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Biomedical subjects

J Wohlrab

Publications and source records attributed to J Wohlrab.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Chronic lupoid leishmaniasis. A rare differential diagnosis in Germany for erythematous infiltrative facial plaques].

Lupoid leishmaniasis is a unique form of cutaneous leishmaniasis characterized by unusual clinical features and a chronic relapsing course. Clinically and histologically it is similar to lupus vulgaris, which is thus the most important differential diagnostic consideration. All patients with granulomatous facial lesions coming from endemic areas or with a positive travel history should be suspected of having leishmaniasis. We describe a 59-year-old woman with facial lupoid leishmaniasis.

Chronic Disease↗

Antiseptic efficacy of a low-dosed topical triclosan/chlorhexidine combination therapy in atopic dermatitis.

The topical application of triclosan as an antistaphylogenic antiseptic has proven beneficial in atopic dermatitis. Especially in lipophilic carriers, triclosan is applied in a concentration range between 1 and 5%, usually 2%. However, as a phenol, triclosan is not undisputed and may result in local exacerbation of the disease by eliciting irritative secondary reactions, especially in high concentrations. Chlorhexidine is also an antiseptic which is very effective against Staphylococci and nearly equivalent to triclosan with respect to its antistaphylogenic efficacy. In light of this, the combination of the two active substances in very low concentrations offers a possible option of using the additive effects of the two substances to minimize the risk of side effects. In a uniform W/O emulsion carrier alternatively containing 0.3% triclosan combined with 0.34% chlorhexidine dihydrochloride or 2.0% triclosan, the antibacterial efficacy against Gram-positive skin bacteria could be proven in a preclinical comparison with a reference preparation containing fusidic acid. Subsequently, the pathogen-reducing effect was examined in a clinical study of the influence on clinical severity in patients with atopic dermatitis. Both investigation methods showed that the two test preparations were slightly inferior to the reference preparation, but result in the same degree of pathogen reduction and improvement in the severity of existing atopic dermatitis in direct comparison. The overall results support the conclusion that a combination of triclosan and chlorhexidine in low concentrations as well as the existing antiseptic standard of a 2% triclosan preparation are suitable for pathogen reduction and thus for improving atopic dermatitis.

Adolescent↗

[Maintenance therapy of psoriasis].

Maintenance therapy in the interval between flares is an essential part of the therapeutic approach to psoriasis. The therapeutic effectiveness of maintenance therapy results from a positive influence on the physicochemical characteristics of individual compartments of the skin, especially the stratum corneum and the epidermis. The objective is revert from a pathological milieu toward a physiological one. These effects may be supplemented by pharmacological or biochemical effects of the active substances or substance mixtures. Focal points are the use of lipophilic bases as well as keratoplastic, antiseptic and antipruriginous additives.

Administration, Oral↗

[Calcineurin inhibitors for topical therapy in psoriasis].

There are numerous possibilities for specific antiinflammatory therapy of psoriasis. One option is the use of calcineurin inhibitors. To date, only systemic administration of cyclosporine A is approved for this indication. Nonetheless cyclosporine A, tacrolimus and pimecrolimus can all be classed as effective anti-inflammatory agents for the therapy of psoriasis. Unfortunately, the vehicles currently available do not insure adequate topical delivery of these substances. Clinical efficacy of the preparations can be proven only when additional penetration-promoting measures are used or penetration-facilitating conditions exist. The entire group can be expected to play a greater role in the topical therapy of psoriasis if advances in vehicles and delivery systems are made.

Administration, Topical↗

[Trauma due to blank cartridges and fireworks. Early and correct treatment prevents tattooing and scarring].

Traumata secondary to blank cartridges and fireworks are not harmless at all. They can cause cosmetic disfigurement due to permanent tattooing and scars. Often the face and hands are injured. Fourteen patients with blast injuries were treated between 1992 and 2002 in our clinic. The average age was 20.4 years (range: 13-41 years, median: 17.5 years). Eight patients were aged under 18 years. Most of the victims were males (11 of 14). According to the extent of the powder tattooing we removed the particles under local or general anesthesia within 24 h. We used sterile tooth and hand brushes. After the operation we treated the wounds with local antibiotics. We describe two cases to illustrate our procedure. Early correct treatment of tattooing caused by fireworks or gun powder explosions within 24 h up to a maximum of 72 h prevents the development of permanent cosmetic disfigurement. The technique is simple, effective, and saves the cost of later removal of traumatic tattoos by laser or dermabrasion.

Adolescent↗

Unilateral nevoid telangiectasia syndrome.

We report on a 29-year-old patient with a unilateral nevoid telangiectasia syndrome (UNTS). Based on microcirculation examinations, both functional impairments at the blood vessel level (laser-Doppler flowmetry) and morphologically altered capillaries (capillary microscopy) could be observed. We could demonstrate that microcirculatory examinations are suitable to demonstrate pathophysiological defects at the vascular level, especially since subclinical functional defects can also be recorded. To our knowledge, no such observations have yet been published with regards to UNTS.

Adult↗

[Congenital and postpartum ungues incarnati].

A 2 month old infant presented with ingrown toenails of both great toes with an accompanying inflammatory reaction. The appearance of the toenails became normal after 6 months of topical antiseptic and anti-inflammatory treatment.

Administration, Topical↗

[Ulcerating Herpes simplex infections in intensive care patients].

