Search

Background: Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) often take a very long time to heal. Timolol maleate has been reported as displaying efficacy in healing of VLUs., Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of timolol maleate gel in the management of hard-to-heal VLUs and to assess its safety as a topical agent during 12 weeks of use in combination with conventional treatment., Methods: A prospective, phase-II randomised-controlled trial with a sample size based on Fleming's one-stage design (P0=0.25, P1=0.45, alpha=0.1, beta=0.2) was planned. Patients with VLUs present for ≥24 weeks and with ≥50% granulation tissue were included. One drop of sustained-release timolol gel (Timoptol® LP 0.5%, Santen, Tampere, Finland) per 6 cm 2 VLU area was applied every 2 days for 12 weeks in timolol-treated patients, as adjuvant therapy to the standard care protocol (interface dressing and multilayer venous compression). Controls received standard care alone. The primary endpoint was to obtain ≥40% reduction in ulcer area at week 12 (W12)., Results: Forty-three patients were randomised to the study, with 40 receiving at least one treatment and included in the analysis: 21 timolol-treated patients and 19 controls (females: 70%; median age: 72.5 [range 35-93] years). At W12, ≥40% ulcer-area reduction was achieved in 14/21 (67%) timolol-treated patients vs. 6/19 (32%) controls. No serious adverse events occurred. Local wound infections not requiring systemic antibiotics occurred in 5 cases in the timolol group and in one case in the controls., Conclusions: These results support the benefit and safety of using timolol maleate to manage hard-to-heal VLUs, but confirmation is required in a larger multicentre randomised phase-III study., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Hypertensive leg ulcers (HLU) are a form of necrotic leg ulcer. Their physiopathology is not well known and in these patients, no venous or arterial insufficiency is detected. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the association between HLU severity and the presence or absence of concomitant vitamin K antagonist (VKA) medication. We furthermore aimed to describe the epidemiology of this entity and the prevalence of thrombophilia factors in this population., Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective study in 54 patients hospitalized in the dermatology department of Reims University Hospital between 01/01/2007 and 31/12/2013: 23 patients were included in the "without VKA" group, and 30 were included in the "with VKA" group. Clinical and laboratory data were collected., Results: The average HLU surface was higher in the "with VKA" group i.e. 35.00cm 2 (min: 3.0; max: 220.0) versus 23.00cm 2 (min: 5.0; max: 300.0) (P=0.05). No significant difference was found in terms of time to healing, mean hospitalization duration, HLU treatment by skin grafting, or time to recurrence after healing. Mean patient age was 74.2±9.3 years; 100% of patients had arterial hypertension, 50.9% had diabetes, and 20.8% were active smokers. Abnormal but non-significant values for thrombophilia factors were observed., Conclusion: Our study shows no obvious differences between patients with HLU with or without VKA medication. A prospective, comparative study is necessary to further evaluate this hypothesis, with particular emphasis on routine thrombophilia factor analysis., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: The data concerning changes in the characteristics of hypertensive leg ulcers (HLU) were taken from open studies in a small patient cohort. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological characteristics and to identify prognostic factors for healing in a prospective cohort of 59 patients presenting HLU., Patients and Methods: The cohort comprised patients included in a randomized, double-blind, controlled study published elsewhere; the patients were receiving becaplermin gel (Regranex(®)) or Duoderm Hydrogel™ once daily for eight weeks for the most recent wound. Total follow-up was 12 weeks., Results: The epidemiological analysis was performed for 59 consecutive patients randomized in 17 dermatology departments. Mean patient age was 74.5 ± 9 years and 61% were female. Mean wound duration was 11.1 ± 9 weeks and median wound area was 16 cm(2) (q1; q3: 8; 25.5). Among, 94.9% of patients had hypertension and 39.7% were diabetic. A homolateral peripheral pulse was present in 91.5% of patients. At the end of follow-up, complete wound healing was obtained in 30.5% of the patients. In univariate analysis, neither the foregoing criteria nor the treatment group were significantly associated with healing during the study., Conclusion: This study confirms female predominance, old age, prevalence of diabetes and delay in the diagnosis of HLU. The prognosis for healing does not appear to be dependent on wound duration, wound area or the presence of moderate peripheral arterial disease, doubtless because this condition progresses by episodes of flare-up and under specific conditions., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Glycogen storage disease type 1b is a rare disorder caused by 6-glucose-phosphatase transport deficiency. It is characterised primarily by metabolic disorders combined with hypoglycaemia and hyperlactacidaemia and a predisposition to staphylococcal infections associated with polynuclear neutrophil abnormality. Herein, we report the case of a patient with glycogen storage disease type 1b who developed ulcers of the lower limbs and we discuss the possible significance of this association which, to our knowledge, has not yet been described in the medical literature., Patients and Methods: A 38-year-old man, presenting glycogen storage disease type 1b diagnosed when he was 13 months old, was hospitalised for ulcers of the lower limbs occurring over the preceding five years. The patient had a quantitative polynuclear neutrophil deficit that was treated with filgrastim. The various ulcers all developed according to the same pattern, namely pustules progressing towards necrosis followed by painful ulceration. No fever or collection of pus was observed. A number of samples of pustules proved sterile while others contained Staphylococcus aureus, sensitive to numerous antibiotics. Histopathological examination proved relatively inconclusive and laboratory tests showed no vascular cause of the ulcers., Discussion: Hypothetical diagnoses of staphylococcal ecthyma suggested by the neutrophil deficiency and of pyoderma gangrenosum were proposed but could not be confirmed with certainty. Involvement of other predisposing factors independent of the patient's glycogen storage disease cannot be ruled out. This combination, not previously reported, nevertheless deserves to be singled out, despite its as yet unclear significance., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Botulinum toxin could represent nowadays a new treatment modality especially for cutaneous conditions in course of which conventional treatments remain unsuccessful. Besides palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis, botulinum toxin has demonstrated efficacy in different conditions associated with hyperhidrosis, such as dyshidrosis, multiple eccrine hidrocystomas, hidradenitis suppurativa, Frey syndrome, but also in different conditions worsened by hyperhidrosis such as Hailey-Hailey disease, Darier disease, inversed psoriasis, aquagenic palmoplantar keratoderma, pachyonychia congenital. Moreover, different cutaneous conditions associated with sensitive disorders and/or neurological involvements could benefit from botulinum toxin, for example anal fissures, leg ulcers, lichen simplex, notalgia paresthetica, vestibulitis. Endly, a case of cutis laxa was described where the patient was improved by cutaneous injections of botulinum toxin.

