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Biomedical subjects

E Enrique

Publications and source records attributed to E Enrique.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Lettuce anaphylaxis: identification of a lipid transfer protein as the major allergen.

BACKGROUND: Allergy to plant-derived foods is associated with birch pollinosis in central and northern Europe. Symptoms elicited are usually limited to the oropharyngeal system. By contrast, in the Mediterranean area, allergy to the same foods manifests more frequently with systemic reactions caused by nonspecific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTP), independently of an associated pollinosis. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the pattern of immunoglobulin E (IgE) binding protein bands implicated in lettuce allergy, in particular the presence of an nsLTP. METHODS: Consecutive lettuce allergic patients were selected. Determination of serum-specific IgE, immunoblot, and inhibition experiments were performed in order to study the pattern of IgE binding proteins and the potential cross-reactivity to pollens. Inhibition studies with recombinant allergens were conducted to identify the lettuce allergens. The major allergen was subjected to N-terminal amino acid sequencing. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were diagnosed as being allergic to lettuce. All were sensitized to Platanus pollen. Ten of them showed specific IgE to a lettuce protein of 9-kDa. The IgE binding to this protein was completely inhibited by the cherry-LTP and peach extract. The N-terminal sequence of the 9-kDa protein showed a high degree of amino acid sequence identity to other nsLTPs. A clear partial cross-reactivity was observed between lettuce-LTP and Platanus-pollen extract. CONCLUSIONS: An LTP has been demonstrated to be a major allergen in patients suffering from lettuce allergy.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Platanus acerifolia pollinosis and food allergy.

BACKGROUND: In Mediterranean areas, oral allergy syndrome (OAS) occurs independently of an associated birch pollinosis; moreover, on occasions it presents with no other associated pollinosis. The aim of this study was to assess the possible association of OAS with Platanus acerifolia pollinosis. METHODS: We evaluated consecutive patients seen for pollinosis in an allergy department. Seven hundred and twenty patients were selected on the basis of seasonal or perennial rhinitis, or asthma, or both. Respiratory and food allergies were studied in all patients. Clinical history was recorded and examinations and skin prick tests were performed with a battery of available common inhalant allergens and plant-derived food allergens. Specific IgE levels to P. acerifolia pollen extract and food allergens tested were measured. Molecular masses of the IgE-binding proteins and cross-reactivity among the P. acerifolia pollen and different food extracts were also determined. RESULTS: Of the 720 patients evaluated, 61 (8.48%) were sensitized to P. acerifolia pollen. Food allergy was observed in 32 (52.45%) of the 61 patients sensitized to P. acerifolia pollen. Food allergens most frequently implicated were hazelnuts, peach, apple, peanuts, maize, chickpea and lettuce. Enzyme allergosorbent (EAST)-inhibition showed high inhibition values when P. acerifolia pollen extract was used as free phase. On the contrary low inhibition was observed when plant-derived food allergens were used as free phase and P. acerifolia pollen extract as solid phase. CONCLUSIONS: Cross-reactivity was observed among P. acerifolia pollen and plant-derived foods. OAS in these patients may have been caused by primary respiratory sensitization.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Recurrent urticaria as a rare manifestation of familial Mediterranean fever.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a genetic disorder characterized by acute episodes of fever with some combination of severe abdominal pain, pleurisy, arthritis, and skin rash. The case of a patient with recurrent urticaria referred for study of drug allergy is presented. After allergy had been ruled out, the urticaria was attributed to previously undiagnosed symptoms of an underlying systemic disease: FME. Urticaria is the least frequent cutaneous manifestation of this disease, and genetic analysis was required to confirm the diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Allergy to Diplotaxis erucoides pollen: occupational sensitization and cross-reactivity with other common pollens.

