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Biomedical subjects

L Businco

Publications and source records attributed to L Businco.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Soy hypersensitivity in children with food allergy.

To evaluate humoral (IgE antibodies) and clinical (positive challenge test) soy hypersensitivity prevalence, we studied 317 children (271 boys and 100 girls) with a median age of 5 months (range 1-120) who visited the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology of the Pediatric Department of the University of Roma "La Sapienza" because of histories and symptoms suggestive of food allergy. Atopic dermatitis (AD) was present in 247/317 children (78%), diarrhea in 19 (6%), urticaria in 22 (7%), and rhinitis and/or asthma in 29 (9%). All children underwent diagnostic procedures including family and personal history, physical examination, PRIST, and RAST to cows milk (CM), egg, wheat, soy, and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dpt). Open challenge tests to soy were performed in the hospital under observation and with emergency equipment at hand. The prevalence of humoral sensitization to CM was 54%, to egg 46%, to Dpt 35%, to wheat 24%, and to soy 22%. Only five children had IgE only to soy; six to soy and egg; and 58 to soy, CM, and egg. Only ten children (3%) had positive challenge to soy and only five of them had IgE to soy. RAST had a sensitivity of 0.69, a specificity of 0.83, a negative predictive value of 0.77, and a positive predictive value of only 0.06.

Allergens↗
PubMed1991

Serum eosinophil cationic protein in patients with atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin, frequently associated with a family history of atopy, raised serum IgE levels and other immunological abnormalities. Both eosinophils and their basic proteins have been detected in the skin lesions of AD patients. We measured the levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in sera of 24 children with AD and found them to be increased, compared to nonatopic controls, both children and adults. High ECP values were also obtained in 3 patients with the hyper-IgE syndrome. However, no direct relationship between IgE and ECP serum levels could be established. We found no correlation between serum ECP and the number of circulating eosinophils, suggesting that part of ECP was produced by cells infiltrating the tissues. Measurement of ECP might represent a noninvasive tool to assess the activity of AD in relation to eosinophil involvement in this disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Prevention of atopic disease in at risk newborns.

At least 15% of children have at least one atopic disease and genetic factors play an important role in the development. Screening of family history and high serum cord IgE permits introduction of dietary and environmental measures to prevent atopy. Environmental, prenatal, perinatal factors, exposure to household allergens, infections, cigarette smoking, dietary factors, including those during pregnancy, duration of breast feeding, dietary measures during lactation, all have effects in modifying the atopic response.

Allergens↗
PubMed1990

Screening for delayed-hypersensitivity in Italian children: multicentric study by multitest skin testing.

The Multitest skin test allows the simultaneous intradermal application of seven standardized recall antigens in a reproducible manner. Response reading is based on a scoring system that distinguishes between normal and diminished delayed hypersensitivity (DH). To determine incidence and size of DH responses for each antigen in relation to age and sex in healthy Italian children, a multicentric study was performed on a representative paediatric population of 491 subjects (285 males and 296 females) aged from 4 months to 16 years. In both sexes DH reactivity as measured by score and number of positive responses increased significantly with age. The incidence of anergy was 8.8% for the whole population and decreased significantly with age in both sexes. Incidence of positive responses was highest for tetanus and diphteria toxoids, intermediate for Candida, Proteus and Streptococcus, and lowest for tuberculin and Trichophyton antigens. There was no significant difference between sexes in the incidence of positive response to each antigen.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the efficacy of nedocromil sodium in the management of childhood grass-pollen asthma.

The aim of this double-blind placebo-controlled trial was to assess the efficacy and tolerance of nedocromil sodium at a dose of 4 mg four times daily, in the management of children suffering from grass-pollen asthma. Thirty-one children suffering from seasonal asthma (24 boys and seven girls, aged 4-21 yr, mean 11 yr) were enrolled in the study during the 1988 pollen season. Only one child was aged 4 yr, and she was a cooperative girl able to use the metered dose inhaler properly. In addition, in each group there was a patient aged 20 and 21 years, respectively, who had been followed up by us since childhood. Treatments were delivered by pressurized aerosol over a period of 4 weeks following a 1-week baseline, during which patients were required to show active disease by obtaining a minimum symptom score (almost 2 points of severity score on at least 3 days of the baseline period). The patients were randomly assigned to both treatment groups, all were taking inhaled or oral bronchodilators, when necessary. Twenty-nine patients completed the trial, 16 in the nedocromil sodium treatment group and 13 in the placebo group. One child of each group was withdrawn due to treatment failure. Statistically significant differences in favour of nedocromil sodium were found regarding morning tightness and mean morning PEFR values on diary cards (P less than 0.01 and P less than 0.05, respectively), bronchodilator usage (P less than 0.05), pulmonary function tests (PFT) at clinic visits (P less than 0.05), and in parents' opinion (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Treatment with gammaglobulin preparation for intravenous use in children with humoral immunodeficiency: clinical and immunologic follow-up.

We have treated 23 children aged 6 to 15 years affected with agammaglobulinemia or severe hypogammaglobulinemia with IgG serum levels less than 100 mg/dL with IV gammaglobulin (Sandoglobulin), 150 to 300 mg/kg/3 wk for more than 3 years. The children suffered from severe and recurrent bacterial infections, mainly of the respiratory tract. They had been treated previously with IM gammaglobulin (0.8 ml/kg/3 wk), but their serum IgG values were never higher than 100 mg/dL. We compared the data of the follow-up after 3 years of treatment with IV gammaglobulin and the follow-up after 2 years course of IM gammaglobulin. Minor adverse reactions (chills, fever, abdominal pain) were observed only in some children during the first months of therapy. These data demonstrate that the number of infections or days with fever, in bed, or in hospital dramatically decreased during IV Ig therapy, while IgG serum levels increased to approximately normal values. IV Ig is a safe and effective treatment for patients with humoral immunodeficiency.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Efficacy and safety of a soy-protein-formula for feeding babies with atopic dermatitis and cow's milk hypersensitivity.

In this paper we report 21 infants with atopic dermatitis (AD) due to cow's milk (CM) hypersensitivity in 20/21 of whom a CM-free diet using as a CM-substitute a soy-protein formula improved the skin lesions, in addition to insuring a regular growth in all infants. Only one infant failed to complete the trial due to an absolute refusal of the soy protein formula. A possible secondary sensitization to soy was found in one infant, in whom dietary therapy alone was not effective. We conclude that soy-protein formulas represent an effective CM-substitute when CM must be eliminated from the diet of an infant with AD.

Dermatitis, Atopic↗
PubMed1990

Evaluation of new test (Phadiatop) for the screening of respiratory allergic disorders in children.

The present study investigated the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of a new in vitro test, the Phadiatop, which detects the presence in serum of specific IgE to a balanced mixture of the most frequent inhalant allergens. Ninety-eight children (63 males, 35 females) 2-12 years old (median age = 6), suffering from rhinitis and/or conjunctivitis and/or asthma were studied. Our data show that Phadiatop has an 87% sensitivity, a 100% specificity, a 92% efficiency, a 100% positive predictive value, and an 86% negative predictive value. These results indicate that Phadiatop is very effective in diagnosing atopy (no false positive). However, a negative Phadiatop does not exclude the diagnosis of atopy.

Child↗
PubMed1990

Lack of adverse cardiac effects of combined treatment with theophylline and albuterol in asthmatic children.

Our study was designed to assess potential cardiovascular adverse effects in clinically stable asthmatic children due either to oral sustained-release theophylline or theophylline in combination with an inhaled beta-2 adrenergic agonist. Twenty-five asthmatic children were evaluated while receiving no drugs, theophylline alone, and theophylline with an inhaled beta-2 adrenergic agonist. In each phase all patients underwent 24- to 48-hour Holter monitoring and a maximal treadmill exercise test. The results show that neither theophylline alone nor combined therapy was associated with any relevant cardiovascular adverse effect, including ectopic cardiac activity. A nonsignificant increase in mean heart rate was observed between each period of study. The data suggest that the use of theophylline either alone or in combination with a beta-2 adrenergic agonist in clinically stable asthmatic children is not associated with any serious cardiovascular effect.

Albuterol↗