Pub Date : 2017-01-01Epub Date: 2017-02-08DOI: 10.1155/2017/6425869
Hind Serhane, Lamyae Amro, Hafsa Sajiai, Abdelhaq Alaoui Yazidi
Background. Date palm's pollen has been identified as a source of allergy; the rate of sensitization of this pollen is between 6 and 29%. Objective. To determine the prevalence of sensitization to date palm in Marrakesh and to identify the clinical profile. Patients and Methods. This study is based on a questionnaire and the prick test on 7 allergens, in population aged 5 years and above with clinical symptoms suggesting allergic diseases, from November 2012 to February 2013 in Marrakech. Results. We included 468 patients (women: 79.5%). The prick tests were considered interpretable in 467 cases. The prevalence of skin sensitization to pollen of date palm was 6.6%. The 31 cases of sensitization to date palm involved 7 men and 24 women with an average age of 37.5 years. Cutaneous monosensitization to date palm's pollen was observed in 2 cases. Asthma, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis were recorded, respectively, in 48.4%, 93.5%, and 67.7%. Conclusion. Skin sensitization to pollen of date palm does not seem unusual among allergic patients in Marrakech and is comparable to that found in Casablanca (7%), Barcelona (6.6%), and Cartagena (6.1%).
{"title":"Prevalence of Skin Sensitization to Pollen of Date Palm in Marrakesh, Morocco.","authors":"Hind Serhane, Lamyae Amro, Hafsa Sajiai, Abdelhaq Alaoui Yazidi","doi":"10.1155/2017/6425869","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/6425869","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Background</i>. Date palm's pollen has been identified as a source of allergy; the rate of sensitization of this pollen is between 6 and 29%. <i>Objective</i>. To determine the prevalence of sensitization to date palm in Marrakesh and to identify the clinical profile. <i>Patients and Methods</i>. This study is based on a questionnaire and the prick test on 7 allergens, in population aged 5 years and above with clinical symptoms suggesting allergic diseases, from November 2012 to February 2013 in Marrakech. <i>Results</i>. We included 468 patients (women: 79.5%). The prick tests were considered interpretable in 467 cases. The prevalence of skin sensitization to pollen of date palm was 6.6%. The 31 cases of sensitization to date palm involved 7 men and 24 women with an average age of 37.5 years. Cutaneous monosensitization to date palm's pollen was observed in 2 cases. Asthma, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis were recorded, respectively, in 48.4%, 93.5%, and 67.7%. <i>Conclusion</i>. Skin sensitization to pollen of date palm does not seem unusual among allergic patients in Marrakech and is comparable to that found in Casablanca (7%), Barcelona (6.6%), and Cartagena (6.1%).</p>","PeriodicalId":88910,"journal":{"name":"Journal of allergy","volume":"2017 ","pages":"6425869"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2017/6425869","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"34792473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2017-01-01Epub Date: 2017-05-16DOI: 10.1155/2017/2051916
Shannon E Majowicz, James K H Jung, Sarah M Courtney, Daniel W Harrington
Our objective was to explore the perceived risk of food allergies among students in Ontario, Canada. We analyzed blinding questions ("I am concerned about food allergies"; "food allergies are currently a big threat to my health") from three existing food safety surveys, given to high school and university undergraduate students (n = 3,451) circa February 2015, using descriptive analysis, and explored how concern related to demographics and self-reported cooking ability using linear regression. Overall, high school students were neutral in their concern, although Food and Nutrition students specifically were significantly less concerned (p = 0.002) than high school students overall. University undergraduates were moderately unconcerned about food allergies. Concern was highest in younger students, decreasing between 13 and 18 years of age and plateauing between 19 and 23 years. Among students aged 13-18 years, concern was higher among those who worked or volunteered in a daycare and who had previously taken a food preparation course. Among students aged 19-23 years, concern was higher among females and those with less advanced cooking abilities. Concern was significantly correlated with perceiving food allergies as a personal threat. This study offers a first exploration of perceived risk of food allergies among this demographic and can guide future, more rigorous assessments.
