Pentoxyfilline treatment does not influence the plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R in limited scleroderma patients.

Background: In this study we investigated whether plasma level of IL-2 or sIL-2R shows the clinical disease status.

Material And Methods: Plasma levels of IL-2 and sIL-2R were measured by ELISA in 23 patients with limited scleroderma (1SSc-acrosclerosis) and compared with 12 healthy women.

Results: Plasma levels of sIL-2R in the group of patients with severe internal organs involvement (3446.

Enalapril (10 mg/day) in systemic sclerosis. One year, double blind, randomised study (ESS-1): electrocardiographic substudy--three months follow-up.

Unlabelled: The ESS-1 study was designed to evaluate the long-term effects of enalapril (10 mg per day) on the cardiopulmonary system of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The 3 months follow-up was completed by 41 patients (23 patients in enalapril group and 18 in placebo group). We analysed conventional time domain signal averaged ECG (SAECG).

Enalapril (10 mg/day) in systemic sclerosis. One year, double blind, randomised study (ESS-1): pulmonary substudy--effects of three month treatment.

The ESS-1 study is designed to evaluate the long-term effects of enalapril on cardiopulmonary system of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). During the one year study period 5 visits are scheduled at 3 months intervals. The effect of 3 months treatment with enalapril (10 mg per day) on lung function was studied in 18 patients with SSc (enalapril group) and compared with controls--23 patients with Ssc (placebo group), mean age, SSc duration, gender and % of patients with dcSSc did not differ significantly in both groups.

Enalapril (10 mg/day) in systemic sclerosis. One year, double blind, randomised study (ESS-1): ECG exercise testing--three months follow-up.

The ESS-1 study was designed to evaluate the long-term effects of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) enalapril (10 mg per day) on cardiopulmonary system of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Exercise testing is used not only for estimation of coronary reserve but also physical capacity--the major determinant of quality of life. In each patient included to the ESS-1 study we performed ECG exercise test on treadmill (5 times at intervals of 3 months).

Enalapril (10 mg/day) in systemic sclerosis. One year, double blind, randomised study (ESS-1): echocardiographic substudy--three months follow-up.

The ESS-1 study was designed to evaluate the long-term effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) enalapril (10 mg per day) on the cardio-pulmonary system in patients with scleroderma (SSc). We estimated changes in heart diameters, systolic and diastolic left ventricle function and mean values of pulmonary artery pressure after 3 months treatment. The study group comprise 41 patients with SSc.

Progressive hemifacial atrophy: ten-year observation of a case.

The authors describe the case of a 14-year-old girl who experienced progressive hemifacial atrophy at the age of three-and-a-half years. The patient's early age at appearance of the condition resulted not only in atrophy of skin, subcutaneous tissue, and muscles, but also in very severe deformation of the right side of the face due to disorders in growth of cartilaginous and osseous tissue. Changes in her brain case and craniofacial skeleton included enophthalmos, underdevelopment of the eyelids, nose, hard plate, and dental process of the jaw including the premolar teeth, and a lack of the second molar.

[Studies of the role of cellular immunity and angiogenetic changes in the pathogenesis of circumscribed scleroderma].

The studies were performed in 48 patients with morphea and included evaluation of 1) antinuclear antibodies 2) lymphocyte induced angiogenesis 3) natural killer (NK) cell activity and 4) T cell subpopulations in peripheral blood. The presence of antinuclear antibodies was found in 44.4% (8/18) patients with scleroderma linearis and in 21% (4/19) patients with morphea disseminata.

[Changes in various apolipoprotein levels in psoriasis].

In 104 patients with common psoriasis the patterns of apolipoproteins A and B were studied in serum depending on the course of the disease, extent of skin changes and infection preceding the appearance of eruptions. The highest concentrations of apo A and apo B were found in the group with generalized psoriatic changes independent of the activity of the disease.

[Clinical, histopathologic, immunofluorescent and ultrastructural estimation of 2 cases of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita].

Two cases of EBA were presented. Both patients with the symptoms of the disease were previously treated with nonsteroid antiinflammatory drugs. A considerable improvement of the patients condition has been noticed after the application of high doses of glucocorticosteroids.