Biomedical subjects
R K Schachter
Publications and source records attributed to R K Schachter.
Pilot study of etretinate in psoriatic arthritis.
A 2-center pilot study compared clinical and laboratory outcomes in 40 patients with psoriatic arthritis before and after treatment for 8 to 24 weeks with the vitamin A derivative, etretinate. The number of tender joints fell from 22.0 +/- 8.75 before treatment to 11.44 +/- 8.50 after treatment (p = .000). The duration of morning stiffness was 101.95 +/- 62.45 min before therapy and 44.53 +/- 82.10 min after treatment (p = 0.0004). Similar highly clinically and statistically significant improvement was seen in all clinical outcome measures and in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Primarily mucocutaneous side effects were seen in 39/40 patients and resulted in treatment termination before 24 weeks in 9 patients.
Mycetoma caused by Nocardia madurae.
Actinomycotic mycetoma was diagnosed in a woman from Jamaica living in Ontario. This is the first case reported in Canada in which the infection was caused by Nocardia madurae. Despite oral therapy with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, local excision of newly appearing nodules was required periodically for clinical improvement. Laboratory procedures were modified to aid in identification of pathogenic actinomycetes.
Histoplasmosis due to Histoplasma capsulatum var duboisii in a Canadian immigrant.
Histoplasmosis due to Histoplasma capsulatum var duboisii developed in a Canadian immigrant one year after his entry into Canada. He had lived in Guinea for two years prior to immigration. Lymphatic infection characterized the course of his illness. The clinical and pathologic features of this disease's distinctive skin and bone manifestations are outlined. The causal agent's mycologic features are compared with those of H capsulatum var capsulatum. Treatment with amphotericin B was successful.
Widespread cutaneous herpes simplex type II infection.
The case of an adult who survived a widespread culture-proven cutaneous herpes simplex type II infection is presented. The authors believe it is the first such case. The virus was demonstrated by its cytopathic effect in Vero cell culture. Large, swollen syncytial cells and holes in the cell sheet, typical of the changes produced by the herpes simplex virus type II, were noted. Photodynamic inactivation therapy with acriflavine dye and fluorescent light was employed.