Cyclosporine Improves Sleep Quality in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis.

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease characterized by eczema and pruritus, and frequently impairs sleep quality. Although cyclosporine improves symptoms of AD, objective evaluation of sleep in patients with AD treated with cyclosporine has not been reported. This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of cyclosporine on sleep quality for patients with AD.

Prevention of photosensitivity with action spectrum adjusted protection for erythropoietic protoporphyria.

Erythropoietic protoporphyria is a genetic disease characterized by sensitivity to sunlight caused by the accumulation of protoporphyrin IX. Photoprotection against ultraviolet A and visible light is necessary for erythropoietic porphyria patients because the absorption spectrum of protoporphyrin IX lies in both ultraviolet A and visible light region. We developed a novel index, in vitro porphyrin protection factor, based on the protoporphyrin IX absorbance spectrum.

Xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group F: Report of a case and review of Japanese patients.

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by extraordinary sensitivity to sunlight, resulting in cutaneous malignant tumors. Among XP, XP-F presents relatively uniquely in Japanese. To clarify the characteristics of this group, we describe a case of XP-F and review Japanese cases previously reported.

Clinical features of 58 Japanese patients with mosaic neurofibromatosis 1.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutation in the NF1 tumor-suppressor gene, and may sometimes manifest in a mosaic form. "Segmental NF1" is generally assumed to be the result of somatic mosaicism for a NF1 mutation, and patients with mosaic NF1 have typical features of NF1 limited to specific body segments. The clinical features of 58 patients (42 females and 16 males; aged 1-69 years; mean age, 23.

[Molecular epidemiology of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) -positive Staphylococcus aureus associated with skin and soft tissue infection].

Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) secreted by Staphylococcus aureus is known to cause severe skin, soft tissue and lung infections. To assess the prevalence and genetic characteristics of PVL-positive S. aureus in our hospital, we investigated 86 S.

Effects of L-carnosine and its zinc complex (Polaprezinc) on pressure ulcer healing.

Background: L-carnosine (CAR) is an endogenous dipeptide. We aimed to determine the effects of CAR and its zinc complex polaprezinc (PLZ) on pressure ulcer healing in institutionalized long-term care patients.

Methods: This study was a nonrandomized controlled trial with a maximum 4-week follow-up.

Three school-age cases of xeroderma pigmentosum variant type.

Background: Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a photosensitive genodermatosis with increased susceptibility to skin cancers. Patients are typically diagnosed with XP when they consult a dermatologist for skin cancers.

Case/methods: The genetic analysis and 2-8 years of follow-up for three school-age patients with XP-V is described.

Sensitive skin evaluation in the Japanese population.

Sensitive skin syndrome was first described in 1977; however, no robust study has been carried out to evaluate its prevalence in Japan. A national representative sample of the Japanese population over the age of 18 years was taken. Individuals were questioned by telephone and selected according to the quota method.

Severe hydroa vacciniforme-like eruptions confined to sun-exposed areas.

A 15-year-old boy presented with vesiculopapular eruptions confined to sun-exposed areas from the age of 3. Histopathological examination of biopsy specimens of repetitive UVA-irradiated areas revealed reticular degeneration of the epidermis, and dermal infiltrates in the photoinduced lesions showed a latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. At the age of 21, the number of skin lesions had increased, and his anti-EBV antibody titers revealed an abnormal profile: an undetectable anti-EBV nuclear antigen antibody titer despite a detectable antiviral capsid antigen IgG antibody titer.

Development and validation of the psychosomatic scale for atopic dermatitis in adults.

Psychosocial factors play an important role in the course of adult atopic dermatitis (AD). Nevertheless, AD patients are rarely treated for their psychosomatic concerns. The purpose of the present study was to develop and validate a brief self-rating scale for adult AD in order to aid dermatologists in evaluating psychosocial factors during the course of AD.

Phenotype and functional identity of GM-CSF-independent dendritic cells generated by long-term propagation of DC progenitor cells in bone marrow cells and skin Langerhans cells.

Evidence is provided that dendritic cells (DC) generated by either long-term bone marrow cell (BMC) culture with Flt3L and interleukin-6 (IL-6), or after short-term BMC culture with granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4), contain heterogeneous cell populations of admixed DC and Mphi, regardless of the cytokine source. By employing GM-CSF-independent culture systems with the aid of Flt3/Flk-2 ligand and IL-6 and phenotypic characterization of BMC-derived DC and skin Langerhans cells (LC), revealed similar phenotypes. Furthermore, CD103 (OX62), which is widely used for rat DC separation, was found to be insufficient to enrich DC, due to downregulation of the marker.

