Sensitive skin: correlation with skin surface microrelief appearance

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Sensitive skin is a condition associated with reduced tolerance to environmental factors and/or the application of topical products, such as cosmetics. Its pathophysiology has not been fully elucidated and few data are available on its prevalence. The aim of this study was to investigate possible correlation between objective sensitivity and skin surface microrelief. METHODS: During an epidemiological survey conducted for a campaign promoted by International Society of Plastic Dermatology in Italy, 243 adult healthy subjects of both sexes with no evident dermatological disorder but positive to the lactic acid stinging test, were submitted to cyanoacrylate stratum corneum stripping from the volar forearm for the determination of the irregularity of the skin surface microrelief (irregularity skin index (ISI)). RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between intensity of symptoms in stingers and ISI (r(s)=-0.47; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Sensitive skin is common in the healthy population. ISI can contribute towards the identification of subjects with sensitive skin and the development of more specific skin treatments for this prevalent condition.     

The multiform and variable patterns of onset of orofacial granulomatosis

BACKGROUND: The recurrent chronic orofacial swelling caused by orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) can cause significant cosmetic and functional problems but can be prevented if the disease is diagnosed early and promptly treated. Although the enlargement of the lips is described to be the most common presenting complaint, the clinical onset of OFG may be characterized by minor associated mucosal and neurological manifestations, making early diagnosis very difficult or, sometimes, merely presumable. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical manifestations of 19 patients with OFG, who were examined at our institution between 1998 and 2002, in order to determine their initial manifestations and presenting symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 10 patients showed classical recurrent enlargement of the lips (six lower; four upper) as presenting symptom. In the other nine patients, OFG onset was characterized by transient unilateral facial nerve palsy (two cases), intraoral manifestations (two cases), recurrent swelling of the periorbital area (two cases), of the chin (one case), of the zygomatic area (one case), and of the cheeks (one case). CONCLUSION: Our data underlined that OFG onset could be frequently characterized by widely variable, multiform, and temporary clinical findings. Involvement of atypical sites of the orofacial region and presence of single minor manifestations may occur as presenting symptoms, often preceding the development of traditional clinical findings.     

Patient readiness for return to home: Discord between expectations and reality

This study examined the interface between acute hospital care and return to home in relation to elderly patients' perceived ability and preparedness to cope at home. Seventy-six (n = 76) elderly patients aged 60 years and over were randomly recruited from a large Queensland hospital and interviewed prior to discharge about their perceived health, functional status and their ‘readiness’ to cope at home. They were followed up at home 7–10 days post-discharge. Comparisons were made between a number of measures at discharge and post-discharge. Although the majority of patients indicated that they would cope very well upon discharge, a large number of patients reported experiencing considerable difficulty with activities of daily living, particularly instrumental activities of daily living prior to and especially after discharge. The self-reported health status of patients similarly deteriorated between discharge and follow-up. Despite a large number of patients experiencing functional limitations, few were referred to hospital or community-based therapy services. Some policy implications are explored.     

心肌造影超声心动图评估心肌缺血程度的实验研究

本实验制作不同程度心肌缺血的动物模型，以声处理５％人血白蛋白为超声造影剂进行心肌灌注造影，探讨ＭＣＥ时间－强度曲线各指标与心肌缺血程度间的关系。结果表明：心肌显影的峰值强度和曲线下面积均与缺血程度呈显著负相关（相关系数分别为ｒ＝－０．９８，Ｐ值＜０．００５；ｒ＝－０．９４，Ｐ值＜０．０５），且能区分轻度、中度和重度三种程度的心肌缺血；而三项时间指标与心肌缺血程度间未发现显著性差异。本实验的初步结果表明，ＭＣＥ是一项活体评估局部心肌血流灌注的有效方法。     

Renal growth after neonatal urinary tract infection

This study presents the result of 12–21 years' follow-up in a group of children with neonatal urinary tract infection (onset within 1 month after birth) in whom early renal growth retardation was noted without concomitant classical renal scarring. In all cases the neonatal infection was diagnosed and treated within a few days of onset and the patients were closely supervised thereafter. Renal length, parenchymal thickness and area were measured at urography. At first follow-up (22 children, mean age 4.1 years) a significant reduction of renal parenchymal thickness was noted. Long-term follow-up (18 patients, mean age 17 years) demonstrated a normalization of renal size in the entire group, although less complete in the subgroup with reflux. There were two major findings in the present study. Firstly, renal growth retardation was seen after neonatal infection, both with and without reflux. Secondly, normalization of renal size in previously small kidneys was demonstrated, suggesting that growth retardation can be a reversible phenomenon. The tendency for such normalization was slightly more marked in children without reflux. Reduction of parenchymal thickness without calyceal deformity, therefore, does not necessarily mean irreversible damage, and differentiation between permanent scarring and temporary growth retardation can thus only be made at later follow-up, possibly not until after puberty. The demonstration of renal growth retardation in spite of early diagnosis and treatment emphasizes the great vulnerability of the kidney in the newborn.     

Effects of galanin on insulin and glucagon secretion in the rat

Galanin-like immunoreactivity has been visualized in nerve fibers in the islets of Langerhans, suggesting an involvement of galanin in the neural regulation of islet function. In this study, we investigated the effects of galanin on basal and stimulated insulin and glucagon secretion by infusing the peptide at three different dose rates in rats. We also studied the direct effect of galanin on insulin secretion from freshly isolated rat islets. At 320 pmol/kg/min, but not at 20 or 80 pmol/kg/min, galanin lowered basal plasma insulin levels. In contrast, basal plasma glucagon levels were lowered by galanin already at 20 and 80 pmol/kg/min. Furthermore, galanin inhibited both glucose- and arginine-induced insulin release at all three dose levels, whereas arginine-induced glucagon release was not affected by galanin. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from isolated rat islets was dose-dependently suppressed by galanin (10^-6-10^-8M). Therefore, it is concluded that galanin in rats inhibits insulin secretion, both in vivo and in vitro, and that at lower dose levels, the peptide also inhibits basal glucagon release.     

Chronic treatment with scopolamine and physostigmine changes nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor density and NGF content in rat brain

Nerve growth factor (NGF) and NGF receptors were measured in cortex and hippocampus of rats treated with drugs affecting cholinergic neurotransmission. High (K_d= 0.045nM) and low (K_d= 21nM) affinity¹²⁵I-NGF binding sites were present in both cortical and hippocampal membranes with hippocampus containing higher numbers of both sites than cortex. Chronic treatment of rats with the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine (5 mg/kg, twice daily) decreased the density of high- and low-affinity sites by 50–90% in cortical and hippocampal membranes. These changes were seen after 7 days, but not 3 days, of scopolamine treatment. Chronic infusion of physostigmine (1 mg/kg/day) using minipumps increased the number of high- and low-affinity sites in cortex 3- and 6-fold, respectively. The changes in receptor-binding parameters induced by physostigmine were transient as they were evident after 3 days of treatment, but returned to control levels after 7 days. NGF content in cortex and hippocampus was reduced by about 50% following 7, but not 3, days of chronic physostigmine infusion. In contrast, scopolamine treatment failed to change NGF levels in the cholinergic neuronal target regions but it decreased NGF content in the septal area. The content of NGF mRNA in the cortex measured by Northern blot analysis failed to change following either scopolamine or physostigmine treatment. The results suggest that levels of NGF and NGF receptors in the target regions of cholinergic neurons are regulated by the extent of cholinergic neurotransmitter activity.