Allergologia et immunopathologia
-
Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) · Nov 2003
Comparative StudyDetection of influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus during asthma attacks in children older than 2 years old.
Viral upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) have been correlated with the onset of asthma attacks in children and viral identification was reported in 14-49 % of nasal samples. The aim of the present study was to detect influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in older children during acute asthma attacks. ⋯ The rate of viral identification was higher in asthmatic children, whether symptomatic or not, suggesting a possible susceptibility to viral infections. Virus could also be a triggering factor in attacks, although it is not the most preponderant in older children.
-
PFAPA syndrome (Periodic Fever, Aphtas, Pharyngitis and cervical Adenopathies) is one of the causes of periodic fever in pediatrics and it is characterised by high fever, pharyngitis, cervical adenitis and aphtous stomatitis. Its etiopathogeny is unknown. The diagnosis is clinical and the findings of laboratory are unspecified. One or two doses (1 mg/kg) of oral prednisone are enough for a fast resolution of the clinic. It is a benign syndrome and no sequels have been noticed after its disappearance, usually in four years from its beginning. ⋯ Periodic episodes of high fever, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis with a bad response to the conventional treatment should alert us to the PFAPA syndrome. The recognition of this entity will help us to improve the diagnostic and therapeutical focusing, lowering also the anxiety that these cases produce.
-
Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) · Jul 2003
ReviewIs Helicobacter pylori infection associated with chronic idiopathic urticaria?
Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is one of the most frequent skin diseases, however its causes remain unknown in the vast majority of cases. There is increasing evidence for systemic effects of gastric Helicobacter pylori infection, which may result in extra gastrointestinal disorders. Although CIU can result from several causes, a possible relationship between chronic urticaria and Helicobacter pylori has been recently suggested. ⋯ Although some authors found convincing evidence of the involvement of Helicobacter pylori as one possible cause of chronic urticaria, our results have failed to confirm the existence of this etiological association. The most remarkable finding was that those patients who had clinical remission of disease were the ones with greater UBT titters suggesting a role for the amount of colonization by Hp in the pathogenesis of urticaria disease.
-
Two cases of auriculotemporal syndrome are presented in two male children that began in the first years of life to present reactions of linear erythema itinerary on the cheeks after eating several foods. The allergologic study with these foods was negative, reproducing the clinical picture after their ingestion.
-
Allergen specific immunotherapy has been shown to be effective in rigorous double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials in both children and adults A recent WHO position paper stated that immunotherapy is an effective treatment for patients with allergic rhinitis/conjunctivitis, allergic asthma and allergic reactions from stinging insects and is thought to be more effective in children than in adults. When speaking about children there are several questions that are important regarding the natural course of the disease. One of the most important is whether immunotherapy can prevent asthma, either by preventing sensitisation to allergens related to the development of asthma or by preventing the inflammation in the lungs caused by allergen exposure. ⋯ In a retrospective study of children treated with immunotherapy during childhood for at least three years, that were re-evaluated in early adulthood, the control patients who were treated with medication and no immunotherapy suffered almost 3.5 times more symptoms than the active group treated with immunotherapy. The current findings suggest that immunotherapy should be considered earlier in the course of allergic disease to prevent progression or to prevent the development of new sensitisation. Further studies with long term follow up particularly in children could address this possibility.