Maize food allergy: a double-blind placebo-controlled study.

Background: Maize allergy is not very common especially in Europe. The number of studies that address IgE mediated maize allergy is all too few.

Objective: Evaluate subjects with a history of maize allergy by double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge; identify the spectrum of symptoms manifested during challenge; determine the lowest provocation dose (PD) during challenge; determine the performance characteristics of maize skin prick test and specific IgE.

Wheat allergy: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in adults.

Background: Wheat is believed to be an uncommon cause of food allergy in adults; the number of studies that address IgE mediated wheat allergy in adults is all too few.

Objective: Determine how many subjects with a history of wheat allergy have real allergy by double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge; identify the symptoms manifested during the challenge; determine the lowest provocation dose; determine the performance characteristics of wheat skin prick test and specific IgE; identify subjects with real wheat allergy for potential immunoblotting studies.

Methods: Patients underwent skin test with commercial wheat extract; specific wheat IgE was determined.

Hepatitis C virus serum markers and liver disease in children with leukemia during and after chemotherapy.

The pattern of hepatitis C virus (HCV) serum markers and liver disease was investigated in 11 leukemic children showing anti-HCV reactivity at least once during long-term observation to define the role of HCV infection and the behavior of HCV serologic markers in this patient cohort. Antibodies to HCV by first- and second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by second-generation (four antigens) recombinant immunoblotting assay (RIBA) and HCV-RNA by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were serially examined in serum. Liver disease was defined according to transaminase levels.

High-dose methotrexate administration and acute liver damage in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A prospective study.

Background: Methotrexate-induced hepatotoxicity following chronic low-dose administration has been extensively reported. Current protocols now include high-dose methotrexate (HDMTX), but there are few studies providing data on its acute hepatotoxicity in childhood leukemia.

Methods: To evaluate the prevalence of HDMTX-induced acute hepatotoxicity, sixty-eight consecutive children with ALL were prospectively studied from diagnosis to the end of HDMTX courses with biochemical and clinical evaluation performed at regular intervals.