{"title":"Exploring the Concern about Food Allergies among Secondary School and University Students in Ontario, Canada: A Descriptive Analysis.","authors":"Shannon E Majowicz, James K H Jung, Sarah M Courtney, Daniel W Harrington","doi":"10.1155/2017/2051916","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2017/2051916","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Our objective was to explore the perceived risk of food allergies among students in Ontario, Canada. We analyzed blinding questions (\"I am concerned about food allergies\"; \"food allergies are currently a big threat to my health\") from three existing food safety surveys, given to high school and university undergraduate students (<i>n</i> = 3,451) circa February 2015, using descriptive analysis, and explored how concern related to demographics and self-reported cooking ability using linear regression. Overall, high school students were neutral in their concern, although Food and Nutrition students specifically were significantly less concerned (<i>p</i> = 0.002) than high school students overall. University undergraduates were moderately unconcerned about food allergies. Concern was highest in younger students, decreasing between 13 and 18 years of age and plateauing between 19 and 23 years. Among students aged 13-18 years, concern was higher among those who worked or volunteered in a daycare and who had previously taken a food preparation course. Among students aged 19-23 years, concern was higher among females and those with less advanced cooking abilities. Concern was significantly correlated with perceiving food allergies as a personal threat. This study offers a first exploration of perceived risk of food allergies among this demographic and can guide future, more rigorous assessments.</p>","PeriodicalId":88910,"journal":{"name":"Journal of allergy","volume":"2017 ","pages":"2051916"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5448059/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"35069985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background. The Scale for Psychosocial Factors in Food Allergy (SPS-FA) is based on the biopsychosocial model of health and was developed and validated in Chile to measure the interaction between psychological variables and allergy symptoms in the child. We sought to validate this scale in an English speaking population and explore its relationship with parental quality of life, self-efficacy, and mental health. Methods. Parents (n = 434) from the general population in the UK, who had a child with a clinical diagnosis of food allergy, completed the SPS-FA and validated scales on food allergy specific parental quality of life (QoL), parental self-efficacy, and general mental health. Findings. The SPS-FA had good internal consistency (alphas = .61–.86). Higher scores on the SPS-FA significantly correlated with poorer parental QoL, self-efficacy, and mental health. All predictors explained 57% of the variance in SPS-FA scores with QoL as the biggest predictor (β = .52). Discussion. The SPS-FA is a valid scale for use in the UK and provides a holistic view of the impact of food allergy on the family. In conjunction with health-related QoL measures, it can be used by health care practitioners to target care for patients and evaluate psychological interventions for improvement of food allergy management.
{"title":"Validation of the English Version of the Scale for Psychosocial Factors in Food Allergy and the Relationship with Mental Health, Quality of Life, and Self-Efficacy","authors":"R. Knibb, A. Cortes, C. Barnes, C. Stalker","doi":"10.1155/2016/4850940","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/4850940","url":null,"abstract":"Background. The Scale for Psychosocial Factors in Food Allergy (SPS-FA) is based on the biopsychosocial model of health and was developed and validated in Chile to measure the interaction between psychological variables and allergy symptoms in the child. We sought to validate this scale in an English speaking population and explore its relationship with parental quality of life, self-efficacy, and mental health. Methods. Parents (n = 434) from the general population in the UK, who had a child with a clinical diagnosis of food allergy, completed the SPS-FA and validated scales on food allergy specific parental quality of life (QoL), parental self-efficacy, and general mental health. Findings. The SPS-FA had good internal consistency (alphas = .61–.86). Higher scores on the SPS-FA significantly correlated with poorer parental QoL, self-efficacy, and mental health. All predictors explained 57% of the variance in SPS-FA scores with QoL as the biggest predictor (β = .52). Discussion. The SPS-FA is a valid scale for use in the UK and provides a holistic view of the impact of food allergy on the family. In conjunction with health-related QoL measures, it can be used by health care practitioners to target care for patients and evaluate psychological interventions for improvement of food allergy management.","PeriodicalId":88910,"journal":{"name":"Journal of allergy","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82485369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Jongco, Sheila M. Bina, R. Sporter, Marie Cavuoto Petrizzo, B. Kaplan, M. Kline, S. Schuval
