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Biomedical subjects

R L Burns

Publications and source records attributed to R L Burns.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Prospective, single-blind, randomized, controlled study to assess the efficacy of the 585-nm flashlamp-pumped pulsed-dye laser and silicone gel sheeting in hypertrophic scar treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of the 585-nm flashlamp-pumped pulsed-dye laser and silicone gel sheeting in the treatment of hypertrophic scars in lighter- and darker-skinned patients. DESIGN: Prospective, single-blind, randomized, internally controlled, comparison investigation. SETTING: Large academic dermatology department. PATIENTS: Twenty patients with hypertrophic scars (19 completed the laser treatments and 18 completed the silicone gel sheeting treatments). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical measurements included hypertrophic scar blood flow, elasticity, and volume. Patients' subjective complaints of pruritus, pain, and burning were also monitored. Histological assessment of fibrosis, number of telangiectasias, and number of mast cells was performed. Statistically significant improvements in clinical measurements and patients' subjective complaints determined treatment success. RESULTS: Mean scar duration was 32 months (range, 4 months to 20 years). There was an overall reduction in blood flow, volume, and pruritus over time (P = .001, .02, and .005, respectively). However, no differences were detected among treatment and control groups. There was no reduction in pain or burning (0-40 weeks), elasticity (8-40 weeks), or fibrosis (0-40 weeks, n = 5 biopsies) in the treated or control sections of the scars. Unlike in a previous study, the number of mast cells in the scars was similar to the number of mast cells in healthy skin. CONCLUSION: Clinical results demonstrate that the improvements in scar sections treated with silicone gel sheeting and pulsed-dye laser were no different than in control sections.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Electrosurgical skin resurfacing: a new bipolar instrument.

BACKGROUND: Numerous modalities may be used for skin resurfacing, including chemical peels, dermabrasion, and lasers. Each of these methods is associated with significant disadvantages. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of these initial studies was to determine the efficacy and safety of a new electrosurgical resurfacing system. Depth of cutaneous injury was also evaluated. METHODS: Postoperative scar resurfacing was performed on six patients in the initial feasibility study. Patients were evaluated with questionnaires, physician observations, and photographs. The histologic investigation evaluated depth of injury after resurfacing at various power settings and number of passes. RESULTS: Appearance of postoperative scars in all 6 patients was improved by electrosurgical resurfacing. The overall injury, residual thermal damage plus ablation, for all power levels and passes was 114.1 micrometer (mean) with a standard deviation of 60.7 micrometer. CONCLUSION: Electrosurgical resurfacing may become an effective and safe alternative to current resurfacing modalities.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Malar fat pad elevation: An aid to closure.

BACKGROUND: In closure of defects inferior to the eye, it is important to avoid inducing lower lid ectropion. OBJECTIVE: To describe a new technique for closure of defects inferior and lateral to the eye. METHODS: A case of malar fat pad elevation to close a post-Mohs surgical defect is described and the procedure is detailed. RESULTS: This technique enabled good wound closure with minimal tension and avoided the complication of ectropion. A transient asymmetry was manifest postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Malar fat pad elevation is an effective and elegant means of closing defects inferior and lateral to the eye. This technique minimizes extensive tissue undermining and movement with its consequences of postoperative tissue swelling, bruising, and hematoma formation. The side effect of ectropion is prevented.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1997

Xanthomonas maltophilia infection presenting as erythematous nodules.

