skin-care-5.matches: skin care
Postphlebitic syndrome.

Merli GJ.

Postphlebitic syndrome occurs in 20 per cent of patients with deep vein thrombosis. Symptoms are nonspecific; they include heaviness, fatigue, pain, and vary from patient to patient. The signs of edema, skin pigmentation, dermatitis, varicosities, and ulceration are a result of the increased retrograde venous pressure secondary to the valve destruction by the phlebitic process. The aim of therapy is to improve venous support by graduated elastic stockings and to ensure good skin care and exercise.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6536397&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-1.matches: skin care
Protective effects of (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate on UVA-induced damage in HaCaT keratinocytes.

Huang CC, Fang JY, Wu WB, Chiang HS, Wei YJ, Hung CF.

Department of Dermatology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei County, Taiwan.

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a constituent of green tea, has been extensively studied and shown to be a powerful antioxidant protecting skin cells against photodamage. In this study, however, we demonstrated that another gallated catechin, (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG), was also able to protect human keratinocytes against damage induced by ultraviolet A (UVA) light. We found that ECG dose-dependently inhibited UVA-induced keratinocyte death as determined by cell viability assay. Moreover, ECG had similar potency to EGCG in inhibiting UVA-induced cell death. Therefore, the mechanism of action of ECG was further investigated. As assayed by flow cytometry, UVA-induced hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) production in keratinocytes was inhibited by ECG in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting that ECG can act as a free radical scavenger while keratinocytes were photodamaged. The scavenging effect of ECG was confirmed by the fact that ECG treatment attenuated cell damage induced by H(2)O(2) and hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase. In a parallel experiment, UVA-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in keratinocytes was blocked by ECG. We provided here the first evidence that ECG is a potent protectant that protects keratinocytes from photodamage. Because ECG is abundant in green tea, we believe that this compound is beneficial for skin care.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15726391&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-5.matches: skin care
Nursing care of the immunosuppressed patient.

Crow S.

The primary objectives of nurses caring for the immunosuppressed patient are to create a safe, peaceful environment and to promote the quality of the patient's life. Strengthening the patient's defense mechanisms is inherent in these nursing objectives, and the nurse must have certain competencies to reinforce these defense mechanisms. One competency is a thorough understanding of the immunosuppressed patient. The infection control practitioner (ICP) should assist the nurse in understanding what an immunosuppressed patient is, what his risk of infection is, what his reaction to infection might be, and what isolation practices are appropriate. Another necessary nursing skill is proficiency in patient assessment, not only when the patient is admitted, but on a continuous basis since the patient's status can change so rapidly. Finally the nurse must have the ability to implement appropriate nursing measures. The nurse must use the principles of asepsis in all patient care activities, recognize risk factors of infection, and understand the importance of such details as proper nutrition, oral hygiene, and skin care. Psychological support is also an essential part of the nursing care plan. Nursing care affects the well-being of the immunosuppressed patient and infection control practitioners have a role in ascertaining that nurses know how to treat such patients appropriately.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6558027&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-5.matches: skin care
The use of insulin pump therapy in adolescents.

Klingensmith GJ, Giordano BP, McCabe ER, Radcliffe JJ.

Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) systems have been used in diabetes management since the mid-1970s. Investigators have reported encouraging results with CSII use in adult subjects with dramatically improved glucose control, reversal of some complications, and high acceptance and compliance rates. We have studied 10 adolescents and 3 young adults using CSII for diabetes management. Only the three young adults (ages 20, 24, 34 years) have had markedly improved metabolic control, sustained pump use, and made adequate psychological adjustment to CSII therapy. Adolescent subjects, (ages 9-17 years), experienced problems with peer acceptance of pumps, had difficulty with infusion needle insertion and skin care, were unable to perform home blood glucose monitoring consistently, made nonadvised manipulations of insulin dosage and reported mechanical problems with CSII devices more frequently than the young adult subjects. Mean duration of CSII use in adolescent subjects (6.1 months) was significantly less than mean use (30.6 months) among the young adults (p less than 0.01). Currently, adults appear to have greater success than adolescents in using CSII for diabetes management.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6571167&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-5.matches: skin care
Smoking, spasticity and pressure sores in spinal cord injured patients.

Lamid S, El Ghatit AZ.

The most important factors for the formation of pressure sores are sufficient pressure for an adequate period of time. Many investigators have shown that psycho-social factors are also associated with pressure sores. We investigated other factors that may relate to higher incidence and more extensive pressure sores. Seventeen paraplegics and 21 quadriplegics were clinically examined regarding the degree of spasticity and the size of their pressure sores were measured. They were interviewed for cigarette smoking habit, the presence of help in skin care and their employment or educational activities. Body weight was obtained and the types of wheelchair cushion used were inspected. The result shows that patients with more pack-years of smoking habit had higher incidence and more extensive pressure sores. Other variables such as level of spinal cord injury, completeness of neurological lesion, the availability of help in skin care, the presence of employment or educational activities, spasticity, and body weight were not associated with pressure sores. The types of wheelchair cushion used by our patients did not correlate to the incidence of pressure sores. In addition, cigarette smoking did not decrease spasticity in our patients.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6650675&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-5.matches: skin care
Hygiene for the newborn--to bath or to wash?

Hylen AM, Karlsson E, Svanberg L, Walder M.

Appropriate skin care of newborns is performed partly to prevent infection but also for aesthetic and cleansing purposes. Skin care should involve cleansing with a non-toxic, non-abrasive neutral material. This study compared the relative risks and benefits of washing versus bathing with regard to bacterial colonization rate, clinical infection rate, body temperature and crying. The results confirm our clinical impression that bathing and washing routines do not differ with regard to signs of infection or other clinical complications. However, the washing routine does increase the babies heat loss and make them less comfortable.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6663065&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine skin-care-5.matches: skin care
Baby powder use in infant skin care. Parental knowledge and determinants of powder usage.

Hayden GF, Sproul GT.

One hundred parents of infants aged 2 weeks to 6 months were surveyed at the time of routine well-child visits to assess parental knowledge about baby powder and to determine whether hospital policy of providing a free powder sample to newly delivered mothers was unwittingly promoting powder usage. Most parents (69%) reported regular baby powder use as part of routine infant skin care. Powder-users were significantly more likely than nonusers to attribute to baby powder the ability to kill bacteria and yeast and to prevent diaper rash (p less than 0.01). Even among nonusers, fewer than half were aware that aspiration/ingestion of baby powder was a potential health hazard. Almost all parents reported receiving a free sample of baby powder while in the hospital as part of a complimentary gift pack provided by the manufacturers. Most powder-users were currently using a brand they had received as a sample, and eight parents cited the receipt of a sample as the major determinant for selecting a particular brand of powder. The short- and long-term effects of distributing sample packs to newly delivered parents deserve further study.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6697622&dopt=Abstract skin, skin care, skin care medicine