Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Alpsoy

Publications and source records attributed to E Alpsoy.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

HLA antigens and linkage disequilibrium patterns in Turkish Behçet's patients.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystem disorder featuring mucocutaneous, ocular, articular, vascular, intestinal, pulmonary, and neurologic involvement. Although the pathogenesis of the disease is still unknown, most studies have proposed that immunologic factors may play a major role in its development in genetically predisposed individuals. Seventy-one Turkish patients with BD, diagnosed according to the International Study Group for Behçet's Disease criteria, were studied and compared with 600 healthy controls to determine not only frequencies of HLA-A, B, and DR antigens but also whether BD shows any distinct linkage disequilibrium (LD) patterns. In addition, three-point linkage disequilibrium and relative risk (RR) values were determined. Of the HLA-A, B, and DR antigens examined, only B5 (51) was significantly increased in the patient group (X2 = 55.4; p < 0.05; RR = 6.44). DR7 was significantly decreased in the patient group (X2 = 6.9; p > 0.05; RR = 0.31). HLA haplotype B5-DR5 was found to be in negative LD in the control group, but Behçet's patients showed a strong positive LD between these two antigens. HLA haplotypes A2-B12, B5-DR2, and B12-DR4 showed negative LD in the patients; A1-B5 and B5-DR5 had positive LD in the patients. HLA haplotype A2-B5-DR5 was found to be more frequent than expected in both patients and control groups. A2-B12-DR4 showed a negative LD in the patients. The strong LD patterns between HLA-B and DR antigens in BD suggest that the susceptibility gene to BD could reside between the these two antigens.

Adolescent↗

The levels of plasma interleukin-2 and soluble interleukin-2R in Behçet's disease: a marker of disease activity.

It is well known that patients with Behçet's disease (BD) have an activated immune system, probably mediated by soluble factors in the circulation. The purpose of our study was to examine the roles of plasma interleukin-2 (IL-2) and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) in the pathogenesis of BD. Thirty-two patients with BD diagnosed according to the Criteria of the International Study Group for Behçet's Disease and 20 age-matched healthy persons were included in the study. The plasma levels of cytokines were measured by ELISA. Plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R were increased in BD over controls, but the differences were not statistically significant. sIL-2R levels in patients with active disease were significantly higher than in either patients with inactive disease (p < 0.001) or the control group (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that the level of sIL-2R in BD seems to be related to disease activity.

Adolescent↗

Hyperkeratosis of the nipple: report of two cases.

Hyperkeratosis of the nipple and areola is a rare condition; its characteristic properties are verrucous thickening and brownish discoloration of the nipples and areola. The nevoid form of the disease is extremely rare, usually seen in women in the second or third decade of life. The nipple is seldom affected alone. We report two cases of the nevoid form of hyperkeratosis of the nipple. In both female patients, lesions developed after puberty and were confined to both nipples alone. One of the patients' lesions became darker and more verrucous during pregnancy, making breast feeding impossible.

Adolescent↗

Cimetidine therapy for warts: a placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

BACKGROUND: Cimetidine, an H2-receptor antagonist, has been used successfully to treat patients with mucocutaneous candidiasis, common variable immunodeficiency, herpes simplex, and herpes zoster because of its immunomodulatory effects. Recently, some trials have suggested that cimetidine may also be useful for the treatment of warts. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine whether cimetidine is effective in the treatment of warts. METHODS: Seventy patients with multiple warts were included in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Patients were randomly allocated to treatment groups equally. The groups received cimetidine, 25 to 40 mg/kg daily, or placebo for 3 months. Patients were examined at monthly intervals. RESULTS: At the end of the therapy, 28 cimetidine-treated and 26 placebo-treated patients were examined to determine the efficacy of treatment. Cure rates obtained were 32% (9 of 28) in the cimetidine-treated group and 30.7% (8 of 26) in the placebo-treated group. No significant difference was found between cimetidine and placebo in effectiveness (p = 0.85). CONCLUSION: Our results show that cimetidine is no more effective than placebo in the treatment of patients with common warts.

Adolescent↗

Intermittent therapy with terbinafine for dermatophyte toe-onychomycosis: a new approach.

