Allergologia et immunopathologia
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Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) · Jan 2021
The impact of skin prick testing on pain perception and anxiety in children and parents.
Skin prick testing (SPT) is a major diagnostic tool in patients with allergic symptoms. The testing process may involve pain, anxiety, and stress on children and parents. ⋯ SPT may cause anxiety and pain in a subgroup of children particularly in younger age, and if performed on the back. Anxiety levels were higher in mothers, and in parents with high education levels.
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Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) · Jan 2021
CME suggestions for pediatricians, allergists, and dermatologists, directed by an online survey on urticaria knowledge.
The Mexican Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of urticaria have been published. Just before their launch, physicians' knowledge was explored relating to key issues of the guidelines. ⋯ Specialty-specific continuous medical education might enhance urticaria management.
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Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) · Sep 2020
ReviewBCG as a game-changer to prevent the infection and severity of COVID-19 pandemic?
The impact of COVID-19 is changing with country wise and depend on universal immunization policies. COVID-19 badly affects countries that did not have universal immunization policies or having them only for the selective population of countries (highly prominent population) like Italy, USA, UK, Netherland, etc. Universal immunization of BCG can provide great protection against the COVID-19 infection because the BCG vaccine gives broad protection against respiratory infections. ⋯ BCG vaccine provides protection for 50-60 years of immunization, so the elderly population needs to be revaccinated with BCG. Several countries started clinical trials of the BCG vaccine for health care workers and elderly people. BCG can be uses as a prophylactic treatment until the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine.
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Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) · May 2020
Galactose-α-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) allergy: first pediatric case in a series of patients in Spain.
Allergy to galactose-α-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) is a peculiar form of food allergy generally manifesting as an anaphylactic reaction hours after mammalian meat consumption, due to the presence of specific IgE against this oligosaccharide. In addition, immediate anaphylaxis may develop after exposure to other sources of alpha-gal, such as monoclonal antibody cetuximab, vaccines, plasma expanders or anti-snake venoms. Sensitization to alpha-gal has also been implicated in the rapid degeneration of biological valve implants, and recognized as a cause of occupational disease in cattle raisers. The implication of tick bites in this type of sensitization has been accepted by all the research groups dedicated to this disease. ⋯ A review is also made of the disorder which, due to its variable clinical expression, is referred to as alpha-gal syndrome. The study concludes that a diagnosis of alpha-gal allergy should be considered in patients with urticaria-anaphylaxis of uncertain origin or manifesting after the administration of vaccines or products of bovine/porcine origin.
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Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) · May 2019
ReviewWhat do we know about cancer immunotherapy? Long-term survival and immune-related adverse events.
Immunotherapy delivered a new therapeutic option to the oncologist: Ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4), Nivolumab and Pembrolizumab (anti-PD1), and Atezolizumab (anti-PD-L1) increase overall survival and show a better safety profile compared to chemotherapy in patients with metastatic melanoma, lung, renal cancer among others. But all that glitters is not gold and there is an increasing number of reports of adverse effects while using immune-checkpoint inhibitors. ⋯ IRAEs, ranging from mild to potentially life-threatening events, can involve many systems, and their management is radically different from that of cytotoxic drugs: immunosuppressive treatments, such as corticoids, infliximab or mycophenolate mofetil, usually result in complete reversibility, but failing to do so can lead to severe toxicity or even death. Patient selection is an indirect way to reduce adverse events minimizing the number of subjects exposed to this drugs: unfortunately PDL-1, the actual predictive biomarker, would not allow clinicians select or exclude patients for treatment with checkpoint inhibitors.