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Biomedical subjects

Gil Yosipovitch

Publications and source records attributed to Gil Yosipovitch.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Butorphanol for treatment of intractable pruritus.

Severe chronic itch and intractable pruritus are encountered frequently by dermatologists. Recent data suggest that generalized pruritus may result from an imbalance between the mu and kappa opioid systems, and kappa-agonists have been shown to inhibit pruritus in both animals and human beings. These findings led us to use butorphanol, a commercially available kappa-opioid agonist and mu-opioid antagonist. We present a case series of 5 patients with intractable pruritus associated with inflammatory skin diseases or systemic diseases who demonstrated rapid and marked improvement when treated with intranasal butorphanol. Because of the small, open-label nature of this study, butorphanol should be investigated further in a larger, randomized controlled trial.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Glucocorticoid-induced bone loss in dermatologic patients: an update.

OBJECTIVE: To raise awareness of the new treatment options and current recommendations among dermatologists treating patients with systemic corticosteroids. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE peer-reviewed publications. STUDY SELECTION: English language and clinical pertinence to corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis. DATA EXTRACTION: Pertinent information on pathophysiologic, epidemiologic, clinical trial, cost-effectiveness, and treatment option data regarding corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis. DATA SYNTHESIS: Comprehensive summary of published data on the pathophysiologic, epidemiologic, clinical, and treatment data and current practice guidelines regarding corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis; creation of an algorithmic management approach for patients treated with long-term oral corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS: Glucocorticoid-induced bone loss is the most predictable and debilitating complication of prolonged administration of systemic corticosteroids. Every dermatologist prescribing systemic corticosteroids must be aware of corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis and ensure that every patient is receiving general measures to prevent it. Despite efficacious preventive and therapeutic options, actual implementation of these strategies remains unacceptably low. Based on currently available evidence, the first choice for prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis should be a potent oral bisphosphonate such as alendronate (70 mg/wk) or risedronate sodium (35 mg/wk). For patients with severe osteoporosis or patients with active osteoporotic fractures, the anabolic agent teriparatide (recombinant fragmented parathyroid hormone) should be considered as a first-line option for up to 2 years.

Glucocorticoids↗
PubMed2006

Perineal ulcers in an infant: an unusual presentation of postnatal cytomegalovirus infection.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease can cause significant morbidity and mortality in neonates and immunosuppressed patients. Cutaneous disease is rare, even in at-risk patients. We report a case of CMV with perineal papules, erosions, and ulcers in a preterm but presumably immunocompetent patient, whose diagnosis was first suggested by skin biopsy and confirmed with serologic testing. The mode of transmission of CMV was unclear. The lesions resolved without CMV-specific therapy, and the child had no apparent systemic sequelae of infection. CMV disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of perineal erosions and ulcers in infancy. In addition to the case, we briefly review the literature on cutaneous manifestations of CMV disease.

Cytomegalovirus Infections↗
PubMed2006

The neurobiology of itch.

The neurobiology of itch, which is formally known as pruritus, and its interaction with pain have been illustrated by the complexity of specific mediators, itch-related neuronal pathways and the central processing of itch. Scratch-induced pain can abolish itch, and analgesic opioids can generate itch, which indicates an antagonistic interaction. However, recent data suggest that there is a broad overlap between pain- and itch-related peripheral mediators and/or receptors, and there are astonishingly similar mechanisms of neuronal sensitization in the PNS and the CNS. The antagonistic interaction between pain and itch is already exploited in pruritus therapy, and current research concentrates on the identification of common targets for future analgesic and antipruritic therapy.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Treating itch in psoriasis.

Itch is an important, but underestimated symptom in psoriasis. Many therapies are available for pruritus; however, few are effective for psoriatic itch. Antipruritic therapies that are potentially effective in psoriasis include coal tar products, topical corticosteroids, topical salicylates, menthol and pramoxine, capsaicin, phototherapy, vitamin D analogs, topical immunomodulators, methotrexate, oral mirtazapine, and biologics. Using these therapies can benefit psoriasis patients in the outpatient clinical setting.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed2005

