Maternal tobacco smoking and decreased leukocytes, including dendritic cells, in neonates.

Maternal smoking in pregnancy is associated with respiratory diseases in the offspring, possibly due to prenatal influences on the developing immune system. We investigated whether maternal smoking in pregnancy was associated with cord blood leukocyte numbers, including precursor dendritic cells, adjusting for concomitant factors. In a prospective healthy birth cohort study, total leukocyte counts were reduced in neonates of smoking mothers [10.

8-Isoprostane in nasally exhaled breath condensate in different pediatric lung diseases.

Objective: Increased levels of 8-isoprostane were found in various human lung diseases suggesting 8-isoprostane as a marker of pulmonary oxidative stress in vivo. The exact role in pediatric lung diseases has not been defined yet. The goal of this study was to clarify the role of 8-isoprostane in nasally exhaled breath condensate as possible marker of oxidative stress in children with different lung diseases.

Isolation of human bocavirus from Swiss infants with respiratory infections.

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a novel agent associated with respiratory symptoms in adults and children. We studied prospectively the first acute respiratory infection in a birth cohort of healthy neonates in Switzerland. HBoV was identified in 5 (4.

Prospectively assessed incidence, severity, and determinants of respiratory symptoms in the first year of life.

Respiratory symptoms are common in infancy. Nevertheless, few prospective birth cohort studies have studied the epidemiology of respiratory symptoms in normal infants. The aim of this study was to prospectively obtain reliable data on incidence, severity, and determinants of common respiratory symptoms (including cough and wheeze) in normal infants and to determine factors associated with these symptoms.

alpha1-Antitrypsin inhalation reduces airway inflammation in cystic fibrosis patients.

The airways of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are characterised by neutrophils that release high amounts of elastase overwhelming the local antiprotease shield. Inhalation of alpha(1)-antitrypsin (AAT) may restore the protease-antiprotease balance and attenuate airway inflammation in CF airways. The aims of the present study were: 1) to assess the best deposition region for inhaled AAT by two different inhalation strategies; and 2) to examine the effect of 4 weeks of AAT inhalation on lung function, protease-antiprotease balance and airway inflammation in CF patients.

Clonal analysis of Inquilinus limosus isolates from six cystic fibrosis patients and specific serum antibody response.

Inquilinus limosus is a novel Gram-negative bacterium of the subdivision alpha-Proteobacteria recently found in the airways of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Here, the authors report on the clinical courses of six CF patients colonized with I. limosus.

Elevated exhaled nitric oxide in newborns of atopic mothers precedes respiratory symptoms.

Rationale: Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) is a well-known marker of established airway inflammation in asthma. Its role in the disease process before the onset of respiratory symptoms remains unclear.

Objectives: To examine whether elevated NO in newborns with clinically naive airways is associated with subsequent respiratory symptoms in infancy.

Chemokines indicate allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Rationale: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is characterized by a Th2 immune response. Mouse models suggest a critical role for the Th2 chemokines thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) in ABPA.

Objectives: To determine whether serum levels of TARC and MDC characterize ABPA in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to examine longitudinally if levels of TARC and MDC indicate ABPA exacerbations in patients with CF.

Inhaled glutathione decreases PGE2 and increases lymphocytes in cystic fibrosis lungs.

Reduced glutathione (GSH), a major antioxidant and modulator of cell proliferation, is decreased in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. We previously have shown that GSH inhalation in CF patients significantly increased GSH levels in BALF and improved lung function (M. Griese et al.

Skin prick test reactivity to supplemental enzymes in cystic fibrosis and pancreatic insufficiency.

Background: Patients with cystic fibrosis and pancreatic insufficiency take supplemental pancreatic enzymes of porcine or plant origin on a daily basis.

Objective: The frequency of immediate skin prick hypersensitivity reactions to such enzymes and the correlations to gastrointestinal symptoms and nutritional status were assessed in a single center prospective descriptive study.

Methods: Skin prick tests using five different freshly prepared porcine pancreatic enzyme preparations, one enzyme preparation of fungal origin, porcine meat and cat epithelia were performed in patients with cystic fibrosis and pancreatic insufficiency and in healthy control subjects.

Exhaled carbon monoxide is not flow dependent in children with cystic fibrosis and asthma.

Study Objectives: Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) and carbon monoxide (eCO) concentrations are elevated in inflammatory airway diseases like asthma and have been investigated as potential diagnostic markers. For eNO concentrations knowledge about the inverse flow dependency is essential for reproducibility and comparability of measurements. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate a possible expiratory flow dependency of eCO in children with different inflammatory airway diseases.

Anti-GM-CSF antibodies in paediatric pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Background: Auto-antibodies against granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) may be central to the pathogenesis of adult sporadic pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP). The role of anti-GM-CSF auto-antibodies in paediatric forms of PAP is as yet unclear.

Methods: Anti-GM-CSF auto-antibodies were determined with the help of an antigen capture assay using serum and/or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from 27 patients with PAP (nine adults, 15 children, three neonates) and from 185 children with different diseases as disease controls (various pulmonary conditions and patients with malignancies).

Comparison of exhaled breath condensate from nasal and oral collection.

Background: Analysis of exhaled breath condensate may provide new insights into pulmonary inflammatory processes. A new collection method via suction of nasally expired air especially suitable for younger children was presented recently. Here we compare this nasal suction method with the more widely used oral collection method regarding the amount of condensate collected as well as the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitrite and nitrate, respectively.

Exhaled hydrogen peroxide, nitrite and nitric oxide in healthy children: decrease of hydrogen peroxide by atmospheric nitric oxide.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitrite (NO2-) in exhaled breath condensate have recently been suggested as non-invasive markers of airway inflammation. The goal of this study was to clarify the role of factors that may potentially influence the measurement of H2O2 and nitrite and to look for possible correlations among these inflammatory markers. H2O2 and nitrite values were assessed fluorometrically in breath condensate of 102 healthy children (age 4-18 years) and a detailed status of atopy (including history, lung function and skin prick test) was taken in all children.

Exhaled nitric oxide in healthy children: variability and a lack of correlation with atopy.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical produced by several lung cells via the enzyme nitric oxide synthetase (NOS) and can be easily measured in exhaled air by chemiluminescence analysis. As the iso-enzyme iNOS may be induced by cytokines and endotoxin, NO is elevated in several chronic inflammatory airway diseases. Prior to using exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) as a non-invasive marker of airway inflammation in daily routine, the role of possibly influencing factors such as age, time of the day, smoking exposure and intra-individual variability have to be clarified.

A noninvasive method to collect nasally exhaled air condensate in humans of all ages.

Background: The analysis of exhaled breath condensate may provide valuable insights into inflammatory and other metabolic processes of the lungs. However, its collection by active exhalation with conventional methods is cumbersome, demands a substantial level of co-operation with high motivation and is very difficult or impossible in children younger than about 4-6 years or in the elderly. A comfortable, noninvasive and efficient method is desirable.

Asthma severity, recommended changes of inhaled therapy and exhaled nitric oxide in children: a prospective, blinded trial.

Orally exhaled nitric oxide (ENO) correlates with several variables of airway inflammation and might be useful to direct asthma therapy. If this is true, ENO should correlate with disease severity and the therapeutic decisions made. - In 74 children with allergic asthma (age 9.

Characteristics of flow dependency of nitric oxide in exhaled air in children with cystic fibrosis and asthma.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical produced by the lungs which can easily be measured in exhaled air. NO may serve as a non-invasive marker for airway inflammation in chronic inflammatory diseases like asthma. However in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and severe airway involvemen normal or low levels of NO have been reported.