1,721,086 research outputs found
Molecular evolution in food allergy diagnosis
No full textTraditional allergological diagnostics often provide laboratory data that seem to correspond with similar positive results in different patients. However, with technological developments and the introduction of molecular diagnostics, it is possible to extract and highlight the differences in the serological laboratory data, to obtain detailed specificity on the various allergen components in different clinical settings. Allergological diagnostics prove to be increasingly useful in accurately distinguishing "cross-reactivity" and "cosensitization". This aspect is very important especially in patients who are, with a traditional diagnosis, polysensitized. Molecular diagnosis in allergology has expanded its range of applications thanks to the ability to IgE dose specific (in addition to classic total IgE serum) not only to allergens, food and inhalants, but also to the individual protein components which make up the allergenic source. It is essential to establish a correct diagnosis in order to determine the appropriate therapy. Therefore it is crucial to discern whether a patient is truly allergic because he presents specific IgE for molecules of a species or if the positivity is given from the structural homology between the different proteins. Molecular diagnostics emerges as a valuable tool for the discrimination of allergic patients and to differentiate between "true allergies" and "cross-reactivity". Molecular diagnostics should be used in a targeted manner for an accurate assessment and diagnosis, which would also reduce the use of oral challenges, to predict severe reactions and allergy persistence
Spontaneous (Autoimmune?) Chronic Urticaria in children: current evidences, diagnostic pitfalls and therapeutical management
No full textthe etiologic diagnosis of pediatric chronic urticaria is quite challenging, as a minority of cases can be associated to specific triggers. Thus, more than 50% of chronic urticaria in children are labeled as idiopathic. Several evidences supported an autoimmune pathogenesis in 30-40% of patients with idiopathic (or spontaneous) chronic urticaria in adults, where the diagnosis of Autoimmune Chronic Urticaria should include in vivo and in vitro tests, revealing the presence of autoantibodies against high-affinity IgE receptors mainly, as stated by the majority of guidelines
Reference values of IgG and IgG4 serum levels specific for inhalant allergens in non-atopic children
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Serum resistin in persistent allergic rhinitis: preliminary data in adults.
No full textAdipokines may exert pro-inflammatory activities in allergic rhinitis. Resistin is a new adipokine. Only one study reported that resistin may be involved in allergic rhinitis. However, that study was conducted in children. Therefore, the present study aimed at confirming these findings also in adult patients with persistent allergic rhinitis (PER).The study included 85 PER patients subjects 25 (11 males, mean age 35.4 years) with mild symptoms and 60 (27 males, mean age 36.8 years) with moderate-severe ones. All subjects were consecutively evaluated. A skin prick test and blood sampling for assessing serum resistin levels were performed in all subjects.Patients with moderate-severe symptoms had higher resistin levels than mild ones (p=0.02).This study provides the preliminary evidence that resistin serum levels depend on symptom severity also in adults with PER
Lymphocyte subpopulations in preterm infants: high percentage of cells expressing P55 chain of interleukin-2 receptor
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Eosinophils and serum eosinophilic cationic proteins in interleukin-2- based immunotherapy for cancer [3]
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Sublingual immunotherapy affects specific antibody and TGF-beta serum levels in patients with allergic rhinitis.
No full textAllergic rhinitis (AR) is characterized by Th2 polarized immune response, such as increased IL-4 and reduced IFN-gamma production. Sublingual allergen-specific immunotherapy (SLIT) induces several immunological changes, most of which are still little known. The aim of this study is firstly to investigate the changes of allergen-specific IgE, IgG, IgG4, and IgA serum levels after SLIT. Secondly, this study aims at relating immunoglobulin (Ig) values with some Th1-, Th2-, and Treg-dependent cytokines. Twenty-three patients with pollen-induced AR were enrolled, and they assumed two pre-seasonal SLIT courses for 2 years. Serum allergen-specific IgE, IgG, IgG4 and IgA levels were determined by ELISA method at baseline and after each SLIT course. Serum IL-4, IFN-gamma, IL-10, and TGF-beta levels were also assessed. Allergen-specific IgE, IgG, IgG4, and IgA serum levels significantly increased after SLIT. Serum TGF-beta significantly increased after SLIT. There was a significant correlation between IgA and TGF-beta, both after the first and the second SLIT course. In conclusion, the present study provides the first evidence that pollen SLIT significantly affects Ig production, mainly concerning IgA; and IgA increase is related with TGF-beta production. Moreover, this is the first study that measured Ig classes by using a quantitative method
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