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Biomedical subjects

K Turjanmaa

Publications and source records attributed to K Turjanmaa.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Dose ranging study: cetirizine in the treatment of atopic dermatitis in adults.

One hundred seventy-eight adults with atopic dermatitis were included in this double-blind, parallel, randomized study where the effects of placebo, and cetirizine, 10, 20, and 40 mg administered daily during 4 weeks were measured. Local rescue therapy, which consisted of emollients and 1% hydrocortisone, was permitted and patients in all four groups used it in the same regular way. Severity of atopic dermatitis was measured via the following parameters: pruritus (visual analog scales used by both the investigator and patients), four point scale (absent, slight, moderate and serious) symptom scores for erythema, vesicles, excoriation, and lichenification in 14 body areas and a final visit assessment of the patient's general condition. The patient's quality of sleep was also measured along with standard blood chemistry tests. Adverse events during the study were recorded as well. In total 127 patients were assessed for efficacy. A statistically significant (P < or = .05) improvement was observed in all therapeutic groups for the following parameters: erythema, excoriation, lichenification, total symptom score, area involved, and pruritus. Cetirizine showed a dose-related improvement in the following parameters measured: erythema, lichenification, total symptom score, area involved, final assessment, and pruritus (measured by the patient at each visit). At 40 mg, cetirizine was significantly (P < or = .05) more effective than placebo for these parameters. At 20 mg, this was true only for pruritus (measured by the patient at each visit).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1992

Characterization of latex antigens and allergens in surgical gloves and natural rubber by immunoelectrophoretic methods.

Allergy to natural rubber (latex) products is increasingly frequent among both medical personnel and lay subjects. Although individual antigens and allergens in latex products have not been fully characterized, they are believed to derive from the sap of the rubber tree. Rabbit IgG and human IgE antibodies against rubber proteins were used to characterize antigens and allergens in surgical latex gloves and natural rubber by crossed immunoelectrophoresis and its modifications. The results from crossed-line immunoelectrophoresis demonstrated that the surgical latex gloves had at least 10 antigens in common with natural rubber sap and ammoniated latex. In crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis, at least six of the 10 protein antigens in the surgical glove extract and natural rubber were allergens since they bound IgE antibodies from the latex-allergic patients' sera. The surgical glove extract also demonstrated one allergen not found in natural rubber, suggesting that rubber proteins may be altered during glove manufacture.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Efficacy and safety of itraconazole in the long-term treatment of onychomycosis.

Sixty-one patients with a clinical diagnosis of onychomycosis in finger or toe nails were treated with itraconazole 100 mg/day or griseofulvin 500 mg/day for six to nine months. The infective causes were Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, or Trichophyton violaceum, and in two cases Candida albicans. A total of 27 finger and 390 toe nails were infected. Statistically significant intragroup reductions from baseline symptom severity values were seen at endpoint (month 6 or 9) for both treatment groups for all parameters: colour change, thickness, brittleness and unaffected area. No clinically or statistically significant differences between the treatment groups were seen at endpoint. However, the itraconazole group continued to improve during the follow-up, while the mean symptom severity ratings remained the same in the griseofulvin group. All itraconazole patients and 85% of griseofulvin patients were rated as cured or markedly improved at endpoint. Nineteen out of 26 evaluable itraconazole patients (73%) remained cured during the three month follow-up period, compared with 12 out of 17 griseofulvin patients (71%). The rather large number of drop-outs, especially among griseofulvin patients, makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions of the symptom recurrence. Two itraconazole patients stopped medication due to an adverse event, compared to four patients in the griseofulvin group. The clinical laboratory data on itraconazole-treated patients did not show any statistically or clinically significant changes. In conclusion, itraconazole was at least as effective as griseofulvin in the treatment of onychomycosis. The itraconazole group continued to improve after the treatment was stopped. The results show that itraconazole 100 mg/day is safe and efficient in the long-term treatment of fungal nail infections.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Prick and use tests with 6 glove brands in patients with immediate allergy to rubber proteins.

