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Biomedical subjects

A Basomba

Publications and source records attributed to A Basomba.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of immunotherapy with Parietaria judaica: clinical efficacy and tolerance.

Allergy to Parietaria causes significant morbidity in most Mediterranean areas. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy and tolerance of Parietaria depot extract at 25 BU/mL (1.5 microg/mL Par j 1). We performed a multicenter double-blind, placebo-controlled study in rhinitic patients with/without asthma, sensitized to Parietaria. 42 patients followed 20-month immunotherapy. Clinical efficacy was based on symptom and medication scores and the percentage of healthy days (days without symptoms or medication). Severity of asthma/rhinitis scales, visual analogue scale, evaluation of the treatment by doctors and patients, immediate and delayed cutaneous response and quality of life questionnaires were also studied. The active group showed a sustained decrease in symptoms (p = 0.008), medication (p = 0.009) and both (p = 0.001), and an increase in healthy days (p = 0.001) throughout the study, with a threefold increase of healthy days and almost a three time reduction in medication only after one year of treatment. Asthma and rhinitis severity scales also decreased after immunotherapy, and blinded clinical evaluation by physicians confirmed efficacy in 85% and 77% of the active patients. Patient's self-evaluation returned similar results. None of these changes were observed with placebo. Immediate cutaneous response was significantly reduced at the maintenance phase in the active group and remained reduced throughout the study. Late-phase response after intradermal testing also showed a statistical decrease in actively treated patients. Immunotherapy was well tolerated and every systemic reaction reported was mild. In conclusion, immunotherapy with Parietaria 25 BU/mL is an effective and safe treatment for patients with respiratory allergies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Adverse reactions to insulin].

The prevalence of allergic reactions to insuline has decreased during the last few years. Probably this is due to the use of the newly-developed recombinant human insuline. At present, adverse reactions to insuline occur in 5-10% of patients on therapy with insuline. Adverse reactions may be local (more frequent) or systemic (rare). Insuline resistance consists in a different type of immunological reaction. Diagnosis of allergy to insuline is based on clinical history and cutaneous and serological tests. Treatment depends upon the severity of the reaction. When insuline is indispensable despite a previous allergic reaction, a desensitization protocol may be implemented.

Desensitization, Immunologic↗
PubMed1993

Isolation by mAb based affinity chromatography of two Par j I isoallergens. Comparison of their physicochemical, immunochemical and allergenic properties.

We report the identification and separation of two isoallergen components of Par j I, the major allergen from Parietaria judaica pollen. First, electrophoretic conditions for consistently separating both isoforms in an SDS-PAGE system were established, and mol. wt values of 13,000 (isoallergen IA) and 10,500 (isoallergen IB) were estimated. Immunoblot, after SDS-PAGE experiments, with individual P. judaica-sensitive human sera revealed a slightly different IgE-binding pattern for each isoallergen. Four anti-Par j I mAbs were obtained from BALB/c mice immunized with a purified Par j I preparation comprising IA and IB isoallergens. Three mAbs were directed to an epitope shared by both isoallergens, and the fourth one recognized specifically one epitope on Par j IB. Dot-blot experiments with the deglycosylated allergen showed that the mAbs did not recognize the carbohydrate prosthetic group of the molecules. Affinity chromatography using the mAbs allowed the separation of the isoallergens that retained their IgE-binding ability after the purification process. Amino acid composition analyses and partial N-terminal sequencing demonstrated an extensive homology and also the existence of some structural differences between Par j I isoallergens, which is in agreement with the high, but not complete, cross-reactivity observed in competition ELISA experiments. Finally, skin prick tests performed on 28 P. judaica-sensitive patients showed that all of them recognized both isoforms and that allergenic epitopes present in Par j IA and IB are responsible for most of the allergenic activity of the whole extract.

Allergens↗
PubMed1991

Occupational rhinitis and asthma caused by inhalation of Balfourodendron riedelianum (Pau Marfim) wood dust.

