An observational study to evaluate the long-term outcomes of treatment with etanercept in patients with plaque-type psoriasis

Background There is an unmet need for long-term, real-life data on the effect of a drug-free interval between treatment cycles in patients with plaque psoriasis being treated with etanercept, which is licensed for intermittent and continuous treatment. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the average duration of the drug-free interval between etanercept treatment cycles in patients with plaque psoriasis. Methods This was a non-interventional, open-label, multicentre, prospective study in patients for whom the decision had already been made to initiate treatment with etanercept during routine practice in German centres. Clinical outcomes were documented over 36 months with study …

An exploratory, prospective, open-label trial of ingenol mebutate gel 0.05% for the treatment of external anogenital warts

BACKGROUND Anogenital warts (AGW) can cause physical discomfort and decreased quality of life. Recent case reports suggest that ingenol mebutate gel might be an effective treatment of AGW. OBJECTIVE To explore primarily the safety, and secondarily the efficacy of ingenol mebutate gel 0.05% in patients with AGW. METHODS This was an exploratory, open-label, 1-arm trial of ingenol mebutate gel 0.05% administered up to three times to patients with AGW. Safety was assessed by occurrence and severity of local skin reactions (LSRs) and treatment-related adverse events (AEs). Efficacy was assessed by complete clearance and reduction in AGW count 14 days after last treatment, and recurrence 12 weeks…

Light exposure of the lower leg as a pathogenetic factor in the occurrence of malignant melanoma.

Of the 1,198 women and men studied in Mainz from 1966 to 1987 there was an approximately fivefold increase in the incidence of melanoma. Among the men melanomas on the trunk (59.9%) predominated, whereas among the women melanomas on the extremities (40.0%) were more common, especially on the lower leg (26.3%). Comparing the decades 1966-1976 and 1977-1987 there was a significant decrease in melanomas affecting women's lower legs (1966-1976: 33%,; 1977-1987: 24.2%). Fashion-dependent sun exposure of this body area might offer an explanation. It could be demonstrated that common stocking materials do not sufficiently protect against UV radiation (average permeability for UV light about 55%), …

Conditions for the Enhancing Effect of Protease Inhibitors on the Concanavalin A Induced Thymidine Response of Murine Lymphocytes

Incorporation of [<sup>3</sup>H]-thymidine – [<sup>3</sup>H]-TdR – into concanavalin A (Con A) stimulated murine splenocytes and thymocytes was found to be enhanced by addition of certain concentrations of phenyl-methyl-sulfonylfluoride (PMSF), di-isopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), N-α-tosyl-<i>L</i>-lysyl-<i>L</i>-chloromethylketone (TLCK), and soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI). No enhancement could be observed when mononuclear cells of the peripheral blood were used, and a medium enhancement when thymocytes were applied. Furthermore, no enhancing effect of the protease inhibitors (PI) on the Con A response of murine splenocytes could be observed…

Ingenol mebutate gel is effective against anogenital warts - a case series in 17 patients.

Eosinophils, pruritus and psoriasis: effects of treatment with etretinate or cyclosporin-A

Abstract Background The antipsoriatic drugs cyclosporin A (CyA) and etretinate have been found to influence proinflammatory eosinophilic leukocytes and pruritus. Aim We compared the number of blood eosinophils, concentration of serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and pruritus in patients with psoriasis treated with either CyA or etretinate. Study design Patients with psoriasis vulgaris were randomly assigned to treatment for 10 weeks with either CyA ( n =21) or etretinate ( n =10). The psoriasis area-and-severity index (PASI-score) and pruritus (according to a 0–3 scale) served as clinical parameters, the blood esosinophil counts (Coulter Counter) and the serum ECP (RIA, Pharmacia) as …