Publications by authors named "A Steplewski"

Excessive posttraumatic scarring in orthopedic tissues, such as joint capsules, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and peripheral nerves, presents a significant medical problem, resulting in pain, restricted joint mobility, and impaired musculoskeletal function. Current treatments for excessive scarring are often ineffective and require the surgical removal of fibrotic tissue, which can aggravate the problem. The primary component of orthopedic scars is collagen I-rich fibrils.

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Highly organized collagen fibrils interlacing with proteoglycans form the crucial architecture of the cornea and facilitate its transparency. Corneal scarring from accidental injury, surgery, or infection alters this highly organized tissue, causing severe consequences, including blindness. There are no pharmacological or surgical methods to effectively and safely treat excessive corneal scarring.

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Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the utility of a rationally engineered antibody that directly blocks collagen fibrillogenesis to reduce scar tissue formation associated with subconjunctival glaucoma surgery.

Material And Methods: Fourteen eyes of 7 adult rabbits underwent glaucoma filtering surgery using XEN 45 Gel Stent. The rabbits' eyes were divided randomly into three treatment groups: (i) treated with the antibody, (ii) treated with mitomycin C, and (iii) treated with the antibody and mitomycin C.

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Posttraumatic fibrotic scarring is a significant medical problem that alters the proper functioning of injured tissues. Current methods to reduce posttraumatic fibrosis rely on anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative agents with broad intracellular targets. As a result, their use is not fully effective and may cause unwanted side effects.

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Dupuytren's disease is a benign fibroproliferative disorder of the hand that results in disabling digital contractures that impair function and diminish the quality of life. The incidence of this disease has been correlated with chronic inflammatory states, but any direct association between inflammatory cytokines and Dupuytren's disease is not known. We hypothesized that advanced fibroproliferation is associated with increased levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines.

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