Delayed pressure urticaria histologically resembles cutaneous late-phase reactions.

In a recent study, all patients with delayed pressure urticaria (DPU) developed late cutaneous reaction (LCR) after intradermal injection of compound 48/80 and after skin testing with certain food antigens. In the present study, we analyzed the histologic changes in the pressure lesions and compared them with those found in normal skin injected with diluent and in LCR to 48/80. The study included five patients with DPU associated with chronic urticaria (CU) and four patients with CU but without DPU.

Altered excretion of modified nucleosides and beta-aminoisobutyric acid in subjects with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or at risk for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Urinary excretion of modified nucleosides and beta-aminoisobutyric acid, subsequently referred to as markers, was determined in populations of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or at risk for development of AIDS. Our results show that asymptomatic adult male homosexuals excreted elevated amounts of markers as compared to male heterosexuals. This aberrant excretion was more pronounced in asymptomatic adult male homosexuals with antibodies to HTLV-III.

The relationship of abnormalities of cellular immunity to antibodies to HTLV-III in homosexual men.

A comprehensive evaluation of the cellular immune system (total T-cell, helper cell, suppressor cell, and natural killer cell numbers; in vitro interleukin-2 production, T-cell responses to mitogens and antigens, serum beta 2 microglobulin levels, and delayed hypersensitivity skin tests) was performed on 36 HTLV-III seronegative and 16 HTLV-III seropositive healthy homosexual men, 48 asymptomatic homosexual men with the chronic lymphadenopathy syndrome, 41 patients with AIDS, and 29 heterosexual controls without any known risk factors for AIDS. Our studies demonstrate that HTLV-III seronegative homosexual men have normal cellular immunity and are comparable to heterosexual controls. The abnormalities of lymphocyte subsets observed in HTLV-III seropositive healthy homosexual men are comparable to subjects with chronic lymphadenopathy.

Celery-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis.

Food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis, first reported in 1983, is a subtype of exercise-induced anaphylaxis. A case of celery-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis is reported. The presentation and management of these and other exercise-related physical allergies, including classic and variant cholinergic urticaria, is reviewed.