salicylates and Vasculitis

Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Arthritis, Juvenile; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Azathioprine; Chloroquine; Cyclophosphamide; Drug Therapy, Combination; Felty Syndrome; Gold; Humans; Hydroxychloroquine; Immunosuppressive Agents; Leukapheresis; Lung Diseases; Lymphoid Tissue; Methotrexate; Penicillamine; Plasmapheresis; Radiotherapy; Rheumatic Diseases; Salicylates; Sjogren's Syndrome; Spinal Diseases; Vasculitis

Urticaria represents a wide variety of conditions characterized by urticarial papules, wheals, and angioedema. The number of potential causes of urticaria is legion, but a diligent search by careful history and examination is indicated. Laboratory testing depends upon the specific situation, but routine screening examinations are not cost effective. Histamine from mast cells plays an important role in urticaria. Multiple factors, such as aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, direct histamine-releasing agents (including benzoates), tartrazine and other azo dyes, and perhaps blockers of beta 2-adrenergic activity and H2 receptors, adversely influence histamine release either directly or indirectly. Vasodilation is also detrimental. Treatment of both acute and chronic urticaria necessitates removal of the patient from aggravating factors as well as the cause of the outbreak (if one can be found), along with effective antihistaminic agents and perhaps beta 2-adrenergic agonists. Treatment of specific entities within the urticarial group is briefly outlined in this article.

Topics: Chronic Disease; Coloring Agents; Diet; Histamine Release; Humans; Physical Stimulation; Salicylates; Skin; Sunlight; Temperature; Urticaria; Vasculitis

Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Arthritis, Juvenile; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Cryoglobulinemia; Felty Syndrome; Giant Cell Arteritis; Humans; Liver Diseases; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Polymyalgia Rheumatica; Rheumatic Diseases; Rheumatic Fever; Salicylates; Scleroderma, Systemic; Sjogren's Syndrome; Vasculitis

Topics: Allopurinol; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Gold; Gout; Humans; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Osteoarthritis; Penicillamine; Rheumatic Diseases; Salicylates; Spondylitis, Ankylosing; Vasculitis

To explore mechanisms of diabetes-associated vascular endothelial cells (ECs) injury, human umbilical vein ECs were treated for 24h with high glucose (HG; 26mM), advanced glycation end-products (AGEs; 100mug/ml) or their intermediate, glyoxal (GO: 50-5000muM). HG and AGEs had no effects on ECs morphology and inflammatory states as measured by vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expressions. GO (500muM, 24h) induced cytotoxic morphological changes and protein expression of COX-2 but not VCAM-1. GO (500muM, 24h) activated ERK but not JNK, p38 or NF-kappaB. However, ERK inhibitor PD98059 was ineffective to GO-induced COX-2. While EUK134, synthetic combined superoxide dismutase/catalase mimetic, had no effect on GO-mediated inflammation, sodium nitroprusside inhibited it. The present results indicate that glyoxal, a metabolite of glucose might be a more powerful inducer for vascular ECs inflammatory injury. Nitric oxide but not anti-oxidant is preventive against GO-mediated inflammatory injury.

Topics: Antioxidants; Cullin Proteins; Cyclooxygenase 2; Diabetic Angiopathies; Endothelium, Vascular; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; Flavonoids; Glucose; Glycation End Products, Advanced; Glyoxal; Humans; Nitric Oxide Donors; Organometallic Compounds; Protein Kinase Inhibitors; Salicylates; Signal Transduction; Vasculitis

Not only is urticaria a condition of disparate cause, but it also may be produced through the action of one or more of a long list of chemical mediators. This article discusses some of the accepted procedures in the evaluation of patients with urticaria, which includes not only categorization but also a search for the sources of aggravation and laboratory testing to confirm the clinical diagnosis. An example of a printed history form is included, which comprises questions that hopefully will help to identify aggravating factors as well as potential causes.

Topics: Angioedema; Aspirin; Cold Temperature; Coloring Agents; Dermatitis, Contact; Food Preservatives; Hot Temperature; Humans; Pressure; Salicylates; Sunlight; Tyramine; Urticaria; Vasculitis; Water; Yeasts