Differences in the detection of circulating Hsp90 alpha between patients with atopic dermatitis and dermatitis herpetiformis.

Heat shock protein 90 alpha (Hsp90α) is one of the key intra- and extracellular chaperones responsible for the biological activity of various signaling molecules that are involved in (auto)immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Recent epidemiologic data suggest that patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) are at risk for several autoimmune diseases, including dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), an extraintestinal manifestation of celiac disease (CD). In addition, pruritic diseases such as AD may be confused clinically with DH.

The use of phage display systems to combat infectious diseases in poultry: diagnostic, vaccine, and therapeutic approaches.

Development of molecular biology and understanding structures and functions of various biological molecules and entities allowed to construct various sophisticated tools for different biotechnological, medical, and veterinary applications. One of them is the phage display technology, based on the possibility to create specific bacteriophages bearing fusion genes, which code for fusion proteins consisting of a phage coat protein and a peptide of any amino acid sequence. Such proteins retain their biological functions as structural elements of phage virions while exposing foreign peptide sequences on their surfaces.

Functional assessment of the right ventricle in patients with bronchial asthma of various severity.

Introduction: Pulmonary artery hypertension and its consequences still constitutes an underestimated clinical problem in asthma patients and its non-invasive early detection may influence proper treatment.

Aim: To non-invasively examine the pulmonary artery flow parameters and right ventricular function in patients with asthma of various severity.

Material And Methods: The analysis of parameters of echocardiography and first-pass and gated radionuclide angiography, and baseline examination in 31 patients with bronchial asthma and 16 healthy controls.

The effect of chronically occluded coronary artery recanalisation on baroreflex sensitivity and left ventricular systolic function.

Background: Recanalisation of chronic total occlusion (CTO) of a coronary artery can be reflected by improvements in various clinical parameters. Revealing increased parasympathetic activity would constitute an additional argument for performing this procedure.

Aim: To assess the effect of CTO recanalisation on baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in stable symptomatic patients with coronary artery disease.

Application of adjusted subpixel method (ASM) in HRCT measurements of the bronchi in bronchial asthma patients and healthy individuals.

Background: Recently, we described a model system which included corrections of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) bronchial measurements based on the adjusted subpixel method (ASM).

Objective: To verify the clinical application of ASM by comparing bronchial measurements obtained by means of the traditional eye-driven method, subpixel method alone and ASM in a group comprised of bronchial asthma patients and healthy individuals.

Methods: The study included 30 bronchial asthma patients and the control group comprised of 20 volunteers with no symptoms of asthma.

[The comparison of selected spirometric parameters with functional muscles exercise evaluation in patients with myasthenia].

Unlabelled: Pathological skeletal muscle weakness is an axial clinical symptom of myasthenia (MG). Diminished respiratory muscular force can be manifested by decreased peak expiratory flow (PEF) value.

Material And Methods: Patients aged 13-77 years were studied at which according to Osserman classification ocular form (the type I) or generalized form (the type II) was diagnosed (n = 68).

Asthma control in patients with asthma and allergic rhinitis receiving add-on montelukast therapy for 12 months: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Montelukast, a potent leukotriene receptor antagonist, is approved for treatment of both asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR). No studies to date have examined whether montelukast can improve asthma control over a long period of time in patients with seasonal AR and asthma.

Objective: To evaluate asthma control and use of asthma-related medical resources by patients with inadequately controlled mild to moderate persistent asthma and seasonal AR who required addition of montelukast as part of routine care.

[Pulmonary masks of achalasia cardiae].

In this article, the literature regarding the effects of achalasia cardiae on pulmonary disorders is reviewed. We specifically focused on the issue how achalasia may be associated with: airway obstruction, stridor, cough and recurrent pneumonia. Authors suggested it is necessary to carry out full differential diagnosis considering achalasia cardiae in patients with unsatisfactory treatment of recurrent respiratory tract diseases.

[Spirometric evaluation of lung function in patients with myasthenia].

Unlabelled: Effort dyspnoea or dyspnoea at rest are predominating among subjective complaints in patients with myasthenia (myasthenia gravis--MG). THE AIM of the study was to evaluate the airway function in patients with MG by means of the chosen spirometric parameters analysis.

Material And Methods: We observed 68 patients with MG in which type I (the ocular myasthenia), type IIA (the mild generalized form), type IIB (the subacute generalized form) and type IIC (the acute generalized form) was diagnosed based on Osserman classification and on 20 healthy volunteers (control group--CG).

[Pseudoasthmatic syndrome due to achalasia cardiae].

The authors present a case of an 18-year-old woman, were referred to an allergologist because of a suspicion of bronchial asthma. She had complained of respiratory symptoms: chronic bronchitis for three years, cough and dyspnoea. Auscultation revealed wheezies and rales.

[Nasal provocation tests with house dust mite in patients with perennial rhinitis].

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to evaluate a response of the upper airways mucosae to allergens house dust mite: Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Compared were results of nasal challenge with results of skin prick tests. 87 patients with perennial rhinitis allergic to Dermatophagoides farinae and/or Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus were included.

[Acarofauna in the apartments of patients with perennial atopic rhinitis and functional tests of the respiratory system].

Prolonged exposure to house dust mites (HDM) of the Pyroglyphidae family leads to the development of perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) in sensitized subjects. In PAR patients bronchial hyperreactivity--the clinical manifestation of allergic inflammation in the lower airways is often observed. The aim of the study was to estimate the influence of the exposure to HDM in PAR patients on selected functional parameters of the lower airways.