Epiluminescence microscopy as a useful approach in the early diagnosis of cutaneous malignant melanoma.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of epiluminescence microscopy (ELM) in the differential diagnosis of cutaneous pigmented lesions in order to improve the detection of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) at earlier stages of the disease. In total, 3865 pigmented lesions from 2121 selected patients were evaluated using ELM with a hand-held video microscope imaging system (MS 500B Micro-Scopeman, Moritex). Comparison with histology was performed on the 476 surgically excised lesions.

Immunological phenotype analysis of patients with Fanconi's anaemia and their family members.

In contrast to patients affected with Fanconi's anaemia (FA), who are homozygotes, parental heterozygotes are generally considered normal. In this preliminary work the main immunological phenotypes of circulating mononucleated cells were studied, both in homozygous and heterozygous subjects. The statistical analysis of results showed that two sets of variables may be distinguished: (a) the first set, including CD20, CD4, CD8 cell markers and CD20/CD3 and CD4/CD8 ratios, that was able to differentiate between FA patients and the other subject groups; (b) the second set, including CD25, HLA-DR, HLA-DP, HLA-DQ cell markers, that was able to differentiate healthy subjects from the other groups.

The soluble interleukin-2 receptor as an indicator of clinical evolution in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background/aims: The soluble interleukin-2 receptor is a useful, non-specific marker of in-vivo activated cellular immune functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between this marker and clinical evolution of ulcerative colitis.

Methods: Serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels were determined, by an enzyme immune assay, in 105 patients affected by ulcerative colitis with different extent and activity of disease.