Preliminary evaluation of vitiligo using in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is the most common pigmentary disorder with a global incidence from 0.1% to 2% in different geographical areas. Histopathology and histochemistry have shown the reduction of melanocytes in achromic patches, but microscopic changes of lesional and non-lesional skin are still not completely understood. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), based on the different light reflectance index of cutaneous structures, allowed in vivo, en face microscopic evaluation of superficial skin layers with a resolution similar to skin histology. AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate RCM features of lesional and non-lesional skin of vitiligo patients. Moreover, re-pigmented areas were taken into consideration in order to evaluate melanocyte response to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients of different phototypes affected by active non-segmental vitiligo and 10 controls were enrolled in the study. In vivo skin imaging was done using a commercially available RCM (Lucid, Vivascope 1500. Re-pigmented areas from 6 to 16 patients (after UVB narrow-band therapy) were also examined. RESULTS: Vitiligo lesions showed the disappearance of the bright rings normally seen at the dermo-epidermal junction. Moreover, non-lesional skin of vitiligo patients showed unexpected changes as the presence of half-rings or scalloped border-like features of the bright papillary rings. In re-pigmented areas after UVB narrow band therapy, the presence of activated, dendritic melanocytes was seen. CONCLUSIONS: Considering our results, and following further studies, RCM clinical applications could be used in the therapeutic monitoring and evaluation of the evolution of vitiligo.     

Reduced levels of IgG subclasses and IgA in young children with asthma

Serum immunoglobulins including IgG subclasses were measured in 73 unselected children with asthma. The results showed that 22 (30%) had partial IgA and/or IgG₄ subclass deficiency. Clinical assessment showed that 21 children were infection-prone, and 52 were not. Further analysis showed that infection-prone children were significantly different from non-infection-prone children with regard to familial history of allergy (29% vs 60%, p = 0.015), elevated IgE (62% vs 33%, p = 0.021), IgA deficiency (38% vs 15%, p = 0.38) and IgG subclass deficiency (24% vs 4%, p = 0.018). These results suggest that there may be subgroups of children with asthma who are also immunodeficient.     

In situ saphenous vein bypass grafts: angiographic evaluation and interventional repair of complications

In situ saphenous vein grafts are being used with increasing frequency for bypass procedures involving the femoral and popliteal arteries. Complications of these procedures include anastomotic stenoses and persistent arteriovenous fistulae that may result in failure of the graft. Balloon angioplasty and embolotherapy with detachable balloons were employed successfully in three or four recent cases of patients with complications from in situ grafts. Tailored angiography is essential for evaluating in situ grafts, and interventional techniques are extremely useful for managing complications.     

Hemorrhagic and nonhemorrhagic brain lesions: evaluation with 0.35-T fast MR imaging

Two fast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques, advanced Fourier and partial-flip imaging, were used at 0.35 T to examine 21 patients with suspected intracranial lesions; the results were quantitatively compared with a conventional spin-echo study. Both of the fast MR techniques yielded a fourfold reduction in imaging time per section. The advanced Fourier sequence showed contrast that was identical to the conventional spin-echo study with signal-to-noise ratios of 58% and 57% for the first and second echoes, respectively. The partial-flip sequence showed a contrast of 109% and 57% for lesions versus substantia alba, and 107% and 78% for substantia grisea versus substantia alba relative to the first and second echoes of the conventional spin-echo study. The partial-flip sequence was particularly sensitive to magnetic susceptibility; this produced artifacts that may undermine the usefulness of partial flip for routine screening in certain parts of the brain. However, this susceptibility significantly improved the detection of intracranial hemorrhage when compared with the spin-echo sequence, particularly when combined with phase mapping of the partial-flip study.     

高效液相色谱法测定右旋儿茶素血浆浓度及药代动力学参数

本文建立了体液中右旋儿茶素的RP-HPLC测定方法。采用C_(18)键合相硅胶为填料的固相提取柱进行样品预处理,右旋儿茶素的提取回收率为79.8%.应用二极管阵列检测器对色谱峰纯度进行鉴定。该法精密度好,方法回收率近100%,日内、日间的变异系数为2.4～5.6%,血浓69.6～1160 ng/ml范围内呈线性关系,r=0.9993。家兔静注右旋儿茶素18mg/kg,其药代动力学过程符合二室模型,分布相半衰期为0.129 h,消除相半衰期为1.19h。