Allergy
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Multicenter Study
Trends in prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis in 5-7-year old Swiss children from 1992 to 2001.
Changing occurrence rates of asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis are of public health concern and require surveillance. Changes in prevalence rates of these atopic diseases were monitored during 10 years and their trend with time was determined taking into account the influence of personal and environmental risk factors. ⋯ Results of these four consecutive surveys suggest that the increase in prevalence of asthma and hay fever in 5-7-year old children living in Switzerland may have ceased. However, symptoms of atopic dermatitis may still be on the rise, especially among girls.
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Since January 2002, the European Commission is funding a large project, 'Protection against Allergy--Study in Rural Environments' (PASTURE; contract no. QLK4-2001-00250), under the Fifth Framework Program in the field of epidemiology of allergic diseases. The aim of this paper was to describe the background and design as well as the aims of the project. ⋯ In turn, pet keeping in the first year of life, particularly, dog keeping, has been inversely related to the development of wheeze and atopic illnesses. Several prospective birth cohort studies found a decreased prevalence of atopic disease in children having daily contact to pets, in particular to cats and dogs, during early infancy. The protective effect might be attributable to allergen or other exposures associated with pet ownership, but may also in part be because of the removal of pets in families with sensitized or symptomatic children or in families with a positive history for atopy at the time the child was born.
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Comparative Study
Diagnosis of neuromuscular blocking agent hypersensitivity reactions using cytofluorimetric analysis of basophils.
Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated hypersensitivity reactions to neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) are common and life threatening. Basophil activation based upon the expression of CD63 in the presence of specific allergens was found to be of importance for the diagnosis of IgE-mediated hypersensibility. ⋯ Basotest may be useful for the diagnosis of NMBA allergy in patients with a suspicion of recent IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reaction to NMBA.
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Correct diagnosis of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated disease is the prerequisite for secondary allergy prevention during early childhood. ⋯ Phadiatop Infant appears to be a reliable alternative to SPT and the measurement of allergen-specific IgE antibodies in plasma for detecting clinically important IgE sensitisation among children at 2 years of age.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
IgE reactivity to latex allergens among sensitized healthcare workers before and after immunotherapy with latex.
New IgE sensitizations to proteins in allergen extracts have been shown to occur during allergen-specific immunotherapy (IT). ⋯ Hev b 6.01 seems to be the most relevant latex allergen in HCWs. New or more intense IgE binding to latex allergenic components occurs during latex immunotherapy. However, the levels of specific IgE against these new components are low and do not seem to have clinical relevance.