Mothers' knowledge about foreign body aspiration in young children.

Objective: To evaluate parents' knowledge regarding foreign body aspiration (FBA) and determine the factors that are associated with lack of knowledge.

Methods: An 8-item questionnaire regarding knowledge of FBA was developed and distributed at regular check-ups for children younger than 24 months old.

Results: Out of the 1766 questionnaires distributed, 1603 were recovered and most of them (1539) were answered by mothers.

Foreign body aspiration in children: a nationwide survey in Japan.

Background: Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a common cause for a respiratory emergency in young children and can be a life-threatening event. We, therefore, conducted the first nationwide survey in Japan.

Methods: We asked doctors of 261 tertiary hospitals across the nation to fill out a case card of FBA-diagnosed cases they had experienced for the past 2 years.

Increased IL-1beta production from dsRNA-stimulated leukocytes in febrile seizures.

This study examined the possibility that children with and without a history of febrile seizures might mount different immune responses to double-stranded ribonucleic acid, which is a common viral factor that induces host cell immune responses, and is recognized by Toll-like receptor 3. The production of interleukin-1beta and interferon-alpha from double-stranded ribonucleic acid-stimulated leukocytes was examined in 27 children (age 3.6+/-0.

[Quality of life of asthmatic children and their guardians--multi center study in Kyusyu and Okinawa, Japan].

Background: It is important to clarify the quality of life (QOL) of the asthmatic children and their guardians.

Method: We studied asthmatic patients treated at 359 institutes in Kyusyu and Okinawa, Japan, with QOL questionnaire 2 times in 2001. In the first study, 2906 patients were recruited and 2935 patients were in the 2nd study, and 1563 patients were in both study.

Squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen in children with acute asthma.

Background: Increased serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen (SCCA) have been observed in patients with allergic disorders, such as atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma. T(H)2 cytokines, which are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of allergic disorders, stimulate new synthesis of SCCA in cultured human airway epithelial cells.

Objective: To investigate whether SCCA levels increase during acute exacerbations of asthma in children and whether the T(H)2 cytokines, interleukin 4 (IL-4) and IL-13, are associated with SCCA levels.

Upregulation of interleukin-4 receptor by interferon-gamma: enhanced interleukin-4-induced eotaxin-3 production in airway epithelium.

Airway epithelial cells produce a number of chemokines, including eotaxins. Among the three known eotaxins, T helper (Th) type 2 cytokines have been observed to induce the expression of eotaxin-3 mRNA. This study investigated the effect of interferon (IFN)-gamma, a Th1 cytokine, on Th2 cytokine-induced eotaxin-3 production in a bronchial epithelial cell line, BEAS-2B.

Leukotriene synthesis is increased by transcriptional up-regulation of 5-lipoxygenase, leukotriene A4 hydrolase, and leukotriene C4 synthase in asthmatic children.

Leukotrienes (LTs) are recognized to be important mediators in asthma. Recent studies revealed that LT synthesis is controlled by the regulation of LT-synthesizing enzymes. We determined the synthesis of LTB4 and LTC4 by specific radioimmunoassay, and the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of LT-synthesizing enzymes by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in peripheral polymorphonuclear leukocytes, which were obtained from controls and asthmatic children.

Possible contribution of interferon-alpha to febrile seizures in influenza.

The systemic symptoms associated with influenza infection are mainly attributable to cytokines. To elucidate whether the high incidence of creatine kinase elevation and febrile seizures in influenza infection could be related to cytokines, we examined the serum levels of creatine kinase and cytokines (interferon-alpha, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) in patients with influenza and other febrile illness. Among those in the influenza group, 12 of 43 patients demonstrated elevated levels of creatine kinase (more than 200 IU/L), whereas in the control group two of 14 patients demonstrated elevated creatine kinase levels.