Neutrophilia and hyperamylasemia in patients with immediate food allergy.

Background: Presently, little is known about the laboratory data several hours after oral food challenge (OFC) in patients with immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated immediate food allergy (FA).

Methods: One hundred and twelve subjects who underwent OFC at the present institute between 1 June 2016 and 31 March 2018, were enrolled in this study. Changes in laboratory data several hours after OFC were examined.

Increased serum cortisol on oral food challenge in infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome.

Background: An increase in absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is seen after oral food challenge test (OFC) in patients with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES). Although it has been suggested that interleukin (IL)-8 is involved in this phenomenon, a possible role for cortisol has not yet been studied.

Methods: Six positive OFC in five patients with FPIES due to cows' milk (CM) proteins, and two negative OFC in two patients with suspected FPIES were analyzed.

Prognosis of infantile food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome in Japan.

Background: Although serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and the percentage of eosinophils in peripheral blood (Eo) are increased at onset in infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), the relationship of these laboratory findings to prognosis is presently unknown.

Methods: Correlation of serum CRP and Eo at onset with prognosis was analyzed in 32 patients with FPIES caused by cow's milk (CM).

Results: The rate of tolerance acquisition was 18.

Cytokine profile after oral food challenge in infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome.

Background: Although food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is supposed to be caused by inflammation, the role of cytokines has not yet been clarified.

Methods: To elucidate the role of cytokines in the development of symptoms and abnormal laboratory findings at an oral food challenge (OFC), changes in serum cytokine levels were analyzed for 6 OFCs in 4 patients with FPIES. The result of OFC was judged positive if any gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, or bloody stool) were induced.

Targeted use of prednisolone with the second IVIG dose for refractory Kawasaki disease.

Background: Prednisolone (PSL) has been suggested to be useful for the treatment of Kawasaki disease (KD) resistant to i.v. immunoglobulin (IVIG), but much remains to be elucidated regarding its use.

Eosinophilia in infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome in Japan.

Background: Many Japanese infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) show eosinophilia, which has been thought to be a characteristic of food protein-induced proctocolitis (FPIP).

Methods: To elucidate the characteristics of eosinophilia in Japanese FPIES patients, 113 infants with non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergy due to cow's milk were enrolled and classified into FPIES (n = 94) and FPIP (n = 19).

Results: The percentage of peripheral blood eosinophils (Eo) was increased in most FPIES patients (median, 7.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) mutation can cause activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase δ syndrome-like immunodeficiency.

Background: Activated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase δ syndrome (APDS) is a recently discovered primary immunodeficiency disease (PID). Excess phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity linked to mutations in 2 PI3K genes, PIK3CD and PIK3R1, causes APDS through hyperphosphorylation of AKT, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and S6.

Objective: This study aimed to identify novel genes responsible for APDS.

Serum C-reactive protein in food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome versus food protein-induced proctocolitis in Japan.

Background: Some infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) have increased serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and fever in Japan. The aim of this study was therefore to clarify and compare the incidence of this in patients with FPIES versus patients with food protein-induced proctocolitis (FPIP).

Methods: One hundred and sixteen infants with non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergies were enrolled in this study and classified into three phenotypes: FPIES presenting with vomiting and/or diarrhea (n = 47); FPIP with bloody stool alone (n =19); and the mixed phenotype (MP), bloody stool with vomiting and/or diarrhea (n = 50).

Increased C-reactive protein and fever in Japanese infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome.

Background: Increased C-reactive protein (CRP) and fever are observed in some infants with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) in Japan, but the reproducibility of these findings has not yet been confirmed on oral food challenge (OFC).

Methods: Fourteen infants with FPIES induced by cow's milk (CM) formula were enrolled. OFC using CM formula was performed on each infant once or repeatedly (total 18 tests), with a stepwise incremental protocol in an infection-controlled setting.

Usefulness of lymphocyte stimulation test for the diagnosis of intestinal cow's milk allergy in infants.

Background: Bottle-fed infants sometimes develop intestinal cow's milk allergy (ICMA). Because cow's milk-specific IgE antibody (CM-IgE) levels are normal, the lymphocyte stimulation test (LST) has been proposed as an alternative diagnostic test for ICMA. The present study evaluated the diagnostic value of LST in a large number of patients with ICMA in Japan.

Skin infiltration of CD56(bright) CD16(-) natural killer cells in a case of X-SCID with Omenn syndrome-like manifestations.

We observed a patient with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (X-SCID) with Omenn syndrome-like manifestations. X-linked inheritance, absence of CD132 expression and impaired response to interleukin-2 (IL-2) indicated that the case is typical of X-SCID due to gamma(c) defect. However, this case was unusual in that circulating natural killer (NK) cells were increased and nearly half of these NK cells exhibited the CD56(bright) CD16(-) phenotype.

Infantile hepatic dysfunction improved by elimination of cows' milk formulas.

We present three infants who showed hypertransaminasemia without extrahepatic symptoms, which improved by eliminating cows' milk formulas. The levels of milk protein-specific lymphocyte proliferation were elevated in all three patients. These cases indicate the importance of food allergy in the diagnosis of infantile hepatic dysfunction.

Ovalbumin-induced IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma production in infants with atopic dermatitis.

Background: Although hen's eggs are considered a cause of infantile atopic dermatitis (AD), little is known about cytokine production upon egg stimulation in infants with AD.

Objective: This study aimed to characterize the production of IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma upon stimulation with ovalbumin (OVA), a representative allergenic protein of egg, in infants with AD.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 68 children with AD, including 46 infants (<1 year), were stimulated with OVA and the production of IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma was measured with ELISA kits.

Japanese cedar-pollen-specific IL-5 production in infants with atopic dermatitis.

Background: Although food allergens and house dust mites are thought to contribute to the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) in infants, the influence of pollens has not yet been well defined.

Objective: This study attempted to clarify the effect of Japanese cedar pollens (JCPs), which are scattered in Japan between February and April, on AD in infants.

Methods: In the first study, seasonal changes in the number of patients who first visited our institute due to AD were analyzed by reviewing medical records of 184 infants with AD.

Theophylline suppresses IL-5 and IL-13 production, and lymphocyte proliferation upon stimulation with house dust mite in asthmatic children.

Background: Although theophylline has long been used as a medication for bronchial asthma (BA), much remains to be elucidated about its action on Th2 cells, which play a critical role in the development of BA.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the effect of theophylline on Th2 cells in an allergen-specific manner in children with BA.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 32 children with BA were stimulated with house dust mite (HDM) or a purified HDM allergen Der f 1 in the presence or absence of theophylline at a therapeutic concentration (5-20 microg/ml).

Development of the capacity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to produce IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma upon stimulation with house dust mite in children with atopic dermatitis.

Background: Imbalances of IL-4 and IFN-gamma production are widely known to increase IgE synthesis in allergic individuals, and IL-5 is known to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of various allergic diseases. However, little is known about how Th cells specific to house dust mite (HDM) develop the capacity to produce these cytokines in children with atopic dermatitis (AD).

Objective: This study aims to clarify when HDM-specific Th cells develop the capacity to produce IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma in children with AD.