Physician practice in food allergy prevention in the Middle East and North Africa.

Background: A number of scientific organisations have developed guidelines for the primary prevention of allergic disease through nutritional interventions. However, even if the best evidence-based guidelines are available, these guidelines do not necessarily lead to adherence and improved health outcomes.

Method: To determine how closely the practice of physicians in select Middle Eastern and North African countries compares with the current recommendations on the primary prevention of allergy a survey study was performed using a structured questionnaire and convenience sampling.

Association of the STAT-6 rs324011 (C2892T) variant but not rs324015 (G2964A), with atopic asthma in a Saudi Arabian population.

Background: The signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) transduces signals in response to IL-4 and IL-13 cytokine stimulations, resulting in many cell-specific responses. Some common STAT6 SNPs were associated with asthma predisposition and/or IgE levels, although discrepancies have also been reported.

Objective: To determine whether STAT6 rs324011 and rs324015 polymorphisms are associated with atopic asthma in Saudi Arabian patients.

Breastfeeding practice and its association with respiratory symptoms and atopic disease in 1-3-year-old children in the city of Riyadh, central Saudi Arabia.

Background: Saudi Arabia has a declining rate of breastfeeding and increasing levels of childhood asthma and atopic disease. In highly economically developed countries, breastfeeding of children at high risk of atopic disease reduces the likelihood of atopic dermatitis, wheezing associated with respiratory infections, and possibly asthma. This study investigated the prevalence of breastfeeding and its association with wheezing/asthma and atopic disease in 1-3-year-old children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Prevalence of airborne allergenic Amaranthus viridis pollen in seven different regions of Saudi Arabia.

Background: Amaranthus pollen grains are known to be highly allergenic and a potential cause of respiratory allergic diseases. Nevertheless, data on the prevalence of Amaranthus pollen in the environment is limited and almost non-existent for Saudi Arabia.

Methods: We conducted an investigation to record the airborne incidence of A.

Cladosporium and respiratory allergy: diagnostic implications in Saudi Arabia.

An allergological study to evaluate allergenicity to Cladosporium, Burkard 7-Day Volumetric Spore Trap and Personal Volumetric air sampler (viable mode) were employed to conduct air sampling for 12 months in three regions of Saudi Arabia. The study was extended for a continuous 3rd year at one site. Skin prick testing (SPT) was also conducted on 605 allergic individuals using commercial extracts of C.

The management of acute severe asthma in a pediatric intensive care unit.

Objective: The hospitalization and mortality rates incurred from acute childhood asthma continue to rise in the past decade. The purpose of this study is to examine the outcome, morbidity and the management of children admitted with acute asthma to our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and compare it with those described in the literature.

Methods: Medical records of all children admitted with acute severe asthma to PICU at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over an 8-year period (1994-2001) were reviewed.