Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0033774 (pruritus)
 14,546 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The efficacy, safety and usefulness of murine anti-endotoxin monoclonal IgM antibody "E5, an intravenous dose of 2 mg/kg" were evaluated in 88 patients with suspected Gram-negative sepsis from 37 institutes in Japan. Out of these, 74 patients were evaluable for the efficacy, 85 for safety and 75 for clinical usefulness. In assessing the efficacy, the patients were divided into 3 groups based on the plasma endotoxin levels (Endospecy with new PCA treatment of plasma): H group with a level of above 9.8 pg/ml and M group with a level of 3.0-9.8 pg/ml and L group with a level of below 3.0 pg/ml. 1. The efficacy rates as assessed following administration of E5 were 73.1% in the H group, 70.4% in the M group and 38.1% in the L group being higher in the groups with significantly high plasma endotoxin levels. 2. In both the H and M groups in whom plasma endotoxin levels were significantly high, the majority of the patients showed rapid reduction of the levels after administration of E5. 3. In all groups, improvement in body temperature, pulse rate, blood TNF-alpha and blood IL-6 was observed after treatment with E5. In the H and M groups with an endotoxin level of > or = 3.0 pg/ml, improvement in platelet count as well as in CRP was noted. The H group showed also improvement in WBC. 4. Improvement in the shock score was noted in all the groups but was more outstanding in the H and M groups in the early stage of treatment. 5. Side effects were seen in 5 (5.9%) of 85 patients and all thought to be allergic in symptoms such as rash, itching, fever and flare. 6. The reaction to the prick test performed before administration of E5 was negative in all these 5 patients. For 3 of the 5 patients, anti-E5 IgE antibody was measured. In all of them, the IgE levels were higher than those of healthy controls. Also, in 47.6% of patients, an elevation of anti-E5 IgG antibody was noted two weeks after the administration. 7. Clinical laboratory abnormalities were observed in 3 (3.5%) of 85 patients. They were an elevation of S-GOT.S-GPT and lowering of BUN, increased Al-p and decreased CH50, increased neutrophilia (%) and were all slight in the degree of the changes. 8. The clinical usefulness of E5 was evaluated for 75 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:[Phase II study of edobacomab (E5) in the treatment of gram-negative sepsis]. 813 82

The tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha or Cachectin) is a protein produced mainly by macrophages, with a wide range of biological activities and in inflammatory process. On the other hand, scabies is a skin disease caused by Sarcoptes scabiei which is typified by severe itching (particularly at night), red papules and often secondary infection. The female mite tunnels in the skin to lay her eggs and the newly hatched mites pass easily from person to person by contact. Commonly the infested areas are the groin, penis, nipples and the skin between the fingers. In this paper, the serum levels of TNF-alpha versus IgG., IgM., and IgE. were estimated in parasitologically proven scabietic male children (8-13 years) with no secondary infection or other parasitic infection. The results showed high significant elevation of serum TNF-alpha in 94.1% (P = 7.763E-04) and IgE in 100% (P = 1.530E-07) in the scabietic patients than in the control group, and non significant increase in IgG in 47% (P = 0.0605) and in IgM in 5.9% (P = 0.9404). It was concluded that TNF-alpha plays a role in the pathogenesis of human scabies. Extensive study is ongoing to clarify the outcome of TNF-alpha in human scabies.
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PMID:Serum levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) versus immunoglobulins (IgG., IgM., and IgE.) in Egyptian scabietic children. 858 72

The currently available respiratory topical corticosteroids are all effective at reducing the nasal symptoms of itch, sneezing, rhinorrhoea and obstruction associated with allergic rhinitis. The mechanism of action of corticosteroids is related to their anti-inflammatory activities. They have been documented to prevent fluid exudation and reduce the number of circulating inflammatory cells, including lymphocytes, mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, macrophages, and neutrophils. This occurs through multiple mechanisms, e.g. eosinophil infiltration is suppressed by preventing cytokine production, reducing local mechanisms of tissue infiltration, and decreasing eosinophil survival. Furthermore, corticosteroids also reduce preformed and newly-generated mediators (e.g. histamine, tryptase, prostanoids, leukotrienes), and inhibit production of cytokines and chemokines by inflammatory cells (e.g. IL-1 through IL-6, IL-8, RANTES, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and GM-CSF). The currently available corticosteroids differ pharmacologically. Fluticasone propionate appears to have the greatest affinity for the glucocorticoid receptor, and binds more quickly and dissociates more slowly from the receptor compared with other corticosteroids, suggesting a more prolonged duration of action. Its increased specificity for respiratory tissue may lead to greater potency with less potential for systemic adverse effects. Fluticasone propionate has been compared with other corticosteroids in animal models for relative topical and systemic potency, and according to these data, it has the most favourable risk-benefit ratio.
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PMID:The pharmacological basis for the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis with topical corticosteroids. 921 61

