Dietary prevention of allergic diseases in infants and small children.

Because of scientific fraud four trials have been excluded from the original Cochrane meta-analysis on formulas containing hydrolyzed protein for prevention of allergy and food intolerance in infants. Unlike the conclusions of the revised Cochrane review the export group set up by the Section on Paediatrics, European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SP-EAACI) do not find that the exclusion of the four trials demands a change of the previous recommendations regarding primary dietary prevention of allergic diseases. Ideally, recommendations on primary dietary prevention should be based only on the results of randomized and quasi-randomized trials (selection criteria in the Cochrane review). However, regarding breastfeeding randomization is unethical, Therefore, in the development of recommendations on dietary primary prevention, high-quality systematic reviews of high-quality cohort studies should be included in the evidence base. The study type combined with assessment of the methodological quality determines the level of evidence. In view of some methodological concerns in the Cochrane meta-analysis, particularly regarding definitions and diagnostic criteria for outcome measures and inclusion of non peer-reviewed studies/reports, a revision of the Cochrane analysis may seem warranted. Based on analysis of published peer-reviewed observational and interventional studies the results still indicate that breastfeeding is highly recommended for all infants irrespective of atopic heredity. A dietary regimen is effective in the prevention of allergic diseases in high-risk infants, particularly in early infancy regarding food allergy and eczema. The most effective dietary regimen is exclusively breastfeeding for at least 4-6 months or, in absence of breast milk, formulas with documented reduced allergenicity for at least the first 4 months, combined with avoidance of solid food and cow's milk for the first 4 months.     

Ventricular shunts and the prevalence of sensitization and clinically relevant allergy to latex in patients with spina bifida

Patients with spina bifida represent the highest‐risk group for developing hypersensitivity to latex. Recognized risk factors for these patients are repeated surgery and an atopic disposition. Our aim was to study the influence of a ventricular shunt as an independent risk factor. One hundred and sixty‐one patients with spina bifida (median age 10 years) were investigated for the presence of a shunting device and the number, type and date of previous surgical interventions. Additionally, skin‐prick tests and provocation tests were performed in order to classify sensitized and symptomatic latex‐allergic individuals. Eighty‐eight patients (54.7%) were sensitized; 55 (34.2%) were provocation‐positive. Patients with a shunt system had undergone a significantly higher number of surgical procedures (p < 0.0001) and showed significantly higher levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE)‐antibodies to latex (p < 0.0001) than patients without a shunting device. The total number of operations correlated significantly with the level of IgE‐antibodies to latex in serum (p < 0.0001), whereas the number of shunt operations in patients with a ventricular shunt did not significantly correlate with the degree of sensitization. In conclusion, patients with spina bifida who have a ventricular shunt are at particularly high risk because they undergo a significantly higher number of operations than patients without a ventricular shunt. However, the ventricular shunt does not seem to be an independent risk factor. Furthermore, this study emphasizes that individuals at high risk, such as patients with spina bifida, should be handled latex‐free from the very beginning of life.     

Vaskul?re Komplikationen der perkutanen transradialen Koronarangiographie und Koronarintervention

ZusammenfassungHintergrund und Ziel:  Vaskuläre Komplikationen nach transradialer Koronarangiographie und Koronarintervention können dramatische Folgen für die Durchblutung der Hand haben. Schwerwiegende Folgen (Handischämie mit Verschluss der Fingerarterien) nach Kanülierung der A. radialis sind bisher nur kasuistisch beschrieben. Die vorliegende Untersuchung soll klären, ob die perkutane transradiale Koronarangiographie/-intervention zu vaskulären Komplikationen führt.Patienten und Methodik:  93 Patienten wurden in einem Zeitraum von 4 Monaten konsekutiv in die vorliegende Studie eingeschlossen und sowohl vor als auch nach der Herzkatheteruntersuchung/-intervention untersucht. Gefäßweite, Blutfluss, Flussgeschwindigkeiten und Verschlussdruckwerte wurden mittels Duplexsonographie und Verschlussdruckplethysmographie registriert. Die Stenosegraduierung erfolgte mit der „peak velocity ratio“-Methode.Ergebnisse:  Bei 93 Patienten (75 Männer, mittleres Alter 62,5 Jahre) wurde bei unauffälligem Allen-Test eine transradiale Koronarangiographie oder -intervention durchgeführt. Die prozedurale Erfolgsrate lag bei 97,2%. Bei drei Patienten (2,8%) konnte die Untersuchung nicht erfolgreich durchgeführt werden. Der mittlere Gefäßdurchmesser nahm von 2,46 ± 1,7 mm (Standardabweichung [SD]) vor der Intervention auf 2,78 ± 0,69 mm (SD) nach der Intervention statistisch signifikant (p = 0,002) zu. Nicht signifikante Änderungen wurden bei Blutfluss, Flussgeschwindigkeiten und Verschlussdruckwerten registriert. Neun von 93 Patienten (10%) wiesen duplexsonographisch vaskuläre Komplikationen nach der transradialen Herzkatheteruntersuchung/-intervention auf. Kein Patient beklagte Beschwerden. Trotz vaskulärer Komplikationen traten bei keinem Patienten Perfusionsausfälle der Digitalarterien auf.Schlussfolgerung:  Die transradiale Koronarangiographie und Koronarintervention ist für die Patienten eine sichere Methode mit einer hohen prozeduralen Erfolgsrate.     

Silica, hyaluronate, and alveolar macrophage functional differentiation.

BACKGROUND: Silicosis is mediated by macrophages, their soluble mediators, and extracellular matrix molecules. In this study, we investigated the effects of silica and/or hyaluronate (HA) on several alveolar macrophage responses. METHODS: We evaluated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) production by radiolabeled precursors, nitric oxide (NO) release by its oxidation product, phagocytic activity by Candida albicans internalization, and the secretion of two fibrogenic cytokines, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, by specific assays. RESULTS: Silica significantly reduced GAG secretion, particularly HA secretion. Alone, it decreased Candida uptake; associated with HA, it enhanced the reduction. Silica and Candida reduced NO release, which was not significantly affected when silica- or Candida-exposed cells were also treated with HA. TNF-alpha and TGF-beta activities were stimulated by silica but reduced by HA. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that silica and HA modify alveolar macrophage functional differentiation. Silica- and HA-induced modifications of the microenvironment could determine whether the response proceeds toward healing and repair or toward lung chronic pathology.     

Paracoccidioidomycosis – description of two cases autochthonous in Ceará

Paracoccidioidomycosis is endemic in most countries of Latin America. Brazil has the greatest number of cases, with no autochthonous case registered in the state of Ceará. The cases of two patients that had never gone outside the State of Ceará and lived at least some years in the municipality of Palmácia.