Biomedical subjects

L Lugović

Publications and source records attributed to L Lugović.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Atopic dermatitis: immunophenotyping of inflammatory cells in skin lesions.

BACKGROUND: The ever increasing incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD) has stimulated many researchers to use various diagnostic procedures to obtain new data to help elucidate the pathogenesis of the disease. AIMS: To perform cell immunophenotyping and to analyze the presence of inflammatory cell-surface markers in the biopsies of skin lesions from 15 AD patients and five healthy subjects. METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis was performed in a group of AD patients and compared with that in a control group of healthy subjects. Avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase staining of paraffin-embedded, 4 microm skin sections, with semiquantitative counting of cells labeled with anti-CD3, anti-CD8, anti-CD20, anti-HLA-DR (HLA, human leukocyte antigen), and anti-immunoglobulin E (anti-IgE) primary antibodies, was used. RESULTS: The results of AD skin analysis showed a greater infiltration of CD3+ lymphocytes, especially of CD4+ subtype, compared with CD8+ lymphocytes. AD skin biopsy specimens also showed a higher intraepidermal HLA-DR+ Langerhans' cell count, the presence of HLA-DR on lymphocytes in the dermis, and higher intraepidermal expression of IgE+ cells compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was found between the two groups for intradermal and intraepidermal CD3, CD4, and HLA-DR, intradermal CD8, and intraepidermal IgE+ cells. Immunophenotyping was found to be a useful diagnostic method in AD patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Are respiratory allergic diseases related to atopic dermatitis?

The difference of test results between patients with "pure" atopic dermatitis (AD) and "mixed" AD (with concomitant respiratory allergy, RA) was investigated in 30 AD patients. The results showed the onset of disease that mostly occur in the early infancy [15 (50%) patients had developed the disease under the age of 2-2/10 in "pure" AD, and 13/20 in "mixed" AD]. Twenty (66.6%) of them had a history of RA ("mixed" AD) whereas the remaining 10 (33.3%) had "pure" AD. Seventeen (56.6%) AD patients had one concomitant allergic disease, while 3 (10%) patients had two comorbid conditions (AR and AB) each. Family history was positive for atopy in 22 (73.3%) AD patients [in 14 (46.6%) patients in a first-degree relative]. Twenty-four (80%) patients had positive prick test [9/10 (90%) in "pure" AD and 15/20 (75%) in "mixed" AD], mostly for house dust (20). Positive scratch test was observed in 16 (53.3%) patients [4/10 in "pure" AD, and 12/20 in "mixed" AD]. Nineteen (63.3%) AD patients showed positive patch test reaction [5/10 in "pure" AD, and 14/20 in "mixed" AD]. AD patients had higher serum IgE (21/30) than non-atopic ones but similar in "pure" AD, and "mixed" AD [7/10 (70%) in "pure" AD, and 14/20 (70%) in "mixed" AD]. Determination of CD23 marker on B-lymphocytes showed normal values in 24, and increased values in six patients [2/10 in "pure" AD, and 4/20 in "mixed" AD]. The values of CD21 were decreased in 16 AD patients [6/10 in "pure" AD, and 10/20 in "mixed" AD]. HLA-DR expression was normal in almost all patients. There were no statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between the "pure" AD and "mixed" AD patient groups, except for the age at onset, which was younger in the group of patients with concomitant RA. Accordingly, study results pointed to the association between AD and RA.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Values of complement, T- and B-lymphocytes and immune complexes in patients with skin allergies.

The aim of this pilot study was to determine the values of total complement, C3 and C4 fractions, C1-esterase inhibitor, T- and B-lymphocytes, and immune complexes in our patients with skin allergic disease. The purpose was to investigate the probability of type III hypersensitivity reaction in the development and onset of skin allergies. The values of these parameters were determined in ten patients with atopic dermatitis and ten patients with chronic allergic urticaria. Results showed most of the study subjects with atopic dermatitis (7/10) to have increased CH50 values, a finding not observed in the patients with chronic allergic urticaria (2/10) and healthy controls (0/10). No major changes in other parameteres were found in any of the patient groups. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was found among the three groups in CH50 and C4 values.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

[Routine immunologic tests in atopic dermatitis].

The study comprised 100 examinees with atopic dermatitis and 50 examinees with chronic urticaria (adult patients and children), as well as 50 examinees in a control group. The parameters for monitoring included laboratory findings; values of eosinophiles, total lymphocytes, T and B lymphocytes, serum immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgM) total IgE and specific IgE; results of cutaneous tests: prick and intradermal test to inhalative and nutritive allergens, scratch test to preservatives and additives, and epicutaneous (patch) test to contact allergens. In detection and monitoring of patients with atopic dermatitis, several methods were applied with different diagnostic success. The values of total number of lymphocytes and T and B lymphocytes were mainly within the normal limits, therefore these were not good diagnostic parameters. Eosinophiles were mainly higher and were useful in determination of AD. Mainly normal values of IgE, IgA and IgM were found by radial immunodiffusion, but the ELISA method, as well as the RIST method, showed high values of total IgE. Of the applied skin tests, the most important was intradermal test which gave most of the positive results in the patients with atopic dermatitis (97.7%), then followed scratch test (83.3%), patch test (64.3%), and finally epicutaneous test (57.1%).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Contact hypersensitivity in atopic dermatitis.

From January 1990 to December 1994, a total of 84 patients (56 men and 28 women) with atopic dermatitis (AD) were referred to our Clinic for patch testing. The European standard series of allergens was applied to all subjects together with any additional series indicated in the case history. Sensitization to at least one of the allergens was found in 57.1% of individuals with AD. Positive reactions were more frequently determined in adults than in children with AD. Women and men were equally positive in epicutaneous testing. The commonest sensitizer was nickel sulfate (discriminative in 28.6%). Adult patients with atopic dermatitis significantly differed from patients with chronic urticaria or healthy controls in patch test positive results. Our findings suggest that allergic contact dermatitis is more common in patients with AD than generally assumed and that patch testing is a practicable and clinically worthwhile procedure for determining allergic contact dermatitis in patients with AD.

Adolescent↗