[Percutaneous absorption: topical and systemic treatments].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L Vaillant.
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To assess the relationship between immune system and nevi, we studied two models of immunodeficiency caused by different mechanisms, i.e., virus and drug. Our rationale was that if an excess of nevi was found in these two epidemiologic models, it could be concluded that the excess was due to immunodeficiency itself rather than its cause. One hundred ten renal transplant recipients (RTR) were compared with age-, sex-, and phenotype-matched controls. Eighty four HIV-positive patients (HIV+) were compared with similarly matched controls. Nevi < 5 mm (N < 5) or > or = 5 mm (N > or = 5) were counted in three sites representative of regularly, intermittently, and never sun-exposed sites. The number of N < 5 was higher in RTR (p < 0.001) and in HIV+ (p < 0.001) than in respective controls. N > or = 5 were significantly higher only in RTR. These differences tended to be the same for all sites and persisted after adjustment for possible confounding factors. The incidence of atypical nevus was higher in RTR than in controls. Immunodeficiency seems to promote the occurrence of nevi. This supports the concept of immune surveillance of nevi and raises the question of whether sun-induced immune suppression plays a role in the development of nevi. As nevi are risk markers for melanoma, a higher incidence of melanoma could be expected in immunocompromised patients.
BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: The skin properties of 98 postmenopausal women with hormone replacement therapy (oestradiol gel or patches) or without hormone replacement therapy were studied using non-invasive techniques: skin thickness with skin echography, skin hydration with a dryness score and measurement of capacitance, skin surface lipids with a Sebumeter and microtopography with image analysis of cutaneous replicas. RESULTS: In this open study we demonstrated an increase in skin thickness and sebum in the treated group in comparison to the untreated group (7-15% according to area for skin thickness, 35% for sebum). Hydration and microtopography were not different in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Postmenopausal women who were receiving hormonal substitution have a greater thickness and casual level than untreated women. We therefore suggest that hormonal aging exists and that cutaneous atrophy can be prevented with hormone replacement therapy.
Alternaria is a very common and saprophytic fungus. Cutaneous infection is rare and about 71 cases have been described, mainly in Europe in immunocompromised hosts. We report a case of dermal alternariosis occurring in a woman treated with corticosteroids for dermatomyositis. The cutaneous lesion consisted of an erythematous and scaly plaque on the leg measuring 2 x 2 cm. Cutaneous biopsy showed hyphae and round inclusions stained with PAS and Gomori-Grocott within a polymorphous granuloma. Cultures of cutaneous biopsies grew Alternaria sp. HIV1 and HIV2 serology was negative. The patient was treated by local excision and corticosteroids were decreased. One-year follow-up showed no recurrence. Cutaneous alternariosis is an opportunistic infection. the disease has been described mainly in patients treated with systemic corticosteroids (39 cases out of the 71 reported cases) or local corticosteroids (3/71) and in patients suffering from Cushing's syndrome (7/71) but rarely in HIV-infected patients (3/71). Cutaneous fragility induced by hypercorticism is an important cofactor permitting direct inoculation from the environment.
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UNLABELLED: Bullous pemphigoid is the most frequent autoimmune blistering disease. It occurs in the elderly. The cause of this disease is unknown, but cases of bullous pemphigoid have been occasionally attributed to drug therapy. We conducted a multicenter prospective case-control study looking at the drugs used on a long-term basis before the onset of the disease in 116 incident cases of bullous pemphigoid and 216 control patients with malignant or benign skin tumors. RESULTS: Case patients and control patients received many drugs on a long-term basis (mean +/-SD, 4.4+/-3.2 and 4.4+/-2.7 years respectively). Two classes of drugs, neuroleptics and diuretics, were used more frequently by case patients than control patients. Neuroleptics were used by 15.5% of case patients and 8.3% of control patients (adjusted odds ratios; 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 0.95 to 3.8). Diuretics were used by 36.2% of case patients and 24.5% of control patients (adjusted odds ratios, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 2.9). Among neuroleptics, no specific drug emerged. The association with diuretics was only linked to aldosterone antagonists, which were taken by 12.9% of case patients and 4.6% of control patients (adjusted odds ratios, 3.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4 to 7.1). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that some drug therapies may be a risk factor for bullous pemphigoid. The cause of this association should be further investigated.
