The efficacy and safety of terbinafine in children.

Terbinafine is an allylamine antifungal agent that has been effective and safe in the treatment of superficial and some deep mycotic infections in adults. An increasing amount of data is available where terbinafine has been used in the paediatric population to treat superficial fungal infections, in particular tinea capitis. The data suggest that terbinafine is effective and safe using treatment regimens that involve short duration therapy, leading to an increased compliance and providing a cost-effective means of treating paediatric superficial fungal infections such as tinea capitis. Terbinafine has been approved for the treatment of tinea capitis in many countries worldwide, and provides good efficacy rates for Trichophyton tinea capitis using shorter regimens than the gold standard griseofulvin. The adverse events profile for children is similar to that in adults with few adverse effects associated with its use. The evidence favours the use of terbinafine in the treatment of superficial infections in children.

Tacrolimus: a review of its use for the management of dermatoses.

The newly developed immunomodulator tacrolimus (FK506) is the first of a new class of agents that have enormous potential to change the way that dermatoses are treated and managed. Tacrolimus has been found to be active in a topical formulation with the latter exerting its effects by acting on the signal transduction pathways inside T cells and inhibiting gene transcription. The result is decreased responsiveness of T cells to antigens. Percutaneous absorption of tacrolimus is higher in diseased skin as opposed to healthy skin and, therefore, the drug will be taken in at progressively lower quantities as lesions heal. There is limited systemic absorption of tacrolimus over the course of therapy. The most extensive experience with tacrolimus has been in treating atopic dermatitis. In numerous trials, tacrolimus ointment 0.03-0.3% has shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms and severity of atopic dermatitis in adults and the paediatric population. Furthermore, there have been no significant toxic effects associated with topical therapy with tacrolimus. The most common complaint is that of local irritation after applying the ointment. This is generally transient and the patient is able to continue with therapy. The other dermatoses where tacrolimus has been used include contact dermatitis, psoriasis and pyoderma gangrenosum.

[Emergency cerclage with concomitant amniocentesis as a method of treatment of membranes prolapse--case report]. / Szew okrezny szyjki macicy w przypadku wypadania blon plodowych do pochwy--opis przypadku.

Emergency cerclage was performed on 27 years old patient with membrane prolapse in 21 weeks' gestation. Ultrasonographically guided amniocentesis was performed intraoperatively in order to decrease intraamniotic pressure. Aggressive prophylactic management (wide spectrum antibiotics and tocolysis-nifedipine) resulted in pregnancy prolongation up to 30 week of gestation. At that time healthy premature newborn (1520 g, Apgar score 7 in 1st minute) was delivered by caesarean section. The mother was discharged from the hospital on the 4th postoperative day, whereas the child after 5 weeks weighted 2130 g.

[Stress urinary incontinence among women who underwent surgical treatment due to abdominal hernias]. / Ocena czestosci wysilkowego nietrzymania moczu u kobiet leczonych operacyjnie z powodu przepuklin brzusznych.

OBJECTIVES: Biochemical modification and resulting biomechanical disfunction of the connective tissue are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of both stress urinary incontinence and abdominal hernias. Since the coincidence between this disorders may be anticipated, the goal of our study was to investigate the occurrence of stress urinary incontinence among women who underwent the surgical treatment of abdominal hernias. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty seven women who participated into the study were divided into two groups. The investigated group consisted of 23 women who underwent surgical treatment of femoral, inguinal or umbilical hernias, whereas the control group comprised 24 women after cholecystectomy due to cholelithiasis. Data concerning stress urinary incontinence and associated risk factors were obtained using Gaudenz's questionnaire. RESULTS: Stress urinary incontinence was reported by 34.8% of women after hernioplasty and 33.3% after cholecystectomy. The difference was not statistically significant. We found no association between known risk factors of stress urinary incontinence, as: age, weight, history regarding vaginal delivery and gynecological surgery, and occurrence of incontinence. CONCLUSION: The history of the surgical treatment of abdominal hernias is not a risk factor of stress urinary incontinence in women.

[Prognostic value of serum MMP-2 level in uterine cancer affected women]. / Prognostyczne znaczenie poziomu MMP-2 w surowicy krwi w przypadku gruczolakoraka blony sluzowej macicy u kobiet.

OBJECTIVES: Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) which can degrade type IV collagen is implicated in cancer invasion and metastasis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the serum MMP-2 level in patients with endometrial carcinoma (EC) and to compare the level with histological grade G1 to G3 in relation to clinical staging I degree-IV degrees as well as myometrial invasion (M. < 1/2, M. > 1/2). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 30 patients with EC. MMP-2 serum levels were measured with specific one-step sandwich enzyme immunoassay (Amersham Life Science). Statistical analysis was performed by Mann-Whitney test and p value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: The statistically elevated enzyme level was observed in patients presenting II degrees-IV degrees clinical stage of EC in comparison to women with I degree stage of this carcinoma. There were no significant correlations between MMP-2 serum levels and grades of histological differentiation as well as depth of myometrium invasion. CONCLUSIONS: MMP-2 serum level is statistically higher in clinically advanced stages of EC. This enzyme seems to be useful in monitoring of therapeutical efficacy or screening for the recurrences of the disease.

The expression of the gene encoding pro-alpha 1 chain of type I collagen in the skin of premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: The atrophic changes occurring in the skin of postmenopausal women are thought to depend mainly on the oestrogen deficiency secondary to loss of hormonal function of the ovaries. The hypothesis to be tested was whether decreased serum level of oestrogen in these women influences the expression of gene encoding pro-alpha1 chain of type I collagen. STUDY DESIGN: The skin specimens from six premenopausal and six postmenopausal women were taken at the time of surgery. The expression of gene encoding pro-alpha1 chain of type I collagen was estimated using Dot-Blot hybridisation technique. RESULTS: The expression of pro-alpha1 chain of type I collagen gene was shown in all cases. The level of expression was different in each sample and did not depend on ovarian hormonal function. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that atrophic changes in the skin of postmenopausal women probably do not depend on diminished expression of gene encoding pro-alpha1 chain of type I collagen.