Yalda Nahidi; Vahid Mashayekhi Goyonlo; Pouran Layegh; Hoda Marhamati; Mona Najaf Najafi
Abstract
Background: Zinc is an effective factor in the immune response against infectious agents; its effect on the course of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is unknown. This study aimed to compare the serum zinc level in patients with acute and chronic CL. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted on 120 CL cases ...
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Background: Zinc is an effective factor in the immune response against infectious agents; its effect on the course of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is unknown. This study aimed to compare the serum zinc level in patients with acute and chronic CL. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted on 120 CL cases and controls. This included 30 cases of acute CL (less than one year of lesion recovery), 30 cases of chronic CL (period of illness over one year), and 60 healthy subjects with age and gender proportional to the patients. Volunteers entered the study with knowledge and consent. The serum zinc level was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results: The percentages of people with reduced serum zinc levels in the healthy, acute, and chronic groups were 13.3, 50, and 43.3%, respectively, whereby there was a significant difference between the leishmaniasis groups (acute and chronic) and the control group (p <0.001). However, the mean serum zinc level did not differ significantly between the acute (75.36 ± 15.72 µg/dl) and chronic (73.96 ± 17.98 µg/dl) leishmaniasis groups (P=0.94). Conclusions: A reduced serum zinc level is associated with symptomatic CL, but does not affect the clinical outcome and recovery.
Mashayekhi Vahid; Maleki Masoud; Javidi Zari; Mahmodi Mahmoud; Taheri Ahmad Reza; Mehrabi Reza
Volume 11, Issue 2 , 2008, , Pages 60-63
Abstract
Background: It appears that chronic lupoid leishmaniasis is the result of type 2 predominant T helper response to parasite and a defect in the down regulation of IL-4 production during infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the underlying immune status in these patients and their predominant ...
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Background: It appears that chronic lupoid leishmaniasis is the result of type 2 predominant T helper response to parasite and a defect in the down regulation of IL-4 production during infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the underlying immune status in these patients and their predominant T helper activity we considered serum IgE as an indicator of TH2 activity and IL-4 production as it has been shown in atopic diathesis.Methods: In 34 cases of chronic lupoid leishmaniasis serum IgE level was measured and compared with 34 control cases of age and sex matched healthy individuals without atopic diathesis. P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: There were 21 females and 13 males with a mean age of 14.35±8.3 years in the patients group. The mean age of the control group was 16.11±8.4 (P>0.05 and matched). Nine patients had atopic diathesis. Mean serum IgE level in patients and in the control group was 102.6±22.4 i.u/ml and 135.6±24.9 i.u/ml, respectively (P>0.05 with no significant difference). Mean serum IgE level in patients without atopic diathesis (25 cases) was 66.8±11.3i.u/ml which was significantly lower than the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion: In this study, serum IgE level in cases with chronic lupoid leishmaniasis was lower than the control group and it seems that in these patients, there is not an underlying Th2 over activity as it is seen in atopic diathesis.
M Mirshams Shahshahani; S Alami Harandi; AH Ehsani
Volume 8, Issue 1 , 2004, , Pages 39-43
Abstract
Background: Urticaria is a common skin disease characterized by transient and itchy swelling. The spectrum of etiologic factors in urticaria is very wide and contains external factors such as drugs, foods and internal diseases such as infections, SLE, hormonal factors and even lymphoma. Objective: To ...
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Background: Urticaria is a common skin disease characterized by transient and itchy swelling. The spectrum of etiologic factors in urticaria is very wide and contains external factors such as drugs, foods and internal diseases such as infections, SLE, hormonal factors and even lymphoma. Objective: To determine different kinds of urticaria and different etiologic and prevocational factors in patients with urticaria. Patients and Methods: This descriptive study was carried on 120 patients with urticaria referred to Razi Hospital in Tehran in year 1376. They were evaluated in two groups: Acute and chronic urticaria, duration of 6 weeks was the limit between them. Results: About 30% of patients had acute urticaria and causes were determined in 58% of them. Upper respiratory tract infections, drugs and foods were the most common etiologic factors. In only 22% of patients with chronic urticaria, the causes were found, which included infections (Sinusitis, hepatitis B, intestinal parasitic infections), drugs (NSAIDs and Codeine) and food. Fifty percent of these patients had common urticaria, 22% of them were affected with one of the physical urticarias and in 22% of them a combination of two or more kinds of urticaria were founded. Conclusion: The most important factor in determining the cause and provocation of urticaria are taking detailed history and performing thorough clinical examination. Paraclinical studies had a little role in determining etiology of urticaria.