Exhaled breath concentrations of acetic acid vapour in gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

The objective of this experimental study was to discover volatile metabolites present in exhaled breath that could be used as biomarkers of gastro-esophageal reflux disease, GERD, one of the most common causes of chronic cough. An in vitro model based on pork tissue samples exposed to a challenge by artificial gastric fluid was used to identify specific volatile compounds to be chosen for quantification in directly exhaled breath of GERD patients and controls using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS. GC/MS analyses of the headspace of this in vitro model indicated that the only volatile compound significantly increased was acetic acid.

Levocetirizine in 1-2 year old children: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile.

Background: Levocetirizine is an antihistamine with high affinity and selectivity for H1-receptors, which exhibits an excellent benefit/risk ratio in the treatment of allergic rhinitis and urticaria. This is the first study performed with this drug in very young children.

Objective: The aim of this study was to confirm the intended regimen of levocetirizine (0.

Markers of eosinophilic inflammation and tissue re-modelling in children before clinically diagnosed bronchial asthma.

Chronic inflammatory changes in the bronchial mucosa have been well documented in patients with established asthma. Much less is known of the changes, which occur in the airways of children early in the evolution of their disease with most of the information based on indirect markers of inflammation only. We evaluated markers of inflammation and tissue re-modelling in bronchial biopsies from children with early respiratory symptoms before a clear clinical diagnosis of bronchial asthma could be made.