PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Matthieu

Publications and source records attributed to L Matthieu.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Contact and photocontact allergy to ketoprofen. The Belgian experience.

Topical ketoprofen (KP) is widely used because of its anti-inflammatory effect. However, photocontact dermatitis is a side-effect. Between May 2001 and June 2002, the Belgian Contact & Environmental Dermatitis Group conducted a prospective, open patch and photopatch test study in 20 patients suspected of KP dermatitis. Severe skin symptoms requiring systemic corticotherapy occurred in 47%. 5 patients were hospitalized. 1 patient showed prolonged photosensitivity. All patients were tested with KP and the other constituents of KP gel. Attribution to KP was demonstrated in all cases. Patch and photopatch tests with KP 2% in petrolatum showed contact photoallergy in 17 patients, contact allergy in 1 patient and photoaggravated contact allergy in 2 patients. 5 patients also reacted to the fragrance components lavender (Lavandula augustifolia) oil and/or neroli (Citrus aurantium dulcis) oil 5% in alcohol. However, in 4 of these, irritant reactions to the ethanolic dilutions could not be ruled out. Additional tests with 3 non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs without benzophenone structure ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac identified only 1 contact allergic reaction to diclofenac. Cross-reactivity to the substituted benzophenones, oxybenzone and sulisobenzone occurred only to the first in less than 30% of the patients. A high frequency (69%) of contact allergy to fragrance mix was found. Dermatologists should be aware of the severity of photoallergic reactions to KP and the risk of cross-sensitization.

Adolescent↗

Beneficial effects of a skin tolerance-tested moisturizing cream on the barrier function in experimentally-elicited irritant and allergic contact dermatitis.

In experimentally-induced irritant (ICD) and allergic (ACD) contact dermatitis, an oil-in-water (o/w) cream was applied to investigate its effects on a disturbed barrier function compared to untreated physiological barrier repair. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurements were performed. Before the start of the experiments, the skin tolerance of the cream was examined, revealing the non-irritating characteristics of the ingredients and the absence of any contact allergic patch test reaction. In the ICD study, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) patches were applied to the forearms of young female volunteers. Consequently, it was observed that repeated cream application (14 days, 2x/day) significantly improved the TEWL of SLS-damaged skin, leading to a complete recovery on day 15. In the ACD study, disruption of skin barrier function was obtained by a nickel-mediated contact allergy patch (CAP) test. The cream was then applied 2x/day for 4 consecutive days. Assessment of TEWL clearly showed that recovery of the disrupted skin significantly improved after cream application in comparison to untreated barrier repair.

Adult↗

Diagnosis of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma detecting T-cell receptor gamma chain gene monoclonality by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas represent a group of malignant lymphoproliferative disorders characterised by the occurrence of a monoclonal population of T-lymphocytes. Diagnosis of early stages of this disease is a difficult challenge for both the dermatologist and the dermatopathologist. With the aid of the polymerase chain reaction it is possible to amplify specific regions of the T-cell receptor gamma gene. The amplification products can then be separated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis in order to detect a monoclonal population of T-lymphocytes in the infiltrate. We studied 4 patients with the clinicopathologic diagnosis of mycosis fungoides and 2 patients diagnosed as large plaque parapsoriasis. A monoclonal population was detected in 3 of the 4 mycosis fungoides cases and in 1 of the patients with large plaque parapsoriasis. This indicates that our analysis can help us establishing a diagnosis, and it can also help us to identify patients with a possible early stage of the disease, which clinically or histologically is not yet recognised as such.

Aged↗

Toxic epidermal necrolysis associated with treatment for preterm labor.

We report a 29-year-old pregnant woman who developed toxic epidermal necrolysis at 29 weeks of gestation after administration of ritodrine, indomethacin and betamethasone. Toxic epidermal necrolysis is an unreported side effect of this widely used combination of medications. Since toxic epidermal necrolysis is a potentially fatal disease, awareness of a possible association is warranted.

Adult↗

Contact allergy to resorcinol monobenzoate.

Resorcinol monobenzoate is an ultraviolet light absorber used in cellulose plastics and is known to cause allergic contact dermatitis reactions. It is the most important allergen in spectacle frames but can be a potential allergen in shoes as well. We report 7 cases of allergy to resorcinol monobenzoate with different clinical presentations. Our series further illustrates several possible cross-sensitizers.

Adult↗

Discrepancy in patch test results with wool wax alcohols and Amerchol L-101.

Wondering why Amerchol L-101 (containing wool wax alcohols obtained from the hydrolysis of wool fat) appears as a test material (100%) in a cosmetics series (Chemotechnique Diagnostics AB), as wool wax alcohols were already tested in the European standard series, we added Amerchol L-101 (100%) systematically to the standard series. From 8 April 1991 to 28 February 1992, a total of 393 patients were tested: 3.05% (n = 12) showed positive test results (+, +2, +3) for wool wax alcohols as well as Amerchol L-101 (100%), 0.3% (n = 1) for wool wax alcohols only, and 11.1% (n = 44) for Amerchol L-101 (100%) only. Thus, the positive tests for Amerchol L-101 (100%) had a higher frequency of 3.4 compared to those for wool wax alcohols. In the meantime, we also added Amerchol L-101 50% (Trolab) to the standard series. Of all patients tested (n = 223) 2.7% (n = 6) had positive reactions to wool wax alcohols and 12.1% (n = 27) to Amerchol L-101 100% and/or 50%. Thus, positive reactions to Amerchol L-101 (100% and 50%) were 4.5 higher, whereas the rate of concordancy decreased. It is remarkable that 8 patients only had a positive reaction to Amerchol L-101 50% and 9 only to Amerchol L-101 100%. It seems that we miss many diagnoses in contact allergy by using only the standard wool wax alcohols test (30%).

Adolescent↗

Itraconazole penetrates the nail via the nail matrix and the nail bed--an investigation in onychomycosis.

Nail-matrix kinetics were studied in 21 patients (19 with onychomycosis, two with tinea corporis) as soon as taking itraconazole (Sporanox) 100 mg daily for up to 7 months. Itraconazole was detected in the distal nail as soon as 1 month after the start of therapy (42 ng/g in fingernails and 16 ng/g in toenails). During the course of treatment, this concentration rose and reached a mean of 160 ng/g in fingernail clippings and 197 ng/g in toenail clippings. Moreover, in fingernails of 12 out of 21 patients and in toenails of six out of 20 patients, itraconazole was detected in the distal nail clippings before full outgrowth of the fastest-growing nail. In most patients, itraconazole was detected in the distal nail clippings earlier than would be expected if the drug were incorporated only via the nail matrix, indicating that in addition to the nail matrix, a second route of penetration into the nail exists, i.e. the nail bed.

Adult↗