Increased levels of interleukin 31 (IL-31) in osteoporosis.

Background: Several inflammatory cytokines play a key part in the induction of osteoporosis. Until now, involvement of the Th2 cytokine interleukin-31 (IL-31) in osteoporosis hadn't yet been studied. IL-31 is a proinflammatory cytokine mediating multiple immune functions, whose involvement in a wide range of diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, inflammatory bowel diseases and cutaneous lymphomas, is now emerging.

Fatal Anaphylactic Shock Ceftriaxone-Induced in a 4-Year-Old Child.

One of the most used cephalosporin in clinical practice is ceftriaxone. Anaphylaxis due to the administration of ceftriaxone is considered a rare event. Here, we report a case of fatal anaphylactic shock after the administration of ceftriaxone in a child who had tolerated the drug in past exposures.

Increased serum levels of interleukin-23 circulating in patients with non-segmental generalized vitiligo.

Introduction: Vitiligo is a common progressive depigmentation of the skin due to selective destruction of melanocytes. Nowadays increasing evidences support the hypothesis of an autoimmune etiology.

Methods: In order to sustain the role of T-helper-17 lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, we measured the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-23 (an important regulator of this subset) using a quantitative enzyme immunoassay technique in 12 males and 16 females (ages ranging from 18 to 58 years) affected by non-segmental vitiligo and compared the results with a group of healthy donors.

Oxidative stress in oncohematologic diseases: an update.

An increased risk of cancer in various organs has been related to oxidative stress and several studies have revealed the mechanism by which continued oxidative stress can lead to chronic inflammation, which in turn could mediate most chronic diseases including cancer. A variety of transcription factors may be activated in consequence of oxidative stress, leading to the expression of over 500 different genes, including those for growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, cell cycle regulatory molecules and anti-inflammatory molecules. In this review, the data related to the action of oxidative stress on the onset of various oncohematologic diseases are summarized, thus bringing together some of the latest information available on the pathogenetic role of oxidative stress in cancer.

Hypersensitivity to tranexamic acid: a wide spectrum of adverse reactions.

Cases Description: This is a retrospective study, based on analysis of data from patients with previous adverse drug reactions admitted to the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Division of both the University of Messina and the University of Bari in the last 4 years. We observed five patients: four of them (two males and two females) with a well documented history of tranexamic acid hypersensitivity reactions and one female who showed a positive response to an intradermal challenge test with tranexamic acid.

Conclusions: Although the risk of immunogenic and severe allergic reactions to tranexamic acid is significantly lower than those associated with administration of other drugs, our experience points out that adverse reactions to tranexamic acid can occur.

Possible link between history of hypersensitivity to a specific non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and positive results following challenge test to alternative NSAIDS.

Introduction: In subjects with hypersensitivity reactions to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the choice of suitable alternative drugs with the lowest risk of reaction is imperative for therapeutic management. A safe method to exclude drug hypersensitivity is to perform a challenge test for an alternative drug. The present study was conducted to: obtain more information about the safety of NSAIDs; assess the risk of reaction following the administration of a selective or nonselective cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitor in patients with a history of adverse reactions to NSAIDs; investigate if age and/or gender play a role in the susceptibility to develop adverse reactions to NSAIDs.