20 patients with contact urticaria from rubber gloves were prick tested using eluates from 4 latex (Triflex, Ansell Gammex, Exona, Armi) and 2 non-latex (Tactylon, Elastyren) glove brands. All patients showed a positive prick test reaction to at least 2 latex glove eluates. A hypoallergenic glove (Ansell Gammex) gave a positive prick test reaction in 1 patient, but non-latex gloves were negative in all cases. All patients showed a positive result in the use test with a latex surgical glove (Triflex), whereas none did with a non-latex glove (Tactylon). Non-latex gloves and, in some cases, also hypoallergenic latex gloves, are a good alternative to rubber gloves for patients with immediate latex allergy.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Surgical latex glove allergy: characterization of rubber protein allergens by immunoblotting.

Immunoblot analysis employing IgE antibodies derived from sera of 3 physicians and 2 nurses allergic to surgical latex gloves, disclosed 10 allergens in natural rubber sap. Nine of the 10 allergens were detected in ammoniated natural rubber latex, but only 4 allergens in a latex glove extract. The allergenic proteins had apparent molecular weights ranging from 14 to 70 kD. Allergens with molecular weights of 14 and 21 kD showed the most intense immunoblot reactions suggesting that these proteins could be the major allergens in the natural rubber. An 11-kD protein and a 26-kD protein were only seen in the glove extract, indicating that they could be modified rubber proteins formed during glove manufacture.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Basophil histamine release and lymphocyte proliferation tests in latex contact urticaria. In vitro tests in latex contact urticaria.

Basophil histamine release and lymphocyte proliferation tests were examined with latex allergen prepared from surgical gloves in 15 patients with latex contact urticaria. The basophil histamine release test (BHRT) yielded positive results in 13/14 (93%) patients, whereas commercial latex RAST was positive in only 9/15 (60%) patients. Lymphocyte proliferation test (LPT) was positive in 3/15 (20%) patients, suggesting that cell-mediated immune reactions may also occur in latex allergy. However, patch tests to latex were negative and neither were epidermal Langerhans cells able to present latex antigen to T lymphocytes in vitro.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Condoms as a source of latex allergen and cause of contact urticaria.

To examine the occurrence of latex allergen in condoms and to study the symptoms caused by contact with condoms, 46 patients with latex-glove contact urticaria (LGCU) were investigated. 7 (24%) of the 29 patients with a history of condom use had experienced local swelling and/or pruritus during intercourse, confirming that condoms can cause local symptoms in latex allergic subjects. Prick tests performed on 16 different condom brands showed that 4 brands caused positive reactions in 52-67% of patients. The remaining 12 brands were not as allergenic and 1 brand was totally negative on prick testing. 1 highly allergenic condom brand was examined by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), which showed similar protein profiles to those detectable in latex gloves and natural rubber. These results show that, in addition to rubber gloves and balloons, condoms should also be considered as possible sources of latex, and that patients with LGCU should be advised to avoid condoms.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Comparison of diagnostic methods in latex surgical glove contact urticaria.

Surgical rubber gloves contain allergens derived from natural rubber latex which may sensitize, causing contact urticaria and even systemic reactions. We examined 15 hospital employees allergic to latex surgical gloves, using various skin tests and RAST, to determine the most reliable diagnostic method and to investigate coexistent allergy to glove powder and rubber chemicals. Prick testing using a stock solution made from one brand of latex glove yielded positive (2+ to 4+) reactions in all 15 employees: 8 retained positive reactions at a 1/10 dilution, 1 at 1/100 and 4 at 1/1000. A prick test using rubber-tree sap (Hevea brasiliensis) was positive in 12/15 employees and a scratch-chamber test using crushed rubber-tree leaf was positive in 13/15. A latex glove use test was positive in 12/13 employees and a latex RAST detected measurable amounts of specific IgE in 8/15. No positive prick test reactions were obtained using glove powder. On patch testing, 2/15 employees showed delayed allergy to rubber chemicals but no immediate reactions were detected. The present results indicate that in addition to the use test, prick testing with a stock solution prepared from latex surgical gloves is an adequate test method for routine practice when diagnosing latex glove contact urticaria. The correlation between prick tests and whole glove use tests was good, but latex RASTs yielded some negative results.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Rubber contact urticaria. Allergenic properties of 19 brands of latex gloves.