Physicians underrecognize and undertreat anaphylaxis. Effective interventions are needed to improve physician knowledge and competency regarding evidence-based anaphylaxis diagnosis and management (ADAM). We designed and evaluated an educational program to improve ADAM in pediatrics, internal medicine, and emergency medicine residents from two academic medical centers. Anonymous questionnaires queried participants' demographics, prior ADAM clinical experience, competency, and comfort. A pretest assessing baseline knowledge preceded a 45-minute allergist-led evidence-based presentation, including practice with epinephrine autoinjectors, immediately followed by a posttest. A follow-up test assessed long-term knowledge retention twelve weeks later. 159 residents participated in the pretest, 152 participated in the posttest, and 86 participated in the follow-up test. There were no significant differences by specialty or site. With a possible score of 10, the mean pretest score (7.31 ± 1.50) was lower than the posttest score (8.79 ± 1.29) and follow-up score (8.17 ± 1.72) (P < 0.001 for both). Although participants' perceived confidence in diagnosing or managing anaphylaxis improved from baseline to follow-up (P < 0.001 for both), participants' self-reported clinical experience with ADAM or autoinjector use was unchanged. Allergist-led face-to-face educational intervention improves residents' short-term knowledge and perceived confidence in ADAM. Limited clinical experience or reinforcement contributes to the observed decreased knowledge.
{"title":"A Simple Allergist-Led Intervention Improves Resident Training in Anaphylaxis","authors":"A. Jongco, Sheila M. Bina, R. Sporter, Marie Cavuoto Petrizzo, B. Kaplan, M. Kline, S. Schuval","doi":"10.1155/2016/9040319","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/9040319","url":null,"abstract":"Physicians underrecognize and undertreat anaphylaxis. Effective interventions are needed to improve physician knowledge and competency regarding evidence-based anaphylaxis diagnosis and management (ADAM). We designed and evaluated an educational program to improve ADAM in pediatrics, internal medicine, and emergency medicine residents from two academic medical centers. Anonymous questionnaires queried participants' demographics, prior ADAM clinical experience, competency, and comfort. A pretest assessing baseline knowledge preceded a 45-minute allergist-led evidence-based presentation, including practice with epinephrine autoinjectors, immediately followed by a posttest. A follow-up test assessed long-term knowledge retention twelve weeks later. 159 residents participated in the pretest, 152 participated in the posttest, and 86 participated in the follow-up test. There were no significant differences by specialty or site. With a possible score of 10, the mean pretest score (7.31 ± 1.50) was lower than the posttest score (8.79 ± 1.29) and follow-up score (8.17 ± 1.72) (P < 0.001 for both). Although participants' perceived confidence in diagnosing or managing anaphylaxis improved from baseline to follow-up (P < 0.001 for both), participants' self-reported clinical experience with ADAM or autoinjector use was unchanged. Allergist-led face-to-face educational intervention improves residents' short-term knowledge and perceived confidence in ADAM. Limited clinical experience or reinforcement contributes to the observed decreased knowledge.","PeriodicalId":88910,"journal":{"name":"Journal of allergy","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89413095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Payam Morakabati, M. Assarehzadegan, G. Khosravi, B. Akbari, F. Dousti
Sensitisation to Amaranthus retroflexus pollen is very common in tropical and subtropical countries. In this study we aimed to produce a recombinant allergenic Ole e 1-like protein from the pollen of this weed. To predict cross-reactivity of this allergen (Ama r 1) with other members of the Ole e 1-like protein family, the nucleotide sequence homology of the Ama r 1 was investigated. The expression of Ama r 1 in Escherichia coli was performed by using a pET-21b(+) vector. The IgE-binding potential of recombinant Ama r 1 (rAma r 1) was evaluated by immunodetection and inhibition assays using 26 patients' sera sensitised to A. retroflexus pollen. The coding sequence of the Ama r 1 cDNA indicated an open reading frame of 507 bp encoding for 168 amino acid residues which belonged to the Ole e 1-like protein family. Of the 26 serum samples, 10 (38.46%) had significant specific IgE levels for rAma r 1. Immunodetection and inhibition assays revealed that the purified rAma r 1 might be the same as that in the crude extract. Ama r 1, the second allergen from the A. retroflexus pollen, was identified as a member of the family of Ole e 1-like protein.
