Functional activity of peripheral blood eosinophils in allergen-induced late-phase airway inflammation in asthma patients.

Objective: We aimed to investigate peripheral blood eosinophil chemotaxis, generation of spontaneous reactive oxygen species (ROS), and apoptosis in patients with allergic asthma after bronchial allergen challenge.

Material And Methods: A total of 18 patients with allergic asthma (AA), 14 with allergic rhinitis (AR), and 10 healthy subjects (HS) underwent bronchial challenge with a specific allergen extract. Eosinophils from peripheral blood were isolated 24 h before as well as 7 and 24 h after bronchial allergen challenge.

Sputum neutrophil count after bronchial allergen challenge is related to peripheral blood neutrophil chemotaxis in asthma patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate relations between sputum neutrophilia and the chemotactic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils after the bronchial allergen challenge in asthma patients.

Materials And Methods: Fifteen patients with allergic asthma (AA), 13 patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), all sensitized to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and 8 healthy subjects (HS) underwent bronchial challenge with D. pteronyssinus.

Th17 response to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is related to late-phase airway and systemic inflammation in allergic asthma.

Background: Th17 cells may play a role in the development of late-phase allergen-induced airway and systemic inflammation in allergic asthma, although the mechanisms involved remain to be elucidated.

Methods: A total of 36 subjects were enrolled into the study: 15 allergic asthma patients with early asthmatic reaction (n=7) or dual asthmatic reaction (n=8) developed to inhaled D. pteronyssinus, 13 patients with allergic rhinitis, and 8 healthy subjects.

Reactive oxygen species in peripheral blood and sputum neutrophils during bacterial and nonbacterial acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic airway inflammation can be mediated by an enhanced neutrophil oxidative burst. However, the role of bacteria in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations is highly controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in peripheral blood and sputum neutrophils during bacterial and nonbacterial acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD).

Peripheral blood Th17 cells and neutrophils in Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus-induced early- and late-phase asthmatic response.

Background And Objective: Biphasic cellular immune reactions, which follow allergen inhalation, are a specific feature of inflammation in allergic asthma. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in the percentage of peripheral blood Th17 cells and neutrophil functions after Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus-induced early- and late-phase asthmatic response in patients with allergic asthma.

Material And Methods: A total of 19 patients with allergic asthma were examined.

Response of peripheral blood Th17 cells to inhaled Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma.

Background: Recent studies have shown the importance of Th17 cells in the development of allergic airway diseases. We examined Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus-induced changes in peripheral blood Th17 cells to establish the importance of these cells in late-phase allergic inflammation in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic asthma (AA).

Methods: Eighteen patients with mild-to-moderate/severe persistent AR, 14 patients with intermittent- or mild-to-moderate persistent AA, and 15 healthy subjects (HS) were examined.

Peripheral blood neutrophil activity during Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus-induced late-phase airway inflammation in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma.

Recent investigations suggest that neutrophils may play an important role in the late-phase allergen-induced inflammation in allergic airway diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate neutrophil chemotaxis, phagocytic activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma challenged with inhaled Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Eighteen patients with allergic rhinitis and 14 with allergic asthma, all sensitized to D.

The effect of induced sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on neutrophil migration in vitro.

Objective: The aim of study was to investigate a chemotactic effect of induced sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid on blood neutrophils in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and healthy individuals.

Material And Methods: Forty-three smokers with COPD, 19 ex-smokers with COPD, 13 healthy smokers, and 17 healthy nonsmokers were recruited to the study. Neutrophils were isolated from peripheral blood of study individuals.

[Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia: associations with a source of infection and antibiotic resistance].

Aim Of The Study: To determine the associations between the source of infection and antibiotic resistance in patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia.

Material And Methods: A retrospective analysis of 50 patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia was carried out. If sepsis was suspected, blood culture was incubated in an automatic system BACTEC 9240.

High frequency of the c.3207C>A (p.H1069Q) mutation in ATP7B gene of Lithuanian patients with hepatic presentation of Wilson's disease.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of the ATP7B gene mutation in patients with hepatic presentation of Wilson's disease (WD) in Lithuania.

Methods: Eleven unrelated Lithuanian families, including 13 WD patients were tested. Clinically WD diagnosis was established in accordance to the Leipzig scoring system.

Patterns of airway inflammation and MMP-12 expression in smokers and ex-smokers with COPD.

Background: Smoking activates and recruits inflammatory cells and proteases to the airways. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-12 may be a key mediator in smoke induced emphysema. However, the influence of smoking and its cessation on airway inflammation and MMP-12 expression during COPD is still unknown.