British Journal of Dermatology

SABBOUR, M.S.; OSMAN, LAILA M.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05548.xpmid: 85455

SUMMARY163 patients with diffuse lupus glomerulonephritis, proven by renal biopsy, were divided into four therapeutic trial groups: 67 were put on corticosteroids alone, 11 on corticosteroids and azathioprine, 32 on corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide, and 53 on corticosteroids and chlorambucil and were followed up for several years. The addition of azathioprine to corticosteroids did not increase the survival rate, improve the renal function or alter the grim prognosis of the patients. Cyclophosphamide appeared to influence favourably the pathological lesion and the renal function when added to corticosteroids, and the disease progressed at a slower rate. The fatal side effects nearly balanced the therapeutic value of cyclophosphamide. Patients on corticosteroids and chlorambucil had an excellent course. This therapeutic regimen resulted in resolution or regression of the renal pathology, marked improvement of the renal function and marked improvement of the survival rate. The authors believe that this therapeutic regimen holds the best chance of becoming the standard treatment for lupus nephritis, particularly since the side effects of chlorambucil were minimal.

JOHANSSON, E.A.; NIEMI, K.‐M.; HALME, H.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05549.xpmid: 427015

SUMMARYA series of 65 patients with different autoimmune diseases was examined using different RNA‐solutions for intradermal skin tests. Clinically positive results were obtained most often in patients with mixed connective tissue disease but quite often also in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and progressive systemic sclerosis or with some symptoms of an autoimmune nature. The histological examination of the biopsies from the test sites revealed that there was no correlation between the clinically positive tests and the histological criteria usually used as a sign of a positive test.

JACYK, W.K.; DAMISAH, M.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05550.xpmid: 427016

SUMMARYResults of a detailed clinical and laboratory study of 37 Nigerian patients with chronic discoid lupus erythematosus are presented. Patients with chronic discoid lupus erythematosus constituted 0·46% of all out‐patients seen in the skin clinic between May 1974 and December 1977. A preponderance of females was noticed (female/male ratio of 5:1), while the age distribution of African patients corresponded to values characteristic for the condition seen in other geographical regions. Several morphological types of the condition have been seen. The vitiligoid variant of chronic discoid lupus erythematosus seems to be common in West Africans. Sixteen out of 37 patients presented laboratory abnormalities considered as markers of the association between chronic and systemic lupus erythematosus. Their significance, however is, uncertain as it has been demonstrated on several occasions that in a tropical milieu heavy parasitic infections produce marked immunological disturbances. The problem of the relationship between chronic and systemic lupus erythematosus is discussed and the literature on the incidence of chronic discoid lupus erythematosus in various African countries is reviewed.

OLMOS, L.; HUNZIKER, N.; LAUGIER, P.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05551.xpmid: 218603

SUMMARYRare intracytoplasmic membranous inclusions derived from the endoplasmic reticulum were observed in the histiocytes of one case of Degos' syndrome and one case of dermatomyositis.Cross‐sections and longitudinal sections made it possible to establish a three‐dimensional model in which both microcylinders and layers of rolled‐up double membranes appear.

SCHLAPPNER, OTTO L.A.; ROSENBLUM, GERALD A.; ROWDEN, GEOFFREY; PHILLIPS, TERRENCE M.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05552.xpmid: 427017

SUMMARYFour patients are reported with concomitant erythrasma and trichophyton rubrum dermatophytosis of the groin. The recognition and diagnosis of these associated infections is emphasized.

MEZEI, MICHAEL; MEZEI, CATHERINE

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05553.xpmid: 218604

SUMMARYPrevious studies indicated that 2′, 3′‐cyclic AMP 3′‐phosphohydrolase, an enzyme which splits the 3′‐phosphate bond of the 2′, 3′‐cyclic AMP, is primarily confined to nervous tissue. The physiological function of this enzyme is still unknown. In the present study this enzyme was found to be active in various organs of rabbit, i.e. liver, kidney, heart and skin, although to a much lesser extent than in brain and sciatic nerve. The finding of this enzyme in the skin generated further studies to measure the enzyme activity in normal and diseased skin. Chemically induced (surfactant‐treated) skin disorder was used as a model for the present study. Topical application of Polysorbate 85 resulted in a two fold increase of the enzyme activity in rabbit skin. The results suggest that this enzyme may have some role in the repair mechanisms, particularly in the regeneration of damaged membranes.

MEZEI, MICHAEL; HOWELL, DENIS R.S.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05554.xpmid: 218605

SUMMARYThe activity of the enzyme 2′, 3′‐cylic AMP 3′‐phosphohydrolase is significantly greater in the ‘involved’ psoriatic skin than in the ‘uninvolved’ psoriatic skin or in skin samples taken from persons having clinically normal skin. Although the physiological function of this enzyme is not established, it is possible that, besides being associated with myelin, it may also play some role in cell proliferation and maturation, probably at the membrane level.

GUNNER, C.W.; HUTTON, W.C.; BURLIN, T.E.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05555.xpmid: 154919

KING, C.S.; BARTON, S.P.; NICHOLLS, S.; MARKS, R.

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05556.xpmid: 427018

SUMMARYThe constancy of stratum corneum thickness suggests an ordered decrease in intracorneal cohesion binding forces. In this study, intracorneal cohesion was measured in the vertical dimension by cohesography and the number of cells released after applying a standardized stimulus was determined before and after repeated stripping of the same sites with adhesive tape. In addition, surface replicas and the corneocytes from different levels were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and differential phase inteference microscopy. The results indicate a gradual loss of cohesion within the stratum corneum towards the surface and that anatomical changes take place in the corneocytes as they progress towards the surface.

LJUNGHALL, KERSTIN; SCHEYNIUS, ANNIKA; FORSUM, URBAN

doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05557.xpmid: 371658

SUMMARYCirculating reticulin autoantibodies of IgA class and anti‐nuclear antigen antibodies were found in a high frequency in dermatitis herpetiformis patients as compared with age‐and sex‐matched controls.