The case of a 30-year-old wood-worker, with rhinitis and asthma induced by exposure to the dust of Pau Marfim wood (Balfourodendron riedelianum) is reported. Hypersensitivity to this wood was confirmed by positive skin test, bronchial challenge test and RAST. The bronchial response was inhibited by sodium cromoglycate. Unexposed persons did not exhibit reactivity to this wood in any of the tests. When electrophoretic analysis of proteins in polyacrylamide gel was applied to a crude (phosphate-buffered) extract, an homogeneous distribution of low MW material was detected, with no clearly defined bands, suggesting the presence of filamentous type proteins. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first reported case of occupational rhinitis and asthma due to Pau Marfim wood dust. A type I (IgE-mediated) hypersensitivity mechanism was demonstrated but the non-glomerular nature of the proteins precluded further identification of the antigens involved.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Occupational asthma caused by inhalation of casein.

Solutions of casein are usually sprayed over the leather in the final stage of tanning. We present the result of a thorough investigation of an atopic tannery worker with occupational asthma. Data from clinical record and metacholine challenges support the occupational source of the patient's symptoms, and positive bronchial challenge with casein clearly defines it as the specific aetiological agent. The presence of specific IgE suggests a hypersensitivity type I mechanism. In the tanning process chromium salts, paraphenylendiamine and formaldehyde have all been included as specific aetiological agents of asthma, but occupational asthma induced by inhalation of casein has not previously been reported.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Anaphylaxis produced by rubber glove contact. Case reports and immunological identification of the antigens involved.

A study was carried out on six subjects suffering from anaphylactic reactions including asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, contact urticaria and hypotension following contact with rubber gloves. All of them showed skin sensitivity and serum specific IgE to various preparations of natural latex, and not to other chemicals used in glove manufacturing. Immunoblotting techniques demonstrated that at least four soluble polypeptides from natural latex had the ability to bind specific human IgE. The results suggested that natural latex proteins present in rubber gloves can cause severe specific hypersensitivity reactions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Passive transfer of contact sensitivity to colophony as a complication of an allogenic bone-marrow transplant.

A 29-year-old woman developed allergic contact dermatitis from colophony 1 year after an allogenic bone-marrow transplant for refractory anaemia. The donor had a previous history of contact dermatitis from colophony, with a positive patch test. Although we cannot absolutely exclude active sensitization, it seems highly improbable because host immunity is severely restricted by the chemoradiotherapy used to prepare marrow graft recipients. The clinical data therefore suggest that sensitivity to colophony was passively acquired through marrow transplantation.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Biological equilibration of allergen preparations: methodological aspects and reproducibility.

A method for biological equilibration (BE) of allergen reference preparations using the skin-prick test (SPT) method and histamine HCl 10 mg/ml as reference substance (reference method), was evaluated. The precision was low for weals less than 10 mm2. The slope (log weal area/log concentration) of allergen and histamine did not vary significantly between investigators and allergens. The median slopes were 0.39 (n = 384) and 0.34 (n = 397), for allergen and histamine, respectively (P less than 0.01). The concentration of allergen eliciting a weal of the same size as that of histamine HCl 1 mg/ml (Chl) in the median sensitive patient, 1000 Biological Units/ml (BU/ml), did not vary significantly between clinics/geographical regions (grasses, mites and moulds). As BE is repeatable between regions, BUs estimated by this method are generally valid. A high correlation (r = 0.91, P less than 0.001) was found between the median Chl as estimated with histamine 1 and 10 mg/ml as reference substance, respectively. Thus, this reference method for BE is valid. The precision of the SPT method with histamine HCl 1 mg/ml is not as good as with 10 mg/ml, which is therefore recommended as the reference concentration.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Grave anaphylactic-like reaction in the course of menstruation. A case report.

