PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J J Grob

Publications and source records attributed to J J Grob.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Multiple senile lentigos of the face, a skin ageing pattern resulting from a life excess of intermittent sun exposure in dark-skinned caucasians: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Different patterns of skin ageing can be described depending on the predominant lesions, i.e. wrinkles, laxity, atrophy, senile lentigos (SLs), etc. They may correspond to different epidemiological contexts. OBJECTIVES: To identify and assess the epidemiological factors for a skin ageing pattern characterized by a high density of SLs on the face, or 'lentigo ageing pattern' (LAP). METHODS: An age- and sex-matched case-control study was conducted in individuals aged between 60 and 80 years, comparing cases (n = 118) with a very high number of SLs on the face for their age, and controls (n = 118) with no or very few SLs for their age. The cases and controls were recruited in two hospitals. RESULTS: In univariate and multivariate analysis, LAP was associated with skin types III and IV, with frequent sunburns, and with the part of the lifetime cumulative sun exposure which was received during vacations. Conversely, there was no link with the occupational and everyday exposures and the total cumulative exposure. LAP was associated with multiple solar lentigos of the upper back. No relationship was found with postmenopausal hormonal therapy, number of naevi, or freckles. CONCLUSIONS: Different epidemiological factors may account for the different skin ageing patterns. LAP seems to develop preferentially in dark-skinned caucasians who have repeatedly received intermittent and intense sun irradiations throughout their life, and have often developed solar lentigos on the upper back earlier in life, whereas the 'prominent wrinkling' pattern is known to affect light-skinned people and smokers with a life excess of continuous exposure.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Comparative study of the impact of chronic urticaria, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis on the quality of life.

BACKGROUND: A better management of chronic skin disorders (CSDs) requires a knowledge of their impact from the patient's point of view. OBJECTIVES: To determine which aspects of the patient's life are mainly impaired in the different CSDs, and provide comparative references to estimate better the real impact of the different CSDs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional and matched study of 1356 adult outpatients to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQL) profile in chronic urticaria (466 CU), psoriasis (464 PSO) and atopic dermatitis (426 AD), using the VQ-Dermato, a multidimensional instrument in French validated for CSDs. RESULTS: After adjustment for confounders, HRQL dimensions were differently affected in the three CSDs. The 'physical discomfort' dimension was more degraded in AD and CU than in PSO (P < 0.001), and 'leisure activities' more in PSO than in CU (P < 0.001). 'Self-perception' and 'treatment-induced restrictions' dimensions were much less affected in CU than in PSO and AD (P < 0.001). In PSO, the 'daily living activities' dimension was much less impaired than in CU and AD (P < 0.001). No aspect of HRQL was really spared in AD. CONCLUSIONS: The comparison shows that CU, PSO and AD are characterized by completely different qualitative profiles of impact on HRQL, which are influenced by their clinical characteristics and usual treatment options. It underlines the severe impairment of CU which is often underestimated.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Fotemustine compared with dacarbazine in patients with disseminated malignant melanoma: a phase III study.

PURPOSE: To compare fotemustine and dacarbazine (DTIC) in terms of overall response rate (ORR) as primary end-point and overall survival, duration of responses, time to progression, time to occurrence of brain metastases (BM), and to assess safety and quality of life in patients with disseminated cutaneous melanoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients received either intravenous fotemustine 100 mg/m2 weekly for 3 weeks or DTIC 250 mg/m2/d for 5 consecutive days every 4 weeks (two cycles). Nonprogressive patients received a maintenance treatment every 4 weeks (fotemustine 100 mg/m2 or DTIC 250 mg/m2 for 5 days). RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-nine patients were randomly assigned to fotemustine or DTIC arms. The best ORR was higher in the fotemustine arm than in the DTIC arm in the intent-to-treat population (n=229; 15.2% v 6.8%; P=.043) and in full analysis set (n=221) (15.5% v 7.2%; P=.053). Similar median durations of responses (5.8 months with fotemustine v 6.9 months with DTIC) and time to progression (1.8 v 1.9 months, respectively) were observed. In patients without BM at inclusion, the median time to BM was 22.7 months with fotemustine versus 7.2 months with DTIC (P=.059). Median survival was 7.3 months with fotemustine versus 5.6 months with DTIC (P=.067). The main toxicity was grade 3 to 4 neutropenia (51% with fotemustine v 5% with DTIC) and thrombocytopenia (43% v 6%, respectively). No significant difference was noted for quality of life between arms. CONCLUSION: ORR was higher in the fotemustine arm compared to the DTIC arm in first-line treatment of disseminated melanoma. A trend in favor of fotemustine in terms of overall survival and time to BM was evidenced.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Thrombotic accidents induced by thalidomide: two cases].

INTRODUCTION: First used as a sedative, thalidomide was taken out the market because of its teratogenicity. Despite other side effects, especially neuropathies, this drug is now again prescribed in various autoimmune and neoplasic diseases. Recently, venous or arterial thrombotic events have been described after the introduction of thalidomide. EXEGESIS: In this report, we describe two new venous thrombosis cases occurring during a treatment with thalidomide. The first case is a 37-year-old man treated for a discoid lupus, who developed three deep-vein thrombosis and a massive pulmonary embolism, with recurrent thrombosis even with an efficient anticoagulation therapy until the final stop of thalidomide. The second one is a 66-year-old woman treated with thalidomide for a multiple myeloma and a melanoma in therapeutic escape, who developed a deep-vein thrombosis two months after the beginning of her treatment. Published reports suggest that most thrombotic events appeared under three months after the introduction of the treatment and that thalidomide could have acted as a precipitating or as a starting factor in a patient population already at risk of thrombosis. Those complications should be particularly severe, but the mechanism underlying thrombosis with thalidomide is unknown. CONCLUSION: A complete coagulation check-up is advised before beginning a treatment with thalidomide.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Naevi in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation recipients: the effect of graft-versus-host disease on naevi.

