Mobile health app for monitoring allergic rhinitis and asthma in real life in Lithuanian MASK-air users.

Background: MASK-air is an app whose aim is to reduce the global burden of allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. A transfer of innovative practices was performed to disseminate and implement MASK-air in European regions. The aim of the study was to examine the implementation of the MASK-air app in Lithuanian adults in order to investigate (i) the rate of acceptance in this population, (ii) the duration of app use and (iii) the evaluation of the app after its use.

Development and validation of the food allergy severity score.

Background: The heterogeneity and lack of validation of existing severity scores for food allergic reactions limit standardization of case management and research advances. We aimed to develop and validate a severity score for food allergic reactions.

Methods: Following a multidisciplinary experts consensus, it was decided to develop a food allergy severity score (FASS) with ordinal (oFASS) and numerical (nFASS) formats.

Prevalence and early-life risk factors of school-age allergic multimorbidity: The EuroPrevall-iFAAM birth cohort.

Background: Coexistence of childhood asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis is higher than can be expected by chance, suggesting a common mechanism. Data on allergic multimorbidity from a pan-European, population-based birth cohort study have been lacking. This study compares the prevalence and early-life risk factors of these diseases in European primary school children.

Walnut Allergy Across Europe: Distribution of Allergen Sensitization Patterns and Prediction of Severity.

Background: Walnut allergy is common across the globe, but data on the involvement of individual walnut components are scarce.

Objectives: To identify geographical differences in walnut component sensitization across Europe, explore cosensitization and cross-reactivity, and assess associations of clinical and serological determinants with severity of walnut allergy.

Methods: As part of the EuroPrevall outpatient surveys in 12 European cities, standardized clinical evaluation was conducted in 531 individuals reporting symptoms to walnut, with sensitization to all known walnut components assessed in 202 subjects.

Predicting food allergy: The value of patient history reinforced.

Background: EAACI guidelines emphasize the importance of patient history in diagnosing food allergy (FA) and the need for studies investigating its value using standardized allergy-focused questionnaires.

Objective: To determine the contribution of reaction characteristics, allergic comorbidities and demographics to prediction of FA in individuals experiencing food-related adverse reactions.

Methods: Adult and school-age participants in the standardized EuroPrevall population surveys, with self-reported FA, were included.

ARIA digital anamorphosis: Digital transformation of health and care in airway diseases from research to practice.

Digital anamorphosis is used to define a distorted image of health and care that may be viewed correctly using digital tools and strategies. MASK digital anamorphosis represents the process used by MASK to develop the digital transformation of health and care in rhinitis. It strengthens the ARIA change management strategy in the prevention and management of airway disease.

Predictors of Food Sensitization in Children and Adults Across Europe.

Background: The geographical variation and temporal increase in the prevalence of food sensitization (FS) suggest environmental influences.

Objective: To investigate how environment, infant diet, and demographic characteristics, are associated with FS in children and adults, focusing on early-life exposures.

Methods: Data on childhood and adult environmental exposures (including, among others, sibship size, day care, pets, farm environment, and smoking), infant diet (including breast-feeding and timing of introduction to infant formula and solids), and demographic characteristics were collected from 2196 school-age children and 2185 adults completing an extensive questionnaire and blood sampling in the cross-sectional pan-European EuroPrevall project.

Prevalence of Food Sensitization and Food Allergy in Children Across Europe.

Background: For adults, prevalence estimates of food sensitization (FS) and food allergy (FA) have been obtained in a standardized manner across Europe. For children, such estimates are lacking.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of self-reported FA, FS, probable FA (symptoms plus IgE sensitization), and challenge-confirmed FA in European school-age children.

Frequency of food allergy in school-aged children in eight European countries-The EuroPrevall-iFAAM birth cohort.

Background: The prevalence of food allergy (FA) among European school children is poorly defined. Estimates have commonly been based on parent-reported symptoms. We aimed to estimate the frequency of FA and sensitization against food allergens in primary school children in eight European countries.

Risk Factors for Hen's Egg Allergy in Europe: EuroPrevall Birth Cohort.

Background: Hen's egg is one of the commonest causes of food allergy, but there are little data on its risk factors.

Objective: To assess the risk factors, particularly eczema, for hen's egg allergy in the EuroPrevall birth cohort.

Methods: In the pan-European EuroPrevall birth cohort, questionnaires were undertaken at 12 and 24 months or when parents reported symptoms.

Interactions Between Air Pollution and Pollen Season for Rhinitis Using Mobile Technology: A MASK-POLLAR Study.

Background: Several studies have suggested an interaction between air pollution and pollen exposure with an impact on allergy symptoms. However, large studies with real-life data are not available.

Objective: To investigate associations between major air pollutants (ozone and particulate matter with a diameter of <2.

