title: Topical treatment of skin ulcers in prolidase deficiency.
abstract: Prolidase deficiency is a hereditary enzyme deficiency characterized dermatologically by chronic recurrent ulcers and scarring due to increased skin fragility. It has been speculated that the enzyme deficiency causes a relative deficiency of proline in the wounds of these patients and negatively affects clinical healing. Two ulcers in a 17-year-old girl with established prolidase deficiency were treated for 12 weeks with ointments containing amino acids in an open study comparing the effects of 5% proline and a combination of 5% proline plus 5% glycine. Both ointments caused significant reduction of the ulcer size (p < 0.02), but the 5% proline-5% glycine mixture caused a more rapid reduction (0.01 < p < 0.02). The results confirm previous findings in this rare inborn error of metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Jemec
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Moe
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004150:Dipeptidases / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009824:Ointments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D009824:Ointments; D004150:Dipeptidases; C022449:proline dipeptidase