Allergy
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Drug hypersensitivity may deprive patients of drug therapy, and occasionally no effective alternative treatment is available. Successful desensitization has been well documented in delayed drug hypersensitivity reactions. In certain situations, such as sulfonamide hypersensitivity in HIV-positive patients or hypersensitivity to antibiotics in patients with cystic fibrosis, published success rates reach 80%, and this procedure appears helpful for the patient management. ⋯ Slower protocols tend to be more effective than rush protocols; however, underreporting of unsuccessful procedures is very probable. The decision to desensitize a patient must always be made on an individual basis, balancing risks and benefits. This paper reviews the literature and presents the expert experience of the Drug Hypersensitivity Interest Group of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
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Comparative Study
Morphological changes in eosinophils are reliable markers of the severity of an acute asthma exacerbation in children.
Early identification of the severity of asthma exacerbation would be helpful for the management of patients. We aimed to evaluate the correlation of morphological change in activated eosinophils and the severity of an asthma exacerbation. ⋯ Quantifying the morphological changes in eosinophils is a feasible, easy, and reliable manner to identify the severity of an asthma exacerbation and therefore might improve the clinical management of asthmatic children.