Severe life threatening asthma.
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Acute Disease↗
Biomedical subjects
B Sekerel
Publications and source records attributed to B Sekerel.
The effect of cetirizine on sulfidoleukotriene production by blood leukocytes in children with allergic rhinitis.
Twelve children with allergic rhinitis due to monosensitivity to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) took part in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study to evaluate the effect of cetirizine, a second-generation, nonsedating H1-blocker-type antihistamine, on sulfidoleukotriene releasability by blood leukocytes and to determine its correlation with clinical findings and nasal challenge scores. Sulfidoleukotriene release by blood leukocytes was determined by the cellular allergen stimulation test (CAST), which measures leukotriene (LT)C4, LTD4, and LTE4, all in one assay. Compared to placebo, cetirizine significantly (P < 0.05) decreased daily symptom scores of nasal discharge, nasal itching, and sneezing, as well as the number of sneezings after nasal challenge with the antigen, without alleviating nasal obstruction (P > 0.05). It also suppressed both early (P < 0.05) and late skin reactions to intradermal tests. Although cetirizine did not influence in vitro sulfidoleukotriene production by blood leukocytes with buffer or anti-IgE (P > 0.05), it substantially reduced the release of these mediators upon challenge with Dp antigen. Furthermore, there was a high correlation between the number of sneezes after challenge and the amount of sulfidoleukotriene released in nine patients (r = 0.78; P < 0.01). It is concluded that the amount of sulfidoleukotrienes produced by blood leukocytes in vitro may reflect the nasal hyperreactivity of the patient, and that cetirizine, which is highly effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis, owes part of its effect to inhibition of sulfidoleukotriene releasability by blood leukocytes in children.
Adolescent↗
Latex sensitivity among hospital employees and atopic children.
Allergic reactions to latex products are an important health problem for health care workers and children. To investigate the prevalence of latex and latex-associated food sensitivities among hospital employees and atopic children, 61 hospital employees (44 nurses, 13 cleaning staff, 4 technicians) and 40 atopic children were evaluated by in vivo and in vitro testing methods. All subjects were also skin prick tested with common inhalant allergens and some cross-reactive food allergens to latex. In addition, all subjects were evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunometric assay for detection of specific IgE to inhalant allergens and to the known food latex cross-reactant food allergens (banana, chestnut, peanut and kiwi fruit). Latex challenges were performed in 12 history-negative and anti-latex IgE positive atopic children. Seven of the 61 hospital staff (11.4%) and four of the 40 atopic children (10%) showed skin reactivity to latex. By serologic testing, hypersensitivity to latex was found in 30 subjects, to banana in 23, to chestnut in 37, to peanut in 32 and to kiwi fruit in 22 subjects. Latex challenges were negative in all of the children who were tested. Total IgE was higher than expected in 32 subjects and 50 individuals tested positive for specific IgE to common inhalant allergens (AlaTOP). These results indicate that latex allergy may be a health problem for our hospital staff and atopic children. In vitro testing may detect latex-specific IgE in atopic children even when no history of an adverse reaction to latex is present.
Adult↗