Introduction: Necrotic angiodermatitis is a variety of leg ulcer, characterized by very painful and rapidly spreading lesions. Healing takes time, a mean of 4 to 11 months. Current treatment is difficult and rarely satisfactory. Only early skin grafts lead to rapid sedation of pain and stop the lesion from extending. However, this technique, performed during a progressive phase, enhances the risk of losing a certain number of grafts. We wanted to confirm the efficacy of local auto-haemo-therapy proposed in 2 non-controlled studies., Patients and Methods: Eleven patients with necrotic angiodermatitis were included in our non-controlled prospective study. The topical hemotherapy was applied three times a week for one month, with initial hospitalization for 15 days. The criteria of assessment were: evolution of pain, surface of the ulcer, colorimetric scale and the date of disappearance of the purple halo., Results: Ten patients were relieved by the treatment, with progressive withdrawal of the analgesics. The progression of the lesion had stopped and the purple halo had disappeared in general by D6 (range: 2 to 21 days). The percentage of granulation tissue with regard to the surface of the ulcer was of 45.4 p. 100 on D0, 80 p. 100 on D14 and 85 p. 100 on D28., Conclusion: Topical hemotherapy applied during the initial phase of treatment would reduce the pain and prepare the lesion for a secondary skin graft.

Objective: Staphylococcus aureus is the most common bacteria responsible for cutaneous infections. Its capacity to adapt has led to the selection of methicilline-resistant strains (MRSA). These strains create specific problems in their management in dermatology (mode of contamination, treatment, added costs, increased nosocomial risks). The objective of our study was to search for morbidity of MRSA in chronic cutaneous wounds in hospital settings and assess the need of systemic antibiotic therapy., Patients and Methods: We have conducted a one-year prospective study. All the patients hospitalized in the department with leg ulcers or foot wounds were included. Following local sampling for bacteriological examination, three groups were constituted: methicilline-sensitive patients with staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), methicilline-resistant staphylococcus aureus patients and patients in whom these bacteria were absent. Only the first two groups were compared after studying the past history, clinical description of the wound at the start of the study, results of the infectious bacteriology and of the clinical and bacteriological evolution of the wounds., Results: The two groups studied were similar in number, past history, clinical aspect and therapeutic management. Only malnutrition was more frequent in patients exhibiting MRSA. There was no difference with the evolution of the wounds., Conclusion: Our study did not reveal any difference in the morbidity of staphylococcus aureus in the cutaneous wounds whether methicilline sensitive or resistant. Systematic antibiotherapy is not justified in the absence of signs of infection.