DDB2 gene disruption leads to skin tumors and resistance to apoptosis after exposure to ultraviolet light but not a chemical carcinogen.

Mutations in the human DDB2 gene give rise to xeroderma pigmentosum group E, a disease characterized by increased skin tumorigenesis in response to UV-irradiation. Cell strains derived from xeroderma pigmentosum group E individuals also have enhanced resistance to UV-irradiation due to decreased p53-mediated apoptosis. To further address the precise function(s) of DDB2 and the consequence of non-naturally occurring DDB2 mutations, we generated mice with a disruption of the gene.

Sweet's syndrome with neurologic manifestation: case report and literature review.

Background: Sweet's syndrome with involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) is rarely reported.

Methods: We describe a Japanese woman with Sweet's syndrome associated with acute-onset encephalitis and review literatures.

Results: Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) revealed pleocytosis with lymphocytes predominant.

A cardiac allograft recipient with Bowen's disease on a finger and concurrent perianal bowenoid papulosis.

We report a patient who developed Bowen's disease of the finger and bowenoid papulosis of the perianal area after cardiac transplantation. Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 only, not any skin-related or epidermodysplasia verruciformis-related types, was detected in both lesions by in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction. The same virus type was identified in both the tumor of the finger and the perianal area, which suggests contact transmission.

A case of febrile ulceronecrotic Mucha-Habermann disease requiring debridement of necrotic skin and epidermal autograft.

We report a case of febrile ulceronecrotic Mucha-Habermann disease (FUMHD) in a 21-year-old man. This disease is a severe form of pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA) and is characterized by the sudden onset of diffuse ulcerations associated with high fever and systemic symptoms. It is sometimes lethal especially in elderly patients.

Use of a wrist activity monitor for the measurement of nocturnal scratching in patients with atopic dermatitis.

Background: The amount of nocturnal scratching can be an indirect correlate of itch in pruritic dermatoses. We have previously used an infrared video camera to measure nocturnal scratching in atopic dermatitis (AD). Although this is a reliable method of measuring nocturnal scratching, it is not suitable for routine monitoring in clinical use.

Five cases of photocontact dermatitis due to topical ketoprofen: photopatch testing and cross-reaction study.

Background: In parallel with the popular usage of topical ketoprofen, the number of reported cases of ketoprofen-induced photoallergic contact dermatitis has been increasing. It is clinically important to know the cross-reactivity of ketoprofen in order to avoid cross-sensitization caused by several structurally similar non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) on the market.

Methods: To evaluate the spectrum of cross sensitization, photopatch testing was performed on five patients with ketoprofen-induced photoallergic contact dermatitis using ketoprofen and other structurally similar chemicals, such as oxybenzone, tiaprofenic acid and suprofen.

Xeroderma pigmentosum variant heterozygotes show reduced levels of recovery of replicative DNA synthesis in the presence of caffeine after ultraviolet irradiation.

Patients with xeroderma pigmentosum variant show clinical photosensitivity, skin neoplasias induced by ultraviolet light, and defective postreplication repair, but normal nucleotide excision repair. We recently reported an alternative, simple method for the diagnosis of xeroderma pigmentosum variant that measures by autoradiography three cellular markers for DNA repair after ultraviolet irradiation: unscheduled DNA synthesis, recovery of RNA synthesis, and recovery of replicative DNA synthesis. Among hereditary photosensitive disorders, including other xeroderma pigmentosum groups, Cockayne syndrome, and a newly established ultraviolet-sensitive syndrome, only xeroderma pigmentosum variant cells exhibited normal unscheduled DNA synthesis, normal recovery of RNA synthesis, but reduced recovery of replicative DNA synthesis (51 +/- 6% the rate relative to normal controls).

A case of pemphigus vulgaris successfully treated with single filtration plasmapheresis: a correlation of clinical disease activity with serum antibody levels.

We report a patient with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) successfully treated with single filtration plasmapheresis. A 40-year-old man with PV was started on therapy with prednisolone (PSL). Although the dosage of PSL was doubled, and both cyclosporin A (CyA) and pulse therapy were added, the disease was not controlled.

The characteristics of nocturnal scratching in adults with atopic dermatitis.

Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) are known to suffer from nocturnal itch, and the resultant scratching may worsen the skin lesions. We observed nocturnal scratching for 112 nights in 35 adult patients with AD, using an infrared video camera system. To quantify the amount of scratching, we counted scratching bouts lasting more than 5 s and calculated the duration of all the scratching bouts (total scratching time, TST).