Clinical presentation and time course in hypersensitivity reactions to beta-lactams.

Background: beta-lactam hypersensitivity reactions are classified as immediate or nonimmediate. Diagnosis is usually based upon skin tests and provocation challenges.

Objective: The time course of the reactions in proven beta-lactam hypersensitivities was studied and then correlated with the symptoms to determine the relationship between the clinical presentations and the time course.

Diagnosis of neuromuscular blocking agent hypersensitivity reactions using cytofluorimetric analysis of basophils.

Background: Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated hypersensitivity reactions to neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) are common and life threatening. Basophil activation based upon the expression of CD63 in the presence of specific allergens was found to be of importance for the diagnosis of IgE-mediated hypersensibility.

Methods: The Basotest was evaluated for the diagnosis of NMBA in 47 patients with proven NMBA anaphylaxis, 40 atopic subjects nonallergic to NMBA and five healthy volunteers.

Confirmation of the diagnosis of natural rubber latex allergy by the Basotest method.

Background: The flow cytometry CD63-based basophil activation test (Basotest has already been validated for the diagnosis of immediate-type allergy such as venom, house dust mite or cypress pollen allergies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance (specificity and sensitivity) of Basotest in the diagnosis of natural rubber latex allergy.

Methods: We included 46 latex allergic patients (clinical symptoms of latex allergy, positive latex skin prick tests and/or latex specific IgE) and 33 control subjects and performed Basotest on all subjects.

Increased bronchoalveolar lavage CD8 lymphocyte subset population in wheezy infants.

Episodes of wheezing are very common in infancy but, despite their high prevalence, their mechanism is still poorly understood. To better understand the airway inflammation of wheezing infants, we examined cells of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), focusing on the phenotype of lymphocytes and macrophages by using cytofluorimetry. Twenty-one wheezers (mean age 15.