Background: Argyria, induced by prolonged absorption, is often of professional or medical origin. We report two cases of per cutaneous intoxication with topical silver sulfadiazine., Case Reports: A 64 year-old hypertensive, diabetic woman presented bilateral venous ulcers on the legs. She had applied 100 g of silver sulfadiazine 1 p. 100 cream per week for the past 18 months. Silver concentration in blood high: 38 microgram/l (N<0.5) and led to renal dysfunction, without ocular or hepatic abnormality. A 19 year-old woman was treated with topical silver sulfadiazine for thermic cutaneous burns on legs. Renal and hepatic function was normal but silver concentration in blood was high at 440 microgram/l (N<0) with urinary excretion of silver at 12 microgram/l (N=0)., Discussion: Silver, from prolonged and excessive use of topical silver sulfadiazine, deposits in large amounts throughout the body: skin, labial mucosa, gingiva, kidney, liver and cornea. Monitoring concentration of silver in blood and/or urine is necessary, especially in patients treated with silver sulfadiazine cream for cutaneous burns. Indeed, silver is rapidly absorbed through the burn wound. It provokes hepatic, renal and neurologic tissue toxicity. Renal and hepatic function tests are not correlated with serum silver levels., Conclusion: The potential for silver toxicity is a direct consequence of applying silver sulfadiazine to extensive burn wounds. Hence monitoring concentrations of silver in blood and/or urine of patients receiving this treatment is recommended.

Genetically, Klinefelter's syndrome is characterized by a super-numerary chromosome X in male subjects presenting with clinical and biochemical hypoandrogenism and relative hyperoestrogenism. The association of Klinefelter's syndrome with chronic leg ulcer has given rise to numerous publications. The cause of the trophic disorders is unclear. We report two cases of this syndrome associated with chronic leg ulcers and anomalies of haemostasis. One of these two patients had platelet hyperaggregability followed by disorders of fibrinolysis, while the other had disorders of fibrinolysis. We reviewed the literature concerning the various aetiopathogenic hypotheses put forward to explain the cause of these leg ulcers, as well as their interactions and relationship with the hormonal anomalies. The position occupied by disorders of haemostasis is particularly developed.

Three patients with karyotype XYY who had presented with deep vein thrombosis and leg ulcers (plus pulmonary embolism in two of them) were investigated for: (1) androgens (plasma testosterone measurement, testosterone oestradiol binding globulin (TeBG) assay, GnRH 50 micrograms test), and (2) haemostasis by fibrinolysis tests (euglobulin lysis time and area, antigenic plasminogen activator assay before and after 10 min venostasis). Full evaluation of haemostasis failed to demonstrate the presence of circulating anticoagulant or of antithrombin III, protein C and protein S deficiencies. One patient had neither hormonal nor fibrinolytic abnormality. The other two patients shared some clinical features with male hypogonadism (gynoid morphotype in both, hypotrophy of the testes in one, gynaecomastia in the other). They also had hormonal disorders ("over-response" to the GnRH test in one case, elevated TeGB in the other case) and abnormalities of fibrinolysis (poor response to venostasis, high baseline level of plasminogen activator). Response to venostasis became normal after 3 months of treatment with percutaneous dihydrosterone 125 mg per day in the two patients with initially poor response. The mechanism of venous pathology in XYY subjects is discussed. A genetic defect not involving the fibrinolysis system is possible since fibrinolysis was normal in one patient; however, abnormal fibrinolysis may have been responsible for the venous pathology in the other 2 patients. The role played by abnormalities of fibrinolysis in the pathogenesis of deep vein thrombosis and leg ulcers is recalled, and the possible implication of these abnormalities in patients with XYY karyotype is emphasized.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)