory ulceration.

Adult↗

Immunolocalization of fibroblast growth factor receptors in normal and wounded human skin.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) have been shown to play diverse roles in various tissues. To define their sites of action in normal human skin and during wound healing, we determined the protein expression of the four known fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) in normal and wounded human skin by immunohistochemistry. Four receptors (FGFR-1 to FGFR-4) showed distinct patterns of expression in normal skin. Expression of FGFR-1 was widespread in the epidermis, appendages, arrector pili muscles, blood vessels, and dermal fibroblasts. Intense expression of FGFR-2 and FGFR-4 was seen in the arrector pili muscles and smooth muscle cells of vessels. In the epidermis, the basal layer showed immunoreactivity for FGFR-2, whereas the suprabasal layers and the inner layers of hair follicles showed strong immunoreactivity for FGFR-3. In wounded skin, there was strong expression of FGFR-1 and FGFR-3, and moderate expression of FGFR-2 and FGFR-4 in the basal layer in newly forming epidermis. In granulation tissues, neocapillaries expressed all four FGFRs, fibroblasts/myofibroblasts expressed FGFR-1 and FGFR-3, and mononuclear inflammatory cells expressed FGFR-1 and FGFR-3. Our results suggest that the differences in the spatial patterns of FGFR expression in normal skin may generate functional diversity in response to FGFs and that in wounded skin, FGFs may function in wound healing via the induced FGFRs.

Burns↗