Impact of microwave thermolysis energy levels on patient-reported outcomes for axillary hyperhidrosis and osmidrosis.

OBJECTIVE: Microwave thermolysis (MWT) is an emerging treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis reducing both sweat and odor. No prior studies have investigated and compared the different available energy settings of the MWT device. This study evaluated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for axillary hyperhidrosis and osmidrosis following MWT treatment with two different energy levels. METHODS: Twenty adults with axillary hyperhidrosis and osmidrosis reported sweat on Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity scale (HDSS: 1-4) and odor on Odor scale (OS: 1-10), respectively, supplemented by overall Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI: 0-30). This was a prospective, randomized, patient-blinded and intraindividually controlled study with 3 months follow-up (FU). Randomization comprised MWT treatment of one axilla with a standard medium energy setting (energy level 3) and the contralateral axilla with a standard high energy setting (energy level 5). RESULTS: At baseline, patients reported substantial sweat and odor, negatively affecting their quality of life. At 3 months FU, PROMs showed improved quality of life with significantly reduced odor and sweat. Overall DLQI was reduced from a median of 10 to 4, with a median 6.5-point reduction (p = 0.0002). HDSS was reduced from a median of 4 to 2 on both sides, with a median reduction of 1 for medium energy level and 2 points for high energy level (p = 0.014). OS was reduced from a median of 8 to 3 for both energy levels, with a median reduction of 3.5 and 4.5 points for the medium and high energy level, respectively (p = 0.017). Local skin reactions were mild and transient, but slightly more pronounced following treatment with the high energy level. CONCLUSION: MWT effectively improved patients' quality of life, axillary sweat, and odor 3 months after on baseline treatment. Treatment with the high energy level presented a subtle but significant increase of efficacy based on PROMs for both sweat and odor. Patients were willing to accept a higher amount of temporary local skin reactions from a higher energy setting when experiencing greater odor and sweat reduction.

An RCT on the effects of topical CGP on surgical wound appearance and residual scarring in bilateral total-knee arthroplasty patients.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that topically applied calcium glycerophosphate (CGP) would improve the appearance of the wound following bilateral knee replacement. METHOD: Healthy patients, aged 45-75 years, scheduled for bilateral total-knee replacement surgery were recruited into the study. One knee was randomly assigned to the treatment group, while the contralateral knee was designated the control (standard care). Subjects were instructed to apply a preparation of 10% CGP in an aqueous lotion to the treated knee once daily for 42 days, starting at the third postoperative day. Functional sealing and cosmetic appearance of the incision were evaluated by two surgeons by direct examination of the patient and then by two experienced assessors from photographs. The investigators qualitatively scored the intensity and extent of erythema along the incision and over the entire knee, the appearance of visible oedema along the incision and over the knee, and the overall clinical impression of wound healing. All four assessors were blinded to the subjects' allocation and the latter two assessors to the initial investigators' assessments. Subjects were also followed up for an additional 46 weeks, giving a total study duration of 12 months. RESULTS: Twenty patients completed the study. Statistical analysis showed that both the area and intensity of erythema along the incision were significantly reduced in the treated vs untreated knee over the entire study period. The analysis further showed that treatment significantly reduced oedema, both along the incision and across the entire knee. The differences were most marked at the seventh postoperative day and diminished with time. No adverse effects were observed for any patient, in either treated or untreated knees. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that postoperative application of 10% CGP could improve the appearance of the wound following total knee arthroplasty.

Exfoliative cytological procedures as a nonintrusive method for dermatogerontological studies.

Exfoliative cytological procedures, based on the sticky slide and detergent scrub techniques, were used in the nonintrusive collection of horny cells from the skin surface of volunteers 20 to 30 yr of age and 65+ yr of age. These samples were analyzed with a variety of instruments, including a Magiscan image analyzer, a Vickers M-85 microspectrophotometer, and a Coulter electronic cell counter. The results indicate that age-associated changes in horny cells may be useful in monitoring objectively aging of skin and in assessing the impact of various environmental insults on aging.

Sunscreens prevent sunburn cell formation in human skin.

Sunscreens with different sun protection factors were examined for their ability to prevent sunburn cell formation in human skin exposed to ultraviolet radiation from a xenon solar simulator. There was either complete or partial protection against the cytotoxic effects of ultraviolet radiation. Protection was related to the sun protection factor of the sunscreen and to the dose of radiation administered.

