A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, single-centre, phase IV trial to assess the efficacy and safety of OM-85 in children suffering from recurrent respiratory tract infections

Journal of Translational Medicine — Esposito S, Bianchini S, Bosis S, et al. | August 29, 2019

Via a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, single-centre, phase IV trial conducted in Italy, researchers further added to the assessment of the role played by OM-85, a lysate of 21 common bacterial respiratory pathogens, in the prevention of recurrent respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in children. Among patients receiving OM-85 for 3 months vs those given placeboes, the number of RTIs and of children who experienced at least one RTI were significantly lower. For upper RTIs, variations were statistically important. In the group with children treated with OM-85 for 3 months vs the placebo group, days of absence from daycare for children and working days lost by parents were significantly lower.

The Explosion of OTC Management of Allergic Rhinitis: Costs and Risks

• Authors

• Juan Carlos Ivancevich
• Hugo Neffen 
• Jorge Fernando Máspero

Abstract

Purpose of the Review

To review self-medication and the increasing use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications in the treatment of allergic rhinitis in the last years.

Recent Findings

Thanks to recent research and the use of mHealth tools, the preferences of patients, the role of primary care physicians, pharmacists, and specialists in the management of this prevalent condition have been known.

Summary

Successful self-management of AR requires that patients be fully informed about the available treatment options, the proper use of nasal spray devices, the need for therapy based on prevention, and avoidance of allergens. The use of OTC medications facilitates access to treatment and lowers health costs, but requires education of patients, and advice from the pharmacist, the primary care physician and, occasionally, the specialist to ensure its effectiveness and avoid under-diagnosis, multimorbidities, sub-treatment, and adverse events.

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Lung ultrasound in infants with bronchiolitis

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

Danilo Buonsenso, 

Anna Maria Musolino, 

Antonio Gatto, 

Ilaria Lazzareschi, 

Antonietta Curatola & 

Piero Valentini 

BMC Pulmonary Medicinevolume 19, Article number: 159 (2019) | 

Abstract

Lung ultrasound (LUS) is nowadays a fast-growing field of study since the technique has been widely acknowledged as a cost-effective, radiation free, and ready available alternative to standard X-ray imaging. However, despite extensive acoustic characterization studies and documented medical evidences, a lot is still unknown about how ultrasounds interact with lung tissue. One of the most discussed lung artifacts are the B-lines [in all ages] and the subpleural consolidations (in young infants). Recently, LUS has been claimed to be able to detect pneumonia in infants with bronchiolitis, although this can be an overestimation due to the peculiar physiology of small peripheral airways of the pediatric lung (particularly in neonate/infants).

Consensus on the therapeutic management of atopic dermatitis - Brazilian Society of Dermatology*

• An Bras Dermatol
• v.94(2 Suppl 1); Mar-Apr 2019
• PMC6544038

An Bras Dermatol. 2019 Mar-Apr; 94(2 Suppl 1): 67–75.

doi: 10.1590/abd1806-4841.2019940210

Valeria Aoki,1 Daniel Lorenzini,2 Raquel Leão Orfali,1 Mariana Colombini Zaniboni,1Zilda Najjar Prado de Oliveira,1 Maria Cecília Rivitti-Machado,1 Roberto Takaoka,1 Magda Blessmann Weber,3Tania Cestari,4 Bernardo Gontijo,5 Andrea Machado Coelho Ramos,5 Claudia Marcia de Resende Silva,5Silmara da Costa Pereira Cestari,6 Silvia Souto-Mayor,7 Francisca Regina Carneiro,8Ana Maria Mosca de Cerqueira,9 Cristina Laczynski,10 and Mario Cezar Pires11,12

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

Consensus-based recommendations of topical and systemic
treatments for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD)

Atopic dermatitis is a highly prevalent inflammatory and pruritic dermatosis with a multifactorial etiology, which includes skin barrier defects, immune dysfunction, and microbiome alterations. Atopic dermatitis is mediated by genetic, environmental, and psychological factors and requires therapeutic management that covers all the aspects of its complex pathogenesis.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this article is to present the experience, opinions, and recommendations of Brazilian dermatology experts regarding the therapeutic management of atopic dermatitis.

