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Biomedical subjects

L Secher

Publications and source records attributed to L Secher.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Granulomatosis disciformis chronica et progressiva (Miescher-Leder)].

A case of granulomatosis disciformis chronica et progressiva in a 75-year-old diabetic is reported. The dermatosis which was successfully treated with a high-potent local steroid preparation, today is regarded as a granulomatous variety of necrobiosis lipoidica. The present case shows, as originally described by Miescher and Leder, that the clinical findings as well as the histopathology represent an entity which may differ markedly from the common type of necrobiosis lipodica.

Aged↗

Calcosis in generalized scleroderma.

20 cases of generalized scleroderma with calcinosis, i.e. Thibierge-Weissenbach syndrome, were reviewed concerning the clinical and radiological findings. 60% of the patients complained of esophageal dysfunction, and in 85% radiological abnormalities of the esophagus were found. Gastro-intestinal complaints, with or without radiological changes, were found in accordance with other reports. Decreased pulmonary function was a frequent feature, but only half of these cases showed pulmonary fibrosis on chest X-ray. Calcinosis primarily affects areas of sclerosis, but can be found elsewhere. Six of our patients had intervertebral calcifications in the thoracic and/or lumbar spine. This seems to be a new observation in patients with scleroderma.

Adult↗

Immunofluorescence of the skin in allergic diseases: an investigation of patients with contact dermatitis, allergic vasculitis and atopic dermatitis.

Skin biopsies for immunofluorescent studies were taken from patients with contact dermatitis (positive patch tests), atopic dermatitis and allergic vasculitis for comparison with normal-appearing skin from the same patients, and from healthy controls. A variety of deposits of immunoglobulins, complement components and fibrinogen were demonstrated in 6 out of 20 patients with contact dermatitis, 7 out of 10 with atopic dermatitis, 8 out of 10 with allergic vasculitis, and in 4 out of 20 control individuals. No diagnostic pattern of deposits was found. Elevated serum IgE and eosinophilic counts were found in patients with atopic dermatitis, and high serum IgA and fibrinogen levels were found in the allergic vasculitis group.

Adolescent↗

Levamisole-induced hypersensitivity.

A 73-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis was treated with Levamisole, 150 mg per day, on 2 days a week. Her arthritis improved, but she developed a severely itching rash, and the treatment was stopped after 6 months. Penicillamine was subsequently given and tolerated without skin complications. 15 months after regular Levamisole was stopped, she was given a single dose of 150 mg which provoked fever of 40 degrees C and rash. Thirteen punch-biopsy specimens were examined by direct immunofluorescence microscopy. During the Levamisole treatment, granular deposits of IgG and C3 were found at the dermal--epidermal junction. Subsequently, the deposits disappeared, but reappeared after Levamisole challenge. The patient's leukocytes were exposed in vitro to Levamisole, and 36% of the total histamine content in the basophils was released. Our results provide further evidence that Levamisole can cause type-I as well as type-III hypersensitivity.

Aged↗

T and B lymphocytes in contact and atopic dermatitis.

Twenty patients with contact dermatitis, eighteen with atopic dermatitis, two with mixed dermatitis, and 20 controls were examined for the number of T and B lymphocytes, and serum concentrations of IgD and IgE. Significantly higher counts of B lymphocytes bearing IgE and high serum IgE values were found in the atopic group. No other significant differences were found. In particular, we found a normal frequency of IgD bearing lymphocytes in contact dermatitis, and normal T lymphocyte counts in both groups of patients.

Adolescent↗

Treatment of chlamydial urethritis in men and Chlamydia trachomatis-positive female partners: comparison of erythromycin and tetracycline in treatment courses of one week.

Seventy-one consecutive men who had Chlamydia trachomatis-positive nongonococcal urethritis were assigned randomly to treatment for one week with either tetracycline or erythromycin (1g daily). Seventy men completed the study. At follow-up, there were two therapeutic failures among 36 patients treated with erythromycin, and two failures among 34 patients treated with tetracycline. Twenty-four C. trachomatis-positive female contacts were randomly assigned to treatment regimens similar to those of the men. There was one treatment failure among 12 women treated with erythromycin, and no failure among 12 treated with tetracycline. In this study the urethral smears contained fewer than five leukocytes per high-power field in 16% of the C. trachomatis-positive men with symptoms suggestive of urethritis.

Adolescent↗

Auto-immunity in certain thyroid diseases.

In the years 1971-74, 88 patients were admitted to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Finsen Institute because of thyroid disease. In 37 of these patients, who had also been tested for antibodies against the thyroid, the diagnosis was confirmed histologically. The existence of circulating antibodies against thyroid tissue was found to reflect the degree of lymphocyte infiltration in the thyroid gland, and is thus of significance in the evaluation of the patients' prognosis and potential risk at surgery.

Autoantibodies↗

Comparison of dermatoscopic ABCD rule and risk stratification in the diagnosis of malignant melanoma.

For didactic and documentation purposes the dermatoscopic ABCD rule and the dermatoscopic risk stratification have been proposed. The aim of this investigation was to compare the ability of the 2 methods to separate patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma from individuals with other pigmented skin lesions. Three dermatologists, experienced users of dermatoscopy, assessed macroscopic clinical and dermatoscopic slides from 258 patients referred to the skin cancer outpatient clinic by the ABCD rule and risk stratification methods. Diagnostic performance of the 2 methods was compared by receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. When all pigmented skin lesions were compared, there was a trend for the observers to perform better using risk stratification. When only lesions with a well-defined pigment network were included, the diagnostic performance of the risk stratification method was superior to the dermatoscopic ABCD rule (areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve median 0.93 vs. 0.80, p<0.004) for all observers. The agreement between the 2 methods was moderate to substantial (kappa coefficient 0.53-0.62). More melanomas were identified when the rules were combined. The dermatoscopic ABCD rule has been accepted as a standard for identifying melanomas with the dermatoscope, but should be considered secondary to pigment network analysis.

Biopsy, Needle↗

The Positive Appearance Center: an innovative concept in comprehensive psychosocial cancer care.

Every year, more than one million people are diagnosed with cancer in the United States. Many of the treatments for cancer cause temporary or permanent physical changes that, along with the diagnosis, may lead to altered body image and diminished self-esteem in patients with cancer. The Positive Appearance Center was developed to help male and female patients with cancer deal with the cosmetic side effects and comfort needs related to their diagnosis and treatment. The Positive Appearance Center is part of a larger psychosocial program located in a comprehensive cancer center and is open to the public. Feedback from patients has been positive. Patients have cited the products and services provided by the center as major factors helping them cope with the physical and emotional aspects of their cancer.

Body Image↗