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Biomedical subjects

P Itin

Publications and source records attributed to P Itin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Dermatoscope as vector for transmissible diseases - no apparent risk of nosocomial infections in outpatients.

PURPOSE: To determine nonpathogenic and potentially pathogenic bacterial growth isolated from dermatoscopes of dermatologists using oil as contact medium in the daily routine at two outpatient sections in Switzerland. METHODS: We investigated the microbiologic colonization of dermatoscopes (Dermatoskop Delta 10, Heine Optotechnik, or Dermogeniusbasic, Rodenstock) during routine use in the outpatient sections of the Departments of Dermatology at the University of Basel and Kantonsspital Aarau. 112 swabs (4 from Aarau, 108 from Basel) taken under standardized conditions were microbiologically worked up in the same laboratory. Oil (101) and 63% isopropyl alcohol (11) were used as contact medium. RESULTS: 39 of 112 swabs showed no bacterial growth. 73 of 112 showed growth of nonpathogenic bacteria (skin flora). Additionally to the cultivation of nonpathogenic bacteria, 3 swabs showed growth of oxacillin-sensitive potentially pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus. Of 11 swabs taken after using 63% isopropyl alcohol as a contact medium, 6 revealed no bacterial growth and 5 showed the growth of skin flora. CONCLUSIONS: The potential risk of nosocomial infection related to the routine use of dermatoscopes in outpatients is small, and the use of oil as a contact medium for dermatoscopy to enhance the optical quality seems to be unproblematic.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2004

Familial cutaneous mycosis fungoides: successful treatment with a combination of gemcitabine and alemtuzumab.

We report a familial cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in father and son. After different treatment modalities without lasting responses, the son was treated with gemcitabine as single agent and due to insufficient effect with alemtuzumab monotherapy. Only after the two drugs had been combined did we observe a remarkable response of the skin lesions and disappearance of enlarged lymph nodes. The combined treatment with gemcitabine and alemtuzumab was well tolerated, and no increased toxicity was noted. The combination of these two active agents may provide an additional option in the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

[Secondary syphilis with ocular manifestations and oral ulceration].

In this case-report we describe a patient who was first seen with a painless lesion of the chin. Despite treatment with antibiotics and steroids it didn't heal. Later on, painful ulcerations of the mouth, perianal itching lesions and a central skotoma appeared. In the hospital--course a syphilitic infection with multiple oral ulcerations and occular infestation was diagnosed. The lesion on the chin was interpreted as the primary chancre as a time--correlation of its appearance and the time of exposition could be documented. The epidemiology, the diagnostic measures are described. We outline the manifestations of syphilis and their change in our time and discuss therapeutic regimes.

Chancre↗
PubMed2003

[Herpetic folliculitis barbae. A rare cause of folliculitis].

Viral folliculitis is a rare disease usually caused by herpes simplex, herpes zoster and molluscum contagiosum in immune-compromised patients. An otherwise healthy 30 year old patient without history of herpes simplex contracted a folliculitis in the beard region after a flu-like illness. He had no oral or labial lesions but instead showed a crusty erythematous folliculitis confined to the beard region with small grouped vesicles on the neck and reactive cervical lymph nodes. Bacterial and mycological analysis from swabs were negative. The culture was positive for herpes simplex virus and the immune fluorescence showed HSV type 1. Systemic therapy with valaciclovir 2x 500 mg/d and lotio alba locally led to rapid improvement. When confronted with folliculitis, non-bacterial causes such as viral (herpes simplex, herpes zoster, molluscum contagiosum), mycological (pityrosporon, candida), demodex and eosinophilic follicultitis should be taken under consideration.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed2002

Papular elastorrhexis. report of five cases.

Papular elastorrhexis is a rare disorder that occurs predominantly during adolescence. We report 5 patients with asymptomatic white, nonfollicular, firm papules scattered over the trunk and extremities. Histologically, the papules demonstrate focal areas of collagen homogenization with decreased and fragmented elastic fibers. The clinical differential diagnosis includes papular acne scars, dermatofibrosis lenticularis disseminata (Buschke-Ollendorff syndrome), cutaneous collagenoma and nevus anelasticus, but histology clearly separates papular elastorrhexis from the other entities.

Child↗
PubMed2001

[Photographic documentation of the effectiveness of 1 mg. oral finasteride in treatment of androgenic alopecia in the man in routine general practice in Switzerland].

A 6-month, prospective, open, multicenter cohort study in 265 men with male pattern hair loss treated with oral finasteride 1 mg/day (Propecia) was conducted in the office of 52 Swiss dermatologists. The patient's head was placed in a stereotactic device, and Polaroid photographs were taken of the vertex and frontal areas. Endpoints used to determine treatment efficacy were patient self-assessment, investigator clinical assessment, and blinded assessment of the serial Polaroid photographs by a panel of 2 experienced dermatologists. Significant improvements were stated on the photographs by both clinical investigators and the blinded expert panel: 54% of patients showed improvement of hair growth at 6 months of treatment in the vertex region, and 48.7% in the frontal area. No progression of hair loss was found in an additional 38% (vertex) and 47% (frontal region), respectively. Clinical investigator and expert assessment yielded comparable results. Independently, patient self-assessment and investigator clinical assessment confirmed the progress. Propecia was well-tolerated, and no significant safety concerns were identified during the study. The photographic method was well accepted by the physicians. The office-based Polaroid photographic system allowed reliable assessment of change during treatment of male pattern hair loss with Propecia. The data generated in this manner corresponded to the antecedent results of the multicenter, placebo-controlled studies with oral finasteride.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2001

Successful treatment of paraneoplastic pemphigus in follicular NHL with rituximab: report of a case and review of treatment for paraneoplastic pemphigus in NHL and CLL.

