Fumaric acid: a possible new therapy for macular edema?

INTRODUCTION: Causes of macular edema are multifactorial, but inflammation, vascular factors and mechanical traction are of major importance. Therapeutic options of macular edema depend on the underlying cause. Intravitreal administration of inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor leads to inhibition of retinal neovascularization and subsequent edema. OBJECTIVE: Fumaric acid esters are successfully used in dermatology for years according to their antiangiogenic and anti-inflammatory effects. RESULT: For the very first time, we describe a successful therapeutic attempt for macular edema, controlled by optical coherence tomography using fumaric acid esters followed up for 60 months.

Lymph node dissection for melanoma using tumescence local anaesthesia: an observational study.

The possibility that tumescence local anaesthesia (TLA) may lead to dissemination of tumour cells in lymph nodes is presently unclear. To evaluate whether infiltration by TLA influences metastatic spread and survival probability, compared to general anaesthesia (GA), based on lymph node dissection in melanoma patients. In total, 281 patients (GA: 162; TLA: 119) with cutaneous melanoma and clinically or histologically-confirmed metastases in regional lymph nodes were included. All patients underwent complete lymph node dissection. Median follow-up was 70 months. The rate of lymph node recurrence at the dissection site was 25.3% in the GA group and 17.6% in the TLA group (p = 0.082). No significant difference was found concerning 10-year melanoma-specific survival (GA: 56.2%, TLA: 67.4%; p = 0.09), disease-free survival (GA: 72.8 %, TLA: 81.1%; p = 0.095), or lymph node-free survival (GA: 72.8%, TLA: 81.1%; p = 0.095). Distant metastases-free survival appeared to be slightly reduced in the TLA group (GA: 49.9%, TLA: 64.0%; p = 0.025). No differences were identified between the GA and TLA groups regarding prognostic outcome for overall survival or disease-free survival.

Surgical treatment of rhinophyma: experience from a German cohort of 70 patients.

Rhinophyma is a deforming soft tissue hyperplasia of the nose and surgical removal represents the treatment of choice. Comprehensive data on surgical therapy and the impact of rhinophyma on patient quality of life are lacking. Patients who received surgery for rhinophyma between 2006 and 2015 were retrospectively evaluated for postoperative complications, clinical outcome, recurrence of rhinophyma, and the impact of rhinophyma on daily life. A total of 143 patients were treated with superficial tumour decortication by scalpel under tumescent anaesthesia. Outcomes were determined by clinical review, clinical files, and a patient questionnaire. Of 143 patients, 70 answered the questionnaire and were included in this study with a mean follow-up time of 54 months. Cosmetic results were evaluated as very good or good in 77% of patients. The majority of patients (87%) were very satisfied or satisfied with the postoperative result. Surgical treatment of rhinophyma improved patients' quality of life in 67% of patients. Recurrence of rhinophyma was detected in 38% of patients. Surgery is an effective therapy for rhinophyma with excellent outcome.

Comparison of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific neutralization capacity of hyperimmunoglobulin (HIG) versus standard intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) preparations: Impact of CMV IgG normalization.

BACKGROUND: Based on a non-randomized study of Nigro et al. (2005) the intravenous administration of hyperimmunoglobulins (HIGs) is applied frequently to women with primary CMV-infection as "off-label use" in Germany. OBJECTIVES: In order to describe their CMV-specific neutralization-capacity in vitro, we analyzed the HIG preparations Cytotect®, and Cytogam® as well as the standard intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) Octagam®, Gamunex®, Kiovig®. STUDY DESIGN: We performed short-term cell-free CMV neutralization assays (CFNT) and long-term cell-adapted neutralization-plaque-reduction assays (PRANT). Human retinal epithelial cells (ARPE-19) were used as target cells. A clinical CMV primary-isolate from amnion fluid propagated in epithelial cells without any initial fibroblast adaption was used. For calibration we previously generated serum-pools (N=100) from two cohorts of mothers at birth: seronegative and latently CMV-infected mothers. Biochemical analysis included total protein, albumin, Ig-class, and IgG-subclasses. Additionally, CMV antibody-reactivity was checked using recombinant immunoblotting. RESULTS: HIG and IVIG preparations showed differences in levels and patterns of protein, Ig-class and CMV-specific antibody concentrations. All IgG-preparations showed high in vitro NT-capacity and high IgG-avidity. The NT90-values for HIGs and IVIGs and our seropositive reference-pool showed similar NT-capacity at a dilution of (1:100) which corresponded well to 4.1 PEI-Units/ml. CONCLUSION: All HIG- and IVIG-preparations showed similar NT-capacity following CMV IgG-normalization. Our in vitro results are in strong contrast to former findings suggesting higher functional CMV NT titers in IVIG-preparations compared to HIGs.

