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Biomedical subjects

R Kiistala

Publications and source records attributed to R Kiistala.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Occupational allergic rhinitis and contact urticaria caused by bishop's weed (Ammi majus).

Bishop's weed (Ammi majus) has been known to induce toxic phytophotodermatitis. We now describe IgE-mediated rhinitis and contact urticaria caused by exposure to bishop's weed in a 31-year-old atopic female florist. A skin prick-prick test with bishop's weed flowers gave an 8-mm wheal, and the bishop's weed-specific IgE level in the patient's serum was 9.7 PRU/ml (RAST class 3). In an immunoblotting experiment with the patient's serum, nine IgE-binding protein bands with the molecular weights 19, 34, 39-41 (doublet), 52-61 (doublet), and >67 (triplet) kDa were detected in bishop's weed extract. The patient became symptomless after she had ceased to work as a florist.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Honey allergy is rare in patients sensitive to pollens.

We challenged in a double-blind manner 46 pollen-allergic patients with 30 g of honey and another 32 patients with a placebo (30 g of syrup). Minor, mostly subjective, symptoms were seen in or reported by 26% of those challenged with honey and 41% of those challenged with placebo. In no case could the symptoms with certainty be related to the challenge. Eight commercially available honeys were examined for allergen activity by RAST inhibition and immunospot methods. Both pollen and insect allergen activity was found in all honeys, and they could cause allergic reactions. However, no serious or even obvious reaction occurred in pollen-allergic patients challenged with honey.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Occupational allergy caused by spathe flower (Spathiphyllum wallisii).

Occupational allergy caused by plants is seldom reported although it is probably relatively common. We report on a 22-year-old male atopic caretaker of plants who developed IgE-mediated allergic rhinitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, and contact and generalized urticaria caused by exposure to spathe flower (Spathiphyllum wallisii) while he was working for a firm that supplied plants to offices. He also had an asthmatic attack at work, but in bronchial provocation tests conducted 8 months after he had stopped doing the work in question, he developed rhinoconjunctivitis, pharyngitis, and laryngitis, but exhibited neither bronchial reaction nor fall in PEF values. Prick tests with spathe flower gave 3+ reactions for exudates from the flower, pollen, stem, and leaves. He also had several positive reactions to fruits, vegetables, and spices, but not to natural rubber latex. The radioallergosorbent test with spathe flower was positive (3.4 PRU/ml, close to class 3). In protein staining with SDS-PAGE, one heavy band was detected at about 14 kDa, and other faint bands were visible on both sides. Six faint bands were detected at the mol. mass range of 30-67 kDa. In IgE immunoblotting, one heavy band was detected at about 14 kDa. The patient became symptomless after he had ceased working with plants.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Adrenaline-induced local sweating and vasoconstrictive responses in atopic skin.

Sweating and vasoconstrictive responses to intradermal injections of adrenaline were studied in the normal-looking back skin of young adult males with atopic dermatitis (AD) and in non-atopic controls using five concentrations of adrenaline, and further in a subgroup of subjects with dry-looking AD skin using two concentrations of adrenaline. The sweating responses were measured with an evaporimeter and the area of blanching determined with planimetry. The maximal sweating response in the AD group was elicited with the suprathreshold concentration of 5 x 10(-6) mol/l and in the non-atopic group with a 10-fold higher concentration. At the three higher concentrations the sweat rates levelled out in both groups and remained at a lower level in AD subjects. The sweating responses in dry-looking AD skin were lower than in non-atopics (P less than 0.001) and were also lower than in those with AD normal-looking skin (P less than 0.05) with both concentrations. In contrast to sweating, the vasoconstrictive reactions showed similar dose-dependent increases with all tested concentrations in AD patients with normal-looking skin and in the non-atopic controls. In patients with dry AD skin the vasoconstrictive responses were also similar to those in non-atopic controls.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Sweating response to moderate thermal stress in atopic dermatitis.

The local sweating response to thermal stress (mean ambient temperature 33 degrees C) was assessed under resting conditions on the non-eczematous back skin of 26 young men with atopic dermatitis (AD) and in 22 non-atopic controls with other dermatoses. The baseline (transepidermal) water loss was separately determined at room temperature (mean 23.6 degrees C) to calculate the pure sweat loss. A gravimetric collecting method was used for the measurements at 40, 60 and 80 min. In the heated room the sweat loss in AD patients was significantly lower at all time intervals. The cumulative sweat loss was 50-60% lower in AD patients than in the controls (P less than 0.02). Subjects with dry AD skin had a lower sweat loss than subjects with normal-looking skin. Compared with controls the sweat loss in AD patients was lowest at 40 min, suggesting a retarded sweating response. Half of the patients with AD and half of the controls had active participation in sports, and showed a greater sweat loss compared to the non-sporting subjects in the same group.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Cholinergic and adrenergic sweating in atopic dermatitis.

