E-selectin is an adhesion molecule expressed on vascular endothelial cells in several inflammatory skin diseases, including psoriasis. It is responsible for the adherence between microvascular endothelium and neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils and subsets of T cells. Soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) serum levels were measured by ELISA in 32 psoriatic patients before treatment and compared with both post-treatment sE-selectin levels in 16 patients and sE-selectin values in 10 healthy individuals. Soluble E-selectin serum levels were significantly increased in psoriatic patients compared with healthy persons. Moreover, a significant correlation was demonstrated between sE-selectin values and PASI scores. No relationship was found between sE-selectin levels and duration of psoriasis. Soluble E-selectin serum levels decreased significantly after treatment of psoriasis. This phenomenon was more evident in patients with more severe psoriasis. In conclusion, sE-selectin serum levels correlate with the extent of psoriatic lesions and could be used as marker of the disease activity in psoriatic patients.

Interleukin (IL)-7 is a multifunctional cytokine which is involved in the regulation of keratinocyte-T lymphocyte interactions; the latter is an important factor in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In vitro, IL-7 is able to induce release of cytokines, including IL-6; IL-6 expression is known to be enhanced in psoriatic patients. Serum levels of IL-7 and IL-6 were measured by ELISA in 40 psoriatic patients and compared with cytokine levels in 18 healthy individuals. Serum levels of IL-7 were also evaluated in 24 psoriatic patients during the remission of the disease after effective treatment. The IL-7 and IL-6 serum levels were significantly higher in psoriatic patients than in healthy subjects and the IL-7 serum levels did not significantly decrease after treatment. Serum levels of IL-7 did not correlate with PASI scores; however, a significant positive relationship was observed between IL-6 levels and PASI scores. There was no correlation between increased levels of IL-7 and IL-6 in the sera of psoriatic patients, suggesting the lack of a direct link between these two cytokines in the psoriatic process. In conclusion, increased IL-7 serum levels suggest that IL-7, like IL-6, may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, but in contrast with IL-6, serum IL-7 levels could not be used as a marker of disease activity in psoriatic patients.

No abstract

Background: Some studies indicate that malignant melanoma occurs more frequently in renal transplant recipients than in the normal population. The development of excess benign melanocytic naevi is regarded as an indicator of the risk for malignant melanoma. Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of benign melanocytic naevi in adult renal transplant patients. Method: All benign melanocytic naevi irrespective of size were counted in 76 patients with renal transplants and were compared to naevus counts in 55 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Results: The mean total number of benign melanocytic naevi was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in renal transplant patients than in the control group: 93.6 ± 52.2 and 36.1 ± 29.9, respectively. The most evident increase occurred on the palms/soles and back/buttocks. A positive, although not significant, correlation between naevus counts and duration of immunosuppression was found. Conclusion: Renal transplant recipients have an increased number of benign melanocytic naevi and should be considered as a risk group for malignant melanoma.

Objective: To determine the increase in healing rate of venous ulcer in patients receiving a micronised purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) as supplementation to standard local care. Design: A randomised, open, controlled, multicentre study. Setting: Departments of Dermatology and University Outpatients Clinics. Patients: One hundred and forty patients with chronic venous insufficiency and venous ulcers. Intervention: Patients received standard compressive therapy plus external treatment alone or 2 tablets of MPFF daily in addition to the above treatment for 24 weeks. Main outcome measure: Healing of ulcers and their reduction in size after 24 weeks of treatment. Results: The percentage of patients whose ulcers healed completely was found to be markedly higher in those receiving MPFF in addition to standard external and compressive treatment than in those treated with conventional therapy alone (46.5% vs 27.5%; p<0.05, OR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.1–4.6). Ulcers with diameters <3 cm were cured in 71% of patients in the MPFF group and in 50% of patients in the control group, whereas ulcers between 3 and 6 cm in diameter were cured in 60% and 32% of patients ( p<0.05), respectively. The mean reduction in ulcer size was also found to be greater in patients treated with MPFF (80%) than in the control group (65%) ( p<0.05). The cost-effectiveness ratio (cost per healed ulcer) in the MPFF group was €1026.2 compared with €1871.8 in the control group. Conclusions: These results indicate that MPFF significantly improves the cure rate in patients with chronic venous insufficiency.