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Asthmatic Adults (asthmatic + adult)
Selected AbstractsTotal serum IgE levels are associated with ambient ozone concentration in asthmatic adultsALLERGY, Issue 1 2009E. Rage Background:, Effects of air pollution exposure on IgE-mediated response in asthmatics are poorly investigated. The aim was to examine the relationship between air pollution concentrations and total IgE levels in adult asthmatics. Methods:, The present study relates to the 369 asthmatic adults from the French Epidemiological study on Genetics and Environment of Asthma (EGEA), with availability of data on both total serum IgE measurements and air pollution concentrations. Geo-statistical models were performed on 4 × 4 km grids to assess individual outdoor air pollution exposure. Annual outdoor concentrations of ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter smaller than 10 ,m size (PM10), and concentrations of summer ozone were assigned to subject's home address. Results:, The geometric mean of total IgE was 161 IU/ml and the average of O3 exposure was 44.9 ± 9.5 ,g/m3. Ozone concentrations were positively related to total IgE levels and an increase of 10 ,g/m3 of O3 resulted in an increase of 20.4% (95% CI = 3.0,40.7) in total IgE levels. Adjustment for age, gender, smoking habits and previous life in the countryside did not change the results, and an increase of 19.1% (2.4,38.6) in total IgE was observed with O3. Negative associations observed between NO2 and total IgE levels disappeared after including O3 in the models. Neither SO2 nor PM10 were correlated with total IgE levels. Conclusions:, Results suggest that O3 or related ambient pollutants may up-regulate total IgE levels among asthmatic adults. [source] Factors associated with health-related quality of life among low-compliant asthmatic adults in Korea,RESEARCH IN NURSING & HEALTH, Issue 2 2009Ja Yun Choi Abstract This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to identify the factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in low-compliant Korean adults with asthma. The sample consisted of 178 patients referred by a physician to the education clinic at a University hospital in Korea. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that previous hospital admissions, recent asthma-related symptoms within the previous week, lower peak expiratory flow rate, and lower level of asthma knowledge were independently associated with lower HRQoL and accounted for 46% of the total variance. Health care providers should focus on these factors to increase perceptions of HRQoL among low-compliant patients. Interventional strategies need to be developed to emphasize the importance of compliance to the self-monitoring regimen and management protocols. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 32:140,147, 2009 [source] Higher immunoglobulin E antibody levels to recombinant Fel d 1 in cat-allergic children with asthma compared with rhinoconjunctivitisCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 8 2008H. Grönlund Summary Background Current diagnosis of allergy and asthma to cat is confirmed using cat dander extract (CDE). We have previously engineered a recombinant major cat allergen, rFel d 1, with properties identical to the natural molecule. Objective The aim of the study was to evaluate IgE and IgG4 antibodies to rFel d 1 among sera from cat-allergic children and adults suffering from asthma and/or rhinoconjunctivitis (RC) in populations from Sweden and Austria. Methods Cat-allergic children and adults from Sweden (n=27 and 31, respectively) and Austria (n=41 and 41) with RC and/or asthma were selected. Sera were tested for IgE and IgG4 antibodies to CDE and rFel d 1 by CAP, and IgE to rFel d 1 by ELISA. Healthy subjects and non-cat-allergic patients (n=75) were included as controls. Results There was a high correlation between IgE responses to rFel d 1 and CDE among the 140 patients (rs=0.85, P<0.001); however, measured levels to rFel d 1 were on average 30% higher (P<0.0001). Ninety-eight percent of patients and none of the controls showed IgE to rFel d 1 and there was a threefold increased risk of asthma for half of the children with the highest IgE levels [odds ratio 3.23; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19,8.79] by ELISA. IgE responses to rFel d 1 among children with asthma were higher (median 19.4 kU/L) compared with children with RC (median 6.6 kU/L, P<0.05) and adults with asthma (median 3.0 kU/L, P<0.01). Furthermore, children with asthma displayed higher IgG4 levels than the asthmatic adults. Conclusion A single recombinant molecule, rFel d 1, is at least as sensitive for in vitro diagnostics of cat allergy as the current extract-based test. Elevated IgE antibody levels to Fel d 1 are suggested to be a risk factor for asthma in cat-allergic children. [source] Increased aeroallergen-specific interleukin-4-producing T cells in asthmatic adultsCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 12 2002P. Pala Summary Background Asthma, atopy and some forms of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease are thought to be caused by T cells making IL-4 (Th2 cells). However, not all patients with similar patterns of clinical disease have the same underlying pathogenesis and the ability to detect immunopathogenic T cells by examination of the peripheral blood remains in doubt. With the prospect of specific immunotherapy for diseases caused by T cell subsets, it is important to determine whether peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) reactivity can be used to establish the presence of immunopathogenic responses and therefore to predict therapeutic effects. Objective To detect IL-4 and IFN-, production as markers of Th1 and Th2 responses in the peripheral blood of atopic and asthmatic adults. Methods PBMC from 22 adult asthmatics (18 of whom were atopic) and 21 non-asthmatic volunteers (ten of whom were atopic) were stimulated with cat, birch and house dust mite allergens, human rhinovirus, RSV and recombinant chimaeric F/G protein from RSV in vitro. ELISPOT assays were used to enumerate cells producing IL-4 and IFN-,. Results Asthmatics had a sixfold increase in frequencies of IL-4-producing cells to cat and birch allergen (median values: 37 vs. 7 per million PBMC, P < 0.01 and 20 vs. 3 per million PBMC, P < 0.04, respectively) compared to non-asthmatics. By contrast, non-asthmatic atopics showed no specific increase in antigen-specific IL-4 responses and there was no evident correlation between skin prick test reactivity and ELISPOT results. Atopics had significantly more IFN- ,-producing cells specific for FG than nonatopics. while IFN-, and IL-4 responses to other antigens were not significantly different. Conclusion Enhanced IL-4 responses to non-viral aeroallergens are seen in adults with asthma, while enhanced IFN-, responses to viral antigen FG were seen in atopics. In practical terms, ELISPOT assays for specific cytokines may provide a method that could be used to monitor antigen-specific T cell responses in peripheral blood. [source] | ||||||||||