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K S Backman

Publications and source records attributed to K S Backman.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Airways obstruction in patients with long-term asthma consistent with 'irreversible asthma'.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a series of eight patients with long-term asthma and pulmonary function consistent with "end-stage," irreversible obstruction. DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive analysis of patients with severe asthma. SETTING: A university-based allergy-immunology service with a large population of corticosteroid-dependent patients with asthma. PATIENTS: Eight patients with long-standing asthma and apparently irreversible airways obstruction despite long-term oral and inhaled corticosteroid therapy. MEASUREMENTS: Pulmonary function data, radiographic studies including chest radiograph and high-resolution CT of the chest, and serologic analysis to rule out allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency had been performed as indicated, and these results were obtained through chart review. RESULTS: The age of the patients ranged from 41 to 58 years, with a mean duration of asthma of 39 years (SD = 12.4 years). No patient had evidence of any other pulmonary disease process. The mean duration of daily or alternate-day oral corticosteroid treatment was 15.8 years (SD=11.8 years). Despite intensive pharmacotherapy, all patients had an FEV1 57% (42+/-12%) with marked small airways disease as reflected in the forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of the FVC. Three of the eight patients demonstrated an accelerated decline in FEV1 despite continuous systemic corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS: We have described a series of eight patients with long-standing asthma who demonstrate irreversible airways obstruction despite long-term systemic and inhaled corticosteroids. The term "end-stage asthma" or irreversible asthma might be applied to these patients in whom fixed obstruction has occurred in the absence of other pulmonary diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Total serum IgE in trimellitic anhydride-induced asthma.

The objective of this study was to determine whether total serum IgE levels are elevated in workers with trimellitic anhydride-induced asthma as compared with anhydride-exposed workers without an occupational immunologic syndrome. Sera from 12 highly exposed workers with trimellitic anhydride-induced asthma, and from 31 similarly exposed workers without occupational immunologic disease, were assayed for total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels by Total IgE II FAST analysis. The mean total IgE levels were 176.74 ng/mL and 34.55 ng/mL respectively. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant, but considerable overlap of IgE levels between groups was seen. In conclusion, although mean total IgE levels are significantly different between TMA-exposed workers with or without occupational asthma, the significant amount of overlap and poor sensitivity of the test preclude the use of this assay in the individual evaluation of these workers.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis caused by Fusarium vasinfectum.

We present a case of allergic bronchopulmonary fusariosis (ABPF). This is the first case of allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM) caused by Fusarium vasinfectum reported in the medical literature. The patient presented with a history and radiographic picture highly suggestive of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), yet with negative ABPA serology results. The demonstration of a positive skin test and precipitins against F. vasinfectum, elevated serum IgG and IgE antibodies against F. vasinfectum, and a decline in total serum IgE with treatment clearly establish the diagnosis of ABPF. The diagnosis of ABPM caused by organisms other than Aspergillus represents an important consideration in patients who appear clinically to have ABPA but whose serology results do not confirm this diagnosis. As in ABPA, early diagnosis and appropriate therapy may be necessary in order to prevent progressive lung disease.

Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chronic cutaneous bacterial hypersensitivity.

Chronic cutaneous bacterial hypersensitivity (CCBH) is a syndrome of recurrent indolent inflammatory lesions that are caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to skin flora. It can cause significant physical and social distress to those affected, who often endure years of nondiagnostic evaluations and ineffective treatments. We report two additional cases of this syndrome. Skin testing demonstrated IgE to bacterial antigens in both patients, and ELISA demonstrated both IgE and IgG to bacterial antigens in one patient. Both patients improved rapidly and dramatically with oral corticosteroid therapy, although they failed to achieve a lasting remission, as had been seen in previous cases. These represent the fourth and fifth reported cases of CCBH. Despite failure to achieve remission, these patients demonstrate the effectiveness of an inexpensive and safe prednisone regimen in controlling this physically and socially destructive disease.

Adult↗