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UV radiation causes acute adverse effects like sunburn, photosensitivity reactions, or immunologic suppression, as well as long-term sequelae like photoaging or malignant skin tumors. UV radiation induces tissues to produce reactive oxygen species, eicosanoids and cytokines. Inhibition of these mediators might reduce skin damage. Antioxidants such as ascorbic acid and d-alpha-tocopherol have been found to be photoprotective in some in vitro studies and animal experiments.Our purpose was to assess the protective effect of systemic vitamins C and E against sunburn in human beings.In a double-blind placebo-controlled study, each of 10 subjects took daily either 2 gm of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) combined with 1000 IU of d-alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) or placebo. The sunburn reaction before and after 8 days of treatment was assessed by determination of the threshold UV dose for eliciting sunburn (minimal erythema dose [MED]) and by measuring the cutaneous blood flow of skin irradiated with incremental UV doses against that of nonirradiated skin.The median MED of those taking vitamins increased from 80 to 96.5 mJ/cm2 (p0.01), whereas it declined from 80 to 68.5 mJ/cm2 in the placebo group. Cutaneous blood flow changed significantly (p0.05) for most irradiation doses with decreases in those given vitamins and increases in the placebo group.Combined vitamins C and E reduce the sunburn reaction, which might indicate a consequent reduced risk for later sequelae of UV-induced skin damage. The increase of sunburn reactivity in the placebo group could be related to "priming" by the previous UV exposure.

Background: Flow cytometric basophil activation tests have been developed as cellular tests for in vitro diagnosis of IgE-mediated reactions. Different activation markers (CD63 or CD203c) with distinct ways of regulation have been used after stimulation with various allergens. Objective: It was the aim of the present study to compare basophil activation tests by measuring both CD63 and CD203c upregulation in patients with insect venom allergy. Materials and methods: 43 patients with a history of insect venom anaphylaxis were examined. A careful allergy history was taken, and skin tests and determination of specific IgE-antibodies were performed. Basophil activation tests (BAT) using CD63 or CD203c expression were done after stimulation with different concentrations of bee and wasp venom extracts. 25 healthy subjects with negative history of insect venom allergy were studied as controls. Results: The CD203c protocol showed a slightly higher sensitivity than the CD63 protocol (97% vs. 89%) with regard to patients’ history. The magnitude of basophil response was higher with CD203c in comparison to CD63 for both insect venoms. Specificity was 100% for the CD63 protocol and 89% for the CD203c protocol with regard to controls with negative history and negative RAST. Conclusion: These results support the reliability of basophil activation tests using either CD63 or CD203c as cellular tests in the in vitro diagnosis of patients with bee or wasp venom allergy with a slightly higher sensitivity for the CD203c protocol.

Scleredema adultorum is a rare connective tissue disorder of unknown cause. Both bath-PUVA and cream-PUVA therapy were reported to be effective. We describe a patient with scleredema adultorum who showed a striking clinical improvement with a medium-dose UVA1 phototherapy (single dose, 50 J/cm(2); 35 treatments).

Die Haufigkeit des atopischen Ekzems hat in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten zugenommen, bei Kindern und Adoleszenzen tritt die Erkrankung inzwischen in mehr als 10% auf.

To the Editor: Actinic (or solar) keratosis is a potential precursor of squamous-cell carcinoma of the skin. Its development is related to the cumulative exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the ...

Irradiation of human peripheral leukocytes with ultraviolet A (UVA) induced a significant and dose-dependent reduction of anti-IgE or Ca-ionophore-stimulated histamine release without consistent influence upon C5a-induced release reactions. This effect was equally demonstrable in atopies and controls. In the presence of the radical scavenger superoxide dismutase, the UVA-induced inhibition of anti-IgE-induced histamine release was abolished. Under the conditions used, UVB exposure did not result in relevant changes of in vitro histamine release.