BACKGROUND: In the course of mycosis fungoides, pilofollicular manifestations without mucinosis (papules, keratoses, comedones, or epidermal cysts) are rare (15 cases reported). Therefore, histological and clinical diagnoses may be difficult. The clinical course and histopathological and immunohistochemical findings in 9 patients are described. OBSERVATIONS: Pilofollicular lesions were present at the onset (n = 3), before (n = 3), or during a relapse of mycosis fungoides (n = 3). Comedones and epidermal cysts were most frequent (n = 5). They disappeared with lymphoma therapy (n = 4), therapy with isotretinoin (n = 3), or spontaneously (n = 1), or they persisted (n = 1). Clues to the histopathological diagnosis consisted of pilotropism of the infiltrate with minor alteration of the hair follicle walls. The infiltrate was monomorphous and composed of sezariform CD4+ lymphocytes. Pilotropic or peripilofollicular infiltrates, or the absence of infiltrate, were detected in consecutive biopsy specimens obtained from the same patient. The keratinocyte expression of intercellular adhesion molecule type 1 was observed in the hair follicle bulb in front of the pilotropic infiltrate but not in the epidermis. No staining was observed in biopsy specimens of 6 of 7 patients with follicular mucinosis, of folliculitis lesions, or of normal hair follicles. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate the role of adhesion molecules in pilotropism leading to mechanical obstruction of the follicle by tumoral cells followed by hyperkeratosis and cyst formation. It remains to be determined if the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule type 1 is the cause or the consequence of pilotropism. By becoming more aware of it, this variant of mycosis fungoides is probably not so rare.
The authors report a case illustrating the causality between the appearance of contact eczema and the implantation of a cardiac pacemaker. To the authors' knowledge, only 11 cases of eczema secondary to the implantation of a pacemaker have been previously reported, all in dermatological journals. In 60% of caes, the lesions were observed over the pacemaker implantation and the appearance of the rash varied from 2 days to 24 months. The causal allergens were mainly the metallic and plastic components. The physiopathological mechanisms, though not completely understood, are related to cellular immunity and therefore, to delayed hypersensitivity reactions. From the therapeutic point of view, locak steroid applications to limited excema lesions have been suggested but recurrence is common. The only effective treatment is removal of the allergen.
The t(2;5) generates a chimeric NPM-ALK transcript encoded by the nucleophosmin NPM gene fused to the anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene ALK. Using a reverse transcriptase nested polymerase chain reaction assay we have detected NPM-ALK transcripts within CD30+ primary cutaneous lymphoma and lymphomatoid papulosis (LP). The t(2;5) was identified in 4 out of 9 CD30+ anaplastic lymphomas and in 1 out of 4 CD30+ pleomorphic lymphomas. Moreover, the t(2;5) was detected in 3 out of 10 LPs. All NPM-ALK-positive lymphomas and 1 NPM-ALK-positive LP exhibited a clonal rearrangement of the T cell receptor gamma-chain gene. The t(2;5) was detected in 2 cases of LP without other evidence for a clonal lymphoid population. To identify cells carrying the t(2;5) translocation, we used immunohistochemistry to detect the ALK-encoded p80 protein and in situ hybridization for the specific detection of NPM-ALK transcripts. Both p80 protein and NPM-ALK transcripts were expressed by anaplastic or large CD30+ lymphoma cells with positive NPM-ALK amplification. The presence of t(2;5) in a subset of CD30+ cutaneous lymphoma and LP may indicate a common pathogenesis with a subset of anaplastic nodal lymphoma.
INTRODUCTION: Dapsone is a drug widely prescribed in dermatology. It can lead to undesirable side effects including hematologic disorders. CASE REPORT: A patient with dermatitis herpetiformis was treated with dapsone. Agranulocytosis developed 6 weeks later and was revealed by fever and pneumonia which resolved under antibiotics. The agranulocytosis regressed without specific treatment after drug withdrawal. Blood counts returned to normal 2 weeks later. DISCUSSION: Dapsone-induced agranulocytosis is in common (1/10,000 to 1/20,000). The drug is widely prescribed, particularly for leprosy. Nevertheless, when dapsone is prescribed for dermatitis herpetiformis, the risk of agranulocytosis increases 25-fold reaching 1/400. The indication for dapsone must always made carefully, with surveillance of the blood counts every 15 days during the first 3 months of treatment for dermatitis herpetiformis.