Herpes simplex infections are potentially a life-threatening situation for immunocompromised as well as critically ill patients. The correct diagnosis is made more difficult in comatose patients by the fact that the characteristic symptom of extreme pain cannot be registered. The clinical dermatological findings (polycyclic configuration, easily bleeding ulcers) are thus especially important in patients under intensive care conditions. As examples, the cases of 3 critically ill patients (subarachnoid bleeding or head injury) developing therapy-resistant, flat sacral or perioral skin ulcers with peripheral blisters are presented. Herpes simplex virus was confirmed immunohistologically and in the smear test. All patients subsequently died. These cases emphasize that patients in the intensive care unit are in danger of developing a chronic persistent Herpes simplex infection due to latent immunosuppression. Chronic persistent Herpes infections may be underrated in intensive therapy, and must always be ruled out in case of therapy-resistant erosions or ulcerations.

Acyclovir↗

Quantification of mycophenolate mofetil in human skin extracts using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry.

A sensitive and selective method for the quantification of mycophenolate mofetil and its active metabolite mycophenolic acid in different human skin layers after dermal administration is presented. The skin layers were separated after in vitro penetration experiments and a methanolic extraction was performed. Positive ion electrospray HPLC-MS in selected ion monitoring mode was used to quantify the substances after isocratic separation by a C18 analytical column. The minimum detectable concentrations were 850 pg/ml for MMF and 1 ng/ml for MPA. The peak areas depended linearly on the concentration of both drugs over the range of 25-1,000 ng/ml (r2 > or = 0.996) with accuracy < or =9.8% and precision < or = 13.2%. Total imprecision at quantification limits was 15.2% at 10 ng/ml and 16.3% at 1,500 ng/ml for MMF and 15.1% at 21.0 ng/ml and 17.5% at 1,300 ng/ml for MPA. This HPLC-MS method will be applicable to the profiling of MMF amounts in skin and its conversion to MPA after application of different formulations.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Noninvasive characterization of human stratum corneum of undiseased skin of patients with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis as studied by Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy.

Etiopathogenetic regulatory disorders of epidermal metabolism and the subsequent changes in the molecular pattern of the stratum corneum play an important role in the clinical differentiation of particular dermatoses (e.g., psoriasis, atopic dermatitis). In this study we present in vitro Fourier transform Raman spectra of the stratum corneum from healthy skin, as well as from clinically undiseased skin of the right heel of atopic and psoriatic volunteers. Differences in the averaged spectra were detected, particularly in the spectral ranges of 1112-1142 (lipid band), 1185-1220, and 1394-1429 cm(-1). By using the first derivative of the averaged spectra and/or a statistical evaluation of the spectroscopic data it was possible to distinguish the skin types examined.

Adolescent↗

Is the proliferation of human chondrocytes regulated by ionic channels?

As in cells in all living cell systems, human chondrocytes are provided with a membrane potential. The existence of ion channels in the cell membrane is an essential prerequisite for the development of membrane potential. In nonhuman chondrocytes, different ion channels have already been identified. An association between potassium channel activity and cell proliferation has been detected in different human cell systems, whereas proof of an association between ion channel activity in human chondrocytes and their proliferation has yet to be established. In this study, we investigated the concentration-dependent influence of the ion channel modulators tetraethylammonium (TEA), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), 4',4'diisothiocyanato-stilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS), 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyano-2,2'-disulfonic acid (SITS), and verapamil (vp) on the membrane potential and the proliferation of human chondrocytes, using flow cytometry. We found that the used ion channel modulators caused a change in the membrane potential of human chondrocytes. The membrane potential was decreased by 18% with 0.25 mmol/l vp (the maximal measurable effect of any of the ion channel modulators) compared with that in a control group. We measured DNA distribution in the human chondrocytes, and it was apparent that they were diploid cells with a very low proliferative tendency. These results allow us to conclude that ion channel modulators influence chondrocyte proliferation. Knowledge of the regulation of chondrocyte proliferation via ion channel modulators could serve in the research of new osteoarthritis treatment concepts.

Adult↗

Human dermal pericytes express 3G5 ganglioside--a new approach for microvessel histology in the skin.

BACKGROUND: Pericytes cover the abluminal surface of microvessels and play an important role in capillary regulation and pathology. Studies on pericytes have been hindered by the lack of specific markers with which to facilitate microscopic identification of this cell type. Expression of the cell surface 3G5 ganglioside antigen has been reported in cultured retinal and cardiac pericytes. The objective of this study was to determine the usefulness of monoclonal antibody 3G5 as a pericyte marker in human skin. METHODS: Cryosections of 21 skin biopsies were examined by direct fluorescence technique with anti-3G5, anti-von Willebrand factor, anti-alpha-smooth muscle actin or DNA fluorochrome. RESULTS: In human dermis, 3G5 expression is limited to pericytes discriminating this cell type from all other cells including smooth muscle cells, myofibroblasts and myoepithelial cells. We found a pericyte: endothelial cell ratio of 1:12.4 (+/-7.1), and a difference of alpha-smooth muscle actin expression between the subpapillary plexus and the microvessels of the Stratum reticulare. CONCLUSIONS: 3G5 mAB is an excellent and so far the only reported tool for identification of dermal pericytes by fluorescent light microscopy. Moreover, this is the first report of the application of 3G5 technique to the microvasculature in tissue sections at the light microscopic level.

Adolescent↗