{"title":"Cloning and Expression of Ama r 1, as a Novel Allergen of Amaranthus retroflexus Pollen","authors":"Payam Morakabati, M. Assarehzadegan, G. Khosravi, B. Akbari, F. Dousti","doi":"10.1155/2016/4092817","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/4092817","url":null,"abstract":"Sensitisation to Amaranthus retroflexus pollen is very common in tropical and subtropical countries. In this study we aimed to produce a recombinant allergenic Ole e 1-like protein from the pollen of this weed. To predict cross-reactivity of this allergen (Ama r 1) with other members of the Ole e 1-like protein family, the nucleotide sequence homology of the Ama r 1 was investigated. The expression of Ama r 1 in Escherichia coli was performed by using a pET-21b(+) vector. The IgE-binding potential of recombinant Ama r 1 (rAma r 1) was evaluated by immunodetection and inhibition assays using 26 patients' sera sensitised to A. retroflexus pollen. The coding sequence of the Ama r 1 cDNA indicated an open reading frame of 507 bp encoding for 168 amino acid residues which belonged to the Ole e 1-like protein family. Of the 26 serum samples, 10 (38.46%) had significant specific IgE levels for rAma r 1. Immunodetection and inhibition assays revealed that the purified rAma r 1 might be the same as that in the crude extract. Ama r 1, the second allergen from the A. retroflexus pollen, was identified as a member of the family of Ole e 1-like protein.","PeriodicalId":88910,"journal":{"name":"Journal of allergy","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78585347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2016-01-01Epub Date: 2016-06-27DOI: 10.1155/2016/1497375
Gurkiran Birdi, Richard Cooke, Rebecca Knibb
Background. Food allergy is related to poorer quality of life (QoL) and mental health of caregivers. Many parents diagnose food allergy in their child without seeking medical care and there is limited research on this group. This study investigated parental QoL and mental health in parents of children with parent-diagnosed food allergy (PA), medically diagnosed food allergy (MA), and a control group with no allergy (NA). Methods. One hundred and fifty parents from a general population completed validated measures of QoL, anxiety, depression, and stress. Results. Parents of children with food allergy (PA or MA) reported higher stress, anxiety, and depression than the control group (all p < 0.05). Parents of children with MA reported poorer food allergy related QoL compared to parents of children with PA (p < 0.05); parents of children with PA reported poorer general QoL compared to parents of children with MA (p < 0.05). Conclusion. Parents of children with food allergy have significantly poorer mental health compared to healthy controls, irrespective of whether food allergy is medically diagnosed or not. It is important to encourage parents to have their child medically tested for food allergy and to recognise and refer for psychological support where needed.