Sweating responses to methacholine and adrenaline were compared with an evaporimeter in normal-looking back and forearm skin from patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and from non-atopic controls (NA). With both stimulants, the sweat rates were higher in forearm than in back skin in both groups, and between the two sites the rates showed positive correlations which were statistically significant in both groups. With methacholine the responses were slightly depressed in both areas in AD. With a low suprathreshold adrenaline concentration (5 x 10(-6) mol/l) the responses were equal in both groups but a tenfold higher adrenaline concentration elicited an increase of 55% in sweating rates in the back skin of NA and a 15% depression in the back skin of AD subjects (p less than 0.05). On arm skin there was a similar trend, but less marked. Between the cholinergic and adrenergic sweating responses a positive correlation was found on arm skin in AD, suggesting that the unknown mechanism of sweat depression in AD might be the same for both drugs.

Adrenergic Fibers↗
PubMed1991

Baseline water loss and cholinergic sweat stimulation in atopic dermatitis: a gravimetric measurement of local skin water loss.

The sweat gland function in atopic dermatitis (AD) and in respiratory atopy is a matter of controversy. We examined the baseline water loss and local sweating response in non-eczematous back skin of 146 young men: pure AD, AD with rhinitis/asthma, rhinitis/asthma alone, non-atopic dermatosis and non-atopic healthy. All AD subjects were further divided into the subgroups AD dry and AD normal skin. Following injections of saline and a high concentration of methacholine (5 x 10(4) mol/l) into separate sites the moisture losses were collected into closed pads over a period of 40 min. The baseline water loss was significantly increased (P less than 0.001) and median pure sweat loss was significantly decreased (P less than 0.01) in AD compared with nonatopic healthy individuals. These trends were accentuated in AD dry skin. Respiratory symptoms had no appreciable influence on results. A depressed sweating response occurred in 30% of AD subjects and 9% of non-AD subjects. An elevated baseline water loss value and a depressed sweat loss value coexisted in 22% of subjects with AD dry skin compared with 3% of the non-atopics.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1991

Local cholinergic sweat stimulation in atopic dermatitis. An evaporimetric study.

In atopic dermatitis the nature of potential sweating disturbances is still obscure. Using an evaporimeter, local sweating response to a supra-threshold concentration of methacholine and baseline water loss were measured from non-eczematous back skin of 167 young males in five main groups (pure atopic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis with rhinitis/asthma, rhinitis/asthma, non-atopic dermatosis, and non-atopic healthy). Subjects with atopic dermatitis were further divided into two subgroups: dry-looking and normal-looking back skin. Compared with non-atopic healthy individuals, the sweat loss was significantly depressed (p less than 0.01) and the baseline water loss significantly increased (p less than 0.001) in the main groups with atopic dermatitis. Both these trends were most distinct in atopic dry-looking skin, whereas in normal-looking atopic skin only the sweat loss was depressed (p less than 0.05). Respiratory atopy had no effect on the sweating response. No significant correlation was found between the individual baseline water loss and the sweating response.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Baseline water loss and sweat gland response in acne patients during treatment with isotretinoin.

Eleven acne patients were treated with isotretinoin for 3-7 months. The water barrier function and the response of sweat glands to dilute methacholine injections were examined on upper back skin at onset and at several visits during therapy. Bilaterally located test sites representing healthy skin or skin sites which were least affected by acne lesions were selected for the study. The same sites were used at each visit for assessing the parameters. Although skin dryness was a common finding on the face and arms, no significant changes in baseline water loss (BWL) rates were found on the back skin during isotretinoin treatment. Instead there was a significant increase in the sweat gland responsiveness to methacholine during isotretinoin treatment as measured by the evaporimetric technique. Furthermore, in four out of five patients the numbers of active sweat glands, counted in plastic imprints from the stimulated test sites, showed a similar increase during therapy when compared to pretreatment values.

Acne Vulgaris↗
PubMed1984

Local sweat stimulation with the skin prick technique.

Intracutaneous injections of cholinergic agonists are usually employed for induction of local sweating. The possibility to apply a less painful skin prick technique as a sweat test was examined. Pricks were made on the forearm skin of 25 young men by puncturing the skin through drops of methacholine (MCH) and control saline solutions with lancets having a point length of 1 mm. The drops were kept on skin for 10 min and were then wiped off. Using an evaporimeter the measurements of water loss (WL) were started 5 min later and continued at 5 min intervals. Sweat loss (SL) was calculated from the difference of rates of evaporative WL recorded at the MCH and saline pricks. Ten, 1, 0.1, and 0.01% solutions of MCH elicited the following average peak evaporative sweat losses: 107.1, 77.5, 32.4 and 5.4 g m-2h-1. Both the degree and duration of the sweat responses were dependent on concentration. The prick technique is well tolerated and may serve for comparative studies of local sweating.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Ultrastructure of uninvolved oral mucosa in pemphigus patients.

The uninvolved oral mucosa of seven pemphigus patients was compared with that of age- and sex-matched controls. Three patients had pemphigus erythematodes, two had pemphigus vulgaris, one had pemphigus foliaceus, and one pemphigus vegetans. Five out of seven pemphigus patients demonstrated wider intercellular spaces than the controls. This difference was seen in both basal and spinous epithelial cell layers and was more pronounced in the basal cell layer. There were fewer desmosomes and microvilli than in the controls. It appears that ultrastructural changes in pemphigus also occur in the uninvolved oral mucosa of pemphigus patients.

Adult↗