Body mass index in relation to symptom presentation on diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis in children.

Background: The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) among children is not well characterized.

Objective: To evaluate the presentations of EoE in pediatric patients of different weight classes.

Methods: Records of newly diagnosed children with EoE at an academic center from 2015 to 2018 were evaluated regarding demographics, symptom presentation, and endoscopic findings and compared among the underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese groups.

A Multidisciplinary Quality Improvement Initiative to Facilitate Penicillin Allergy Delabeling Among Hospitalized Pediatric Patients.

Background: Penicillin allergy is reported in up to 10% of the general population; however, >90% of patients reporting an allergy are tolerant. Patients labeled as penicillin allergic have longer hospital stays, increased exposure to suboptimal antibiotics, and an increased risk of methicillin-resistant and . The primary aim with our quality improvement initiative was to increase penicillin allergy delabeling to at least 10% among all hospitalized pediatric patients reporting a penicillin allergy with efforts directed toward patients determined to be low risk for true allergic reaction.

Nutrition and the Immune System: A Complicated Tango.

Enthusiasm exists for the potential of diet to impact the immune system, prevent disease and its therapeutic potential. Herein, we describe the challenge to nutrition scientists in defining this relationship through case studies of diets and nutrients in the context of allergic and autoimmune diseases. Moderate-quality evidence exists from both human intervention and observational studies to suggest that diet and individual nutrients can influence systemic markers of immune function and inflammation; numerous challenges exist for demonstrating the impact of defined diets and nutrient interventions on clearly influencing immune-mediated-clinical disease endpoints.

Aging alters interspecific competition between two sympatric insect-parasitic nematode species.

Interspecific competition can vary depending on the stage, age, or physiological state of the competitors. Competitive ability often increases with age or size; alternatively, senescence can lead to a loss of viability and reduced competitive success. Differences between species in their age-specific competitive abilities can promote coexistence in the face of substantial niche overlap.