{"title":"Quality of Life, Stress, and Mental Health in Parents of Children with Parentally Diagnosed Food Allergy Compared to Medically Diagnosed and Healthy Controls.","authors":"Gurkiran Birdi, Richard Cooke, Rebecca Knibb","doi":"10.1155/2016/1497375","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/1497375","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Background. Food allergy is related to poorer quality of life (QoL) and mental health of caregivers. Many parents diagnose food allergy in their child without seeking medical care and there is limited research on this group. This study investigated parental QoL and mental health in parents of children with parent-diagnosed food allergy (PA), medically diagnosed food allergy (MA), and a control group with no allergy (NA). Methods. One hundred and fifty parents from a general population completed validated measures of QoL, anxiety, depression, and stress. Results. Parents of children with food allergy (PA or MA) reported higher stress, anxiety, and depression than the control group (all p < 0.05). Parents of children with MA reported poorer food allergy related QoL compared to parents of children with PA (p < 0.05); parents of children with PA reported poorer general QoL compared to parents of children with MA (p < 0.05). Conclusion. Parents of children with food allergy have significantly poorer mental health compared to healthy controls, irrespective of whether food allergy is medically diagnosed or not. It is important to encourage parents to have their child medically tested for food allergy and to recognise and refer for psychological support where needed. </p>","PeriodicalId":88910,"journal":{"name":"Journal of allergy","volume":"2016 ","pages":"1497375"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2016/1497375","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"34680043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2016-01-01Epub Date: 2016-05-10DOI: 10.1155/2016/3219104
P U Ibekwe, T S Ibekwe
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is prevalent in Nigeria, though little information exists on the allergen. We assessed the clinical features of AR patients in our environment based on the allergic rhinitis impact on asthma (ARIA) classification. Only patients with positive skin prick test (SPT) were recruited. Seventy-four patients participated in the study. AR and asthma comorbidity were observed in 13.5%. The proportion of "sneezers-runners" was higher than "blockers" with significantly more "sneezers-runners" having persistent AR (P = 0.007). No relationship was established between these predominant symptoms and the aeroallergens used in this study. Intermittent mild and moderate/severe AR were evident in 13.5% and 31.1%, while persistent mild and moderate/severe were seen in 20.3% and 35.1%, respectively. House dust mites allergen yielded the highest number of positive responses (22.6%) followed by tree pollen (16.8%). No relationship was observed between the allergens tested and AR severity. Majority of patients were oligosensitive (33.8%) and polysensitive (35.1%) and were not significantly associated with AR severity (P = 0.07). Most AR patients presenting for treatment in Abuja, Nigeria, had moderate-severe persistent AR and showed similar SPT sensitization pattern with countries having similar climatic conditions. Sensitization patterns were not related to ARIA classification or predominant AR symptoms.
{"title":"Skin Prick Test Analysis in Allergic Rhinitis Patients: A Preliminary Study in Abuja, Nigeria.","authors":"P U Ibekwe, T S Ibekwe","doi":"10.1155/2016/3219104","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/3219104","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Allergic rhinitis (AR) is prevalent in Nigeria, though little information exists on the allergen. We assessed the clinical features of AR patients in our environment based on the allergic rhinitis impact on asthma (ARIA) classification. Only patients with positive skin prick test (SPT) were recruited. Seventy-four patients participated in the study. AR and asthma comorbidity were observed in 13.5%. The proportion of \"sneezers-runners\" was higher than \"blockers\" with significantly more \"sneezers-runners\" having persistent AR (P = 0.007). No relationship was established between these predominant symptoms and the aeroallergens used in this study. Intermittent mild and moderate/severe AR were evident in 13.5% and 31.1%, while persistent mild and moderate/severe were seen in 20.3% and 35.1%, respectively. House dust mites allergen yielded the highest number of positive responses (22.6%) followed by tree pollen (16.8%). No relationship was observed between the allergens tested and AR severity. Majority of patients were oligosensitive (33.8%) and polysensitive (35.1%) and were not significantly associated with AR severity (P = 0.07). Most AR patients presenting for treatment in Abuja, Nigeria, had moderate-severe persistent AR and showed similar SPT sensitization pattern with countries having similar climatic conditions. Sensitization patterns were not related to ARIA classification or predominant AR symptoms. </p>","PeriodicalId":88910,"journal":{"name":"Journal of allergy","volume":"2016 ","pages":"3219104"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1155/2016/3219104","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"34536363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background. The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically over the last decades, and its association with asthma is being increasingly recognized. Aims. Our hypothesis is that increased leptin and decreased adiponectin levels in obese subjects play a direct role in regulating inflammation in asthmatics. We wanted to examine the hypothesis that cysteinyl leukotrienes (cys-LT), inflammatory mediators that are regulated by adipokines, are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. Methods. We studied a population of asthmatics and nonasthmatics, who in turn were divided into obese and nonobese categories. We examined leptin and its ratio to adiponectin, in asthmatics and nonasthmatics, with and without obesity. In addition, we measured cys-LT levels in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and in peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) in these groups. Results. Leptin levels were increased in obese asthmatics compared to obese nonasthmatics. The leptin/adiponectin (L/A) ratio was higher in obese asthmatics compared to obese nonasthmatics. EBC cys-LT levels were elevated in asthmatics compared to nonasthmatics. Discussion. Proinflammatory adipokines, released from adipose tissue, may promote an asthma phenotype through enhanced cys-LT production that may result in more prevalent and difficult to control airway disease.