Cutaneous symptoms of dermatomyositis significantly impact patients' quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Dermatomyositis affects visible skin and causes disease symptoms that can affect patients' quality of life (QOL). METHODS: In all, 71 patients with dermatomyositis or dermatomyositis sine myositis completed two QOL measures (the Skindex-16 and the Dermatology Life Quality Index) and a visual analog scale for pruritus. Disease severity was assessed by Physician's Global Assessment. RESULTS: The mean Dermatology Life Quality Index score was 10.7 and the mean Skindex-16 score was 51.1. Itching contributed to impact on both the Dermatology Life Quality Index and Skindex-16. Females reported worse QOL. LIMITATIONS: The effect of treatment on quality of life was not assessed in these analyses. CONCLUSION: QOL impairment in dermatomyositis is greater than in other skin conditions including psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Pruritus is an important treatable factor that significantly impacts QOL for patients with dermatomyositis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Lack of efficacy of tacrolimus ointment 0.1% for treatment of hemodialysis-related pruritus: a randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled study.

Pruritus is a common and disabling symptom for patients undergoing hemodialysis. Many topical and systemic treatments have been used for uremic pruritus, mostly in anecdotal reports. A recent case series demonstrated that topical tacrolimus ointment 0.03% had a significant antipruritic effect for patients with uremia. In an attempt to confirm these findings, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled study to assess the efficacy of tacrolimus ointment 0.1% for the treatment of hemodialysis-related pruritus. The results of this study do not demonstrate that tacrolimus ointment 0.1% is more effective than vehicle in relieving uremic pruritus.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2005

Itch, pain, and burning sensation are common symptoms in mild to moderate chronic venous insufficiency with an impact on quality of life.

To our knowledge there are no studies evaluating the prevalence and characteristics of itch, pain, and burning sensation among patients with mild to moderate chronic venous insufficiency or assessing the impact of these symptoms on quality of life. In this report 100 patients met the inclusion criteria. Patients who suffered from itch were also assessed with the use of a validated questionnaire and a modified Skindex-16 questionnaire. We found that the prevalence of itch was 66%. Concomitant itch and burning sensation as well as itch and pain were noted in 47% and 44% of the patients, respectively. No correlation was noted between the severity of these symptoms and the degree of venous insufficiency. Itch had a negative impact on quality of life. A limitation of this study is that the participants, who were primarily hospital employees, are more likely to develop these symptoms. Therefore this study does not reflect the true prevalence of these symptoms in the general population. This study found that itch, pain, and burning sensation are common symptoms of mild to moderate chronic venous insufficiency with a significant impact on quality of life.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Noxious heat and scratching decrease histamine-induced itch and skin blood flow.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of thermal stimuli or distal scratching on skin blood flow and histamine-induced itch in healthy volunteers. Twenty-one healthy volunteers participated in the study. Baseline measurements of skin blood flow were obtained on the flexor aspect of the forearm. These measurements were compared with skin blood flow after various stimuli: heating the skin, cooling the skin, noxious cold 2 degrees C, noxious heat 49 degrees C, and scratching via a brush with controlled pressure. Afterwards histamine iontophoresis was performed and skin blood flow and itch intensity were measured immediately after the above-mentioned stimuli. Scratching reduced mean histamine-induced skin blood flow and itch intensity. Noxious heat pain increased basal skin blood flow but reduced histamine-induced maximal skin blood flow and itch intensity. Cold pain and cooling reduced itch intensity, but neither affected histamine-induced skin blood flow. Sub-noxious warming the skin did not affect the skin blood flow or itch intensity. These findings suggest that heat pain and scratching may inhibit itch through a neurogenic mechanism that also affects skin blood flow.

Cold Temperature↗
PubMed2005

Flare of bullous pemphigoid in surgically treated skin.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an acquired, pruritic, blistering eruption of the skin that typically presents as large, tense, subepidermal bullae in elderly persons. In this article, we present the case of an 80-year-old man with a 2-year history of generalized pruritus with occasional bullae in healed incision sites on his abdomen. Results of biopsy and direct immunofluorescence testing demonstrated evidence consistent with BP. This case demonstrated a BP flare in surgically treated skin, a phenomenon that has infrequently been reported in the literature.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Mirtazapine for reducing nocturnal itch in patients with chronic pruritus: a pilot study.

Nocturnal pruritus is a significant problem for patients with inflammatory skin diseases and many systemic diseases. The oral therapies currently available have a limited effect. We present an open, uncontrolled pilot study of 3 patients with inflammatory skin diseases and severe nocturnal pruritus who underwent treatment with mirtazapine (Remeron), a noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant. Mirtazapine is a safe medication without serious side effects and may be an effective alternative for the treatment of nocturnal pruritus.

Adolescent↗