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Biomedical subjects

K Aroni

Publications and source records attributed to K Aroni.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Simultaneous occurrence of pure red cell aplasia and papular-purpuric 'gloves and socks' syndrome in parvovirus B-19 infection.

Papular-purpuric 'gloves and socks' syndrome (PPGSS) has been associated with parvovirus B-19 infection. We report a case of an adult immunocompetent male who presented with PPGSS. Bone marrow examination revealed pure red cell aplasia. Parvovirus B-19 DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction in the patient's serum, whole blood and in the cutaneous lesions. This report illustrates the variety of clinical manifestations caused by B-19 infection, presents for the first time the concurrent appearance of pure red cell aplasia and PPGSS in the same patient and, finally, suggests that PPGSS may be due to direct lytic effect of the virus.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Paucity of Sjogren-like syndrome in a cohort of HIV-1-positive patients in the HAART era. Part II.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed in order to investigate the prevalence of Sjögren-like syndrome (SLS) in the highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) era in a cohort of HIV-1-positive Greek patients. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-one unselected patients were screened by the validated European Union (EU) criteria for Sjögren's syndrome. Of the 31 who gave a positive EU-validated questionnaire, 17 consented to undergo minor salivary gland biopsy and other tests. RESULTS: Only two patients had a positive salivary gland biopsy and both belonged to the non-compliant HAART group, whereas none of the compliant HAART patients had histological findings. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that SLS, the prevalence of which in the pre-HAART era was 7.8%, has disappeared, possibly as a result of the protective action of HAART.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita: treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins.

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is a rare autoimmune bullous disorder that is often difficult to treat. Few cases have been reported and therapy consists mainly of combinations of systemic steroids, immunosuppressants and, recently, administration of intravenous human immunoglobulin (IVIg). We describe a case of EBA in which our therapeutic choices were limited due to the patient's poor general condition, including extensive infection of the lesions and a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. The patient was treated with IVIg at a dose of 400 mg/kg per day for 5 consecutive days every 4 weeks. The treatment was well tolerated and the results were satisfactory. It seems that IVIg, due to its possible immunomodulatory mode of action, can be an efficacious therapeutic agent in this rare autoimmune disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

p53 protein expression and oestrogen and progesterone receptor status in invasive ductal breast carcinomas.

p53 protein expression and oestrogen and progesterone receptor status in invasive ductal breast carcinomas The p53 protein expression and oestrogen and progesterone receptors status was investigated in correlation to the grade of malignancy of primary breast carcinomas. Our material constituted imprints from surgical biopsies of 75 invasive ductal breast cancer cases. The p53 protein expression was investigated immunocytologically using the monoclonal antibody p53 DO-7 (DAKO). A biochemical DCC method was applied for the detection of oestrogen and progesterone receptors for all tumours. Fifty-one percent of breast cancer cases were p53 protein positive. A statistically significant association of p53 protein expression and high tumour grade was found (chi2=23.72, d.f.=2, P < 0.001). A statistically significant association was also found between oestrogen and progesterone receptor positive cases and the grade of malignancy (P < 0.001). A negative association between p53 protein expression and oestrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR) positivity was found. From our results it appears that it is possible to distinguish from grade II tumours two subgroups of cases, one with low malignancy potential and p53 (-), ER (+), PgR (+), and another subgroup with high malignancy potential and phenotype p53 (+), ER (-), PgR (-). The last subset of patients could actually benefit from adjuvant therapy.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed2001

Increased density of Demodex folliculorum and evidence of delayed hypersensitivity reaction in subjects with papulopustular rosacea.

BACKGROUND: Rosacea is a common chronic dermatosis that evolves in stages. The mite Demodex folliculorum has been implicated in its obscure aetiopathogenesis. AIM: To evaluate the importance of D. folliculorum in the aetiology and course of rosacea. METHODS: We studied 92 consecutive cases of papulopustular rosacea and 92 age- and sex-matched controls. Prevalence and density of D. folliculorum were estimated by microscopic examination of the expressed follicular content. Histological examination and immunohistochemical study of the inflammatory infiltrate were performed in 10 subjects (five with positive D. folliculorum finding and five with negative finding). RESULTS: D. folliculorum was detected in 83 (90.2%) of the 92 rosacea subjects but only 11(11.9%) of the controls. The mean mite density was 2.03 mites/visual field in the rosacea group (range 0-5, SD = 1.2) and 0.16 mites/visual field (range 0-2, SD = 0.52) in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.0001) for both mite prevalence and density. Hair follicle infestation was associated with intense perifollicular infiltrate of predominantly (90-95%) CD4 helper/inducer T cells. We observed an increased number of macrophages and Langerhans cells only in those subjects with a positive D. folliculorum finding. CONCLUSIONS: Although Demodex mites do not seem to be the cause of rosacea, they may represent an important cofactor, especially in papulopustular rosacea. Immunohistochemical findings suggest that a delayed hypersensitivity reaction, possibly triggered by antigens of follicular origin, probably related to D. folliculorum, may occur, stimulating progression of the affection to the papulopustular stage.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Erythema nodosum in children: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The studies of series of children with erythema nodosum (EN) are limited and mostly retrospective. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the epidemiology, etiology, clinical manifestations, course, and prognosis of EN in children. METHODS: Thirty-five children with EN (17 boys, 18 girls; mean age, 8.79 years) have been studied. Four excluded children proved, on biopsy, to have leukocytoclastic vasculitis (n = 3) or eosinophilic cellulitis (n = 1). RESULTS: In 27 of the 35 children (77%), the etiology of EN was established by laboratory investigations. In 25 children the causative factor of EN was an infectious agent (including beta-hemolytic streptococcus [n = 17], and Mycobacterium tuberculosis [n = 2]), whereas in 2 patients, EN was associated with Crohn's disease in one and Hodgkin's disease in the other. In 8 of the 35 children (23%) the etiology of EN remained undetermined. The mean duration of the rash was 11.5 days. Recurrences were noted in only 2 children (1 episode in 1 child and 3 episodes in the other). CONCLUSION: Currently the most common provoking agent of EN in children in Greece is beta-hemolytic streptococcus. However, Mycobacterium tuberculosis should still be considered as a cause of the disorder. Also, the course of EN is benign and recurrences are exceptional.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Signet ring basal cell carcinoma. A case study emphasizing the differential diagnosis of neoplasms with signet ring cell formation.