{"title":"Adipokines and Cysteinyl Leukotrienes in the Pathogenesis of Asthma","authors":"M. Coffey, B. Torretti, P. Mancuso","doi":"10.1155/2015/157919","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/157919","url":null,"abstract":"Background. The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically over the last decades, and its association with asthma is being increasingly recognized. Aims. Our hypothesis is that increased leptin and decreased adiponectin levels in obese subjects play a direct role in regulating inflammation in asthmatics. We wanted to examine the hypothesis that cysteinyl leukotrienes (cys-LT), inflammatory mediators that are regulated by adipokines, are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. Methods. We studied a population of asthmatics and nonasthmatics, who in turn were divided into obese and nonobese categories. We examined leptin and its ratio to adiponectin, in asthmatics and nonasthmatics, with and without obesity. In addition, we measured cys-LT levels in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and in peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) in these groups. Results. Leptin levels were increased in obese asthmatics compared to obese nonasthmatics. The leptin/adiponectin (L/A) ratio was higher in obese asthmatics compared to obese nonasthmatics. EBC cys-LT levels were elevated in asthmatics compared to nonasthmatics. Discussion. Proinflammatory adipokines, released from adipose tissue, may promote an asthma phenotype through enhanced cys-LT production that may result in more prevalent and difficult to control airway disease.","PeriodicalId":88910,"journal":{"name":"Journal of allergy","volume":"69 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87127638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Kyei, G. Koffuor, Paul Ramkissoon, S. Abokyi, O. Owusu-Afriyie, E. Wiredu
Heliotropium indicum is used traditionally as a remedy for conjunctivitis in Ghana. This study therefore evaluated the antiallergic potential of an aqueous whole plant extract of Heliotropium indicum (HIE) in ovalbumin-induced allergic conjunctivitis and attempted to predict its mode of action. Clinical scores for allergic conjunctivitis induced by intraperitoneal ovalbumin sensitization (100 : 10 μg OVA/Al(OH)3 in phosphate-buffered saline [PBS]) and topical conjunctival challenge (1.5 mg OVA in 10 μL PBS) in Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs were estimated after a week's daily treatment with 30–300 mg kg−1 HIE, 30 mg kg−1 prednisolone, 10 mg kg−1 chlorpheniramine, or 10 mL kg−1 PBS. Ovalbumin-specific IgG and IgE and total IgE in serum were estimated using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Histopathological assessment of the exenterated conjunctivae was also performed. The 30 and 300 mg kg−1 HIE treatment resulted in a significantly (p ≤ 0.001) low clinical score of allergic conjunctivitis. Ovalbumin-specific IgG and IgE as well as total serum IgE also decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.01–0.001). The conjunctival tissue in HIE treated guinea pigs had mild mononuclear infiltration compared to the PBS-treated ones, which had intense conjunctival tissue inflammatory infiltration. HIE exhibited antiallergic effect possibly by immunomodulation or immunosuppression.