Cytophotometric studies of epidermal proliferation in psoriatic and normal skin.

Cytophotometric measurements of single-cell DNA content were used to study human epidermal cell proliferation in vivo. It was found that Feulgen-DNA profiles can be used to assess proliferative activity in involved, uninvolved, and nonpsoriatic skin. Profiles of involved psoriatic skin were bimodal as is characteristic of actively proliferating populations. This was due to the presence of cells with twice (2C--presynthetic) or four times (4C--post-synthetic) the amount of DNA of the gametes, separated by the intermediate values of cells undergoing scheduled DNA synthesis. Profiles of uninvolved psoriatic as well as nonpsoriatic epidermis were unimodal with the majority of cells containing a 2C amount of DNA incating relatively low levels of proliferative activity. The observed variations in proliferative activity of these samples are discussed in terms of two alternative models. Since radioisotopes are not required, this technique presents a useful approach to studying human epidermal proliferation in vivo.

DNA-cytophotometry of lymph node touch imprints in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Scanning DNA-cytophotometry was performed on touch imprints of 26 lymph nodes (LN) obtained from 25 patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), stained by the Feulgen technique, and interpreted without knowledge of histopathologic diagnosis. Four patterns of DNA distribution were identified, but only histograms that demonstrated cells containing nuclei with more than 4C DNA content (hypertetraploidy) reliably distinguished LN involved with CTCL from LN with reactive changes; for example, dermatopathic lymphadenitis. An abnormal DNA histogram with evidence of hypertetraploidy was demonstrated in 9 of 12 LN showing histopathologic evidence of involvement compared with no abnormal histograms in 14 LN without histopathologic involvement. One LN that was diffusely involved with CTCL had a DNA distribution characteristic of a relatively high level of cell proliferation, but without definite hypertetraploidy. Cytogenetic studies on the blood of this patient, who had Sézary syndrome, demonstrated a clone of lymphocytes with a pseudodiploid karyotype without a related polyploid subline. The remaining two histopathologically involved LN had normal DNA histograms; these LN were only focally involved with CTCL. These observations indicate that DNA-cytophotometry correlates well with the histopathologic findings in LN diffusely involved with CTCL, but may be normal in LN with focal involvement or in those that contain cytogenetically abnormal cells with a near-diploid DNA content.

Evidence for accelerated skin wrinkling among developmentally delayed individuals with Down's syndrome.

Down's Syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder involving mental retardation which is reported to be a condition of accelerated aging. However, few studies exist which examine age-dependent changes in DS and these studies fail to include a control group. In the present study a non-invasive, painless, and easily obtainable measure reflecting age-dependent topographical changes of the skin (skin wrinkling) was obtained in 15 DS subjects, 14 developmentally disabled (DD) (mentally retarded) controls (DD controls) and 16 healthy controls of similar ages ranging from 22 to 51 years. The healthy control group failed to show correlations of skin measures with age, as predicted for the age-range of these subjects, based on results of previous studies. However, the DS group showed significant correlations of all skin measures from relatively non-sun-exposed and sun-exposed skin sites, with age. The DD control also showed significant correlations with age of several but not all skin sites and the correlation coefficients tended to be less than that of the DS; at least, when contrasted with the healthy controls the DS showed greater values of several skin measures suggestive of accelerated skin wrinkling. These results provide evidence for accelerated aging of the skin, and possibly greater effects of sun-exposure on skin wrinkling, in DS and possibly (DD) individuals in contrast to healthy individuals without a genetic disorder and without mental retardation.

Application of microspectrophotometry to biomedical research.

During recent years, the utilization of microspectrophotometry in biomedical research has increased at a rapid pace. This growth has been facilitated by both the advent of commercially available instruments which are reliable and manageable as well as improvements in histochemical techniques. This paper discusses the fundamental principles of visible light microspectrophotometry and important design criteria as well as briefly reviewing a wide range of applications. Special emphasis will be given to the Vickers M85 scanning integrating microspectrophotometer which is being routinely employed for both clinical and laboratory studies by a sizeable number of investigators.

Scintillation fluid shortens exposure times in autoradiography.

