ISSN:0954-7894    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb01802.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0954-7894    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb01803.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:0954-7894    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb01804.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryAllergic sensitization and symptoms from the airways in relation to air pollution were compared in 10–12‐year‐old school children (n= 1113) from urban Konin in central Poland and both urban and rural parts of Sundsvall in northern Sweden. The measurements included parental questionnaires, skin‐prick tests and serial peak flow measurements during 2 weeks with simultaneous monitoring of outdoor air pollutants. The skin‐prick test technique was validated by IgE antibody determinations. The levels of common industrial pollutants, SO2and smoke particles were much higher in Konin than in urban Sundsvall and the levels of NO2were similar. Various respiratory symptoms were more often reported among school children in Konin (except for wheezing and diagnosed asthma). Multiple logistic regression analyses yielded the following increased odds ratios for children in Konin as compared with the reference group (rural Sundsvall): chest tightness and breathlessness 348 (95% confidence interval 2.08–5.82), exercise‐induced coughing attacks 3.69 (95% confidence interval 1.68–8.10), recurrent episodes of common cold 2.79 (95% confidence interval 1.53–5.09) and prolonged cough 4–89 (95% confidence interval 2.59–9.23). In contrast, as compared with rural Sundsvall, the adjusted odds ratio for a positive skin‐prick test was decreased in Konin, but increased in urban Sundsvall, 0.58 (95% confidence interval 0.37–0.91) and 1.67 (95% confidence interval 1.15–2.42) respectively. The study confirms that living in urban, as compared with rural areas, is associated with an increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms and sensitization to allergens. These differences could be explained by air pollution. Respiratory symptoms were more common in a similar urban group of Polish children who were exposed to even higher levels of air pollution. These children, however, had a much lower prevalence of sensitization to allergens, as compared with the Swedish children. This indicates that differences in lifestyle and standard of living between western Europe and a former socialist country influen

ISSN:0954-7894    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb01805.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryUltrafiltered (>1000 Da) samples of beer, aged red wine, young white wine, sparkling wine and extracts of fresh wheat bread and dried rye bread were analysed by skin‐prick test (SPT), radioallergosorbent test (RAST) inhibition, sodium dodecylsulphate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE) and immunoblotting to find out if they containSaccharomyces cerevisiae(S. cerevisiae, baker's yeast) allergens. Serum pool consisting ofS. cerevisiaepositive sera was used in the assays. The results were compared with freeze‐dried reference. V.cerevisiaeand cereal antigens. The beer, bread, red wine and sparkling wine extracts elicited immediate reactions. However, no evident correlation with suspected symptoms was observed. White wine extract caused reactions in four out of six atopic dermatitis (AD) patients with symptoms, and in five out of seven symptom‐free AD patients and in two of the 24 controls. In SDS‐PAGE, protein bands were found in wheat and rye bread extracts and beer. In IgE immunoblotting, however, no staining was seen with theS. cerevisiaepositive sera suggesting that they were of cereal origin. In white wine and champagne extracts a nonspecific staining was seen in the region 20kDa representing, e.g. lectin‐like activity. No bakers yeast antigen could be detected in brewery and bakery products with IgE‐immunoblotting even in the excessively concentrated extracts. The IgE mediated allergy to baker's yeast alone should thus not lead to denial of bakery, brewery an

ISSN:0954-7894    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb01806.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryAs part of a case‐controlled study on the relationship between home dampness and respiratory symptoms of children, the concentration of the major allergen ofDermato‐phagoides pteronyssinus(Der pI) in floor dust and mattress dust in 516 dwellings in the Netherlands was measured. A checklist, completed by the investigators, was used to obtain information on home and occupant characteristics, which may have an impact on theDer pI concentration in house dust. The geometric mean mite antigen concentrations were 2370 ngDer pI/g floor dust for the living room, 2201 ngDer pI/g floor dust for the bedroom and 5075 ngDer pI/g mattress dust. In 86% of the houses the maximum concentration was higher than 2000 ngDer pI/g dust, that is regarded as representing a risk for genetically predisposed individuals for the development of specific IgE to house dust mite allergen. In 55% of the houses the maximum concentration exceeded 10000 ngDer pI/g dust, regarded as a risk factor for acute attacks of asthma for mite allergic patients. TheDer pI concentrations in dust from carpeted floors were six to 14 times higher than in dust from floors with a smooth floor covering. HigherDer pI concentrations in floor dust were also significantly associated with increasing age of the dwelling and of the floor covering, with an increasing number of occupants, and with the absence of floor insulation. For mattress dust, the age of the mattress, the presence of an outer cavity wall and mechanical ventilation were important factors. Older mattresses had higher levels, and mattress dust from bedrooms with solid brick outer walls had higher levels than that from bedrooms with outer cavity walls. Mattresses in homes with continuous mechanical ventilation had almost twice lower levels than mattresses in homes with natural ventilation. There was a tendency towards higherDer pI concentrations in dust in homes with reported or observed signs of dampness. TheDer pI concentrations in dust from carpeted bedroom floors and mattresses were positively associated with the average relative humidity in the bedroom over a period of 3–6 weeks in a subset of the homes where relative humidity was measured. Similar results were obtained using the concentrations ofDer pI in ng/m2instead of ng/g dust. The results obtained in this study are of importance for planning and evaluating allergen avoidance measures advised to mite allergic pat

