Airborne pollen in European and Asian parts of Istanbul.

Pollen concentrations in the atmosphere of Istanbul, a city located between two continents, has been monitored for 1 year as part of a larger research program. The sampling sites were located in two different continents: the Asian part (AS) and the European part (EP). The sampling was performed in AS and EP of the city by using Hirst type volumetric method, and pollen grains of 58 and 62 taxa were identified in the two parts, respectively.

Prevalence and risk factors for allergic rhinitis in primary school children.

Objective: Allergic rhinitis is a common chronic illness of childhood. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of allergic rhinitis in 6-12-year-old schoolchildren in Istanbul.

Methods: A total of 2500 children aged between 6 and 12 years in randomly selected six primary schools of Istanbul were surveyed by using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire between April and May 2004.

Childhood asthma and its relationship with tonsillar tissue.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of asthma among 4-17 years old school children and to determine the relationship between frequent tonsillitis, tonsillar hypertrophy and asthma-related symptoms. A total of 2,000 school children, aged 4-17 years, in Denizli were surveyed using the ISAAC questionnaire; the size of the tonsils was evaluated by physical examination. A total of 1,784 questionnaires were completed giving an overall response rate of 89.

Are physicians aware of obstructive sleep apnea in children?

Background And Purpose: Childhood obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects 1-3% of preschool children. If left untreated, it can result in serious morbidity including growth retardation, cor pulmonale, and neurocognitive deficits, such as poor learning and behavioral problems. Early recognition and treatment is important to prevent morbidity and sequela and to provide better quality of life both for the child and his or her family members.

Asthma knowledge level of primary schoolteachers in Istanbul, Turkey.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the asthma knowledge level of primary school teachers in Istanbul, and factors associated with this subject. Seven hundred and ninety-two teachers from 73 randomly selected primary schools in Istanbul were included in this study. Although Istanbul primary school teachers generally have a satisfactory knowledge on asthma, they lack knowledge on triggers of asthma attacks and on the management of the disease.

Netherton syndrome: report of identical twins presenting with severe atopic dermatitis.

We report the cases of 4-year-old identical twin sisters who presented with severe atopic dermatitis with intractable skin manifestations and multiple food allergies. Netherton syndrome (NS) (OMIM 256500) was suspected due to very high serum IgE levels, growth retardation, severe food allergies and typical hair finding (trichorrhexis invaginata). A definite diagnosis was made by genetic analysis.

Diffuse thoracic lymphangiomatosis with disseminated intravascular coagulation in a child.

An 8.5-year-old girl who presented with chronic cough and hemoptysis underwent a CT scan of the chest showing diffuse mediastinal and parenchymal infiltration and pleural effusion, and laboratory findings showed disseminated intravascular coagulation. Disseminated lymphangiomatosis was diagnosed after an open-lung biopsy.

The first camps in Turkey for asthmatic children: six years' experience.

The first asthma camp in Turkey was organized for one week in Iznik in September 1996. The camps were continued annually around the same time of the year in 1997, 1998, 2000, and in the consecutive years thereafter. The camp includes educational, sports and social activities.

Thoracic three-dimensional spiral CT findings of an infant with spondylothoracic dysostosis.

Spondylocostal dysostoses are a group of rare inherited disease with a heterogeneous disorder of vertebral segmentation defects and rib anomalies, which lead to respiratory problems predicting the clinical outcome. Spiral CT with three-dimensional (3D) imaging provides exact measurement of the bony rib cage. We report a case of an infant with spondylothoracic dysostosis, a phenotype of spondylocostal dysostoses, and 3D spiral CT findings of his rib cage since it may contribute to the surgical planning.

Peak expiratory flow rates in healthy Turkish children living in Istanbul, Turkey.

In the evaluation and management of bronchial asthma, simple instruments for measurements of the peak expiratory flow (PEF) rate are needed. The aim of this study was to determine normal PEF values of Turkish children living in Istanbul. This is the largest study conducted in Turkey.

Skin sensitization to common allergens in Turkish wheezy children less than 3 years of age.

Infants and small children with asthma are not commonly skin tested, as allergy is not considered to be a major cause of infantile asthma. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of skin test positivity to various allergens in wheezy children less than 3 years of age. We evaluated 161 patients with infantile asthma (median age 20 months) and 100 healthy controls (median age 18 months).