Urinary biomarkers of environmental exposures and asthma morbidity in a school inner city asthma study.

Background: The burden of pediatric asthma and other allergic diseases is not evenly distributed among United States populations.

Objective: To determine whether urinary biomarkers are associated with asthma morbidity, and if associations vary by child race, ethnicity and sex.

Methods: This study includes n = 152 children with physician-diagnosed asthma who participated in the School Inner-City Asthma Intervention Study (SICAS-2).

Serum sickness-like reaction to D-supplement: a case report.

Background: Serum Sickness-Like Reaction (SSLR) is an immune response characterized by rash, polyarthralgias, inflammation, and fever. Serum sickness-like reaction is commonly attributed to antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and anti-inflammatory agents.

Case Presentation: A 16-year-old female with a history of overactive bladder and anemia presented with a diffuse urticarial rash, headaches, joint pain, and swelling for three days.

Standards for practical intravenous rapid drug desensitization & delabeling: A WAO committee statement.

Drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) to intravenous drugs can be severe and might leave patients and doctors in a difficult position where an essential treatment or intervention has to be suspended. Even if virtually any intravenous medication can potentially trigger a life-threatening DHR, chemotherapeutics, biologics, and antibiotics are amongst the intravenous drugs most frequently involved in these reactions. Admittedly, suspending such treatments may negatively impact the survival outcomes or the quality of life of affected patients.

Impact of Prenatal Exposure to Smoking on Child Health.

Prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke remains common, through active smoking and/or passive environmental exposure, and is linked to adverse childhood outcomes. Not only have high-quality studies and meta-analyses demonstrated increased risks of prenatal as well as postnatal complications, but adverse child outcomes are well described. In utero exposure to tobacco smoke has been associated with congenital anomalies, infant and teenager overweight and obesity, and neuropsychiatric sequelae.

Update on indoor allergens and their impact on pediatric asthma.

Objective: In recent decades, many indoor allergens have been identified, including dust mite, cat, dog, mouse, cockroach, and indoor molds, which have important health effects particularly in sensitized individuals with asthma. This review aims to update our understanding regarding the extent of these exposures in the indoor environment, review strategies for reducing their levels in the environment, and highlight innovative recent trials targeting these exposures and their impact on pediatric asthma morbidity.

Data Sources: Recent practice parameter updates on indoor allergen exposures, seminal studies, and recent peer-reviewed journal articles are referenced.

Successful Rapid Desensitization to Micafungin in a Pediatric Patient.

Echinocandin antifungal medications including micafungin are being used more commonly in the treatment of invasive fungal infections in both pediatric and adult patients. Micafungin is also a first-line therapeutic option for candidemia and antifungal prophylaxis in a variety of clinical settings. Hypersensitivity reactions have not been well described; however, isolated cases have been reported.

Detection of Food Allergens in School and Home Environments of Elementary Students.

Background: Little is known about environmental food allergen exposure on school surfaces.

Objective: To compare the distribution of major food allergens in floor dust and table wipe samples from elementary schools and dust samples from students' homes.

Methods: In this substudy of the School Inner-City Asthma Study-II, 103 table wipe samples and 98 floor dust samples from cafeterias and classrooms in 18 elementary schools were analyzed for milk, peanut, cashew, hazelnut, and egg using a multiplex array.

The Psychosocial Impact of Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome.

Background: Little is known about the psychosocial impact of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES).

Objective: To characterize quality of life, stress, worry, anxiety, and self-efficacy in caregivers of children with FPIES and affected children, and determine risk factors for increased psychosocial burden.

Methods: Surveys completed by caregiver-members of the International FPIES Association at a conference (n = 42) and online (n = 368) were analyzed.

Prevention of Asthma: Targets for Intervention.

Approximately 300 million people worldwide are estimated to be affected by asthma, and the number of patients affected is growing exponentially-with potential for an additional 100 million people affected by the condition by 2025. With this increasing burden of disease, there is high motivation to discover effective prevention strategies. Strategies aimed at stalling the atopic progression, modifying the microbiome, preventing respiratory viral infections, and reducing the impact of toxin/pollutant exposure through dietary supplements have had limited success in the prevention of asthma.

Hypersensitivity to tetracyclines: Skin testing, graded challenge, and desensitization regimens.

Background: Hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) to tetracyclines and the related compound, tigecycline, can limit the use of these medications and compromise optimal patient care. Despite this, there is little discussion in the literature describing the presentation of these reactions or guiding clinicians on the management of these reactions in adult and pediatric patients.

Objective: To describe the clinical features, optimal diagnostic approach, and management of HSRs to tetracyclines.

A Slice of Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES): Insights from 441 Children with FPIES as Provided by Caregivers in the International FPIES Association.

Background: Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergy. There is little known about the demographic characteristics, food triggers, and risk factors for FPIES.

Objective: To characterize the demographic characteristics, food triggers, risk factors, and management in children with FPIES.

A novel variant in STAT2 presenting with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

A novel variant causing complete STAT2 protein abrogation presents with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). This is the first report of HLH in association with STAT2 deficiency.

Preventing the development of asthma: stopping the allergic march.

Purpose Of Review: To describe important precipitants of asthma and allergic disease, to highlight the links between these triggers and modifications within the immune system, and to examine innovative research regarding asthma prevention with focus on attenuating the atopic march.

Recent Findings: Allergen avoidance, allergen immunotherapy, IgE antagonists, prevention and treatment of respiratory infections, as well as management of gastrointestinal and respiratory dysbiosis have been considered as strategies in asthma prevention. Antenatal vitamin D supplementation in expectant mothers and aggressive control of atopic dermatitis to prevent the development of other allergic conditions were carefully studied as well.