Signet ring cells are cells in which the nucleus is crescentically compressed to the cellular border so that the cells look like signet rings. Due to the pluripotential nature of the basal cells of the epidermis, basal cell carcinoma displays many histopathological variants. We herein report the rare case of a middle-aged woman who had a basal cell carcinoma on the skin of the upper lip. The neoplasm was predominantly composed of cells with signet ring configuration. Histochemically, the latter were mucin-negative. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated intracytoplasmic reactivity for cytokeratin MNF116 with strong staining intensity, as well as for smooth muscle actin. The signet ring tumor cells were S100 protein-negative and carcinoembryonic antigen-negative. The lack of ploidy abnormality as well as of molecular alterations in K-ras and p53 genes may explain in part the non-aggressive biological behavior of the present tumor. Because of potential diagnostic difficulties, the pathologist should be aware of this unusual form of basal cell carcinoma. A brief review of the literature on the differential diagnosis of signet ring cell cutaneous tumors is presented.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2000

DNA ploidy and p53 protein expression in superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (STCCB) is a heterogeneous group of neoplasias with an unpredictable clinical course. In recent years many techniques have been used in order to predict the behaviour of these tumours at individual patient level. The aim of this study was to investigate in imprints from tumour biopsies the DNA ploidy and p53 protein expression in a group of 80 STCCB (pTa-pT1) patients in relation to histological grade and recurrence status. The DNA content was studied in Feulgen-stained imprints by the image analysis technique using a SAMBA 2005 analyser. In order to investigate p53 protein expression an avidin-extravidin immunocytochemical technique was used. According to our measurements a strong correlation was observed between recurrence status and DNA ploidy status (P < 0.001). No statistical difference was found in DNA ploidy status and grade of malignancy (P = 0.68). A statistically significant difference was found in p53 protein expression between recurrent and nonrecurrent tumours (P < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found among tumours of grade I, grade II and grade III (P = 0.42). These results could provide useful information on the potential behaviour of STCCB.

Carcinoma, Transitional Cell↗
PubMed2000

Immunodetection of gastrin-releasing peptide in malignant melanoma cells.

Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), the mammalian counterpart of bombesin, was first identified in the nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract. Little is known about its distribution in the human skin or about its function in certain diseases such as malignant melanoma. Recently functional GRP receptors have been found on human melanoma cell lines. We therefore investigated, using immunohistochemistry, whether human melanoma cells express GRP and whether there is a significant change in its distribution among the different clinical types of melanoma and a connection to histopathological features such as growth phase, type of malignant cells, Breslow thickness and Clark level of invasion. We demonstrated the existence of GRP in all clinicopathological types of melanoma; a predilection for quantitatively increased GRP immunostaining was noticed in nodular melanomas (P = 0.007). As well as this, we observed a restriction of GRP expression at a specific level of invasion, i.e. within the reticular dermis (Clark IV) (P = 0.032). GRP immunoreactivity was found to be associated with an increased amount of melanin pigment in malignant cells (P = 0.054). The presence of GRP in malignant melanocytes, along with its association with the various histopathological features, suggests that GRP may play a role in the pathophysiology of this type of cutaneous tumour.

Gastrin-Releasing Peptide↗
PubMed2000

p53 protein expression and proliferative activity in imprints of superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate p53 protein expression and proliferative activity in imprints of tumor biopsies from superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder in relation to the histologic grade of malignancy and recurrence status. STUDY DESIGN: The study group consisted of 70 cases of superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. In order to investigate p53 protein expression and Ki-67 expression, an immunocytochemical avidin-extravidin complex technique was performed using monoclonal antibodies p53 D0-7 and proliferating cells correspondingly. RESULTS: Thirty-seven percent of superficial transitional cell carcinoma cases showed positive expression of p53 protein. No correlation was found between p53 protein expression and grade of malignancy (P = .45). p53 Protein expression was statistically correlated with a high Ki-67 labeling index (LI) (P < .001) and recurrence status (P < .001). Forty-seven percent of cases showed a Ki-67 LI > 25%. No correlation was found between a high Ki-67 LI and grade of malignancy (P = .703). A significant difference in high Ki-67 LI between recurrent and nonrecurrent tumors of the same grade (P < .001) and between recurrent and nonrecurrent tumors was found independently of grade (P < .001). CONCLUSION: These results on cytologic material could provide useful information on the biologic behavior of superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder at the time of diagnosis.

Adult↗