BACKGROUND: Non-melanoma skin carcinoma is more common in transplant recipients, probably because of immunosuppression. An increased risk of developing melanoma could be a late effect of transplantation. The number of naevi, which is a risk marker for melanoma, is increased in renal transplant recipients of all ages and may be related to immunosuppression. The risk of melanoma has been suspected to be particularly high after bone marrow transplantation. Cutaneous graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) might be an interesting model for the study of interactions between naevi and the immune system. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether aBMT exposes an individual to a particularly high risk of melanoma, using naevi as a surrogate measure of the risk. To improve our knowledge of the effect of the immune system on naevi, using GVHD as a model. METHODS: We carried out an epidemiological case-control study with two age-, sex- and hair colour-matched controls for each case. The results were analysed with analysis of variance, a general linear model analysis and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The number of naevi was not significantly increased in aBMT patients, as compared with controls, although there was a significant excess on the palms and legs. In exploratory subgroup case-control comparisons and with the general linear model, patients who were conditioned with a combination of two alkylating drugs at high doses, and patients who had an aBMT before the age of 20 years tended to have a higher count of naevi (P = 0.002 and P = 0.06, respectively). Conversely, there was a trend in favour of a lower count of naevi in patients with diffuse skin lesions of chronic GVHD (P = 0.01). These data were corroborated by multivariate analysis, which showed that conditioning with high-dose chemotherapy, the absence of severe chronic cutaneous GVHD and a young age at transplantation were the main variables that independently predicted an excess of naevi. CONCLUSIONS: This study of aBMT patients confirms that chemotherapy stimulates naevus growth. It also suggests for the first time that diffuse lesions of chronic cutaneous GVHD are associated with a decreased number of naevi. Whether allo-immunity, chronic skin inflammation or the masking of naevi by pigmentation and fibrosis is responsible for the decreased number of naevi requires further investigation. With respect to the long-term risk of melanoma in aBMT recipients, our results support an increased risk particularly when aBMT is performed at a young age, and when conditioning is with high doses of alkylating drugs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

[Impetigo herpetiformis, a rare manifestation of severe hypocalcemia].

A case of impetigo herpetiformis associated with profound hypocalcemia secondary to idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is reported. This clinical observation and the review of similar cases in the literature recall that this rare and severe skin disease related to psoriasis can be the first manifestation of hypoparathyroidism and responds very well to the calcium reloading.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Skin manifestations associated with myelodysplastic syndromes].

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to describe cutaneous manifestations associated with myelodysplastic syndromes. METHODS: Data from seven patients with cutaneous vasculitis (four cases), neutrophilic dermatosis (one case), relapsing polychondritis (one case), and possible erythema elevatum diutinum (one case) in association with myelodysplastic syndrome (refractory anaemia RA, RA with excess of blasts--RAEB-, RAEB in transformation RAEBt, chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia--CMML-), and analysis of the literature were reviewed. RESULTS: The cutaneous manifestations of myelodysplastic syndrome may or may not be specific, and may reveal hemopathy transformation. The cutaneous vasculitis are the most frequent and polymorphic. The relation with neutrophilic dermatosis is more specific; they are a spectrum of diseases including pyoderma gangrenosum, Sweet's syndrome, erythema elevatum diutinum (nuclear segmentation anomalies of neutrophils both in the skin and in the blood are a biological marker of the association). Relapsing polychondritis is significantly associated with myelodysplastic syndromes. Their pathogenesis are controversial. CONCLUSION: Early biopsy of cutaneous lesions in myelodysplastic syndromes is indicated. Analysis of blood cell count (and more bone marrow biopsy in relapsing polychondritis) is indispensable in these neutrophilic cutaneous or vasculitis diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Economic analysis of adjuvant therapy with interferon alpha-2a in stage II malignant melanoma.

Using the trial demonstrating that interferonalpha-2a (IFNalpha-2a) is efficacious as adjuvant therapy in stage II melanoma, we evaluate its outcomes and economic consequences. Using rates observed in the 5-year trial and published figures, survival and Q-TWIST (Time Without Symptoms and Toxicity) were extrapolated to a 10-year and lifetime horizon. Cost analysis was performed using the trial's data, published literature and experts' opinions from the perspective of the French Sickness Funds. Patients in the IFNalpha-2a-group have an additional 0.26 years in life-expectancy over a 5-year time period (P=0.046), 0.67 years over a 10-year period and 2.59 years over a lifetime. Cost per life-year-gained was estimated at approximately 14400 after 5 years, 6635 after 10 years and 1716 over a lifetime. Assuming that there is an improvement in disease-free survival only, cost is 26147 per Q-TWIST. Cost-effectiveness of IFNalpha-2a in stage II melanoma compares favourably with estimates for widely used therapies in the oncological field.

Adult↗