Evaluation of autologous plasma skin test in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria.

Background: The pathophysiological mechanism of chronic urticaria is still poorly understood and its aetiology is considered to have an autoreactive basis. Autologous serum skin tests (ASSTs) and autologous plasma skin tests (APSTs) comprise the simplest ways for diagnosing autoreactive urticaria (with autoantibodies, histamine-releasing factor and coagulation factors, especially thrombin) in a clinical setting. However, there are still some questions about the specificity of these tests.

Antistreptococcal treatment of guttate psoriasis: a controlled study.

Background: The role of streptococcal infection in the initiation of guttate psoriasis is well-recognized. But the treatment results with oral erythromycin and phenoxymethylpenicillin are conflicting.

Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of these antibiotics in the treatment of streptococcus associated guttate psoriasis comparing with a control group.

Inflammation and hypercoagulable state in adult psoriatic men.

Hyperhomocysteinaemia is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and plays a role in atherothrombosis. Psoriasis is a common chronic and recurrent inflammatory skin disease associated with increased thrombosis. The aim of this study was to examine serum homocysteine levels and their relationships with inflammatory and atherothrombotic markers in psoriasis.

Dermatitis herpetiformis and vitiligo.

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a rare immunobullous disorder of the skin that is associated with gluten hypersensitivity. Subepidermal IgA-type antibody deposition against tissue transglutaminase leads to dense neutrophilic microabscess and eventually into vesicles in dermal papillae, which may occasionally merge into bullae. Being a subepidermal vesiculobullous disorder, DH is frequently associated with postinflammatory pigmentary changes, particularly hypopigmentation.