Enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium in the treatment of refractory pemphigus.

BACKGROUND: One of the major goals of pemphigus therapy is to reduce the patient's cumulative exposure to systemic corticosteroids. To investigate the efficacy of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS), 10 patients with active, refractory pemphigus vulgaris (PV) or foliaceous (PF) were treated with EC-MPS (1440 mg daily) and prednisone (75 mg daily) over 18 months. OBSERVATIONS: Following EC-MPS/prednisone therapy, disease progression was inhibited between days 30 and 45 in 9/10 patients (8 PV; 1 PF). At 18 months, 8/9 PV patients had clinically quiescent disease; EC-MPS therapy was no longer required in two patients as a result of disease remission. The remaining PV patient showed no…

The prevalence of the obesity in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis in Sicily populations

The prevalence of the obesity in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis in Sicily populations

Enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium in the treatment of refractory pemphigus

Background  One of the major goals of pemphigus therapy is to reduce the patient’s cumulative exposure to systemic corticosteroids. To investigate the efficacy of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS), 10 patients with active, refractory pemphigus vulgaris (PV) or foliaceous (PF) were treated with EC-MPS (1440 mg daily) and prednisone (75 mg daily) over 18 months. Observations  Following EC-MPS/prednisone therapy, disease progression was inhibited between days 30 and 45 in 9/10 patients (8 PV; 1 PF). At 18 months, 8/9 PV patients had clinically quiescent disease; EC-MPS therapy was no longer required in two patients as a result of disease remission. The remaining PV patient showed no…

Identification of progenitor cancer stem cell in lentigo maligna melanoma.

:  The potential role of stem cells in neoplasia has aroused considerable interest over the past few years. A number of known biologic characteristics of melanomas support the theory that they may originate in a mutated stem cell. Melanocytic stem cell markers have been described recently. Moreover, the CD133 cells that show surface markers for CD34 are stem cells primitive. These stem cells are capable of differentiating into neurons, glia, keratinocytes, smooth muscle cells, and melanocytes in vitro. The identification of cancer stem/initiating cells with a crucial role in tumor formation may open up new pharmacologic perspectives. The purpose of this study is to detect the expression of …

Psoriasis and cardiovascular risk: Assessment by cuore project risk score in Italian patients

Background. Psoriasis is a common inflammatory and immune-mediated skin disease. There is growing controversy as to whether cardiovascular risk is elevated in psoriasis. A number of studies suggest a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors as well as cardiovascular diseases in psoriasis patients. Objective. The objective of this study was to estimate cardiovascular risk score in psoriasis patients and the relation between cardiovascular risk and psoriasis features. Cardiovascular risk was assessed by CUORE project risk score built within the longitudinal study of the Italian CUORE project and suited to populations with a low rate of coronary heart disease. Results. A case-control stu…

A Rare Presentation of Mycosis Fungoides Mimicking Psoriasis Vulgaris

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is an uncommon primary cutaneous lymphoma with a wide spectrum of clinicopathological manifestations. Diagnosis can be difficult in its early stages given the considerable overlap with more common benign dermatoses. We report an unusual case of MF in a 52-year-old male presenting with psoriasiform plaques on the palms and the soles who rapidly developed additional lesions on the scalp, limps and trunk. Punch biopsy of the face was obtained for routine histology and immunohistochemical stains. Chest X-ray, total body computed tomography scanning and excisional biopsy of the inguinal lymph node were performed. Review of the face biopsy revealed a diffuse dermal infiltra…

Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9, and extracellular matrix in Kaposi's sarcoma

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are associated with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) tumorigenesis and may contribute to the mechanism of KS invasive growth. To date, only a few MMPs have been studied in KS lesions, and exactly which MMPs are involved in KS development and progression remains unanswered. However, MMPs 2 and 9 have been associated with different phases of angiogenesis, but their role in the proteolytic modification of the extracellular matrix has not been investigated. The results of this study confirm that MMPs, specifically MMP-2 and MMP-9, can contribute to angiogenesis by disrupting the vessel basement membrane and other extracellular matrix barriers, and enabling endothelial cell…

Reflectance mode confocal microscopy and digital image analysis in naevus of Hori and pathogenetic evaluation

Studio retrospettivo sulla variazione nel tempo dell’indice di Breslow in una casistica multicentrica di pazienti con melanoma cutaneo

Neurofibromatosis of the nipple-areolar area : nine case reports

Introduction: Neurofibromatosis type 1 is an autosomal dominant disorder that occurs across all ethnic groups and affects approximately one in 4000 individuals. One of the most noticeable characteristics of the disease is the development of neurofibromas. Case presentation: A total of 258 patients (131 women, 127 men) with neurofibromatosis type 1 were evaluated between 1994 and 2004 in our hospital's dermatology department. Nine patients (3.45%, 95% confidence limits 1.22 to 5.68) had neurofibromas of the breast. One of these nine patients presented with an extensive congenital plexiform neurofibroma in the outer quadrants of her right breast, extending to the nipple-areolar complex. Meanw…

Pharmacokinetic evaluation of mycophenolate mofetil for pemphigus.

Introduction: Pemphigus is an autoimmune blistering disease of the skin and mucous membranes characterized by the development of autoantibodies against the desmosomal proteins, desmoglein-1 and -3. Before the advent of corticosteroids, therapy was almost fatal. The introduction of high-dose corticosteroid therapy has reduced mortality rates to similar to 10%, but long-term use of steroids can lead to side effects, many of which are severe and associated with significant morbidity. Thus, the major goal of pemphigus therapy has been to reduce the patient's cumulative exposure to systemic corticosteroids. Over the last 2 decades, a range of corticosteroid-sparing immunosuppressive agents have …

Neurofibromatosis of the nipple-areolar area: a case series

Abstract Introduction Neurofibromatosis type 1 is an autosomal dominant disorder that occurs across all ethnic groups and affects approximately one in 4000 individuals. One of the most noticeable characteristics of the disease is the development of neurofibromas. Case presentation A total of 258 patients (131 women, 127 men) with neurofibromatosis type 1 were evaluated between 1994 and 2004 in our hospital's dermatology department. Nine patients (3.45%, 95% confidence limits 1.22 to 5.68) had neurofibromas of the breast. One of these nine patients presented with an extensive congenital plexiform neurofibroma in the outer quadrants of her right breast, extending to the nipple-areolar complex…

Erythroderma related to the administration of 99mTc-sestamibi: The first report

Adalimumab for treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are common diseases associated with considerable morbidity and disability. Their pathophysiology comprises similar processes leading to inflammation of skin, entheses, and joints. Although traditional systemic agents can be effective, their use may be limited by lack of efficacy and concerns regarding adverse effects. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of adalimumab, a fully human antitumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) monoclonal antibody, over 16 weeks. The present authors report their personal experience in 15 patients with severe plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, refractory to other treatments, in which a decisive reg…

Mycophenolate mofetil and enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium in the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus.

What is known and objective: Pemphigus is a severe, potentially life-threatening autoimmune blistering disease. The use of corticosteroids has dramatically improved the prognosis and changed its course. However, current morbidity of pemphigus is largely iatrogenic, caused by side effects of the long-term, high-dose corticosteroid therapy that is necessary to sustain disease control. In order to minimize side effects, a range of corticosteroid-sparing immunosuppressive agents have been introduced, including mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS). A systematic review was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of MMF and EC-MPS in the treatment of pemphig…

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