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INTRODUCTION: Sezary syndrome is usually resistant to most treatments. The aim of this work was to evaluate short and long-term results of cytapheresis in patients with Sezary syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients with Sezary syndrome were included in the study (13 men, 9 women, man age 58 +/- 35.4 years). The mean duration of Sezary syndrome before cytapheresis was 6.5 +/- 2 months. Extra-cutaneous involvement was observed in 16 of the patients. Each patient underwent 33 +/- 63 cytapheresis sessions (total number = 685). Complete remission in "responders" was defined as the absence of clinical signs and Sezary cells < 1,000/mm3. In "non responders" partial remission was defined as incomplete regression of clinical signs and Sezary cells > 1,000/mm3 and failure as lack of improvement or worsened clinical situation. RESULTS: Complete remission was obtain in 10/22 patients (45.5 p. 100), partial remission in 4/22 (18 p. 100) and failure in 8/22 (36.5 p. 100). There was no significant difference between responders and non-responders for age, duration of the Sezary syndrome before cytapheresis, the number of sessions, extracutaneous involvement, or another associated treatment. In the responders, mean survival was 90 +/- 42 months. Two patients were alive at 5 years and 1 at 10 years. In the non responders, mean survival was 8 +/- 1.4 months and median survival was 11 months. CONCLUSION: There was no significant evidence suggesting a difference between responders and non-responders. Nevertheless, mean survival was longer in patients who had achieved complete remission. Cytapheresis is thus justified for the treatment of patients with Sezary syndrome.
INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of thalidomide in the treatment of chronic erythema multiforme unresponsive to usual treatments. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients with chronic erythema multiforme were given thalidomide 100 mg/day after other treatments had failed, particularly acyclovir and prednisone. RESULTS: Twenty patients had recurrent erythema multiforme and were given thalidomide at the beginning of an episode. The duration of the episodes was reduced by 11 days on the average. Six of the patients had subintrant erythema multiforme and were given continuous treatment. Lesions disappeared within 5 to 8 days and remission was maintained with low dose-treatment. DISCUSSION: The spectacular results obtained here should be verified in a controlled study.
INTRODUCTION: Lipomatosis of the tongue is rarely observed. CASE REPORT: An 85-year-old man with chronic alcoholism presented several symmetrical lipomas of the tongue with no other clinical manifestations. There was no capsule at the histology examination. DISCUSSION: The multiple and symmetrical nature of the lesion without a capsule led to the diagnosis of benign symmetrical lipomatosis of the tongue, the fourth case reported in the literature.
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BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: Cutaneous pleomorphic small T-cell lymphoma is a rare, recently recognized lymphoma, different from mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome. Only a few cases have been reported and no treatment modalities have been defined. We reviewed the clinical, histologic, immunohistochemical, molecular biologic, and follow-up data of 11 primary cutaneous pleomorphic small T-cell lymphomas. RESULTS: The lesions presented as red purplish nodules, tumors, or plaques. The infiltrate consisted of small pleomorphic lymphoid cells without epidermotropism in nine patients and with a propensity to infiltrate the dermis and subcutaneous fat. Most cases were CD4+/CD8-. A T-cell clone was detected in the skin lesions of nine patients tested. The mean follow-up was 70.1 months and the median follow-up was 20 months. Ten patients are alive with three having persistent lesions. Interferon alfa-2a induced partial or complete remissions in five patients. Interferon alfa-2a combined with a regimen containing doxorubicin chlorhydrate induced a complete remission in a patient suffering a relapse after cyclophosphamide and interferon alone. CONCLUSIONS: Cutaneous pleomorphic small T-cell lymphoma is a well-defined type of low-grade cutaneous lymphoma with favorable prognosis. Interferon and/or chemotherapy are the treatment of choice in patients with large tumor burden.
The Gorlin syndrome, or naevoid basal-cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCS) is an autosomal dominant disease. It has been suspected for long that this cancer prone disease (multiple basal-cell carcinomas; other malignant or benign proliferations) is a chromosome instability syndrome. We previously reported a lengthening in the cell cycle of lymphocytes from two patients with NBCS. With a larger sample (n = 7), we confirm this disease to be a chromosome instability syndrome, although clearly, expression of this characteristic can vary between patients: (1) spontaneous chromatid breaks occurred more often in a subset of the patients; (2) spontaneous micronuclei were found more frequently in NBCS than in the controls; (3) we confirm the cell cycle to be affected in this disease. As these results were obtained on lymphocytes--a cell lineage not affected in NBCS manifestations--the chromosome instability we found would appear to be part of the general condition of this syndrome.