[Compression is important in erysipelas treatment].

Erysipelas is a common skin infection involving the lymphatic vessels, which induces an oedema. This has a tendency of persisting after infection is treated. The lymphatic system plays an important role in the immune system, and the impaired lymph drainage leads to a state of local immune deficiency. This is essential to the pathogenesis of recurrent erysipelas, as each episode of erysipelas further damages the lymphatic system and increases the risk of a new infection. This vicious circle makes it important to treat both erysipelas and oedema appropriately to reduce recurrence and morbidity.

[Therapeutic effect of heating and bandage treatment for chronic lymphedema of extremities accompanied with erysipelas: a report of 80 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect of heating and bandage treatment for chronic lymphedema of extremities accompanied with erysipelas. METHODS: From March 2004 to March 2013, 80 patients with chronic lymphedema of extremities accompanied with erysipelas were analyzed retrospectively. The patients underwent heating treatment (42 degree centigrade) with infrared light machine made by Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, 2 hours a day, 20 hours for a session. Bandage treatment was adopted after heating treatment. 1 or 2 sessions were performed for each patient every year. The erysipelas occurring frequency, patients subjective feeling, treatment sessions and elastic material usage was recorded during the follow-up period. The erysipelas occurring frequency was tested by the method of rank and inspection. SPSS 17. 0 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: After heating and bandage treatment, the occurrence frequency of erysipelas was obviously controlled (Z = 7.598, P = 0.000). Erysipelas was not occurred any more in 60 (75%)patients. Remarkable reduction of occurrence frequency of erysipelas caused by various reasons was showed after treatment. Primary and secondary lymphedema after treatment were compared with those before treatment respectively, showing statistical difference (Z = 3.417 and 5.009, P = 0.001 and 0.000). Most of patients felt better subjectively. The relapse rate of erysipelas and lymphedema was lower if keeping using elastic material to give more pressure on extremities after therapy. CONLUSIONS: Heating and bandage treatment can obviously reduce the occurrence frequency of erysipelas. It can improve the quality of patients' lives. Simultaneously, the subsequent elastic material pressure therapy is essential.

Fever and cancer in perspective.

CONTEXT: A relationship between feverish infection and concurrent remission from cancer has been known about for a very long time. However, a systematic investigation of the phenomenon has not yet been made. OBJECTIVE: To bring together the isolated observations about the coincidence of spontaneous remissions with feverish infections and William Coley's seminal work, as a basis for devising an immunological hypothesis about the putative anti-cancer effect of fever. CONCLUSION: Fever induction under medical guidance may be considered as part of a therapy regimen for cancers of mesodermal origin.

[Use of vilozen and ketotifen combination for increasing the effectiveness and prevention of complications of antibiotic therapy of streptococcal infections]. / Primenenie kombinatsii vilozena i ketotifena dlia povysheniia éffektivnosti i profilaktiki oslozhnenii antibiotikoterapii streptokokkovykh infektsii.

The clinical efficacy of a vilozen and ketotifen (zaditen) combination in the treatment of streptococcal infections along with the routine therapy was studied. The use of the combination was shown advisable in the complex therapy and prevention of relapses in patients with streptococcal infections. The combined pharmacotherapy promoted better clinical indices, normalization of the immune status and a reduction in the incidence of allergic reactions to antibiotics and a decrease in sensitization to bacterial allergens.

[Diagnosis, differential diagnosis and therapy of lymphedema]. / Diagnose, differential- diagnose und therapie des lymphödems.

Swellings in the legs, caused by lymphedema, are encountered quite frequently in everyday orthopedic practice. The swellings are hard, pale in color and usually painful. Swellings of this kind occasionally atrain a completely disproportionate size and are the referred to as elephantiasis. Lymphedemas fall into two categories: 1. Congenital lymphedemas. These comprise lymphedemas occuring as a result of aplasias or dysplasias of lymph vessels. 2. Acquired lymphedemas: In such cases the edema may be due to mechanical causes, or it may be the result of a disturbance of lymph drainage, e.g., due to the destruction of lymph vessels by metastases, following extirpation of lymph nodes and radiation therapy; or it may be the result of inflammatory processes, e.g., following erysipelas, in filariasis or after a wound infection. Four stages of lymphedema are also distinguished: Stage I - latent lymphedema Stage II - reversible lymphedema Stage III - irreversible lymphedema Stage IV - Elephantiasis. Apart from clinical diagnosis the most comprehensive and reliable diagnostic procedure is lymphangiography. A simple and well-tried method of diagnosing lymphedema is to inject lymphotropic dye subcutaneously. The technique is outlined. The differential diagnosis of lymphedema is described. With regard to treatment, reference is made to surgical possibilities. However, these do not always augur success and the complication rate is high. Massive lymphedemas, therefore, are usually treated conservatively, by Van der Molen's tube method, with intermittent cuff pressure (pressure-curve therapy) and manual lymph drainage. The various treatment methods are described and some of the disadvantage and risks involved are pointed out.