Tolerability and safety of a new elimination diet for pediatric eosinophilic gastritis and duodenitis.

Background: Non-esophageal eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (non-EoE EGIDs) are chronic inflammatory disorders with massive infiltration of eosinophils into the gastrointestinal tract. Food elimination diets are potentially effective treatments. But the existing dietary therapies have various weak points.

Lung sound analysis in infants with risk factors for asthma development.

Background And Objectives: Using a lung sound analysis, the prognosis of asthma was investigated in infants with risk factors for asthma development by a long-term observation.

Methods: A total of 268 infants were included (median age: 8 months old). The lung sound parameters (the ratio of the third and fourth area to the total area under the curve [A/A and B/A], and the ratio of power and frequency at 50% and 75% of the highest frequency [RPF and RPF]) were evaluated at the first visit.

Comparison of Nonesophageal Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders with Eosinophilic Esophagitis: A Nationwide Survey.

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) has increased rapidly and has been well characterized. However, no nationwide survey has been conducted regarding non-esophageal eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (non-EoE EGIDs), and they remain poorly understood.

Objective: To compare the clinical features and natural histories of non-EoE EGIDs and EoE by using the same questionnaire, for all ages.

A Lung Sound Analysis in Infants with Risk Factors for Asthma During Acute Respiratory Infection.

The parameters of lung sounds have been suggested as biomarkers of airway changes. Using a commercially available lung sound analyzer, we investigated the characteristics of the lung sounds in infants with acute respiratory infection (ARI). Infants with ARI who were 6 to 18 months of age were included in this study.

Objective evaluation of wheezing in normal infants.

Background: To evaluate the frequency of wheezing in infants, the presence of wheezing was examined in normal infants using a breath sound analyzer, METHODS: A total of 443 infants (age range, 3-24 months) were included in the present study. The existence of audible wheezing and faint wheezing/inaudible wheezing-like noises (FW) was confirmed on chest auscultation and a sound spectrogram. The breath sound parameters of the sound spectrum, frequency limiting 99% of power spectrum (F ), roll-off from 600 to 1,200 Hz (slope) and spectrum curve indices, total area under the curve of dB data (A /A and B /A ), and ratio of power and frequency at 50% and 75% of the highest frequency of the power spectrum (RPF and RPF ) were calculated.

Characteristics of breath sound in infants with risk factors for asthma development.

Background: Breath sound parameters have been suggested as biomarkers of the airway narrowing in children. Using a commercially available breath sound analyzer, the characteristics of the airway condition were investigated in infants with the risk factors for asthma development.

Methods: A total of 443 infants (mean age, 9.

A breath sound analysis in children with cough variant asthma.

Background: Cough variant asthma (CVA) is characterized by a chronic cough and bronchial hyperresponsiveness without confirmation of wheezing. Using a breath sound analyzer, we evaluate the characteristics of breath sound in children with CVA.

Methods: Nine children with CVA (median age, 7.

Glucocorticoids inhibit MUC5AC production induced by transforming growth factor-α in human respiratory cells.

Background: Mucus hypersecretion from airway epithelium is a characteristic feature of severe asthma. Glucocorticoids (GCs) may suppress mucus production and diminish the harmful airway obstruction. We investigated the ability of GCs to suppress mRNA expression and protein synthesis of a gene encoding mucin, MUC5AC, induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-α in human mucoepidermoid carcinoma (NCI-H292) cells and the molecular mechanisms underlying the suppression.

De novo 19q13.42 duplications involving NLRP gene cluster in a patient with systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (s-JIA) is a rare inflammatory disease classified as a subtype of chronic childhood arthritis, manifested by spiking fever, erythematous skin rash, pericarditis and hepatosplenomegaly. The genetic background underlying s-JIA remains poorly understood. To detect disease-related copy number variations (CNVs), we performed single-nucleotide polymorphism array analysis in 50 patients with s-JIA.

Changes in the highest frequency of breath sounds without wheezing during methacholine inhalation challenge in children.

Background And Objective: It is difficult for clinicians to identify changes in breath sounds caused by bronchoconstriction when wheezing is not audible. A breath sound analyser can identify changes in the frequency of breath sounds caused by bronchoconstriction. The present study aimed to identify the changes in the frequency of breath sounds during bronchoconstriction and bronchodilatation using a breath sound analyser.

Effect of bronchoconstriction on exhaled nitric oxide levels in healthy and asthmatic children.

Background: Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) has recently been proposed to be a noninvasive marker of airway inflammation in asthma.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of bronchoconstriction by means of methacholine inhalation challenge on levels of eNO in children.

Methods: Spirometry, impulse oscillometry, and eNO measurements were performed before and after methacholine inhalation challenge (bronchoconstriction phase) and after beta2-agonist inhalation (bronchodilation phase) in 92 children (62 children with asthma, 13 wheezy children, and 17 healthy children).

Association of cord blood cytokine levels with wheezy infants in the first year of life.

As antenatal environment may influence the development of atopy-predisposing immune response, cord blood cytokine productions may be an important predictor for wheezing. We investigated cord blood cytokines in a prospective birth cohort, intensively monitored for wheezy infant outcome at 1 yr. Cord blood serum samples from 269 children were assayed for interleukin (IL)-1beta, -2, -4 to -8, -10, -12 (p70), -13, and -17, interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1beta.

Effects of skin care with shower therapy on children with atopic dermatitis in elementary schools.

For elementary school children with atopic dermatitis, a skin care program using shower therapy was performed during the school lunch break for 6 weeks from June to July in 2004 and 2005. All 53 participants showed an improvement in their atopic dermatitis during the 6-week periods studied. Skin care with daily showering at an elementary school was thus found to be effective for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

Double-stranded RNA and TGF-alpha promote MUC5AC induction in respiratory cells.

Viral infection is a major trigger for exacerbation of asthma and induces overproduction of mucins. We investigated whether dsRNA could amplify the induction of mucin by TGF-alpha in human bronchial epithelial cells, as well as the molecular mechanisms regulating MUC5AC expression. Human pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma (NCI-H292) cells and normal human bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to polyinosinic-cytidyric acid (poly(I:C)) and TGF-alpha.

A flow- and pressure-controlled offline method of exhaled nitric oxide measurement in children.

Background: Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is a noninvasive marker of airway inflammation. However, previous studies show that the offline value is lower than the online value.

Objective: To compare a standard offline eNO measurement apparatus with a modified apparatus that can monitor flow volume and respiratory pressure.

Differential regulation of eotaxin expression by dexamethasone in normal human lung fibroblasts.

Lung fibroblasts are a major source of several cytokines including CC chemokine eotaxin. We aimed to study the regulation of eotaxin-1/CCL11 production by dexamethasone and analyze its molecular mechanisms in human lung fibroblasts. Normal human lung fibroblast cells were exposed to IL-4 (40 ng/ml) and/or dexamethasone (10(-6)-10(-9) M), and eotaxin mRNA expression and production was evaluated.