AIMS: To determine the diagnostic accordance between histopathological and direct immunofl uorescence diagnosis of patients with autoimmune vesiculobullous skin diseases. BACKGROUND: The term pemphigus refers to a group of autoimmune blistering diseases mediated by autoantibodies directed against desmoglein proteins. The differentiation between the various bullous diseases is important for treatment and prognosis. Direct immunofl uorescence microscopy is still the gold standard in differentiating these diseases. METHODS: Patients with clinical diagnosis of vesiculobullous dermatitis from pemphigus group were included in the study. We retrospectively analyzed histopathologic and direct immunofl uorescence results from skin or mucosal samples over 15-year period. RESULTS: 81 patients were included. The accordance was good in pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus herpetiformis, but low in pemphigus vegetans, pemphigus foliaceus and pemphigus erythematosus. No accordance was in Hailey-Hailey disease and Grover´s disease. Uncommon result in our analysis included: intraepidermal IgG and IgM depositions at DIF in one Grover´s disease patient. CONCLUSION: Our results confi rmed the relevance of direct immunofl uorescence assays as a necessary diagnostic method for the defi nitive diagnosis of autoimmune blistering disease in the case, where the clinical feature and the results of histopathology are not clear (Tab. 4, Fig. 5, Ref. 26). Text in PDF www.elis.sk.
We report a 38-year-old woman with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, treated with subcutaneous injections of interferon beta (IFN-beta)-1b every other day. Disseminated cutaneous lesions were observed after 3 injections. These symptoms reappeared after drug readministration. The histopathological examination of the skin specimens confirmed nonspecific cutaneous lymphocytic vasculitis. The patient's outcome was favorable after corticosteroid placement and discontinuing IFN-beta therapy. Isolated lymphocytic cutaneous vasculitis linked to IFN-beta-1b therapy is suspected as a new association.
Distribution of Candida species was investigated by examining 245 samples from skin lesions and nails. The isolates were identified using standard laboratory methods including germ tube test, micromorphology of colonies on rice agar, the commercial kit, saccharide assimilation and fermentation tests. Eight species of Candida were identified: C. albicans accounted for 56.4% of the isolates, C. parapsilosis 29.1, C. tropicalis 7.8, C. pulcherrima 2.9, C. guilliermondii 1.5, C. krusei and C. zeylanoides for 0.9% each, and C. robusta for 0.5%. The factors significantly associated with colonization were prolonged antibiotic therapy, parenteral nutrition, low birth body mass of infants, intubation, duration of stay in hospital, indwelling intravenous catheter, malignancies, diabetes, surgery, and obesity.
Summary
A lip cream with special propolis extract GH 2002 at a concentration of 0.5% (199 patients) was tested against aciclovir 5% (198 patients) in the treatment of episodes of herpes labialis under double-blind conditions. Upon inclusion, all patients were in the vesicular phase. Application was five times daily of approximately 0.2 g of cream to the entire upper and lower lip. The primary parameter was the difference in time between groups to complete encrustation or epithelization of the lesions. Secondary endpoints were the course of typical herpes symptoms (pain, burning and itching, tension and swelling), the global assessment of efficacy and the safety of application. The predefined clinical situation was reached after a (median) 3 days with propolis and 4 days with aciclovir (
p
< 0.0001). Significant differences in favor of propolis were also found for all secondary parameters. No allergic reactions, local irritations or other adverse events occurred.
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