BACKGROUND: Diplotaxis erucoides is a common weed of the Brassicaceae family widespread in southern and central Europe. METHODS: A total of 410 consecutive patients referred for allergy study of rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma were skin tested with D. erucoides pollen, 14 proving positive. A purified D. erucoides pollen extract was prepared to perform quantitative skin tests, provocation tests, immunoblotting, and EIA inhibition in the 14 sensitized patients. RESULTS: Three patients, directly involved in viniculture, had rhinoconjunctivitis related to D. erucoides pollen. No D. erucoides-related symptoms were observed in most patients, who were also sensitized to Artemisia pollen. RAST was positive in 12/14 patients and nasal provocation tests in 9/12. The molecular masses of the most prevalent IgE-binding proteins ranged from 26 to 27.5 and from 31 to 34 kDa. D. erucoides pollen inhibited the IgE-binding of other sensitizing pollens in the three viniculture workers, whereas both Artemisia and D. erucoides pollen produced similar heterologous inhibition in the pooled serum of the remaining, nonclinically affected, D. erucoides-sensitized patients. CONCLUSION: D. erucoides pollen may be an important prevalent aeroallergen, particularly in rural areas. It may act as an occupational allergen in vineyard workers, in whom it seems to be the primary sensitizing agent, playing a secondary cross-reactive role in other sensitized patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Asthma, mite sensitization, and sleeping in bunks.

BACKGROUND: Mattresses and bedding are the main reservoirs of house dust mites. OBJECTIVE: Subjects sleeping in the bottom bunk may be exposed to house dust particles detached from bedding of the top bunk. Our aim was to ascertain whether this exposure could influence the development of mite sensitization and/or allergic symptoms in these individuals. METHODS: Symptoms of allergic respiratory disease were recorded and mite skin tests performed in 94 consecutive bunk-sleeping subjects (47 pairs of siblings) from an outpatient allergy clinic. Levels of Der p I, Der f I, and Der II were determined by enzyme-immunoassay in 16 randomly selected bedding dust samples (8 pairs of bunks). RESULTS: Mite sensitization rate and prevalence of allergic respiratory disease were similar for the top-bed and bottom-bed groups, whereas prevalence of asthma was significantly higher in the latter. Mite sensitization was significantly associated with family atopy background, whereas other factors such as house pets, indoor smoke exposure or types of mattress or bunks were not. Der p I levels higher than 2 microg/g dust were found in 12 of the 16 mattresses and the median of the 8-bed-bottom group was over 10 microg/g. CONCLUSIONS: Sleeping in bunks constitutes a greater risk of developing asthma for subjects sleeping in the bottom bed. Bunk sleeping should be discouraged in families with an atopic background and sensitized subjects should use the top bed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Usefulness of UniCAP-Tryptase fluoroimmunoassay in the diagnosis of anaphylaxis.

BACKGROUND: Serum tryptase level measured by RIA is the main in vitro tool to confirm the diagnosis of anaphylaxis. METHODS: Serum tryptase levels were determined by UniCAP-Tryptase fluoroimmunoassay (Pharmacia & Upjohn, Uppsala, Sweden), in 30 consecutive patients who presented at the emergency room with a clinical allergic reaction of less than 6-h duration to assess the value of this method in the diagnosis of anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis was established by clinical criteria and by immunoallergic study. Baseline tryptase levels were determined 1 month later in 21 patients. The receiver operating curve (ROC) was used to establish the best cutoff point of tryptase levels to confirm the diagnosis of anaphylaxis. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were diagnosed with anaphylaxis. In this group, tryptase levels were higher than in the nonanaphylaxis group, composed mostly of patients with urticaria or angioedema (P<0.001). ROC established the best cutoff of tryptase levels at 8.23 ng/ml with a 94.12% sensitivity and 92.31% specificity, whereas the 13.5 ng/ml cutoff recommended by the manufacturers showed 35.29% sensitivity and 92.31% specificity. The reaction-tryptase/baseline-tryptase ratio was 2.85 in the anaphylaxis group and 1.29 in the nonanaphylaxis group. CONCLUSIONS: Serum tryptase levels of >8.23 ng/ml by UniCAP-Tryptase fluoroimmunoassay identify anaphylaxis in patients with symptoms of less than 6-h duration. The usefulness of this determination is higher if baseline tryptase levels are available.

Adolescent↗