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Biomedical subjects

M Lluch-Bernal

Publications and source records attributed to M Lluch-Bernal.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Allergenicity and cross-reactivity of Russian olive pollen (Eleagnus angustifolia).

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this study were: to determine the prevalence of sensitization and immunochemical characterization of Eleagnus angustifolia pollen (Russian olive) that belongs to the family Eleagnaceae. METHODS: A total of 134 patients with rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma were studied. Its allergenicity, cross-reactivity with olive pollen and the presence of Ole e 1 and Ole e 4-like molecules were evaluated. RESULTS: Eleagnus angustifolia pollen was detected from May to June. Seventy-three of 134 (30.5%) had positive skin test to E. angustifolia, all of them were positive to olive. There was a good correlation between specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E levels to E. angustifolia and Olea europaea (r = 0.77, P = 0.002). Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) immunoblots revealed major IgE-binding bands in the E. angustifolia extract of 43 and 63.7 kDa. The E. angustifolia extract was not able to inhibit olive, whereas O. europaea inhibited E. angustifolia up to 41%. The presence of Ole e 1- and Ole e 4-like allergens in E. angustifolia extract was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) inhibition assays. Nasal challenge with E. angustifolia was positive in three of six patients with positive skin test to both pollens and negative in five patients with positive skin test only to O. europaea. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that E. angustifolia is capable of sensitizing individuals in Madrid. A minimal-to-moderate cross-reactivity with olive pollen was established, suggesting some cross-reactivity but not excluding co-sensitization.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed2001

Lack of allergic cross-reactivity to cephalosporins among patients allergic to penicillins.

There are some contradicting data about clinical allergic cross-reactivity to cephalosporins among patients who have had a previous allergic reaction to penicillins. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety of administering cephalosporins to penicillin-allergic patients. The diagnosis of penicillin allergy was made by positive skin tests to penicillin reagents and/or provocation tests with the penicillin suspected of causing the allergic reaction. To assess the clinical tolerance to cephalosporins, 41 well-characterized penicillin allergic patients diagnosed by positive skin tests and/or provocation tests were challenged with three cephalosporins that do not share the same side chain to the penicillin that induced the reactions: cephazoline, cefuroxime and ceftriaxone. Skin prick and intradermal tests with all cephalosporins tested were negative. All penicillin-allergic patients tolerated therapeutic doses of the three cephalosporins tested (cephazoline, cefuroxime and ceftriaxone) without any ill effect. These results indicate that the risk of suffering from an allergic reaction on administering cephalosporins to penicillin-allergic patients seems to be very low, provided that cephalosporins with a different side chain to the penicillin responsible for the allergic reaction are used.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

A double-blind, placebo-controlled oral challenge study with lyophilized larvae and antigen of the fish parasite, Anisakis simplex.

BACKGROUND: The third-stage larvae of Anisakis simplex may be a hidden source of allergens in fish. The objective was to determine whether the ingestion of lyophilized A. simplex larvae, or antigen, induces clinical symptoms in a group of A. simplex-sensitized patients. METHODS: Double-blind, placebo-controlled oral challenges were conducted in 11 individuals who had experienced allergic reactions after eating fish. Another patient had chronic urticaria unrelated to the ingestion of fish. All patients had positive skin tests and specific IgE determinations for A. simplex and negative skin tests to a battery of fish species. Conjunctival tests with A. simplex extracts were conducted in all patients and in five controls. The 12 patients received capsules containing either lactose or one, five, or 25 lyophilized larvae of A. simplex at 2-h intervals in a double-blind fashion. The highest single dose was 100 larvae. ECP and tryptase levels in serum were measured before and after the last oral challenge. Lyophilized antigen was also given to five patients. RESULTS: None of the 12 patients experienced a positive reaction after the ingestion of the placebo, the lyophilized larvae, or the antigen. Tryptase and ECP levels before and after challenges did not change significantly. Conjunctival provocation tests were positive in 11 out of the 12 patients and in none of the controls. CONCLUSIONS: The ingestion of 100 lyophilized A. simplex larvae, or its equivalent in antigen, does not induce clinical symptoms in individuals with a clinical history and laboratory findings of hypersensitivity to A. simplex. The data suggest that only the ingestion of live larvae may be capable of inducing allergic manifestations.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1999

Occupational asthma induced by cephalosporins.

A 20-yr-old pharmaceutical worker who developed attacks of shortness of breath and wheezing 9 months after beginning work on a process in which cefadroxil powder was bottled or encapsulated will be described. Skin test with cefaxodril was negative. Baseline spirometry and methacholine inhalation test were normal. A controlled bronchial challenge test was carried out in a closed-circuit system with assessment of respirable dust concentration. Exposure to cefadroxil powder at a mean concentration of 10 mg x m(-3) for 10 min elicited an isolated immediate asthmatic response, but no response was observed to control challenge with lactose. Single-blind oral challenge test with amoxicillin up to 500 mg was well tolerated, whereas the oral challenge with cephalexin (25 mg) elicited an immediate asthmatic response. This patient had developed occupational asthma caused by inhalation of cefadroxil as confirmed by specific inhalation test. Since she tolerated oral amoxicillin, a synthetic penicillin with the side-chain identical to that of cefadroxil, it seems that she may be sensitized to the dihydrothiazine ring of cephalosporins.

Adult↗