PLASMA FERRITIN LEVELS AS A GUIDE TO THE TREATMENT OF PORPHYRIA CUTANEA TARDA BY VENESECTIONRatnaike, Sujjiva; Blake, Dennis; Campbell, David; Cowen, Peter; Varigos, George
doi: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.1988.tb01216.xpmid: 3250437
SUMMARY We have examined prospectively the plasma ferritin levels during management often patients with porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) who were being treated by venesection. We compared plasma ferritin levels with clinical features as well as with plasma, urine and faecal porphyrin levels. Plasma ferritin and porphyrin levels were found to be variable during the initial period of treatment, and then decreased in parallel with the clinical improvement. Clinical remission and a fall in porphyrin levels lagged several weeks behind the near exhaustion of body iron stores as indicated by plasma ferritin levels. This lag period and the initial variable porphyrin levels are best explained, we believe, by the presence of a large accumulation of porphryin in the liver of patients with PCT. We suggest that venesection be stopped when plasma ferritin falls to the lower end of the reference range.
EPIDERMODYSPLASIA VERRUCIFORMIS ASSOCIATED WITH MULTIPLE SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMASSalmon, Robert; Thompson, Carol; Rose, Barbara; Kelly, Graham; Cossart, Yvonne
doi: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.1988.tb01217.xpmid: 2854970
Summary In this report a 48 year old patient with non‐familial epidermodysplasia verruciformis is described. The disease had persisted for 36 years and had been incorrectly diagnosed as psoriasis on a number of occasions. From 1980 the patient developed numerous skin tumours, including five squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and a basal cell carcinoma, on the sun‐exposed areas of his body. In June 1986 a poorly‐differented SCC, presumed to be a secondary deposit from one of the previously resected skin cancers, was excised from his left parotid gland. A recurrence of this invasive SCC was resected two months later. Despite several courses of radiotherapy and treatment with transfer factor the tumour continued to enlarge, and the patient died from local effects in December 1987. The clinical, virological and immunological criteria used to establish the diagnosis are presented.
BOOK REVIEWSdoi: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.1988.tb01218.xpmid: N/A
Book reviewed in this article: Kaposi's Sarcoma: Pathophysiology and Clinical Management. Edited by John L. Ziegler and Ronald F. Dorfman. Handbook of Skin Clues of Systemic Diseases. Paul H. Jacobs and Todd S. Anhalt.
HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS INDUCED EPIDERMAL PROLIFERATIONS OF THE ANOGENITAL REGIONHeenan, Peter J.
doi: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.1988.tb01219.xpmid: 2854969
SUMMARY Condyloma acuminatum and bowenoid papulosis are squamous ceil papillomas of the anogenital region probably induced by human papillomavirus of different types. Although both lesions appear to be essentially benign, both have been linked by clinical, virological and epidemiological evidence with the development of anogenital cancer, thus making their precise identification more important than consideration of their purely local effects would indicate. Bowenoid papulosis presents diagnostic problems, particularly in its distinction from Bowen's disease, but the clinical and histological features considered together make a characteristic presentation.
TREATMENT OF ALOPECIA AREATA WITH DIPHENCYPRONEHatzis, J.; Georgiotouo, K.; Kostakis, P.; Anastasiadis, G.; Tosca, A.; Varelzidis, A.; Straigos, J.
doi: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.1988.tb01223.xpmid: 2977943
SUMMARY Forty‐five patients with extensive alopecia areata were treated by local application of diphencyprone. Only eleven had satisfactory regrowth of hair. Six had moderate regrowth, and of the remaining 28 some showed regrowth of vellus hair and others had no response. The side effects of the treatment consisted of intense allergic or irritant reactions, febrile reactions, anaphylactic reaction with fainting, and vitiligo. In twelve patients progressive desensitisation was observed. As the effectiveness of this treatment is low and side effects are common and sometimes severe, we conclude that diphencyprone has no advantage in the treatment of alopecia areata.
EFFECT OF RETINOL ON MURINE EPIDERMAL DENDRITIC CELLSWalsh, Laurence J.; Miles, Peter G.; Seymour, Gregory J.
doi: 10.1111/j.1440-0960.1988.tb01224.xpmid: 3266920
Summary Numerous immunoregulatory activities have been attributed to retinoids. The present study examined the effect of a single application of retinol (RO) on immunocompetent cells in murine epidermis. The inner epidermis of the left ear of C57/BL6J mice was painted with RO (50 ug/ml) in ethanol, while the right (control) ear received ethanol alone. Mice were sacrified at 0,12,24,36 or 48 hours, and epithelial sheets of the treated areas prepared. Two cell populations were detected using enzyme histochemistry and indirect immunofluorescence: Langerhans cells (ATPase+, Ia+), and cells expressing Thy 1.2 antigen (ATPase‐, la‐). In all cases ATPase+ cells were more numerous that Ia+ cells, however, neither RO nor alcohol treatment modulated la+or ATPase+ expression on Langerhans cells. In contrast, R O treatment increased the number of Thy 1.2+ cells detected at 12 and 24 hr post‐treatment when compared to baseline and alcohol controls. These results indicate that retinol is capable of modulating antigen expression on murine dendritic cells in vivo.