Impact of 1-Year Supplementation with High-Rich Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) on Clinical Variables and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial.

A randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study was conducted to assess the effect of dietary supplementation with high-rich docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (Tridocosahexanoin-AOX 70%) at 50 mg/kg/day in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) as compared with placebo. The duration of supplementation was 12 months. A total of 22 patients were included, with 11 in the DHA group and 11 in the placebo group.

Changes of Erythrocyte Fatty Acids after Supplementation with Highly Concentrated Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) in Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial.

We characterized the fatty acid profiles in the erythrocyte membrane of pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) receiving highly concentrated docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation (Tridocosahexanoin-AOX 70%) at 50 mg/kg/day ( = 11) or matching placebo ( = 11) for 12 months. The mean age was 11.7 years.

Cost-effectiveness of omalizumab for the treatment of severe pediatric allergic asthma-Results of a real-life study in Spain.

Background: Severe pediatric allergic asthma (SPAA) induces a huge economic burden in terms of direct, indirect, and intangible costs. The use of omalizumab for the treatment of these patients has produced a significant improvement in several clinical outcomes, but at the same time, the cost for the management of the disease has also increased. The aim of this report was to evaluate whether the use of omalizumab is cost-effective.

Long-term outcome of omalizumab-assisted desensitisation to cow's milk and eggs in patients refractory to conventional oral immunotherapy: real-life study.

Background: Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is a promising approach to cow's milk and egg allergies, but reactions are frequent and some patients cannot be desensitized.

Objective: To evaluate long-term OIT outcomes with omalizumab (OMZ) in paediatric patients with severe egg and/or milk allergies.

Methods: This retrospective real-life study analysed findings in children with Immunoglobulin E-mediated allergy to cow's milk and/or hen eggs refractory to conventional OIT, who underwent OIT with OMZ in our department between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2015.

Characterization of severe asthma in the pediatric population.

Introduction And Objectives: Relationship between the causal mechanisms of pediatric severe asthma and severity of symptoms would be helpful for developing personalized strategies for treatment and prevention.

Materials And Methods: For this study, 698 medical histories of asthmatics between 6 and 18 years of age were reviewed in a period of 2 years. Variables analyzed were: age, sex, ethnicity, perinatological history, allergy history, asthma predictive index (API), exposure to tobacco, heavy traffic or epithelium, lung function, age of onset of symptoms, hospitalization admissions/PICU, systemic corticosteroids, daily symptoms control, device prescribe for daily control, and adherence.

Omalizumab outcomes for up to 6 years in pediatric patients with severe persistent allergic asthma.

Background: Various studies have assessed omalizumab outcomes in the clinical practice setting but follow-up and/or number of patients included were limited. We aim to describe the long-term outcomes of pediatric patients with severe persistent allergic asthma receiving omalizumab in the largest real-life cohort reported to date.

Methods: ANCHORS was a multicenter, observational, retrospective cohort study conducted in 25 Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology units in Spain.

Predictors of a positive oral food challenge to cow's milk in children sensitized to cow's milk.

Introduction And Objectives: The diagnosis of IgE-mediated cow's milk allergy (CMA) is often based on clinical history and on specific IgE levels and/or skin-prick tests (SPT), both of which are sensitive but not specific. The gold standard, oral food challenge (OFC), is expensive and time-consuming and involves a risk of severe allergic reactions. This study aimed to determine the value of specific IgEs, ratios of specific IgEs for cow's milk and its components to total IgE, and wheal size on SPT for predicting a positive OFC for CMA.

[Consensus-based approach for severe paediatric asthma in routine clinical practice].

Introduction: Accurate identification of paediatric patients with severe asthma is essential for an adequate management of the disease. However, criteria for defining severe asthma and recommendations for control vary among different guidelines.

Material And Methods: An online survey was conducted to explore expert opinions about the definition and management of severe paediatric asthma.

[Nasal potential difference test to diagnose cystic fibrosis].

Cystic fibrosis is usually diagnosed based on suspicion arising from a typical clinical picture and must be confirmed by either a finding of high chloride concentrations in sweat tests on 2 separate days or detection of 2 gene mutations. The nasal potential difference (NPD) test has been proposed to provide evidence of abnormal function of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a receptor that forms a chloride ion channel. The test is especially useful for patients who have normal chloride concentrations in sweat tests and in whom 2 gene mutations related to cystic fibrosis have not been detected.

[Efficiency of methotrexate in the treatment of cortico-dependent asthmatic patients].

Objective: To evaluate the efficiency of low doses of methotrexate as corticosteroid sparing agent in asthmatic patients requiring long term corticosteroid therapy.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted with seven adult patients and one female pediatric patient suffering from corticosteroid-dependent bronchial asthma. The minimal stabilization time for each patient before initiating treatment with MTX was 3 months.

[Cystic fibrosis: a new disease in adults].

Objective: Cystic fibrosis (CF) has undergone substantial epidemiological changes. The life expectancy of CF patients and the proportion of affected adults are rising because of advances in diagnosis and treatment. In order to find out more about our current situation, we sent an anonymous questionnaire to all affected members of the Catalonian Association of CF.