New insights into childhood Vernal keratoconjunctivitis-associated factors.

The purpose of this study was to test for detectable serum levels of antibodies usually associated with immune-related diseases in children with Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) and seek for their family history of allergies and autoimmune disorders. The association of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) with VKC was also investigated. We enrolled 181 VKC children and assessed total and specific IgE, antithyroglobulin (AbTG), antithyroidperoxidase (AbTPO), antitransglutaminase (tTG), and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) by standard procedures.

Formation of anti-platelet factor 4/heparin antibodies after cardiac surgery: influence of perioperative platelet activation, the inflammatory response, and histocompatibility leukocyte antigen status.

Background: Anticoagulation therapy with heparin induces antibodies that recognize multimolecular complexes of platelet factor 4 bound to heparin (anti-platelet factor 4/heparin antibodies). Considering that cardiac surgery induces an intense platelet activation and proinflammatory response, we examined the relationship between formation of anti-platelet factor 4/heparin antibodies and plasma levels of platelet factor 4 and interleukin 6. We also examined the relationship between anti-platelet factor 4/heparin seroconversion and the histocompatibility leukocyte antigen system.

HLA-Cw allele frequencies in northern and southern Italy.

The evidence for HLA-Cw antigens' involvement in the modulation of the immune response in bone marrow transplantation, NK alloreactivity and the susceptibility and follow-up for different diseases has been growing in the recent years, but very few data on HLA-Cw distribution in healthy Italian subjects are available to date. This report presents an updated description of HLA-Cw frequencies in Italy, comparing data from the northern (Lombardia) and southern (Campania and Puglia) parts of the country. A total of 1101 healthy subjects of Italian origin were genotyped, and the results showed that HLA-Cw*04, Cw*07, Cw*12, and, in particular, Cw*0401, Cw*0701, Cw*1203, were the most frequent alleles found in all three regions analysed.

Influence of HLA antigens and OSAS in childhood: a preliminary report.

Several studies have emphasized the role of familial factors and familial aggregation in increasing susceptibility to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS); the aim of the present study was to investigate the possible influence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) in the development of sleep disordered breathing and OSAS of children. Between January 2000 and January 2003, all the 370 children [193 males; median age: 5.2 years (range: 1-12 years)] with sleep disordered breathing referred to our Center were screened by a 41-item multiple-choice questionnaire.