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Immunological studies in patients with alopecia receiving dinitrochlorobenzene and cimetidine therapy

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Summary

Twenty-one patients with alopecia were screened for the immune reactivity of their peripheral blood lymphocytes. Generally, patients had only eczematous reactions when rather strong solutions of dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) were applied. One-third of the patients had lymphocytes with in vitro reactivity towards dinitrofluorobenzene-albumin in a lymphocyte transformation test. The percentage of T lymphocyte subpopulations in blood was normal, together with a normal in vitro function after mitogen and antigen stimulation. Six of the patients were treated with 1 g cimetidine daily for 6 weeks. We could not find clinical or immunological changes during the therapy. The findings are discussed in relation to other immunological studies of patients with alopecia and the eventual effect of cimetidine on the immune system.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Aarhus, Marselisborg Hospital, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    K. Thestrup-Pedersen, J. R. Jensen & H. Zachariae

  2. Department of Surgery, University of Aarhus, Aarhus County Hospital, DK-8000, Aarhus C

    S. Bisballe

Authors
  1. K. Thestrup-Pedersen
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  2. S. Bisballe
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  3. J. R. Jensen
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  4. H. Zachariae
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Additional information

This study has received support from The Danish Medical Research Council, grants no. 512-15133 and 512-20063

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Thestrup-Pedersen, K., Bisballe, S., Jensen, J.R. et al. Immunological studies in patients with alopecia receiving dinitrochlorobenzene and cimetidine therapy. Arch Dermatol Res 273, 261–266 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409254

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409254

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