In vivo analysis of the stratum corneum of Japanese neonates and infants using confocal Raman spectroscopy: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Physiological skin properties of neonates and infants change drastically after birth and are implicated in the onset of atopic dermatitis and other diseases. Studies have measured physiological skin properties in infants; however, how these properties change over time remains unclear. No reports have measured ceramide in the stratum corneum of infants using confocal Raman spectroscopy; hence, we used it to measure the physiological properties of the skin, including ceramide, in infants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The water content and other factors in the skin of infants aged 0, 1, and 6 months were measured. All measurements were performed five times indoors at 22 ± 2°C and 50% ± 10% relative humidity in the middle of the calf at 4-µm distances, and their mean was calculated. RESULTS: The water content of the area between the skin surface and superficial layers was the lowest in newborns as compared with other ages, and the deeper the skin layer, the higher the water content. The stratum corneum, evaluated using confocal Raman spectroscopy, was the thickest in newborns and gradually thinned with age. Its water content was the lowest in newborns. The levels of natural moisturizing factor, ceramide, and cholesterol were higher in newborns and tended to decrease with age. CONCLUSION: This report is the first to evaluate ceramide in the stratum corneum of infants using confocal Raman spectroscopy and could help in conducting subsequent longitudinal measurements of physiological skin properties in neonates and infants.

Clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis with rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia: The relation between the disease activity and the serum interleukin-6 level.

A 67-year-old woman exhibited chilblain-like erythema on the bilateral auricles, erythema with hyperkeratosis on the sides of fingers and the bilateral elbows, and erythema on the extensor/flexor sides of the finger joints and the iliac regions. Fine crackles were audible on the dorsal side of the bilateral lower lung regions. We diagnosed clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis accompanied by rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia. While we initiated immunosuppressive therapy, the respiratory failure showed no responses. We performed endotoxin adsorption therapy using polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column direct hemoperfusion (PMX-DHP). After the first PMX-DHP session, the respiratory condition was slightly improved but it soon deteriorated. At the second PMX-DHP session, subcutaneous and mediastinal emphysema was noted. The patient died, showing no improvement in the respiratory condition. We measured the levels of serum interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-10 before and after PMX-DHP and compared them with previously reported levels. The levels of TNF-α and IL-10 showed no or slight changes, but those of IL-6 at the beginning of the treatment were higher compared with previous reports. After the first PMX-DHP, the IL-6 level decreased with slight improvement in respiratory condition. However, after the second PMX-DHP, it increased markedly with exacerbation of the respiratory failure. The serum IL-6 level is considered to be effective for the evaluation of the disease activity and prognosis under the treatment by PMX-DHP.