Cytokines have been proposed as histamine-independent itch mediators. To investigate this hypothesis, single doses of interleukin-2 (IL-2, 10 MU/mL) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha, 10 micrograms/mL) were delivered to the epidermis of 10 healthy volunteers with a controlled skin-prick model; 1% histamine and solvent controls were included in a double-blind, randomized crossover design. Itch ratings (computerized visual analogue scale) were obtained every 20 s for 15 min and cutaneous reactions (weal, flare and temperature) were measured. Reactions were also recorded after 2, 24 and 48 h. The mean itch ratings were: histamine 35.5, IL-2 3.3 (both P < 0.01 compared with control), TNF-alpha 1.6 and solvent control 1.75 (not significant). Weal and flare occurred only with histamine. In two volunteers, an inflammatory papule with transient pruritus developed 12-18 h after applying IL-2. In conclusion, IL-2 showed a rapid, low pruritogenic effect, which may be followed by an inflammatory response. TNF-alpha induced no itching in this setting. Skin-prick testing with appropriate doses of potential pruritogens provides a safe and sensitive model for further chemoreceptor studies.
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PMID:Skin testing of the pruritogenic activity of histamine and cytokines (interleukin-2 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha) at the dermal-epidermal junction. 934 40

An increasing number of persons say that they get cutaneous problems as well as symptoms from certain internal organs, such as the central nervous system (CNS) and the heart, when being close to electric equipment. A major group of these patients are the users of video display terminals (VDTs), who claim to have subjective and objective skin- and mucosa-related symptoms, such as pain, itch, heat sensation, erythema, papules, and pustules. The CNS symptoms are, e.g. dizziness, tiredness, and headache. Erythema, itch, heat sensation, edema and pain are also common symptoms of sunburn (UV dermatitis). Alterations have been observed in cell populations of the skin of patients suffering from so-called "screen dermatitis" similar to those observed in the skin damaged due to ultraviolet (UV) light or ionizing radiation. In "screen dermatitis" patients a much higher number of mast cells have been observed. It is known that UVB irradiation induces mast cell degranulation and release of TNF-alpha. The high number of mast cells present in the "screen dermatitis" patients and the possible release of specific substances, such as histamine, may explain their clinical symptoms of itch, pain, edema and erythema. The most remarkable change among cutaneous cells, after exposure with the above-mentioned irradiation sources, is the disappearance of the Langerhans' cells. This change has also been observed in "screen dermatitis" patients, again pointing to a common cellular and molecular basis. The results of this literature study demonstrate that highly similar changes exist in the skin of "screen dermatitis" patients, as regards the clinical manifestations as well as alterations in the cell populations, and in skin damaged by UV light or ionizing radiation.
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PMID:Skin changes in "screen dermatitis" versus classical UV- and ionizing irradiation-related damage--similarities and differences. 941 15

To determine whether common skin diseases associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were distinguishable based on the pattern of serum cytokine expression, we studied patients with psoriasis, pruritus, and Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) for levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon-gamma (IFN-y), interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-4. Thirty-two HIV-positive (HIV+) patients including 8 with KS, 11 with psoriasis, and 13 with pruritus along with 16 HIV-negative subjects with psoriasis were studied. IFN-gamma levels were highest in sera of HIV+ patients with psoriasis (p = 0.040). By contrast, TNF-alpha and IL-10 levels were highest in sera of HIV+ patients with pruritus (p = 0.012). Detectable levels of all cytokines in these patients were remarkably higher than for healthy adults. These results suggest that common skin diseases associated with HIV infection and AIDS can be distinguished by the production of unique cytokines.
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PMID:Distinct serum cytokines in AIDS-related skin diseases. 1018 88

AIDS is known to cause a shift of cytokines in the periphery. However, predominant cytokines in skin of patients with HIV-associated skin diseases have not been clearly defined. We hypothesized that there are distinct cytokine profiles that distinguish among the different clinical manifestations of AIDS-related skin diseases. To test this hypothesis, lesional and non-lesional skin was biopsied from 53 HIV+ patients with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), psoriasis, and pruritus due to eosinophilic folliculitis, and from HIV negative controls with psoriasis or KS prior to therapy. Immunohistochemistry was performed with antibodies to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-10, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and interferon-inducible protein (IP)-10. HIV positive individuals included 10 with psoriasis, 14 with pruritus, and 15 with Kaposi's sarcoma. HIV negative controls included 12 with psoriasis and two with KS. Semi-quantitative analysis of cytokine staining was confirmed by optical density using a digital imaging system on four representative skin sections from each disease. Optical density analyses were conducted using ANOVA and t-tests. We found that epidermis overlying HIV+ Kaposi's sarcoma was hyperproliferative and was highest in IP-10, IFN-gamma, and IL-10 (P=0.0001). HIV+ pruritus was significantly highest in TNF-alpha (P=0.0001) staining. HIV+ psoriasis represented an intermediate state for all four cytokines. Normal skin adjacent to lesions showed the same relative patterns, with lower intensities. Skin diseases seen frequently in the setting of HIV and immunodeficiency have relatively distinct levels and patterns of cytokine expression that may reflect immune dysfunction, reactivity to HIV and to opportunistic infections.
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PMID:Cytokine expression patterns distinguish HIV associated skin diseases. 1101 55