在加纳,传统上,羊角球被用作治疗结膜炎的药物。因此,本研究评估了全植物水提取物(HIE)对卵清蛋白诱导的过敏性结膜炎的抗过敏潜力,并试图预测其作用模式。在给dunkin_hartley豚鼠每天30 - 300 mg kg - 1 HIE、30 mg kg - 1强的松龙、10 mg kg - 1氯苯那敏或10 mL kg - 1 PBS治疗一周后,评估腹腔卵清蛋白致敏(100:10 μg OVA/Al(OH)3在磷酸盐缓冲盐水[PBS]中)和局部结膜激发(1.5 mg OVA在10 μL PBS中)诱导的过敏性结膜炎的临床评分。采用酶联免疫吸附法测定血清卵清蛋白特异性IgG、IgE和总IgE。对取出的结膜进行组织病理学评估。30和300 mg kg - 1 HIE治疗组变应性结膜炎临床评分显著降低(p≤0.001)。卵清蛋白特异性IgG、IgE及血清总IgE均显著降低(p≤0.01 ~ 0.001)。与pbs处理的豚鼠相比,HIE处理的豚鼠结膜组织有轻微的单核浸润,而pbs处理的结膜组织有强烈的炎症浸润。HIE具有抗过敏作用,可能与免疫调节或免疫抑制有关。
{"title":"Possible Mechanism of Action of the Antiallergic Effect of an Aqueous Extract of Heliotropium indicum L. in Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Conjunctivitis","authors":"S. Kyei, G. Koffuor, Paul Ramkissoon, S. Abokyi, O. Owusu-Afriyie, E. Wiredu","doi":"10.1155/2015/245370","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/245370","url":null,"abstract":"Heliotropium indicum is used traditionally as a remedy for conjunctivitis in Ghana. This study therefore evaluated the antiallergic potential of an aqueous whole plant extract of Heliotropium indicum (HIE) in ovalbumin-induced allergic conjunctivitis and attempted to predict its mode of action. Clinical scores for allergic conjunctivitis induced by intraperitoneal ovalbumin sensitization (100 : 10 μg OVA/Al(OH)3 in phosphate-buffered saline [PBS]) and topical conjunctival challenge (1.5 mg OVA in 10 μL PBS) in Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs were estimated after a week's daily treatment with 30–300 mg kg−1 HIE, 30 mg kg−1 prednisolone, 10 mg kg−1 chlorpheniramine, or 10 mL kg−1 PBS. Ovalbumin-specific IgG and IgE and total IgE in serum were estimated using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Histopathological assessment of the exenterated conjunctivae was also performed. The 30 and 300 mg kg−1 HIE treatment resulted in a significantly (p ≤ 0.001) low clinical score of allergic conjunctivitis. Ovalbumin-specific IgG and IgE as well as total serum IgE also decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.01–0.001). The conjunctival tissue in HIE treated guinea pigs had mild mononuclear infiltration compared to the PBS-treated ones, which had intense conjunctival tissue inflammatory infiltration. HIE exhibited antiallergic effect possibly by immunomodulation or immunosuppression.","PeriodicalId":88910,"journal":{"name":"Journal of allergy","volume":"51 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88242892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is an allergic reaction in the oral cavity subsequent to the consumption of food such as fruits, nuts, and vegetables. It occurs mainly due to homology of proteins of pollen to the proteins of fruits and vegetables. In OAS, the immune system produces antibodies that are directed against the proteins of pollen and structurally similar proteins in food, hence, resulting in allergic symptoms limited mainly to the oral cavity. In this review, we have summarized the etiopathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, and management of OAS as an update for stomatologists.
{"title":"Oral Allergy Syndrome: An Update for Stomatologists","authors":"R. Kashyap, R. Kashyap","doi":"10.1155/2015/543928","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/543928","url":null,"abstract":"Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is an allergic reaction in the oral cavity subsequent to the consumption of food such as fruits, nuts, and vegetables. It occurs mainly due to homology of proteins of pollen to the proteins of fruits and vegetables. In OAS, the immune system produces antibodies that are directed against the proteins of pollen and structurally similar proteins in food, hence, resulting in allergic symptoms limited mainly to the oral cavity. In this review, we have summarized the etiopathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, and management of OAS as an update for stomatologists.","PeriodicalId":88910,"journal":{"name":"Journal of allergy","volume":"60 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86786462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}