The case of a woman with a serious anaphylactic pattern during menstruation is described. The patient had a clinical picture of urticaria, angioedema and shock at each menstruation for a period of 2 years until hysterectomy was performed. The studies showed no hormonal or immunological change. The only relevant finding was the extraordinarily strong vasodilating action of the menstrual fluid in the patient, and not in the controls. The results of the study suggest the possibility of two mechanisms: 1) an IgE-mediated mechanism causing hypersensitivity to some metabolic substance in the menstrual fluid and 2) an excessive pharmacological vasodilatory action produced by the prostacyclin in the fluid itself.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Challenge tests with tartrazine in patients with asthma associated with intolerance to analgesics (ASA-Triad). A comparative study with placebo.

In a study of the incidence of respiratory reaction to tartrazine, challenge tests were made with doses of 5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg of tartrazine and with a placebo, on forty-seven patients with asthma associated with intolerance to analgesics (ASA-Triad). The patient's clinical and spirographic condition was satisfactory when the test was made, and the administration of bronchodilators had been stopped 24 hr previously. In a total of 141 tests with tartrazine on forty-seven patients, only five tests were positive and occurred in only four patients. In three patients the test gave a negative result when repeated with an identical or larger dose of tartrazine. Only one patient had a respiratory reaction with 5 mg of tartrazine on two successive occasions, and this result is considered doubtful bearing in mind that the variation in FEV1 was at its limit. All the tests with placebo were negative except one. The clinical lability of the ASA-Triad patients could be the cause of some of the respiratory reactions attributed to tartrazine in some studies. The lability could, above all, be dependent on the suppression of the symptomatic treatment. The inconvenience associated with a colour-free diet and the small incidence of proven reactions to tartrazine, tend to invalidate the practice of recommending such diets unless evidence is available of a positive challenge test on at least two occasions. Even so, the risks induced are minimal.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Standardization of the prick test. A comparative study of three methods.

The different needles and methods used in the prick test give rise to disparate results. This has significance when carrying out multi-centre studies and when using the technique in the standardization of allergenic extracts. With test reliability as our objective, prick tests were carried out on 30 subjects: 10 patients sensitive to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus received a glycerine extract of known allergenic potency, 10 healthy individuals 2.5% codeine phosphate in a glycerine solution, and another 10, histamine 1/1000. The total prick tests per individual was 27 with each of the needles employed (Allergy Pricker, the Morrow-Brown needle and Insulin needle in accordance with Pepy's procedure). The tests were carried out systematically by three different testers, and the total number of prick tests performed was 810. With the Allergy Pricker, no differences were observed among results obtained by the same tester, nor when the results of the three testers were compared. With the Morrow-Brown needle, the results varied in the same person and from one tester to another, and on many occasions the test was negative. With the Pepys method, no falsely negative results were obtained, but there was considerable variation in the size of the wheal. The variation coefficient is 41% with the Allergy Pricker, and 115% and 64% with the Morrow-Brown and Pepys method, respectively. In conclusion, the results obtained clearly indicate that the highest degree of reproducibility is obtained with the Allergy Pricker.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Allergenic cross-reactivity among pollens of Urticaceae.

Common antigenic determinants have been observed between Parietaria and Urtica dioica pollen. The four Parietaria pollens selected (P. judaica, P. officinalis, P. lusitanica and P. mauritanica) are shown to possess a high allergenic homology. IgE-binding structures, homologous to the P. judaica main allergenic polypeptide (Pj10), were found in the other species by immunodetection. Monoclonal antibodies specific to the Pj10 polypeptide recognized proteins from the four Parietaria pollens. Skin prick test and RAST inhibition yielded results that also indicated a high allergenic cross-reactivity among these pollens, with homologous peptides bearing common antigenic and allergenic determinants. On the other hand, U. dioica pollen showed only a slight allergenic similarity to Parietaria. The potential allergenic activity of these pollens is discussed.

Allergens↗