Paraneoplastic pemphigus is a severe mucocutaneous disease associated in most cases with B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. Independent of the course of the underlying malignancy, this autoimmune skin disease is resistant to any treatment in most cases and may lead to death by infectious complications. We observed a patient with recovery of paraneoplastic pemphigus associated with follicular non-Hodgkin's-lymphoma after therapy with rituximab. In addition, we reviewed the literature and analyzed the few cases with comparable outcome with other treatment modalities.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Cutaneous manifestations in anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder among adolescent girls and young women which, though common, often goes undetected and untreated. Anorexia nervosa is a response for young people with psychological conflicts who try to win love by having a body corresponding to the present-day image, symbolising strength, beauty, attraction, power and success. Anorexia nervosa involves inadequate calorie intake leading to marked cachexia with metabolic and endocrinological disturbances. We investigated dermatological changes in 21 young female anorectics aged 19-24 in an attempt to find dermatological markers which mirror the dynamics of the disease and thus obtain helpful signs for early diagnosis with its important bearing on the outcome. Extensive histories were taken and whole-body examinations performed. Seven sex- and age-matched persons served as a control group. The most common dermatological findings were xerosis (71%, controls 29%), cheilitis (76%), bodily hypertrichosis (62%), alopecia (24%), dry scalp hair (48%), acral coldness (38%), acrocyanosis (33%), periungual erythema (48%), gingival changes (37%), nail changes (29%) and calluses on dorsum of hand due to self-induced vomiting (67%). Our study documented for the first time that a body mass index of < or = 16 (kg/m2) can be considered a critical value at which skin changes are more frequent. There are remarkable similarities between cutaneous manifestations in anorexia nervosa and in HIV infection. Patients with anorexia nervosa develop early stereotype skin changes which are cardinal diagnostic symptoms and pointers to the diagnosis of eating disorders. During training at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Solothurn one of us (C. H.) was once more able to observe most of the above-described cutaneous and mucocutaneous changes in anorexic adolescents. This paper is intended to stimulate further basic research on this topic. We hope our study will facilitate early diagnosis of anorexia nervosa by the family physician and enable him or her to institute immediate treatment for the eating disorder and thereby improve the prognosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis or systemic lupus erythematosus?

The 2 patients presented here showed the typical signs of hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis syndrome (HUVS). During follow-up, there was an inverse correlation between anti-C1q autoantibody titer and C1q antigen concentration in serum in both patients over a period of 2 years. The first patient had nephritis characterized by immune deposits in glomeruli and around the tubules. The histological findings, C1q deposits, and presence of tubuloreticular inclusions in capillary endothelial cells suggested a disease process identical to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The second patient, after a lag phase of 2 years, fulfilled a fourth American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE when she developed anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies. HUVS and SLE overlap, and the criteria for identifying HUVS as an entity distinct from SLE are lacking.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

ATP2A2 mutations in Darier's disease: variant cutaneous phenotypes are associated with missense mutations, but neuropsychiatric features are independent of mutation class.

Darier's disease (DD) is an autosomal dominant skin disorder characterized clinically by multiple keratotic papules, and histologically by focal loss of adhesion between epidermal cells (acantholysis) and by abnormal keratinization. Variant forms of cutaneous phenotype, sometimes familial, have been described. Associated neuropsychiatric features, including mental handicap, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and epilepsy, have also been reported. The cause of DD was shown recently to be mutation in the ATP2A2 gene at 12q24.1, which encodes the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase type 2 (SERCA2). Here, we show that while both common isoforms of SERCA2 are expressed in the cytoplasm of cultured keratinocytes and fibroblasts, in adult skin sections only the longer isoform, SERCA2b, was expressed abundantly in epidermal structures. Extended mutation analysis in European DD patients using single-strand conformation polymorphism and/or direct sequencing identified 40 different patient-specific mutations in 47 families. The majority (23/40) were likely to result in nonsense-mediated RNA decay. The remaining 17 were missense mutations distributed throughout the protein and were associated significantly with atypical clinical features. The clearest association was with the familial haemorrhagic variant where all four families tested had a missense mutation. Three of the families (one Scottish family and two unrelated Italian families) exhibited the same N767S substitution in the M5 transmembrane domain, and a fourth family, from Sweden, had a C268F substitution in the M3 transmembrane domain. Neuropsychiatric features did not appear to be associated with a specific class of mutation and may be an intrinsic, but inconsistent, effect of defective ATP2A2 expression.

Calcium-Transporting ATPases↗