Psychiatric comorbidity in chronic urticaria patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Review - Open Access

Gerasimos N. Konstantinou & George N. Konstantinou

Clinical and Translational Allergy volume 9, Article number: 42 (2019) 

Abstract
Background
Dermatological illness can affect the quality of life and may coexist with psychiatric disorders.
Objective
The aim of this review was to systematically evaluate the published evidence of any psychiatric disorders that may coexist with chronic urticaria (CU) and any effect psychiatric interventions may have on CU.
Methods
Following the Cochrane guidance, we conducted a systematic literature search using web-based search engines provided by PubMed (for Medline database), Google Scholar and Scopus for studies that have investigated the existence of psychiatric comorbidity in patients with CU.

Consensus on the diagnostic and therapeutic management of chronic spontaneous urticaria in adults - Brazilian Society of Dermatology

• An Bras Dermatol
• v.94(2 Suppl 1); Mar-Apr 2019
• PMC6544033

An Bras Dermatol. 2019 Mar-Apr; 94(2 Suppl 1): 56–66.

doi: 10.1590/abd1806-4841.2019940209

PMCID: PMC6544033

PMID: 31166404

Paulo Ricardo Criado,1,2 Celina Wakisaka Maruta,3 Alice de Oliveira de Avelar Alchorne,4,5Andréa Machado Coelho Ramos,6 Bernardo Gontijo,7 Josemir Belo dos Santos,8Luis Eduardo Agner Machado Martins,9 Maria Cecília Rivitti-Machado,10 Maria Regina Cavariani Silvares,11Mario Cezar Pires,12,13 Patricia Karla de Souza,14 Raquel Leão Orfali,10 Renan Rangel Bonamigo,15,16,17Roberta Buense Bedrikow,18,19 Roberta Fachini Jardim Criado,20 and Zilda Najjar Prado de Oliveira10

Abstract

Background

Urticarias are frequent diseases, with 15% to 20% of the population presenting at least one acute episode in their lifetime. Urticaria are classified in acute ( ≤ 6 weeks) or chronic (> 6 weeks). They may be induced or spontaneous.

Pneumococcal vaccination responses in adults with subnormal IgG subclass concentrations

• Research article
• OPEN ACCESS

BMC Immunology

• Antony R. Parker, 
• Markus Skold, 
• Stephen Harding, 
• J. Clayborn Barton, 
• Luigi F. Bertoli & 
• James C. Barton 

BMC Immunologyvolume 20, Article number: 29 (2019) | 

Abstract

Background

We sought to compare Pneumovax®23 responses in adults with subnormal IgG subclass concentrations. We studied adults with normal total IgG, frequent/severe respiratory infection, and subnormal IgG1, IgG3, or IgG1 + IgG3 before and after Pneumovax®23. We defined response as serotype-specific IgG > 1.3 μg/mL and aggregate response as IgG > 1.3 μg/mL for ≥70% of all serotypes tested. We compared patients with and without serotype-specific responses and performed logistic regression on aggregate responses using: age; male sex; body mass index; autoimmune condition(s); atopy; other allergies; subnormal IgGSc immunophenotypes; IgA; and IgM.

A case of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis complicated with a similar condition to IgG4 related lung disease

• Case report
• OPEN ACCESS
• Open Peer Review
• 
  

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

• Li Zhou, 
• Fen Cao, 
• Songqing Fan, 
• Ping Chen, 
• Shuizi Ding, 
• Guiqian Liu & 
• Ruoyun Ouyang 

BMC Pulmonary Medicinevolume 19, Article number: 154 (2019) | Download Citation

Abstract

Background

Atypical manifestations, such as elevated serum immunoglobulin-G4 (IgG4) and extra-pulmonary IgG4 positive plasmacyte infiltration, have been described in patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), such complicated situation might not be readily differentiated from IgG4-related disease.