Xanthomonas (Pseudomonas) maltophilia is increasingly being recognized as an opportunistic pathogen in hospitalized and debilitated patients. We describe X. maltophilia cellulitis in a neutropenic patient undergoing consolidation chemotherapy for acute lymphocytic leukemia. The patient had multiple, erythematous, nonulcerated nodules on the lower extremities. A biopsy specimen showed numerous gram-negative bacilli in the dermis and subcutis, without evidence of vasculitis. Tissue culture and subsequent blood cultures grew X. maltophilia. The cutaneous nodules and positive blood cultures resolved after treatment with intravenous ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Glycolic acid peels for postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in black patients. A comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in patients of Fitzpatrick skin types IV, V, and VI is difficult. Glycolic acid peels are useful for pigment dyschromias in caucasians; however, there are no controlled studies examining their safety and efficacy in dark-complexioned individuals. OBJECTIVE: To determine if serial glycolic acid peels provide additional improvement when compared with a topical regimen of hydroquinone and tretinoin. METHODS: Nineteen patients with Fitzpatrick skin type IV, V, or VI were randomized to a control or peel group. The control group applied 2% hydroquinone/10% glycolic acid gel twice daily and 0.05% tretinoin cream at night. The peel patients used the same topical regimen and, in addition, received six serial glycolic acid peels (68% maximum concentration). Patients were evaluated with photography, colorimetry, and subjectively. RESULTS: Sixteen patients completed the study. Both treatment groups demonstrated improvement, but the patients receiving the glycolic acid peels showed a trend toward more rapid and greater improvement. The peel group also experienced increased lightening of the normal skin. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study demonstrates that serial glycolic acid peels provide an additional benefit, with minimal adverse effects, for the treatment of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in dark-complexioned individuals.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1993

Carbamazepine therapy in neuropsychiatric patients.

We reviewed the charts of 106 patients treated with carbamazepine. Age, sex, race, seizure type, seizure focus, age at onset, duration of epileptic illness, reasons for discontinuing treatment, other medications, and response to treatment of seizures, psychiatric symptoms, and behavioral symptoms were recorded. Statistical analysis was done to determine clinical factors influencing response to carbamazepine. Increasing duration of epileptic illness leads to a decreased response to carbamazepine, which controls both seizure and behavioral symptoms effectively; concurrent medication decreases behavioral symptom control without affecting the control of the seizures. We found a strongly negative correlation between duration of seizures and improvement of psychiatric symptoms with carbamazepine therapy. We provide a clinical profile of the carbamazepine responder to guide clinicians in their use of this drug.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Carbamazepine as therapy for psychiatric sequelae of herpes simplex encephalitis.

We have presented a case of herpes simplex encephalitis that is interesting in that seizure activity was detected in mesial temporal structures, without manifestations of seizure activity except for severe emotional lability with explosive emotional outbursts. Response to carbamazepine (Tegretol) included marked reduction in EEG-detected seizure activity and in the frequency of emotional outbursts, extending to one year after treatment.

Carbamazepine↗
PubMed1982

Metabolism and mechanisms of action of 9-(tetrahydro-2-furyl)-6-mercaptopurine in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

The mechanisms of action of 9-(tetrahydro-2-furyl)-6-mercaptopurine (THFMP) have been studied in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in tissue culture. THFMP is relatively unstable in physiological buffers, being facilely converted to 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) even in the absence of cells. Consequently, THFMP undergoes metabolic conversions characteristic of 6-MP, namely formation of 6-thioIMP and incorporation into DNA as 6-thio-guanine (6-TG) nucleotide. A number of purines are capable of preventing the toxicity of THFMP in wild-type cells in a manner similar to that of 6-MP. However, exogenous purines and pyrimidines did not prevent the toxicity of THFMP to cells deficient in the enzyme, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (EF 2.4.2.8; HGPRTase). Cells lacking HGPRTase were 20--40-fold resistant to 6-TC and 6-MP but were only 2--4-fold resistant to THFMP. Furthermore, the time-course for killing CHO cells deficient in HGPRTase was different from that in wild-type cells containing the enzyme. There was no apparent effect of THFMP on the utilization of precursors for DNA, RNA or protein synthesis in the enzyme-deficient mutant cell line. The results suggest that THFMP is converted non-enzymatically to 6-MP and shares its mechanisms of action in wild-type cells containing HGPRTase, i.e., inhibition of de novo purine biosynthesis and incorporation into DNA as 6-TC nucleotide. However, the mechanism of action of THFMP in cells lacking HGPRTase is probably unique and is presently unknown.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Carbohydrate preferences of mammalian cells.

Carbohydrate preferences of mammalian cells can be utilized to biochemically distinguish between different cell lines. Ninety-three carbohydrates were examined of which (a) 15 supported cell proliferation and (b) 42 were toxic or growth inhibitory. The present investigation has employed an enzymatic system to eliminate trace glucose levels from reagents and glucose generated by serum enzymes.

Alcohols↗