Immunotherapy against environmental fungi causing respiratory allergy.

Allergic respiratory diseases (ARDs) have been one of the major global health problems of the 21st century with an increasing prevalence. A significant proportion of aerobiological particles in the environment is constituted by fungal structures, including those from Alternaria, Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Aspergillus species which are regarded as the four most common fungal genera associated with allergic fungal airway diseases (AFADs). Allergen specific immunotherapy (AIT) has capacity to promote protection as well as long-term tolerance to the allergen, however there have not been adequate number of studies evaluating the efficacy of against AFADs, up till today.

Immune mechanisms induced by sublingual immunotherapy in allergic respiratory diseases.

Allergic respiratory diseases (ARDs) are still a major burden on global public health. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a mode of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) which involves administration of the allergen under the tongue, and benefits from tolerogenic properties of the oral mucosa. Studies revealed reduced levels of eosinophilia and eosinophil-dominated inflammation in airways of both animals and humans after SLIT.

Cutaneous Allergic reactions to pine processionary caterpillar (Thaumetopoea Pityocampa): a complicated cutaneous reaction in an infant and review of the literature.

Background: Thaumetopoea Pityocampa (TP) are frequent in the Mediterranean region especially affecting forest workers in pinewood areas. The common symptoms include swelling, rash or burns like any form of dermatitis. The reactions can be triggered by mechanical, chemical or allergic factors and the `allergic` reaction is caused by sensitization to a hair protein named `thaumetopoein`.

Maintained disease control and steroid-sparing effect of subcutaneous immunotherapy in allergic rhinitis and asthma.

Background: Allergen immunotherapy is the only currently available treatment strategy that modifies the immune response to the causative allergen and induces clinical improvement and a steroid-sparing effect.

Objective: In this real-life study, we aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) with one allergen or multiple allergens in children and adults with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis in terms of disease control and a steroid-sparing effect.

Methods: Demographics, the initial inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and/or intranasal corticosteroid (INS) dose, and other drugs of patients receiving SCIT for at least 12 months were recorded.

High fetal bisphenol A exposure enhances IL22 secretion: A proinflammatory cytokine.

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial product, widely used in human consumed types of equipment that can be transmitted orally, by inhalation or through dermal absorption and is detectable in many body fluids including cord blood. A correlation between BPA concentration in maternal serum and cord blood has been demonstrated previously, suggesting a possible transfer of BPA via the transplacental path.

Objective: Our objective is to determine the impact of cord blood BPA level on cytokine responses.

Planning and approach to allergen-specific immunotherapy in polyallergic patients.

Allergy immunotherapy (AIT) is currently the only disease-modifying treatment for allergic-respiratory diseases. Polysensitization may increase the severity of current disease resulting in subsequent asthma development in patients with allergic rhinitis. Due to the absence of general recommendations for the practical approach to polysensitized patients, clinical management is not standardized.

Headliner in Physiology and Management of Childhood Asthma: Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis.

Asthma is the most common chronic inflammatory disease of children. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are the cornerstone of asthma therapy which are the most effective, commonly used treatment of persistent asthma. Mostly, studies on the relationship between asthma and cortisol have focused on side effects of treatment.

Association of cord blood bisphenol A (BPA) with cord blood adiponectin, leptin, fetal growth; adiposity and neoantal complications in a newborn cohort.

To evaluate the relation between cord blood bisphenol A (BPA), leptin, adiponectin, birth weight, height, skin thickness, and postnatal results. This study was performed in near East University Medical Faculty, Nicosia, Cyprus with 150 healthy newborns. Cord blood leptin, adiponectin, BPA levels were measured by ELISA and birth weight, heights and back, waist, and arm skin thickness were measured and postnatal problems noted.

Evaluation of Dose Dependent Maternal Exposure to Bisphenol A on Thyroid Functions in Newborns.

Unlabelled: Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine-disrupting chemical compound that is mainly used in industrial products as packaging and plastics. It usually transmits to humans via oral route from food-contact material. BPA has demonstrated to be found in body fluids with a higher amount of fetal tissues due to bio-accumulation.

Tonsillar antimicrobial peptide (AMP) expression profiles of periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, cervical adenitis (PFAPA) patients.

Introduction: PFAPA (periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis) is the most frequent non-infectious cause of high fever observed among the European child population. While its cause is still not yet fully identified, PFAPA patients were previously shown to have altered tonsillar microbiome composition. Our study hypothesized that this is associated with a change in antimicrobial peptide (AMP) expression levels, as in the case of Crohn's disease which is another autoinflammatory disorder.

Is celiac disease misdiagnosed in children with functional constipation?

Background/aims: Functional constipation is one of the common problems in childhood, and it comprises approximately 5% of the pediatric outpatient clinical applications. On the other hand, celiac disease (CD) is an immune enteropathy with the prevalence between 1/150 and 1/200. In addition to the classical symptoms of the disease such as diarrhea and weight loss, the incidence of atypical symptoms is increasing.

