The British journal of dermatology
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The role of cytotoxic cells in the control of cancer is now well established. ⋯ Thus, the expression of cytotoxic mediators is altered in cytotoxic cells of patients with melanoma, and increased under IFN-alpha administration.
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The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) is increasing in Western societies. The hygiene hypothesis proposes that this is due to reduced exposure to environmental allergens and infections during early life. ⋯ A personal and a parental history of atopic disease are risk factors for AD at 3.5 years. Duration of breastfeeding was associated with an increased risk of AD. No association was found with those factors implicated by the hygiene hypothesis. This study suggests that breastfeeding should not be recommended for the prevention of AD.
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The increased incidence of skin cancers after solid organ transplantation is well recognized. Skin cancers developing in transplant recipients are more aggressive in behaviour. Therapeutic options to reduce and/or delay the development of cutaneous neoplasms are therefore of interest. ⋯ The available data from a small number of randomized controlled trials suggest that acitretin may have a role in the management of solid organ transplant recipients with skin cancers. Tolerability of the drug is a major factor limiting its use. Appropriate selection of patients may help improve the risk-benefit ratio.
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Microvascular abnormalities (capillary elongation, widening and tortuosity) are a characteristic feature of psoriasis and form one of the pathological diagnostic criteria. These changes occur early in the progression of a psoriatic plaque, before there is clinical or histological evidence of epidermal hyperplasia. Treatment of psoriatic microvessels with a pulsed dye laser (PDL) has been associated with both clinical improvement and clearance of lesions. ⋯ These findings indicate that there is a close correlation between the state of the superficial vasculature and the clinical status of psoriasis. The expanded superficial microvascular bed in plaque skin is a necessary component for maintaining clinical lesions and these blood vessels are thus a legitimate target for treatment.
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Chromoblastomycosis is a cutaneous and subcutaneous mycotic disease caused by the dematiaceous (black) fungi. Five species of fungi are known generally to be the cause: Fonsecaea pedrosoi, Phialophora verrucosa, Cladosporium carrionii, F. compacta and Rhinocladiella cerphilum. ⋯ We report a patient in whom the lesions had begun on the right breast, which is an unexposed area, without a history of trauma. A uniform, reliable treatment does not exist but our patient was mycologically cured with the use of amphotericin B and the subsequent combination of 5-flucytosine and itraconazole.