Cytokeratin AE1/AE3 immunostaining and 3D-histology: improvement of diagnosis in desmoplastic squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

Desmoplastic squamous cell carcinoma (DSCC) as a rare subtype of cutaneous SCC has specific histological features, characterized by columns, bands, and strands of squamoid cells infiltrating a dense collagenous stroma. To decrease the high rates of local recurrence in DSSC, improvement of diagnostic methods is highly demanded. Objective was to evaluate whether immunohistochemistry (IHC) is suited to increase diagnostic accuracy. A total number of 18 patients were included in this study. After recutting of the original paraffin blocks, parallel staining of serial sections with conventionally H&E and cytokeratin AE1/AE3-immunohistochemical staining was performed. Results were evaluated by an experienced dermatohistopathologist. In 55.6% (n = 10), the margins of 3D-histology still showed no evidence of neoplastic lesions in both stainings. In contrast, we found neoplastic lesions in 5 of 18 cases (27.8%) with cytokeratin AE1/AE3 staining, while H&E-staining remained negative. In addition, neoplastic lesions were found in both, H&E as well as cytokeratin AE1/AE3 staining in three cases (16.7%). The data presented show improvement of diagnosis in 27.8% of cases using IHC and 3D-histology. This method is suitable to improve the diagnosis of DSCC.

Allergic Reaction to Polyether Ether Ketone Following Cross-Reactivity to Epoxy Resin.

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a thermoplastic polymer frequently used in engineering but also in medical devices. Only 1 case of allergic reaction to PEEK used as an implanted medical device has been reported so far; however, the route of sensitization remained unclear. Here we report on a 62-year-old male patient with a preknown, severe type IV allergy to epoxy resin. He reported strong pain in his shoulder after implantation of a PEEK-containing device after a rotator cuff injury. For testing, the device was implanted in a small pouch subcutaneously on the abdomen. The patient reported massive pain starting 8 hours after the implantation, strictly limited to the procedural area and showing perifocal erythema. A possible explanation of the sensitization mode is the source material for PEEK and epoxy resin, as both are mainly based on bisphenols. An allergic reaction to PEEK with preknown epoxy resin sensitization has not been reported so far. As epoxy resins are a frequent cause of occupational contact dermatitis and PEEK is widely used for medical and nonmedical devices, we believe that this is of great clinical relevance.

Intrafamilial transmission of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV): long-term dynamics of epitope-specific antibody response in context of avidity maturation.

BACKGROUND: The role of a special early family formation (PEKiP), which is popular in Germany, as a potential origin of HCMV-transmission to seronegative mothers is not documented. OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical courses, to identify the virological origin and to evaluate a new tool for diagnosis of a cascade of intrafamilial HCMV primary infections. STUDY DESIGN: This prospectively analyzed long-term course of HCMV primary infection leading to hospitalization of two family members, included the evaluation of different IgG/IgM/IgG avidity-assays with an epitope-specific recombinant immunoblot-assay. Additionally, neutralization (NT) assays using fibroblast-and epithelial-target cells were performed to correlate NT50 values to avidity maturation. HCMV gN/gO/gB-RFLP-genotyping and phylogenetic analyses were performed using urine viral isolates. RESULTS: The clinical courses of the sequentially occurring intrafamilial HCMV primary infections were unusual, leading to hospitalization. Long-term-serology of the mother revealed concordant results for an unimodal IgG-course and a rapid decrease of IgM-indices from week 7 to week 21 p.i. Interestingly, the cut-off definitions for low and high avidity ranged discordantly from 15 to 25 weeks, and from 18 to 42 weeks p.i., respectively. A good correlation was found between the increase of fibroblast-adapted NT50 values and the appearance of high avidity using the epitope-specific immunoblot (>18 weeks p.i.). RFLP-genotyping and sequencing could identify the index patient as member of PEKiP-meetings. CONCLUSIONS: PEKiP-meetings with naked babies may be an important source of horizontal HCMV-transmission to seronegative pregnant mothers in Germany. Using epitope-specific immunoblots, persisting HCMVp150-IgM-reactivities and good concordance between high IgG-avidity and increase of fibroblast adapted neutralization capacity were found.