Deep Sedation in Paediatric MR: a Review of Our Case Histories.

Sedation in paediatric MR is a necessary choice because very often we are dealing with uncooperative patients about to undergo lengthy examinations. The aim of this a retrospective study is to demonstrate that profound sedation with halogenated vapour Sevorane, together with specific systems for monitoring vital signs, is a safe and reliable technique. In accordance with current guidelines, it is considered essential to have an expert anaesthetist present in order to reduce the risk of incidents, which, in the case of difficulty in the airways, as seen in literature, could have fatal outcomes.

Efficacy of cyclosporine plus etretinate in the treatment of erythrodermic psoriasis (three case reports).

BACKGROUND: Association of different treatments are often used in erythrodermic psoriasis in order to increase the effectiveness and decrease the incidence of side effects due to single drugs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three in-patients affected by erythrodermic psoriasis, not responding to cyclosporine, (two patients) and etretinate, (one patient), were treated with the association cyclosporine plus etretinate. RESULTS: Clinical response was prompt to the combined therapy. The two drugs were tapering off gradually over 6 months; the patients maintained the remission for prolonged period. CONCLUSIONS: Combined cyclosporine-etretinate therapy may be considered as an effective and well tolerated treatment of erythrodermic psoriasis in patients not responding to monotherapy regimen.

Calcipotriol improves the efficacy of cyclosporine in the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the association of calcipotriol ointment (50 micrograms/g) plus cyclosporine versus cyclosporine alone in the treatment of moderate psoriasis (mean PASI: 13). METHODS: Twenty patients were enrolled in this right-left open study. All the patients admitted were treated with cylosporine at an initial dose of 4.5 mg/kg/day; in case of clinical improvement this dosage was reduced by 0.5 mg/kg/day every 15 days. In each patient we chose two similar, symmetrical lesions and calcipotriol ointment was applied only on the right lesion, twice a day, until the healing of the lesion or for 1 month. Patients were checked at baseline and every 15 days. RESULTS: Eighteen patients completed the study and 17 of the 18 presented more evident improvement on the side treated with combined therapy, while only one patient showed a better result on the side treated with cyclosporine alone. A significant difference of the total score was already present after 15 days of therapy and was confirmed at the following check-ups. CONCLUSIONS: These results underline the usefulness of the association of calcipotriol and cyclosporine in order to decrease the total dosage of cyclosporine.