Premixed, commercially available scintillation fluids were used to reduce exposure time of tritium (3H) and iodine-125 (125I)-labeled whole cells, and of 3H-labeled Giemsa-banded chromosome preparations. Emulsion-coated slides were dipped into scintillator for no longer than 2 min and exposed in the dark at 4 degrees C. Maximal values for percentage of human diploid cell (WI-38) nuclei labeled with 3H-thymidine of moderate specific activity were obtained in 12 hr. Without scintillator the exposure time was 4 days. Exposure time for cells labeled with 125I-serum was reduced from over 90 days to 14 days. The shortened exposure time for banded chromosomes permitted successful prestaining with Giemsa, a sequence that is not possible without scintillator.

Physiologic, microbiologic, and seasonal effects of handwashing on the skin of health care personnel.

The handwashing practices of 22 personnel on an oncology unit in an urban medical center were studied for 2 months. During 891 person-hours of observation, 986 handwashes were observed. Subjects washed a mean of 1.1 times an hour for a mean of 13.2 seconds. Reported and observed handwashing behavior was only moderately correlated (p = 0.05 for frequency, 0.30 for duration of handwashing). Physicians washed significantly less often (p less than 0.001), but more thoroughly (p less than 0.001), than did nurses. Nurses washed more often after minimal or no patient contact than did physicians (p less than 0.001). Individuals were very consistent in their handwashing technique. A total of 558 isolates were recovered from 158 hand cultures. The mean log count was 4.88, with no significant difference between physicians and nurses. Coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from hands of physicians and nurses were significantly more resistant to antimicrobial agents than those of personnel with minimal patient contact (p less than 0.01). Subjects had more skin damage in winter than in summer, as indicated by increased shedding of skin squames (p less than 0.05). We conclude that handwashing practices vary significantly by profession and that reporting of handwashing practices by personnel is inaccurate.

Methods for evaluating changes in skin condition due to the effects of antimicrobial hand cleansers: two studies comparing a new waterless chlorhexidine gluconate/ethanol-emollient antiseptic preparation with a conventional water-applied product.

BACKGROUND: Hand-cleansing products that are milder to the skin of health care personnel are being developed, but the available methodologies to appropriately evaluate these products and quantify differences are not generally being applied in well-controlled studies. METHODS: Two randomized, blinded, bilateral comparison studies evaluated skin condition during use of 2 antiseptic hand preparation products: a new 1% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG)/61% wt/wt ethanol antiseptic hand preparation in a unique emollient system for waterless/brushless application and a conventional 4% CHG antimicrobial product that is applied with water and a scrub brush. Trained technicians applied treatments 6 times (for a surgical scrub study) or 24 times (for a personnel handwash study) daily to the hands of healthy volunteers during 5 days of controlled washing. An expert grader evaluated skin for dryness, erythema, and roughness. Subjects completed a self-assessment questionnaire on skin condition. Transepidermal water loss was measured by an evaporimeter, and the skin surface hydration level was measured by an electrical conductance meter. RESULTS: Fifty-eight subjects were enrolled in the 2 studies and received both treatments. In general, skin treated with the waterless CHG/ethanol product scored significantly (P <.004) better on evaluations of visual dryness and erythema and showed greater improvement in the level of hydration (P <.003). In the health care personnel handwash study, transepidermal water loss was less than that for skin treated with the conventional CHG product (P <.002). Subject assessments showed similar results (total score, P <.007). CONCLUSIONS: All 3 approaches of expert grader evaluation, subject assessment, and instrumentation were in concordance, demonstrating that the waterless CHG/ethanol product was gentler to skin than the conventional CHG product.

Computerized image analysis of full-hand touch plates: a method for quantification of surface bacteria on hands and the effect of antimicrobial agents.

A method is described for quantification of the bacterial flora on the hand surface. Computer-assisted image analysis of bacterial growth of large full-hand touch plates provides a quantifiable measure of the bacterial flora on the hand surface. Image analysis pixel intensity values showed a significant correlation (P less than 0.0001) with colony forming unit values determined by the glove juice method. Image analysis of impressions from hands treated with various antimicrobial agents in detergent bases showed that 4% chlorhexidine gluconate produces a 96% reduction after a 30 s washing and 98% reduction after a 3 min washing while 7.5% povidone-iodine and 1% triclosan produce a 77% and 70% reduction after 3 min respectively, and 70% isopropanol produces a 98% reduction after a 30 s wash.

Age-related differences in healing of superficial skin wounds in humans.

