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Summary Background: Skin care is important especially in infancy as the skin barrier matures during the first year of life. We studied the effects of baby swimming and baby lotion on the skin barrier function of infants. Subjects and methods: 44 infants aged 3-6 months were included in this mono-center prospective study. The healthy infants swam four times and were randomized to groupL: baby lotion was applied after swimming all over the body and to groupWL: no lotion was used. Transepidermal water loss, stratum corneum hydration, skin-pH and sebum were measured on four body regions using non-invasive methods. Results: In groupL, sebum and pH remained stable. In groupWL, significant decrease in sebum was noted on forehead and thigh, and for pH on thigh and buttock. GroupL had fewer infants with at least one adverse event compared to groupWL. Location-dependent gender differences in skin barrier function were observed. Conclusions: Reaction of skin barrier function to baby swimming and skin care regimens showed typical regional variability between body areas. Influence of baby lotion on skin barrier and gender differences in skin functional parameters were demonstrated for the first time in healthy infants participating in baby swimming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate the efficacy of classical massage treatment in reducing breast cancer-related symptoms and in improving mood disturbances. Methods. Women diagnosed with primary breast cancer were randomized into an intervention group and a control group. For a period of 5 weeks, the intervention group received bi-weekly 30-min classical massages in the back and head–neck areas. The control group received no additional treatment to their routine healthcare. To evaluate treatment efficacy, the following validated questionnaires were administrated at baseline (T1), at the end of the intervention (T2), and at a followup at 11 weeks (T3): the Short Form-8 Health Survey™, the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire breast module (EORTC QLQ-BR23), the Giessen Complaints Inventory (GBB), and the Berlin Mood Questionnaire (BSF). Results. Eighty-six eligible women (mean age: 59 years) were enrolled in the study. A significantly higher reduction of physical discomfort was found in the intervention group compared with the control group at T2 (p=0.001) and at T3 (p=0.038). A decrease in fatigue was also observed. Women in the intervention group reported significantly lower mood disturbances at T2 (p<0.01) but not at T3. The effect of treatment on mood disturbances was significantly higher if a patient was treated continuously by the same masseur. Conclusion. Classical massage seems to be an effective adjuvant treatment for reducing physical discomfort and fatigue, and improving mood disturbances in women with early stage breast cancer. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the short-term effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on the antioxidative status and tinnitus expression in patients with chronic tinnitus aurium. Study design: A 16-week prospective nonrandomized clinical trial (n = 20). Tinnitus and Short Form-36 Questionnaires (TQ/SF-36) were evaluated together with the plasma concentrations of CoQ10, malondialdehyde, and the total antioxidant status. Results: The mean plasma CoQ10 concentration rose under external CoQ10 supply and remained elevated after medication stopped without overall effects on the tinnitus score. However, in a subgroup of 7 patients with low initial plasma CoQ10 concentration and significant increase in the plasma CoQ10 level, a clear decrease in the TQ score was observed. Conclusion: In patients with a low plasma CoQ10 concentration, CoQ10 supply may decrease the tinnitus expression. Significance: This is the first study to examine the effect of CoQ10 in chronic tinnitus aurium. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]