Terbinafine, an orally active antifungal agent of the allylamine class, is effective in the treatment of dermatophyte onycomycosis. Its pharmacologic and pharmacokinetic properties give strong support to the possibility that intermittent treatment courses may be equally effective in onychomycosis in general. The present randomized and controlled study was carried out to determine whether intermittent therapy with terbinafine was effective in dermatophyte toe-onychomycosis. Sixty patients with mycologically proven toenail dermatophyte onychomycosis were included in the study. Patients were equally allocated to treatment groups in a random manner. Group 1 was given 250 mg/day of terbinafine for 3 months. Group 2 was given 500 mg/day of terbinafine for 7 days during the first week of each month for 3 months. Nails were examined clinically and mycologically at monthly intervals. All patients were followed up for 48 weeks after starting the treatment. Of the patients who entered the study, 24 in Group I and 23 in Group 2 were evaluable for efficacy. At the end of the follow-up period, the cure rate (negative microscopy and culture) was 79.2% in Group 1 and 73.9% in Group 2; this difference was not significant (p: 0.79). The results indicate that intermittent therapy with terbinafine is as effective as 3-month treatment in dermatophyte toe-onychomycosis.

Adult↗

Comparison of the effects of intralesional interferon alfa-2a, 2b and the combination of 2a and 2b in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma.

Interferons (IFN), especially alfa-2a and 2b, are potent inhibitors of normal and malignant cell growth and effective choices in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the IFN alfa-2a and 2b, and whether this effect may be increased by their combination. A total of 45 patients with histopathologically confirmed BCC were divided into three groups, equally. Groups 1,2 and 3 were treated with intralesional IFN alfa-2a, 2b, and the combination of 2a and 2b, respectively. Lesions were injected three times weekly in Groups 1 and 2 (total ten injections). IFN alfa-2a and 2b were injected alternately in Group 3 (5 IFN alfa-2a and 5 IFN alfa-2b). Eight weeks after completion of therapy, cytologic specimens were taken, and all cases were evaluated clinically and cytologically. Ten (66.6%) patients had a complete response (CR) and 5 (33.3%) had a partial response (PR) in Group 1. Patients in Group 2 showed 10 (66.6%) CR, 4 (26.6%) PR, and 1 (6.6%) non response. In Group 3, 11 (73.3%) patients had CR and 4 (26.6%) had PR. Follow-up periods ranged from 6-24 months, and no recurrences have been observed. These results suggest that IFN alfa-2a, 2b, and the combination of 2a and 2b appear to be effective choices for the treatment of BCC; the effectiveness is not increased by their combination.

Adult↗

Keratoderma, hypotrichosis and leukonychia totalis: a new syndrome?

We report three members of a family with congenital hypotrichosis, characterized by trichorrhexis nodosa and trichoptilosis, dry skin, keratosis pilaris and leukonychia totalis. They also developed a progressive transgrediens type of palmoplantar keratoderma, and hyperkeratotic lesions on the knees, elbows and perianal region. As far as we are aware, this combination of clinical features has not been described previously.

Child↗

Interferon therapy for Behçet's disease.

BACKGROUND: Behçet's disease was first described in 1937 as a trisymptom complex. No standard therapy has been established. Its cause is presumed to be viral or immunologic. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether patients with Behçet's disease benefit from interferon, which has antiviral, immunomodulatory, antiproliferative, and antitumoral properties. METHODS: Fourteen patients were initially given 3 MU interferon alfa-2a subcutaneously three times per week. The doses were gradually increased to 12 MU. Each patient received a total dose of 216 MU during the 2-month study. Therapy with 9 MU interferon alfa-2a once a month was continued in half the patients. All patients were observed before and after treatment for 6-month periods, and all symptoms were recorded. RESULTS: All patients were symptom free by the end of the 2-month treatment period. The frequencies of oral and genital ulcers as well as pustular vasculitis decreased significantly in the posttreatment period as compared with the pretreatment period. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that interferon treatment appears to be effective for patients with Behçet's disease.

Adolescent↗

Behçet's disease: treatment of mucocutaneous lesions.

Oral and genital ulcers, and cutaneous vasculitic lesions are considered hallmarks of the disease, and often precede other manifestations. Mucocutaneous lesions figure prominently in the presentation and diagnosis. Therefore, their recognition may permit earlier diagnosis and treatment, with beneficial results for prognosis. This review overviews the current state of knowledge regarding the therapeutic approaches including local and systemic agents for the treatment of mucocutaneous lesions of BD.

Behcet Syndrome↗