Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

W Aberer

Publications and source records attributed to W Aberer.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

[Contact eczema and "standard test"--do "International Standard Test Series" coincide with Austrian local characteristics?].

Testing with a "standard" group of substances has proved of great value when allergic contact dermatitis is suspected and the offending agent cannot be pinpointed by careful history-taking. But internationally standardized series do not take into account locally important and individual factors, changing consumer habits or economic aspects. We have, thus, compared the suitability of two standard series, the ICDRG-European and the DKG-German standard, for Austrian purposes. 1,478 patients with a clinical diagnosis of contact dermatitis were patch tested between 11/88 and 4/90 with the ICDRG allergens; the second collective of 505 patients was tested between 5/90 and 1/91 with the DKG series. Only 12 out of the 27 substances of the ICDRG series exceeded the critical incidence of 1%; 6 were below this limit but positive in more than 0.5% and 9 hardly ever aroused positive reactions. In the DKG series, 17 out of 23 substances surpassed the limit, 2 were positive in more than 0.5%, and 4 caused virtually no reactions. However, 4 allergens with frequent sensitization rates were included neither in the ICDRG nor in the DKG series and 2 others were missing in the over-dimensioned ICDRG standard. Our results demonstrate that internationally established standard series have to adapted for the local situation in Austria, and that a constant review is essential with replacement of allergens as necessary according to changing production techniques and consumer habits. Suggestions for an "Austrian standard patch test series" are proposed on the basis of our results but in spite of being helpful in general terms interpretation of such a test in the individual patient with eczema remains problematic.

Allergens↗
PubMed1991

[Contact eczema and epicutaneous tests--distribution of allergens and changes in the spectrum in Vienna].

Thousands of contact antigens have been defined. It is, however, remarkable that only a small group of substances (15 to 20) have proved to be frequent or otherwise important causes of allergic contact dermatitis. In agreement with reports from comparable centres, metals are high up on the "hitlist" of frequent allergens (nickel 24%, cobalt 9%, chromates 6%), followed by ingredients of cosmetics and toiletries (fragrances 16%, balsam of Peru 10%, Kathon 5%), whilst already way back are topical medicines (neomycin 4%, parabens 3%, lanolin 2%, benzocaine 1%) and rubber additives (thiuram-mix 2% and carba-mix 1%). Almost all other substances lie below the 1% limit. There was only one remarkable exception in comparison with the results of most other European studies, namely thiomersal, which is widely distributed as a preservative in vaccines in Austria and climbed to second place, with a sensitization rate of 18%. Although the phenylborate mercurials (historic sensitizations due to topical antiseptics) still reached a surprisingly high incidence of 6%, there were hardly any cases of cross-sensitization with thiomersal. A comparison with the international literature illustrates Austria-specific trends and a change in the spectrum over the past years. Interpretation of patch testing requires great specialist knowledge and experience.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[The nephrotoxic effect of therapy with fumaric acid esters in psoriasis].

Two sisters, aged 25 and 29 years, with generalized psoriasis guttata since childhood, developed nausea, upper-abdominal pain, loss of appetite, palpitations and flushes in the course of local and oral administration of fumaric acid esters. Because of these side effects the treatment was discontinued after about two weeks, and the symptoms disappeared. But proteinuria and haematuria were subsequently noted, creatinine concentration rose to 2.2 and 2.5 mg/dl, respectively, while creatinine clearance fell to 44 and 27 ml/min, respectively. Examination of urinary sediments and analysis of urinary proteins gave results compatible with tubular-interstitial renal damage. The abnormal renal functions and urinary findings proved reversible within three weeks.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Ammoniated mercury ointment: outdated but still in use.

Although severe mercury-associated side effects, such as poisoning and high irritant and allergic potential, as well as the weak potency of mercury as an antiseptic or antipsoriatic agent, are well-known, topical mercury preparations are still listed in several pharmacopoeias, including that of the United States, UK and several other European countries. Thus, topical mercurials are still in use, even though more effective and less toxic drugs are now available. We report 2 cases of severe allergic reaction to ammoniated mercury and hope, in agreement with the pertinent literature, to contribute to its removal, and that of most other mercurials, from the therapeutic armamentarium.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1990

[Post-zoster-specific skin infiltrates in chronic lymphatic leukemia].

Eight weeks after suffering from herpes zoster of the right 5th cranial nerve, an 80-year-old woman with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia developed zoster-like pseudovesicular lesions in the same nerve segment. Histological and immunohistological investigations revealed specific infiltrates of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Chemotherapy for the underlying disease was intensified, and the cutaneous infiltrates disappeared quickly. The patient died shortly afterwards due to exacerbation of the lymphoma.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Effects of in vivo administration of anti-Ia antibodies on contact sensitivity.

Our previous studies of the effects of the in vivo administration of anti-la (anti-class II major histocompatibility antigens) antibodies in mice demonstrated that, although the antibodies bind to epidermal Langerhans' cells, they do not affect their antigen-presenting capacity in vitro. In this study we investigated the effects of the in vivo administration of these antibodies on the induction and expression of contact sensitivity. We found that the antibodies inhibit the induction of contact sensitivity significantly and affect the elicitation phase to a much lesser extent. The inhibition is short-lived and probably not attributable to the induction of suppressor cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[Allergy to topical antihistamines--discrepancy between the literature and clinical practice].

In a prospective study, 100 patients suffering from allergic contact dermatitis were tested for allergy to antihistamines. Diphenhydramine was chosen as test substance because it is the most widely used topical antihistamine in Europe and is, moreover, prescribed for several indications. Not one of the 100 patients proved to react positively on patch testing. The bad reputation among allergists of topically administered antihistamines, which is based on reports in the American literature claiming a high risk of epicutaneous sensitization, thus appears unjustified on the basis of our own data and the lack of European reports of this problem. The adverse findings in the USA may be due to their frequent use of a particularly potent contact sensitizer as emulsifier in topical preparations in general and antihistamines in particular.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Wells' syndrome is a distinctive disease entity and not a histologic diagnosis.

