Two Different Composite Markers Predict Severity and Threshold Dose in Peanut Allergy.

Background: Safe and cost-effective biological surrogate markers to evaluate the severity and threshold dose of peanut allergy (PA) reactions during an oral food challenge (OFC) are lacking.

Objective: To evaluate biological markers associated with the severity and threshold dose of an allergic reaction during an OFC in a population of children with PA.

Methods: Demographic and biological parameters of children with peanut OFC and basophil activation test (BAT) results were collected.

[Performance criteria for the verification of IgE and tryptase assay methods: recommendations from the AllergoBioNet network].

Accreditation of an in vitro diagnostic assay according to the NF/EN/ISO 15189 standard requires to analyze its technical performance before implementation for routine use, and annually when reviewing effectiveness of quality controls. Performance is evaluated through repeatability, intermediate fidelity, accuracy and uncertainty of measurement. The coefficients of variation (CV) of the intra-assay and inter-assay precision tests must be compared with those of "peers" (results from laboratories employing the same method) and also with those obtained with "all methods", i.

Pollen/Fruit Syndrome: Clinical Relevance of the Cypress Pollen Allergenic Gibberellin-Regulated Protein.

A pollen/food-associated syndrome (PFAS) has been described between peach and cypress pollen. Cross-reactive allergens were characterized which belong to the Gibberellin-regulated protein (GRP) family, BP14 in cypress pollen and Pru p 7 in peach. GRP are small cationic protein with anti-microbial properties.

Single-Step Rapid Diagnosis of Dopamine and Serotonin Metabolism Disorders.

Early diagnosis of dopamine and serotonin metabolic defects is of importance notably because of the availability of therapeutic strategies able to prevent the associated progressive brain dysfunction. The diagnosis of these diseases relies on the determination of monoamine metabolites and pterins in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Current methods involve at least two high-performance liquid chromatography runs of CSF analysis.

Blood lipid tests in 2017.

Strong epidemiological evidence supports a causal relationship between dyslipidemia and atherosclerotic cardio-vascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death and morbidity worldwide. A lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides) is recommended at the initial evaluation for the assessment of the cardio-vascular risk. A commentary of the lipid profile for the clinician and mostly for the patient should be stated on the lab report.

The IL-4 rs2070874 polymorphism may be associated with the severity of recurrent viral-induced wheeze.

Background: Childhood recurrent wheezing and consequently asthma corresponds to various phenotypes. Our aim was to link genetic variants of asthma candidate genes to the phenotypes of early onset wheezing.

Study Design: We included very young consecutive children presenting with recurrent wheezing who had been evaluated for the severity of wheezing, associated atopic comorbidities, and tested for biomarkers of atopy and inflammation.

Heterogeneity of lung disease associated with NK2 homeobox 1 mutations.

We retrospectively studied the clinical presentation, treatment modalities and outcome in 16 patients with heterozygous NKX2-1 mutation associated with chronic lung disease. Twelve different NKX2-1 mutations, including 4 novel mutations, were identified in the 16 patients. Nine patients presented with brain-lung-thyroid syndrome, 3 had neurological and lung symptoms and 4 had only pulmonary symptoms.

Prognostic impact of blood and urinary angiogenic factor levels at diagnosis and during treatment in patients with osteosarcoma: a prospective study.

Background: Angiogenesis is essential for the progression and metastatic spread of solid tumours. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been linked to poor survival among osteosarcoma patients but the clinical relevance of monitoring blood and urine angiogenic factors is uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of blood VEGF and blood and urinary basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) levels in osteosarcoma patients, both at diagnosis and during treatment.

Neutrophilic Steroid-Refractory Recurrent Wheeze and Eosinophilic Steroid-Refractory Asthma in Children.

Background: Little is known about inflammatory pathways of severe recurrent wheeze in preschool children and severe asthma in children.

Objectives: The aim of the Severe Asthma Molecular Phenotype cohort was to characterize phenotypes of severe recurrent wheeze and severe asthma during childhood in terms of triggers (allergic or not), involved cells (eosinophil or neutrophil), and corticoid responsiveness.

Methods: Children with moderate-to-severe asthma and preschool children with moderate-to-severe recurrent wheeze were enrolled prospectively.

A rare large mutation involving two exons of the SP-B gene in an infant with severe respiratory distress.

Takcı Ş, Anuk-İnce D, Louha M, Couderc R, Çakar N, Köseoğlu RD, Ateş Ö. A rare large mutation involving two exons of the SP-B gene in an infant with severe respiratory distress. Turk J Pediatr 2017; 59: 483-486.

Allergic sensitisation in early childhood: Patterns and related factors in PARIS birth cohort.

Background: Allergic sensitisation is poorly documented in infants. This study aims to provide new insights into allergic sensitisation patterns and related factors in infancy.

Methods: This study concerns 1860 infants involved in the Pollution and Asthma Risk: an Infant Study (PARIS) population-based birth cohort who had a standardised health examination when 18 months old, from 2004 to 2008.

Urtica dioica pollen allergy: Clinical, biological, and allergomics analysis.

Background: The most emblematic members of Urticaceae at allergic risk level are wall pellitories (Parietaria), whereas nettle (Urtica) pollen is considered as poorly allergenic. No allergen from nettle pollen has yet been characterized, whereas 4 are listed for Parietaria pollen by the International Union of Immunological Societies. Clinical and biological profiles of 2 adult men who developed symptoms against nettle pollen and/or leaves were studied.