The healing response of human volunteers was measured by monitoring the reestablishment of skin surface markings in unroofed blisters induced by brief exposure to a 1:1 aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide. At all stages of repair, older individuals (ages 65-75 years) as a group lagged behind young adults (ages 18-25 years). Although individuals differed appreciably, especially in the older cohort, there was a good correlation between the rate of repair at two protected sites, the inner upper arm and the volar forearm. This suggests that healing response may a reliable measure of the physiologic status of the skin.

Physiologic changes in older skin.

Clearly, like all other organ systems, the skin undergoes physiologic decline with advancing age. In the elderly, the stratum corneum may not be as capable of acting as a barrier. Once noxious substances penetrate, they are less likely to be cleared rapidly and often will not provoke any integumental reactions or pain sensations that would serve as warning signals to the aged. Thus older individuals are not only more vulnerable to environmental insults but also fail to recognize that they are being adversely affected. As a result, these substances may accumulate following repeated exposure to the point that the threshold for clinical display is exceeded, whereas the threshold would never be reached in younger individuals. Thus it is not surprising that many of the common problems of the elderly are likely to represent subtle, chronic irritant dermatitis. Then, too, because cellular turnover and repair are much slower, the time to recover from such damaging insults is prolonged. In conclusion, I would like to stress that one of the most important observations to come out of our studies is that there exist cutaneous clues to an individual's physiologic age. It is generally appreciated that some elderly individuals seem to be much more youthful and others much older than their stated ages, suggesting that there may be a wide gap between chronologic and physiologic age. Indeed, one of the central concerns of gerontology is to develop methods by which physiologic aging can be monitored. We are certainly not the first to realize that the skin and its appendages may furnish useful markers of physiologic age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Physiologic changes in older skin.

Clearly, like all other organ systems, the skin undergoes physiologic decline with advancing age. In the elderly, the stratum corneum may not be as capable of acting as a barrier. Once noxious substances penetrate, they are less likely to be rapidly cleared and often will not provoke integumental reactions or pain sensations that would serve as warning signals to the aged. Thus older individuals are not only more vulnerable to environmental insults but also fail to recognize that they are being adversely affected. As a result, these substances may accumulate following repeated exposure to the point that the threshold for clinical display is exceeded, whereas the threshold would never be reached in younger individuals. Thus it is not surprising that many of the common problems of the elderly are likely to represent subtle, chronic irritant dermatitis. Then, too, because cellular turnover and repair are much slower, the time to recover from such damaging insults is prolonged. In conclusion, I would like to stress that one of the most important observations to come out of our studies is that there exist cutaneous clues to an individual's physiologic age. It is generally appreciated that some elderly individuals seem to be much more youthful and other much older than their stated ages, suggesting that there may be a wide gap between chronologic and physiologic age. Indeed, one of the central concerns of gerontology is to develop methods by which physiologic aging can be monitored. We are certainly not the first to realize that the skin and its appendages may furnish useful markers of physiologic age. In fact, DuNuoy, who was the first to formalize the concept of physiologic age, did so on the basis of age-associated differences in cutaneous healing. By far the most comprehensive ongoing longitudinal study of human aging is that being conducted by the National Institute on Aging Gerontology Research Center at the Baltimore City Hospital. Although the integument was regretfully ignored, a saving grace of this study was the inclusion of a visual estimate of apparent age by the examining physician. This made it possible to determine whether individuals who looked older than their chronologic age were older physiologically. On 19 of the 24 tests, individuals in the subgroup who looked oldest for their age were physiologically older as well. Even more important was the finding that the subjects who had died since the start of the study were also apparently and physiologically older.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Randomized facial tolerability studies comparing gel formulations of retinoids used to treat acne vulgaris.

Two double-blind, randomized, split-face studies have been performed to compare the facial tolerability of topical retinoids in volunteers with sensitive skin. In one study, subjects applied tazarotene 0.1% gel to one side of their face and tretinoin 0.1% gel microsponge, tretinoin 0.025% gel, or adapalene 0.1% gel to the other side of their face, for up to 29 days. Increases in facial dryness and erythema were comparable among all retinoids. Some subjects in each treatment group experienced levels of retinoid-associated irritation that required temporary suspension of, or reduction in, treatment. Facial dryness and erythema tended to be greater in these subjects than in those who tolerated the regimen without change, suggesting that the need to discontinue or modify treatment depends more on the individual than on any major inherent differences in the irritant potential of these retinoids. A second study compared once-daily versus alternate-day tazarotene 0.1% gel therapy. Tolerability was superior when initiating therapy with the alternate-day regimen.