To compare the immediate skin test reactivity of various latex (natural rubber) surgical and cleaning gloves, prick tests were performed on 40 latex-allergic persons, 26 of whom were sensitized by surgical and 14 by cleaning latex gloves. 6/17 surgical gloves tested and 1/2 cleaning gloves caused positive reactions in almost all (over 87%) of the allergic subjects. In contrast, the frequencies of positive reactions to 4 other surgical latex gloves were as low as 8-21%, suggesting that not all surgical gloves are equally allergenic. Control prick tests with 1 synthetic rubber and 1 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) glove were negative in all subjects. 2 surgical latex gloves causing either a high or low number of positive prick tests in allergic subjects were analyzed with high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Similar allergenic protein fractions were detected, which showed protein peaks at MW 2000, 5000 and 30,000 daltons. Corresponding proteins were detected in 1 latex cleaning glove analyzed and in natural rubber. This result confirms that allergenic proteins persist in various surgical and cleaning latex gloves after manufacture from natural rubber and may cause contact urticaria symptoms in sensitized people.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Clinical and ultrastructural effects of acitretin in Darier's disease.

Thirteen patients with Darier's disease with a mean extent of the lesions of 29.4 +/- 10% of the total skin area were treated with acitretin (the main metabolite of etretinate) for 16 weeks. The dose was 30 mg/day during the initial 8 weeks and was later adjusted individually to 10-30 mg/day in order to achieve optimal results. Three patients cleared completely, 7 patients showed marked improvement and 3 patients became slightly better during treatment. The mean extent of the lesions after the treatment was 7.3 +/- 8% of the skin area. Despite good clinical clearing, the improvement at the ultrastructural level was incomplete in the 3 patients studied by electron microscopy. Normal stratification did not develop and the size and number of desmosomes remained reduced. The main side effects during treatment were pruritus in 5 patients, diffuse alopecia in 2 patients and marked elevation in serum triglycerides in 4 patients. On the basis of this study, acitretin would seem to be a useful alternative to etretinate for the treatment of Darier's disease.

Acitretin↗
PubMed1988

Contact urticaria from rubber gloves.

Surgical rubber (latex) gloves can cause contact urticaria and even more severe allergic symptoms; the frequency of this allergy may be as high as 3 per cent among hospital employees. Those at high risk are surgeons and instrument nurses, most of whom are atopics. Clinical history of immediate rubber-glove allergy can be misleading, but the diagnosis is easily confirmed by prick, use, and RAST tests. Sensitized persons manage well by using plastic undergloves or vinyl gloves.

Dermatitis, Contact↗
PubMed1987

Incidence of immediate allergy to latex gloves in hospital personnel.

Latex surgical gloves may cause contact urticaria and serious allergic reactions in sensitized persons, but the frequency of this allergy is not known. In the present study, 512 hospital employees were screened with a latex-glove scratch-chamber test; 23 (4.5%) were suspected and 15 (2.9%) were proven allergic with latex prick and use tests. All of them were doctors and nurses, and 12 had had contact urticaria but no serious symptoms. They could continue their routine work using cotton or vinyl undergloves or special latex surgical gloves. Atopy, hand eczema and surgical work seemed to be predisposing factors. In operating units, 7.4% of the doctors and 5.6% of the nurses were allergic; the frequency was lower in non-operating units and among laboratory personnel. The high frequency of latex glove allergy, especially in operating units, focuses attention on the quality of surgical latex gloves.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Isotretinoin treatment of rosacea.

Twenty patients with severe rosacea were treated with isotretinoin for 3-6 months. Six patients initially received 1.0 mg/kg and 14 patients 0.5 mg/kg of isotretinoin. The response was good or excellent in all patients and the papulopustular lesions in particular cleared promptly. Patients receiving 1.0 mg/kg of isotretinoin experienced more side-effects and the dose had to be lowered in five of the six patients. Seventeen of the 20 patients had no relapses during a follow-up of one year showing that isotretinoin has a long-lasting favourable effect in rosacea.

Adult↗