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R Tella

Publications and source records attributed to R Tella.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Purified allergens vs. complete extract in the diagnosis of plane tree pollen allergy.

BACKGROUND: Plane tree pollen allergy is a clinical disorder affecting human population in cities of Europe, North America, South Africa, and Australia. OBJECTIVE: To compare IgE-reactivity of the natural and recombinant forms of two major plane allergens, Pla a 1 and Pla a 2, with the reactivity of Platanus acerifolia pollen extract. METHODS: Forty-seven patients with P. acerifolia allergy, 15 of them monosensitized, and 24 control subjects were included in the study. Natural Pla a 1 and Pla a 2 were purified by standard chromatographic methods and recombinant proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli. Skin prick test and determination of specific IgE were performed with commercial P. acerifolia extract and natural and recombinant purified allergens. RESULTS: Pla a 1 and Pla a 2 were responsible for 79% of the IgE-binding capacity against P. acerifolia pollen extract. A high correlation has been found between the IgE response to nPla a 1 (R = 0.80; P < 0.001) or nPla a 2 (R = 0.79; P < 0.001) vs. P. acerifolia extract as well as between natural and recombinant Pla a 1 (R = 0.89; P < 0.001). Skin testing showed no significant differences between extract and nPla a 2, whereas a higher reactivity was found with nPla a 1. In contrast, rPla a 1 revealed markedly reduced sensitivity in comparison with extract by skin prick test and specific IgE. The sensitivity of the mix Pla a 1+Pla a 2 was 100% and 87.5% for monosensitized and polysensitized patients, respectively, with no false-positive reactions detected. Conclusion Pla a 1 and Pla 2 are sufficient for a reliable diagnosis of P. acerifolia in most patients and induce comparable skin test reactivity as a whole extract.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Exotic pets are new allergenic sources: allergy to iguana.

Although furry animals are known sources of respiratory allergy, scaly animals are assumed not to be allergenic. Exotic animals such as iguanas are becoming increasingly common pets. Nevertheless, these animals are not suspected to be allergenic. We present the case of a 42-year-old woman suffering from allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma caused by a pet iguana. Clear IgE-sensitization and respiratory allergy to iguana scales is demonstrated, suggesting that scaly pets should be taken into account as possible allergenic sources.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Allergic eosinophilic gastroenteritis in a child with Crohn's disease.

A case of a child with Crohn's disease who developed an eosinophilic gastroenteritis is reported. Although symptoms of eosinophilic gastroenteritis at age 8 could mimic those of Crohn's disease, laboratory, radiographic and histologically studies are clearly different. Peripheral blood eosinophilia (7,476 cells per mm3), high serum IgE level (1,050 kU/l) and normal C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate are common in eosinophilic gastroenteritis and uncommon in Crohn's disease. Eosinophilic gastroenteritis was due to bovine serum albumin (BSA) hypersensitivity, confirmed with skin tests, serum levels to specific IgE and a SDS-PAGE IgE-immunoblotting. A strict meat-free diet was started, with progressive relief of symptoms and decrease of eosinophil count twelve months later; the patient became fully symptom-free and eosinophil count was normal.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

IgE reactivity to profilin in Platanus acerifolia pollen-sensitized subjects with plant-derived food allergy.

BACKGROUND: The presence of profilin-specific IgE antibodies is a cause of cross-reactivity between botanically-unrelated allergen sources. Recently, the association between Platanus acerifolia pollinosis and plant-derived food allergy has been described. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the P. acerifolia profilin is involved in such cross-reactivity. METHODS: Twenty-three patients suffering from Platanus acerifolia pollinosis and plant-derived food allergy were evaluated in an allergy department. Specific IgE levels to P. acerifolia pollen, P. acerifolia profilin and food extracts were measured. Molecular masses of IgE-binding proteins were calculated by Western blotting and cross-reactivity studies among P. acerifolia profilin and different food extracts were evaluated by Enzyme AllergoSorbent Test (EAST)-inhibition assays. Also, EAST-inhibition assays with the two known P. acerifolia allergens, Pla a 1 and Pla a 2, were performed. RESULTS: Surprisingly, a high IgE-binding prevalence (90%) of P. acerifolia profilin was found. EAST-inhibition showed high inhibition values when Platanus acerifolia pollen extract was used as free phase and plant-derived food extracts as solid phase, whereas the other way round showed low inhibition values. IgE reactivity to profilin was studied using a pool of patient sera, by EAST-inhibition assays with hazelnut, apple peel, peanut, chickpea and peanut extracts as solid phase and no inhibition was obtained when P. acerifolia profilin was used as inhibitor phase. The same results were obtained when purified Pla a 1 and Pla a 2 were also used as inhibitor phase. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical association observed between Platanus acerifolia pollen and plant-derived food could be explained by the in vitro IgE cross-reactivity detected by EAST-inhibition. However, it appears that neither P. acerifolia profilin nor the two major allergens described (Pla a 1 and Pla a 2) can explain such a strong cross-reactivity.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Urticaria to cetirizine.

A patient with recurrent idiopathic urticaria reported exacerbations after treatment with cetirizine. Prick test to cetirizine was negative. Double-blind challenge tests with mizolastine, loratadine, fexofenadine, dexchlorpheniramine, ebastine, ketotifen, and placebo were negative, whereas hydroxyzine and its active metabolite, cetirizine, reproduced the urticaria. Identification of uncommon adverse reactions to H1 antihistamines is important, particularly because they may mimic the underlying disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of specific immunotherapy on the development of new sensitisations in monosensitised patients.

BACKGROUND: Specific immunotherapy (SIT) is the only treatment that interferes with the basic pathophysiological mechanisms of allergic disease and is widely used in the management of clinically significant respiratory IgE-mediated diseases. Nevertheless, until recently, information on the influence of SIT on the development of new allergic sensitisations has been scant. METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients (45 males and 55 females, aged 6 to 69 years) with respiratory allergic diseases and attending the allergy unit of a general hospital were selected. All had been diagnosed by clinical history and skin prick tests of allergic rhinitis and/or asthma, were monosensitised (71 to Dermatophagoides spp, 22 to Parietaria judaica pollen and 7 to grass pollen) and had been followed up as outpatients between 1990-98. Sixty-six patients had been treated with conventional SIT for at least 3 years, while thirty-four followed only environmental measures and drug treatment. Family atopy status (first-degree relatives), smoking, family pets (cat and/or dog), rhinitis and/or asthma symptom score and inhalant skin prick tests to the same aeroallergens were compared between baseline and after 3 to 5 years of treatment. RESULTS: No statistically-significant differences in the development of new sensitisations were observed between the two groups (36.4 % of SIT-treated patients versus 38.2 % in control group, RR = 0.97, CI 95 %: 0.72-1.3). Smoking, family atopy history and pets did not appear to be risk factors for the development of neosensitisations (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, SIT-treated patients presented a better clinical score than the control group, with improvements of 89.4 % and 61.8 %, respectively (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Three-year SIT did not protect against development of new sensitisations in monosensitised allergic rhinitis or asthma. Smoking, family atopy history and pets were not associated with development of new sensitisations. Clinical score improved significantly in the SIT-treated group compared with drug-treated patients.

Adolescent↗