Desloratadine is a new, selective, H(1)-receptor antagonist that also has anti-inflammatory activity. In vitro studies have shown that desloratadine inhibits the release or generation of multiple inflammatory mediators, including IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, PGD(2), leukotriene C(4), tryptase, histamine, and the TNF-alpha-induced chemokine RANTES. Desloratadine also inhibits the induction of cell adhesion molecules, plateletactivating factor-induced eosinophil chemotaxis, TNF-alpha-induced eosinophil adhesion, and spontaneous and phorbol myristate acetate-induced superoxide generation in vitro. In animals desloratadine had no effect on the central nervous, cardiovascular, renal, or gastrointestinal systems. Desloratadine is rapidly absorbed, has dose-proportional pharmacokinetics, and has a half-life of 27 hours. The absorption of desloratadine is not affected by food, and the metabolism and elimination are not significantly affected by the subject's age, race, or sex. There are no clinically relevant interactions between desloratadine and erythromycin, ketoconazole, or grapefruit juice. Desloratadine is not a significant substrate of the P-glycoprotein transport system. Once daily administration of desloratadine rapidly reduces the nasal and nonnasal symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis, including congestion. In patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis and concomitant asthma, desloratadine treatment was also associated with significant reductions in total asthma symptom score and use of inhaled beta(2)-agonists. Use of desloratadine in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria was associated with significant reductions in pruritus, number of hives, size of the largest hive, and interference with sleep and daily activities. Clinical experience in over 2300 patients has shown that the adverse event profile of desloratadine is similar to that of placebo; desloratadine has no clinically relevant effects on electrocardiographic parameters, does not impair wakefulness or psychomotor performance, and does not exacerbate the psychomotor impairment associated with alcohol use.
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PMID:Desloratadine: A new, nonsedating, oral antihistamine. 1129 78

Pruritus is one of the major unsolved problems for patients receiving regular hemodialysis. In this study, we conducted a 6 month prospective and crossover trial to investigate the effect of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) membrane for renal itching. We also examined the role of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha system for pruritus in hemodialysis patients. We assessed the degree of skin itching and measured circulating levels of TNF-alpha and soluble TNF receptors (sTNFR-I, sTNFR-II) in 19 patients using hemodialysis, complicated by prolonged severe pruritus for 6 months. Serum sTNFR-I and II levels were significantly elevated in hemodialysis patients compared to normal subjects. Serum sTNFR-II levels were significantly and negatively correlated with serum albumin (r = -0.602, p = 0.007). A significant positive relationship was also found between sTNFR-I and erythropoietin dosage (r = 0.554, p = 0.016). However, no association was found between the degree of pruritus and circulating sTNFR-I and II values. Skin itching scale was significantly decreased from 2.7 +/- 0.2 to 2.1 +/- 0.3 following the use of PMMA membrane for 3 months (p < 0.05). In contrast, there was no change in itching scales during 3 months of conventional therapy (2.2 +/- 0.3 versus 2.2 +/- 0.3, p = NS). PMMA itself did not affect serum TNF-alpha and sTNFR values as well as conventional dialyzer membranes. These findings suggested that the PMMA dialyzer can improve renal itching not mediated through the modification of the TNF-alpha system.
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PMID:Polymethylmethacrylate efficacy in reduction of renal itching in hemodialysis patients: crossover study and role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha. 1145 73

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha plays an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Infliximab is an anti-TNF-alpha chimeric monoclonal antibody, which is licensed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. Some reports have shown the efficacy of infliximab, either in monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate, for the treatment of psoriatic arthropathy and psoriasis. The efficacy and tolerability of infliximab monotherapy was evaluated in 29 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, unresponsive to conventional treatments. Fourteen patients suffered from concomitant arthropathy. Patients received intravenous infliximab, 5mg/kg, at weeks 0, 2, and 6. After this 3-dose-induction regimen, patients were followed-up at monthly intervals and retreated with a single-dose infusion in case of relapse of signs and symptoms. Clinical assessment was performed using the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) to monitor psoriasis activity; pruritus and joint pain were assessed on a scale of 0 to 3. A marked improvement of skin lesions and subjective symptoms was noted in the majority of patients; an excellent reduction of PASI score (> or =75%) was observed in 13.8% of cases at week 2, 71.4% at week 6 and 78.6% at week 10. During the follow-up period, some patients maintained satisfactory clinical results without requiring any additional infusions. In general, skin lesions showed a trend towards a more prolonged and sustained improvement as compared with subjective symptoms. Treatment was well tolerated and no serious adverse events occurred.
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PMID:Infliximab monotherapy for refractory psoriasis: preliminary results. 1546 71


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