EAACI IG Biologicals task force paper on the use of biologic agents in allergic disorders

Allergy. 2015 Jul;70(7):727-54. doi: 10.1111/all.12616. Epub 2015 Apr 24.

Boyman O1, Kaegi C1, Akdis M2,3, Bavbek S4, Bossios A5, Chatzipetrou A6, Eiwegger T7, Firinu D8, Harr T9, Knol E10, Matucci A11, Palomares O12, Schmidt-Weber C13, Simon HU14, Steiner UC15, Vultaggio A11, Akdis CA2,3, Spertini F16

Abstract: Biologic agents (also termed biologicals or biologics) are therapeutics that are synthesized by living organisms and directed against a specific determinant, for example, a cytokine or receptor. In inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, biologicals have revolutionized the treatment of several immune-mediated disorders. 

Allergen Skin Prick Testing in Early Childhood: Reproducibility and Prediction of Allergic Symptoms into Early Adulthood

February 2015 Volume 166, Issue 2, Pages 401–406.e1

Maria Pesonen, MD, PhD

,

 Markku J.T. Kallio, MD, PhD

,

 Martti A. Siimes, MD

,

 Annamari Ranki, MD, PhD

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.10.009

 |

Article Info

• Abstract
• Full Text
• Images
• References

Objective

To assess the predictive value of skin prick testing in early childhood on subsequent allergic symptoms up to adult age.

The relation of autologous serum and plasma skin test results with urticarial activity score, sex and age in patients with chronic urticaria

Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2015 Jun;32(3):173-8. doi: 10.5114/pdia.2015.48057. Epub 2015 Jun 15.

Aktar S1, Akdeniz N2, Ozkol HU3, Calka O3, Karadag AS2.

• 1Department of Dermatology, Diyarbakır Research and Training Hospital, Diyarbakir, Turkey. Head of the Department: Sirac Aktar.
• 2Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Head of the Department: Necmettin Akdeniz.
• 3Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey. Head of the Department: Omer Calka.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Some previous studies reported autoimmunity as an etiologic factor in chronic urticaria (CU), but the results of some autoimmunity tests in these studies are conflicting.

AIM:

To concretize whether there was any relation of autologous serum skin test (ASST) and autologous plasma skin test (APST) results with sex, age and urticarial activity score (UAS) in patients with CU.

Population-based study of the association between asthma and pneumococcal disease in children

Authors Shea KM, Lash TL, Antonsen S, Jick SS, Sørensen HT

Published Date July 2015 Volume 2015:7 Pages 325—334

DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/CLEP.S78619

Kimberly M Shea,1,2 Timothy L Lash,3,4 Sussie Antonsen,4 Susan S Jick,1,5 Henrik T Sørensen1,4

1Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 2Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 3Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; 4Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; 5Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

Background: Although asthma has recently been established as a risk factor for pneumococcal disease (PD), few studies have specifically evaluated this association in children.

Suppressive functions of B cells in infectious diseases

1. Ping Shen and 
2. Simon Fillatreau

1. Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum, a Leibniz Institute, Chariteplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
   .

Abstract

B lymphocytes are often essential to successfully control invading pathogens and play a primary role in the protection afforded by successful vaccines through the production of specific antibodies. However, recent studies have highlighted the complex roles of B cells in infectious diseases, showing unexpectedly that some activated B cells limited host defense towards pathogens.

Impact of obstructive sleep apnea on lung volumes and mechanical properties of the respiratory system in overweight and obese individuals

Research article

Arikin Abdeyrim¹², Yongping Zhang¹², Nanfang Li^12*, Minghua Zhao³, Yinchun Wang⁴, Xiaoguang Yao⁵, Youledusi Keyoumu⁶ and Ting Yin⁴

BMC Pulmonary Medicine 2015, 15:76  doi:10.1186/s12890-015-0063-6

Abstract

Background

Even through narrowing of the upper-airway plays an important role in the generation of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the peripheral airways is implicated in pre-obese and obese OSA patients, as a result of decreased lung volume and increased lung elastic recoil pressure, which, in turn, may aggravate upper-airway collapsibility.

Cough hypersensitivity as a neuro-immune interaction

Review

Woo-Jung Song^12* and Yoon-Seok Chang¹²³

Clinical and Translational Allergy 2015, 5:24  doi:10.1186/s13601-015-0069-4

Abstract

Cough is an intrinsic protective reflex. However, chronic cough affects a considerable proportion of general population and has a major impact on quality of life. A recent paradigm shift to ‘cough hypersensitivity syndrome’ suggests that chronic cough arises from hypersensitivity of the airway sensory nerves.

Addition of Montelukast to Low-Dose Inhaled Corticosteroid Leads to Fewer Exacerbations in Older Patients

Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2015 Sep;7(5):440-448. English. Young-Min Ye,1 Sang-Ha Kim,2 Gyu-Young Hur,3 Joo-Hee Kim,4 Jung-Won Park,5 Jae Jeong Shim,3 Ki-Suck Jung,4 Hyun-Young Lee,1 Hae-Sim Park,1 and PRANA Group Abstract Purpose There have been few reports regarding the efficacy of antiasthmatics in older patients. To compare the efficacy of the addition of montelukast to low-dose inhaled budesonide (MON-400BUD) versus increasing the dose of inhaled steroid (800BUD) on asthma control in older asthmatics.