Early polysensitization is associated with allergic multimorbidity in PARIS birth cohort infants.

Background: Profiles of allergic sensitization are poorly documented in infancy. Relations between early sensitization and allergic morbidity need to be clarified.

Methods: This study dealt with children involved in the Pollution and Asthma Risk: an Infant Study (PARIS), a population-based prospective birth cohort.

A Review of the Effects of Major Atmospheric Pollutants on Pollen Grains, Pollen Content, and Allergenicity.

This review summarizes the available data related to the effects of air pollution on pollen grains from different plant species. Several studies carried out either on in situ harvested pollen or on pollen exposed in different places more or less polluted are presented and discussed. The different experimental procedures used to monitor the impact of pollution on pollen grains and on various produced external or internal subparticles are listed.

Early-onset atopic dermatitis in children: which are the phenotypes at risk of asthma? Results from the ORCA cohort.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is known to predate asthma and other atopic disorders described under the term "atopic march". However, this classic sequence is not always present and only a few studies have addressed children at risk of developing asthma. The objective of this study is to define early-onset AD phenotypes leading to asthma.

The Arginine/ADMA Ratio Is Related to the Prevention of Atherosclerotic Plaques in Hypercholesterolemic Rabbits When Giving a Combined Therapy with Atorvastatine and Arginine.

Unlabelled: Supplementation with arginine in combination with atorvastatin is more efficient in reducing the size of an atherosclerotic plaque than treatment with a statin or arginine alone in homozygous Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits. We evaluated the mechanism behind this feature by exploring the role of the arginine/asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) ratio, which is the substrate and inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and thereby nitric oxide (NO), respectively.

Methods: Rabbits were fed either an arginine diet (group A, n = 9), standard rabbit chow plus atorvastatin (group S, n = 8), standard rabbit chow plus an arginine diet with atorvastatin (group SA, n = 8) or standard rabbit chow (group C, n = 9) as control.

In vitro anti-inflammatory effects of citrulline on peritoneal macrophages in Zucker diabetic fatty rats.

In type 2 diabetes (T2D) macrophage dysfunction increases susceptibility to infection and mortality. This may result from the associated decreased plasma concentration of arginine, an amino acid that plays an important role in immunity. In vitro, increasing arginine availability leads to an improvement in macrophage function; however, arginine supplementation in diabetic obese patients may be detrimental.

Determinants of allergic rhinitis in young children with asthma.

Background: In the preschool period, allergic rhinitis (AR) is infrequent and thus under-diagnosed. However, recent works have highlighted the occurrence of AR in toddlers although the causes of AR in this young population remain unknown. The objective of this study was to identify determinants of AR in young children with asthma.

Simultaneous determination of all forms of biopterin and neopterin in cerebrospinal fluid.

In humans, genetic defects of the synthesis or regeneration of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), an essential cofactor in hydroxylation reactions, are associated with severe neurological disorders. The diagnosis of these conditions relies on the determination of BH4, dihydrobiopterin (BH2), and dihydroneopterin (NH2) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). As MS/MS is less sensitive than fluorescence detection (FD) for this purpose, the most widely used method since 1980 involves two HPLC runs including two differential off-line chemical oxidation procedures aiming to transform the reduced pterins into their fully oxidized fluorescent counterparts, biopterin (B) and neopterin (N).

Survival of an infant with homozygous surfactant protein C (SFTPC) mutation.

Lung diseases caused by surfactant protein C (SFTPC) mutations are inherited as autosomal traits with variable penetrance and severity or as sporadic disease caused by a de novo mutation on one allele. Here, we report the case of a child surviving with a homozygous surfactant protein C mutation after aggressive clinical management unlike his six siblings who died in infancy. This presentation raises the suspicion of an autosomal recessive inheritance that is discussed in this report.

Discovery of a large deletion of KAL1 in 2 deaf brothers.

Objectives: Kallmann syndrome (KS) usually combines an anosmia and a hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. Hearing impairment was described in a few cases of KS. Our objective is to describe an unusual presentation of KS in 2 cases and to explore the pattern of inheritance in this family.

Lexical fields of predictive and personalized medicine.

With human genome mapping, the omics revolution and the empowering sequencing technologies developed at the turn of the century, the new goals in medicine are to switch from population medicine to individualized therapies, not only to cure diseases but also to prevent them. The purpose of this review by the pharmacogenetics and predictive medicine working group of the French clinical biology society (SFBC) is to situate in their correct context the notions of personalized medicine, pharmacogenetics, genetics and genomics, emphasizing their interactions and discussing their significance for researchers and clinicians.

[Recombinant allergens for diagnosis and specific immunotherapy--value in pediatric patients].

Identification of culprit allergens is important for prophylactic measures and specific allergen immunotherapy (SIT). Since the late 1980s, the use of molecular cloning technology has led to a major improvement in our knowledge of epitopes involved in IgE-mediated allergy, and has also allowed in vitro production of recombinant allergens of interest for the diagnosis of allergenic sensitization. It has also improved our understanding of allergen cross-reactivity, which can be responsible for severe clinical manifestations, particularly in children with food allergy and allergic asthma.