Next-generation ARIA care pathways for rhinitis and asthma: a model for multimorbid chronic diseases.

Background: In all societies, the burden and cost of allergic and chronic respiratory diseases are increasing rapidly. Most economies are struggling to deliver modern health care effectively. There is a need to support the transformation of the health care system into integrated care with organizational health literacy.

Food Allergy in Adults: Substantial Variation in Prevalence and Causative Foods Across Europe.

Background: According to the community-based EuroPrevall surveys, prevalence of self-reported food allergy (FA) in adults across Europe ranges from 2% to 37% for any food and 1% to 19% for 24 selected foods.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of probable FA (symptoms plus specific IgE-sensitization) and challenge-confirmed FA in European adults, along with symptoms and causative foods.

Methods: In phase I of the EuroPrevall project, a screening questionnaire was sent to a random sample of the general adult population in 8 European centers.

Prevalence estimates and risk factors for early childhood wheeze across Europe: the EuroPrevall birth cohort.

Background: Preschool wheeze is an important problem worldwide. No comparative population-based studies covering different countries have previously been undertaken.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of early childhood wheeze across Europe and evaluate risk factors focusing on food allergy, breast feeding and smoke exposure.

Investigation of markers of allergic sensitization and viral infections in children with allergy and asthma.

Background: Allergic diseases are the most prevalent chronic diseases in the developed countries. It is believed that early allergic sensitization and respiratory viral infections play an important role in the development of allergic diseases and asthma.

Methods: The current study investigated the correlation between asthma, allergy, and various markers - allergen-specific IgE, IgG4 and IgA, ECP, IgM, and IgG antibodies against respiratory viruses hRSV and hPIV1-4 - in blood serum samples from 80 children (mean age 5.

Physician's appraisal vs documented signs and symptoms in the interpretation of food challenge tests: The EuroPrevall birth cohort.

Background: Blinded food challenges are considered the current gold standard for the diagnosis of food allergies. We used data from a pan-European multicenter project to assess differences between study centers, aiming to identify the impact of subjective aspects for the interpretation of oral food challenges.

Methods: Nine study centers of the EuroPrevall birth cohort study about food allergy recruited 12 049 newborns and followed them for up to 30 months in regular intervals.

Hazelnut allergy across Europe dissected molecularly: A EuroPrevall outpatient clinic survey.

Background: Hazelnut allergy is birch pollen-driven in Northern/Western Europe and lipid transfer protein-driven in Spain and Italy. Little is known about other regions and other allergens.

Objective: Establishing a molecular map of hazelnut allergy across Europe.

How much is too much? Threshold dose distributions for 5 food allergens.

Background: Precautionary labeling is used to warn consumers of the presence of unintended allergens, but the lack of agreed allergen thresholds can result in confusion and risk taking by patients with food allergy. The lack of data on threshold doses below which subjects are unlikely to react is preventing the development of evidence-based allergen management strategies that are understood by clinician and patient alike.

Objective: We sought to define threshold dose distributions for 5 major allergenic foods in the European population.

Kiwifruit allergy across Europe: clinical manifestation and IgE recognition patterns to kiwifruit allergens.

Background: Kiwifruit is a common cause of food allergy. Symptoms range from mild to anaphylactic reactions.

Objective: We sought to elucidate geographic differences across Europe regarding clinical patterns and sensitization to kiwifruit allergens.

EuroPrevall survey on prevalence and pattern of self-reported adverse reactions to food and food allergies among primary schoolchildren in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The aim of the research was to assess the prevalence and pattern of self-reported adverse reactions to food and food allergies among primary schoolchildren in Vilnius. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Vilnius University was a partner in the EuroPrevall project.

Studies on early allergic sensitization in the Lithuanian birth cohort.

Cohort studies are of great importance in defining the mechanism responsible for the development of allergy-associated diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma, and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Although these disorders share genetic and environmental risk factors, it is still under debate whether they are linked or develop sequentially along an atopic pathway. The current study was aimed to determine the pattern of allergy sensitization in the Lithuanian birth cohort "Alergemol" (n = 1558) established as a part of the multicenter European birth cohort "EuroPrevall".

IgE-mediated food allergy diagnosis: Current status and new perspectives.

In June 2005, the work of the EU Integrated Project EuroPrevall was started. EuroPrevall is the largest research project on food allergy ever performed in Europe. Major aims of the project are to generate for the first time reliable data on the prevalence of food allergies across Europe and on the natural course of food allergy development in infants.

Scientific problems of photosensitivity.

Photosensitive skin reactions occur when human skin reacts to ultraviolet radiation or visible light abnormally. The forms of photosensitivity are phototoxicity and photoallergy. Phototoxic disorders have a high incidence, whereas photoallergic reactions are much less frequent in human population.