Wells' syndrome is a distinctive dermatosis clinically resembling acute cellulitis with solid edema; it resolves spontaneously after weeks or months without residues. Recurrences over many years are common. Light microscopy is characteristic for the disease, with diffuse tissue eosinophilia and marked edema, fibrinoid "flame figures," and palisading microgranuloma. Vasculitis is never found. Eosinophilia of the peripheral blood is a frequent feature. Etiology and pathogenesis are unknown, but the disease has been found to be associated with hematologic disorders in several cases, and recurrences can often be related to infections, arthropod bites, drug administration, or surgery. The diagnosis of Wells' syndrome should be based on the typical clinical picture and the course of the disease with its recurrences and histopathology. Flame figures in histologic sections are an important diagnostic feature but not diagnostic per se for the disease because they represent a reaction pattern that can occur in other conditions. A dilution of Wells' syndrome by making flame figures the central criterion of diagnosis and by lumping all flame figure-positive skin reactions together is therefore unjustified.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1988

[T- and B-cell double lymphoma: immunologic characterization using monoclonal antibodies].

The coexistence of two non-Hodgkin lymphomas in one patient is extremely rare. We describe a patient who suffered for 17 years from chronic lymphocytic leukemia of B-cell origin with bone marrow and peripheral blood involvement until he developed clinically typical mycosis fungoides of the skin. The neoplastic lymphatic cells in the skin infiltrates were T-cells of the helper/inducer phenotype and thus differed morphologically and by immunological markers from the neoplastic cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow. The clonal B-cell expansion was controlled well over many years by cytotoxic drug therapy, the cutaneous T-cell lymphoma only with limited success by oral photochemotherapy owing to lack of compliance. The patient died 3 years after the diagnosis of MF from a parallel exacerbation of both diseases. Extensive immunohistochemical studies verified the nature of both lymphomas in vivo and at autopsy.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

[Scleromyxedema: immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide].

A 59-year-old male with scleromyxedema showed lichenoid papules over the large joints and buttocks; excessive skin folds, and generalized sclerosis of the skin similar to scleroderma; myopathy and arthritis; cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease; and an abnormal monoclonal IgG-type protein in the serum. The progression of the disease, lack of established therapeutic modalities and the pronounced systemic involvement in this condition suggested a therapeutic trial employing monthly high-dose i.v. cyclophosphamide pulse therapy, together with low-dose prednisone on alternate days. The results were excellent and both subjective and objective symptoms improved dramatically. Controls performed at regular time intervals during a follow-up period of 12 months have failed to reveal any recurrence of the disease.

Cyclophosphamide↗
PubMed1987

[Chrysanthemum allergy].

A 60 year-old female patient had worked for decades in a plant nursery helping to grow chrysanthemums and sell them around All Saints' Day. During the past several years she had suffered from eczema of the hands that became worse from season to season, and finally became generalized and persisted. Epicutaneous skin testing revealed a strong reaction to chrysanthemums and, in addition, cross-reactivity to several species of the compositae family. Due to these cross-reactivities, a switch to other garden work was impossible. Avoidance of all contact with flowers led to resolution of the patient's skin problems.

Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium↗
PubMed1987

Effect of UVB radiation on the biosynthesis of HLA-DR antigens.

HLA-DR molecules on the surface of immunocompetent cells are thought to represent target structures for the immunomodulating effects of UV radiation during the induction of an immune response. We therefore investigated the effect of UVB radiation on the de novo synthesis of HLA-DR-gamma-chains in the cytoplasm and the expression of alpha- and beta-chains on the surface of the human lymphoblastoid B-cell line Raji. Raji cells were UVB irradiated before biochemical experiments were performed. Cells were then metabolically labeled or radioiodinated and detergent lysates immunoprecipitated using antibodies directed against the gamma- or the alpha- and beta-chain of the HLA-DR molecule. Over a wide dose range, UVB-irradiated Raji cells were shown to still express HLA-DR determinants on their surface and, even more importantly, to be capable of synthesizing HLA-DR-alpha, beta- and gamma-chains in a normal fashion. Despite this, the functional capacity of Raji cells was impaired in a dose-dependent manner. UV radiation thus seems to exert its immunomodulating effects primarily at a different level than the incriminated immune-response-associated antigens, which are expressed as recognition structures on the surface of immunocompetent cells.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗
PubMed1987

Azathioprine in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris. A long-term follow-up.

In a prospective long-term study, thirty-seven patients with severe generalized pemphigus vulgaris were treated with a combined corticosteroid-azathioprine regimen. Twenty-nine patients were available for complete follow-up lasting from 4 to 16 years after initiation of therapy. At the time of final evaluation, twenty-seven patients (93%) were alive; two deaths were unrelated to therapy; thirteen (45%) of the patients were free of disease and had not received treatment for up to 132 months; five of these patients had been off therapy for periods ranging from 60 to 132 months; eleven (38%) of the patients were clinically free of disease but still had low titers of antibodies and thus required low-dose maintenance therapy; five (17%) of the patients were well controlled but not completely free of disease. Side effects were rare and mostly related to corticosteroids. Of the original thirty-seven patients, only one death related to disease or therapy occurred and was due to pulmonary tuberculosis. It is concluded that azathioprine-corticosteroid treatment of pemphigus is highly effective and safe; it leads to long-term remissions in most patients and possibly to a cure in some.

Aged↗