A case report: incomplete Kawasaki disease in a hypogammaglobulinémie child.

Kawasaki Disease (KD) is a systemic autoimmune vasculitis that affects small and medium sized vessels. Main complication of Kawasaki Disease is coronary artery aneurism, which has higher risk in case of delayed diagnosis and treatment. Although, complete and incomplete KD cases in different types of immune deficiency diseases have been presented up to date, clinical course of KD in patients with hypogammaglobulinemia (HG) has not been reported.

A predictive score for retinopathy of prematurity by using clinical risk factors and serum insulin-like growth factor-1 levels.

Aim: To detect the impact of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and other risk factors for the early prediction of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and to establish a scoring system for ROP prediction by using clinical criteria and serum IGF-1 levels.

Methods: The study was conducted with 127 preterm infants. IGF-1 levels in the 1 day of life, 1, 2, 3 and 4 week of life was analyzed.

A Novel Gene Mutation in a Case of Congenital Isolated Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Deficiency Presenting with Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections.

Introduction: Congenital isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency (CIAD) is a rare disease characterized by low adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol levels. To date, recurrent pulmonary infections in infancy have not been reported as an accompanying symptom of CIAD.

Case Presentation: A 7-year-old boy was hospitalized nine times for recurrent lower respiratory tract infections.

Prevalence of Thalassemia Trait & Iron Deficiency Anemia during Infancy in 2011-2013 in a Thalassemia Prevalent Region: North Cyprus.

Background: Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) is an important health problem all around the world especially in developing countries. In the Mediterranean countries another prevelant reason of anemia is Thalassemia. Certain strategies had been established as a government policy to reduce prevalence in North Cyprus, such as pre-marital screening of Thalassemia.

Prevalence of Mediterranean FeVer Gene Mutations in Turkish Cypriot Population.

Objectives: This study aims to determine the carrier frequency and the most common mutations of the Mediterranean FeVer (MEFV) gene in healthy Cypriot population of Turkish origin.

Patients And Methods: A total of 296 healthy participants (102 males, 194 females; median age 30 years; range 1 to 81 years) were evaluated. The exon 2, 3, 5 and 10 of MEFV genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction.

Long-Term Effect of Sublingual and Subcutaneous Immunotherapy in Dust Mite-Allergic Children With Asthma/Rhinitis: A 3-Year Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background And Objective: Specific allergen immunotherapy is the only treatment modality that might change the natural course of allergic diseases in childhood. We sought to prospectively compare the long-term clinical and immunological effects of sublingual (SLIT) and subcutaneous (SCIT) immunotherapy compared with pharmacotherapy alone.

Methods: In this single-center, prospective randomized controlled trial, 48 children with mild persistent asthma with/without rhinitis, monosensitized to house dust mites (HDMs) were followed for 3 years.

Rare adverse events due to house dust mite sublingual immunotherapy in pediatric practice: two case reports.

Sublingual route, a noninjective way of allergen administration appears to be associated with a lower incidence of severe systemic reactions compared with the subcutaneous route. Local adverse reactions are reported which resolve spontaneously within a few days without need for discontinuation of treatment. Hereby, we report two pediatric cases, one with persistent asthma and the other one with persistent allergic rhinitis.

Predictive risk factors for relapse after cessation of inhaled corticosteroids in well-controlled childhood asthma.

Background: There is limited data for predicting the risk of exacerbations following the cessation of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in well controlled childhood asthma. In current study, clinical, functional and inflammatory parameters at the time of ICS withdrawal were investigated in that respect.

Methods: Forty children asymptomatic for at least 3 months on low dose ICS's were enrolled and ICS were discontinued in summer.

A milestone in house dust-mite-allergen immunotherapy: the new sublingual tablet S-524101 (actair).

Subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy has long been used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis and/or asthma and its efficacy has been confirmed. However, due to the discomfort of injections and the risk of severe adverse reactions, alternative routes of allergen administration have emerged. Delivery of allergens through the mucosal route had been proposed and investigated thoroughly, confirming the sublingual route to be the most efficacious.

High prevalence of allergy in North Cypriot children.

Background: The ISAAC (the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire has been used to standardize research on the prevalence of asthma in children since 1991.

Aim: In this Phase I study, the prevalence of asthma, other allergic diseases and atopy was evaluated in North Cyprus.

Methods: The ISAAC questionnaire was distributed to grades I-V schoolchildren.

Leptin, ghrelin and calprotectin: inflammatory markers in childhood asthma?

Background: Appetite-modulating hormones ghrelin and leptin might be relevant to asthma with their pro-inflammatory effects, and calprotectin has been recognized as a promising marker of inflammation. The purpose of this study was to explore whether asthma, atopy and lung functions has a relation with serum levels of leptin, ghrelin and calprotectin as inflammatory markers in children.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed by searching the doctor diagnosed asthma through questionnaires filled in by parents who were phoned, and children were invited to supply fasting blood samples in order to measure serum levels of leptin, ghrelin and calprotectin, and to perform skin prick test and spirometry.