ISSN:0954-7894    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb01807.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryWe have measured the expression of messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA) (mRNA) encoding inlerleukin‐5 (IL‐5), IL‐4. IL‐2 and interteron‐γ (IFN‐γ) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 10 patients with acute exacerbations of asthma and nine non‐asthmatic controls. Measurements were repealed in seven of the asthmatics following 7 days of oral glucocorticoid therapy. Total RNA was extracted from the PBMC, reverse transcribed using oligo‐(dT) primers and aliquots of the resulting complementary DNA (cDNA) amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the presence of cytokine‐specific primers under non‐saturating conditions. PCR products were quantified on a relative basis after Southern blotting and probing with radiolabelled internal oligonucleotide probes by computer assisted densitometry of blot autoradiographs. The relative amounts of IL‐5 mRNA in PBMC from the asthmatic patients prior to glucocorticoid therapy were greater (P<0.01) than those in PBMC from non‐asthmatic controls. In contrast, there were no differences in the relative amounts of IL‐4. IL‐2 and IFN‐γ mRNA. In the asthmatics, the relative amounts of IL‐5 mRNA correlated with the peripheral blood eosinophil counts (P= 0.02). After oral glucocorticoid therapy of the asthmatics, lung function improved and the relative amounts of PBMC IL‐5 mRNA were reduced (P= 0.04) and no longer differed from those in PBMC from non‐asthmatic controls. Glucocorticoid therapy was not associated with significant changes in the relative amounts of PBMC IL‐4. IL‐2 and IFN‐γ mRNA. PBMC from alopic subjects contained significantly greater quantities of IL‐4 mRNA (P ‐0.04) but not IL‐5, IL‐2 and IFN‐γ mRNA compared with non‐atopic subjects regardless of their asthmatic status. We conclude that PBMC of patients with acute exacerbations of asthma demonstrate elevated expression of mRNA encoding IL‐5, but not IL‐2, IL‐4 and IFNγ and that the clinical improvement associated with glucocorticoid therapy is associated with a reduction of IL‐5 mRNA expression. We further conclude that elevated expression in PBMC of mRNA encoding IL‐4 is a feature of atopy but not of asthma. These observations suggest that IL‐5 synthesis by activated T‐lymphocytes may be relevant to the pathogenesis of asthma, and that inhibition of this release by glucocortic

ISSN:0954-7894    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb01808.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryAtopy frequently displays autosomal dominant inheritance and recent studies have favoured genetic linkage between atopy and the human chromosome 11q13. We have studied 12 extended families with aggregation of atopy consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance. The families have been studied for linkage of asthma and atopy to loci on chromosome 8p following the observation that one family suggested preliminary evidence of linkage to an anonymous hypervariable locus cloned from a DNA fingerprint and mapped to 8pter‐p22. Subsequent analysis shows this putative linkage to be adventitious as the remaining 11 families do not support linkage between atopy and 8p, We have analysed the same families for evidence of linkage of atopy to loci on 11q13. In these families there is no evidence of association between atopy and the 11q loci stronger than that expected by chance alone; furthermore there is no suggestion subpopulation of these families display linkage between atopy and the loci. In addition neither the 8p loci nor the 11q loci exhibit evidence of linkage to atopy by affected sib‐pair analysis. This also conflicts with previously published data for

ISSN:0954-7894    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb01809.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryCytokines are known to play a major role in mediating many of the immunological and pathological features of allergic disease. Much of our understanding of cytokine production in response to allergens has come from studying allergen‐specific T cell clones following long‐termin vitroculture. This has largely been due to the lack of sufficiently sensitive assays to measure allergen‐induced cytokine production by freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Here we have used the polymerase chain reaction to amplify reverse transcribed interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) and IFNγ mRNA expressed by allergen‐stimulated PBMCs from a variety atopic individuals. UsingDer pII, a major allergen of the house dust mite (HDM)Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, we have demonstrated that cells from HDM‐sensitive atopic patients(n= 12), can be induced to express either IL‐4 alone (three patients), IL‐4 and IFNγ (six patients), IFNγ alone (two patients) or neither cytokine (one patient). Cells from 13 non‐atopic control individuals were also stimulated withDer pII and cytokine mRNA production was studied. None expressed IL‐4, while seven of 13 transcribed IFNγ. Our results suggest that atopic individuals have allergen‐reactive T cells at various stages of differentiation, with respect to the cytokines they produce. The use of this technique will aid in the further understanding of specific cellular hypersens

ISSN:0954-7894    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb01810.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

SummaryThis was a multicentre, double‐blind, randomized group comparative study in which 77 children, aged 6–16 years, received 2% nedocromil sodium eye drops and 72 received placebo, one drop into each eye twice daily. The treatment period was 4 weeks, covering the peak birch pollen season. Prior to the start or the season, patients who had mended the clinic the previous 2 years because of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) to birch pollen, entered a one week baseline period during which symptoms were assessed, diary cards completed, and routine sampling of blood and urine earned out. The double‐blind treatment period then commenced at the onset of the birch pollen season. Patients parents kept daily diary record cards of eye symptom severity and concomitant therapy. Conjunctivitis was mild in both treatment groups but nedocromil sodium was more effective than placebo in controlling symptoms. During the 2–3 weeks of peak pollen counts, this therapeutic effect was statistically significant for itching (P<0–01), watering (P<0.05) and total symptom score (P<0.01), but was not significant for grittiness (P= 0.08) or redness (P = 0.06). Global opinions of efficacy showed no difference between treatments, due to a high placebo effect (however, the diary card data indicated a significant improvement with nedocromil sodium). We therefore conclude that nedocromil sodium 2% eye drops, administered twice daily, is an effective treatment for SAC in

ISSN:0954-7894    

DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.1994.tb01811.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY