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Biomedical subjects

Lynette Pei-Chi Shek

Publications and source records attributed to Lynette Pei-Chi Shek.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Food allergy in Asia.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Food allergy is increasing in prevalence in Western populations, but little is known about it in Asia. The perception is that the prevalence in this region is low, but is likely to increase with the global increase in allergy. Asia is unique because of the many different cultures and eating habits, with the resulting occurrence of unique food allergens. This review describes the epidemiology and clinical features of food allergy, and introduces some of the unusual food allergens in Asia. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies describing the pattern of anaphylaxis and the role of food triggers show that food is an important cause of severe allergic reactions in Asia. Progress has been made on the characterization of unique food allergens from the region. Peanut and tree nuts are rarely the cause of allergic reactions in Asia. The lack of availability of epinephrine auto-injectors in many countries is an important issue that needs to be addressed. SUMMARY: The pattern of food allergy in Asia is unique. Unfortunately, data from many parts of Asia are still lacking. Large, well-designed epidemiological studies are needed so that the scale of the problem can be understood, public awareness can be increased and important food allergens in the region can be identified.

Allergens↗
PubMed2006

Molecular cloning of Blomia tropicalis allergens--a major source of dust mite allergens in the tropics and subtropics.

Allergic asthma, rhinitis, rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic dermatitis are the most common allergic disorders that are caused by the house dust mite (HDM). Beside pyroglyphid mites, the clinical importance of non-pyroglyphid mites has also been increasingly recognized in the recent years. Blomia tropicalis is the most important and ubiquitous mite species in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Well-standardized and characterized allergens are essential for the diagnosis and therapy of house dust mite allergy as well as for the study of the pathophysiology of allergic disease. With the introduction of molecular biology, a number of house dust mite allergens were obtained by cloning the genes encoding the allergens. To date, seven allergens from Blomia tropicalis have been identified and characterized. Among these, Blo t 5, with unknown function, is the major allergen of Blomia tropicalis, with up to 92% of allergic patients sensitized to it. Native Blo t 5 has been purified and shown to consist of multiple isoforms. With advancing knowledge of these specific allergens, it is anticipated that targeted, effective, diagnostic, efficacious and safe therapeutic modalities would be developed.

Allergens↗
PubMed2004

Ant allergy in Asia and Australia.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Anaphylaxis due to ant sting is increasingly being recognized as a significant problem. Severe allergic reactions to ants are well described in the south-eastern United States, but have only been recognized in recent years as being important in other parts of the world. There are many different ant species and their distribution around the world varies. The purpose of this review is to familiarize the reader with the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of ant allergy in Asia and Australia. RECENT FINDINGS: In Korea, allergy to Pachycondyla chinensis (subfamily Ponerinae) has been well described. In an ant-endemic area, sensitization was 23%, with about 1% having anaphylactic reactions. There were at least eight IgE-binding proteins in P. chinensis venom, with 1 major allergen binding 85% of patient sera. P. chinensis venom was also found to be possibly crossreactive with bee venom, but not with imported-fire-ant venom. In Australia, anaphylactic reactions to ant stings are usually caused by the 'jack jumper' ant (Myrmecia pilosula) or the bull ant (Myrmecia pyriformis). A recent study showed promising results for immunotherapy with M. pilosula venom. There have been reports of stings by other ant species in Asia and Australia, but these reports are few and sporadic. SUMMARY: The study of ant allergy in Asia is in its infancy. Clinicians in Asia need to be aware of ant stings as a cause of severe allergic reactions. Certain species that cause allergic reactions are unique to Asia and Australia and deserve further research. The allergens in the venom of the different ant species need to be identified. We should aim for improved understanding of the epidemiology of ant-sting anaphylaxis, formulation of better diagnostic tests and possibly the introduction of immunotherapeutic strategies.

Adrenergic Agonists↗
PubMed2004

Central nervous system side effects of first- and second-generation antihistamines in school children with perennial allergic rhinitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: Allergic rhinitis is common and on the rise. Antihistamines are the mainstay of treatment and are the most commonly prescribed drugs in Singapore. Treatment-related sedation and its effect on cognition are a major concern. First- and second-generation antihistamines show varying degrees of sedation, but to date, objective studies in children are lacking. The objective of this study was to assess the sedating effect of cetirizine (second-generation antihistamine) and chlorpheniramine (first-generation antihistamine) compared with placebo using an objective neurophysiological test. METHODS: This was a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, single-dose, 3-way crossover study. Twenty-four children aged 7 to 14 years with allergic rhinitis completed the study. All children were randomly allocated to medication sequences and received 3 different drugs on 3 different days, at least 1 week apart. The P300 event-related potential was used as an objective test of sedation. Subjective assessment was by a visual analog scale. RESULTS: Chlorpheniramine and cetirizine increased P300 latency when compared with baseline. No significant increase was obtained with placebo. The significant increase in P300 latency was not accompanied by significant change in subjective somnolence as measured by the visual analog scale. CONCLUSION: We have shown that cetirizine has sedative properties in children. The lack of correlation between P300 latency and the visual analog scale indicates that sedation induced by these drugs may not be subjectively noted.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Epidemiology and seasonality of respiratory tract virus infections in the tropics.

Acute viral respiratory tract infections are a significant cause of morbidity worldwide. Information on the epidemiology and seasonality of these infections is important in planning vaccination and treatment strategies. In temperate climes, there are distinct seasonal peaks in the winter months. This paper reviews the seasonal trends of respiratory viral infections in the tropics. Despite the absence of a winter season, consistent seasons of infection, albeit less distinct, have been observed. With few exceptions, respiratory syncytial virus and influenza infections have been observed mainly during the rainy seasons in Asian, African and South American countries.

Age Distribution↗