March 13, 2017

Microbiome effects on immunity, health and disease in the lung


Shakti D Shukla1, Kurtis F Budden1, Rachael Neal1 and Philip M Hansbro1

Abstract

Chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis (CF), are among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In the past decade, the interest in the role of microbiome in maintaining lung health and in respiratory diseases has grown exponentially. The advent of sophisticated multiomics techniques has enabled the identification and characterisation of microbiota and their roles in respiratory health and disease. Furthermore, associations between the microbiome of the lung and gut, as well as the immune cells and mediators that may link these two mucosal sites, appear to be important in the pathogenesis of lung conditions.

Bifidobacterium mixture (B longum BB536, B infantis M-63, B breve M-16V) treatment in children with seasonal allergic rhinitis and intermittent asthma

Italian Journal of Pediatrics   
OPEN ACCES

  • Michele Miraglia Del Giudice,
  • Cristiana Indolfi,
  • Michele Capasso,
  • Nunzia Maiello,
  • Fabio Decimo and
  • Giorgio CiprandiEmail author
Background
Allergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic asthma are caused by an IgE-mediated inflammatory reaction. Probiotics may exert anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory activity. Thus, this study aimed at investigating whether a Bifidobacteria mixture could be able to relieve nasal symptoms, and affect quality of life (QoL) in children with AR and intermittent asthma due to Parietaria allergy.

March 2, 2017

An avoidable cause of thymoglobulin anaphylaxis

 
OPEN ACCESS

  • S. BrabantEmail author,
  • A. Facon,
  • F. ProvĂ´t,
  • M. Labalette,
  • B. Wallaert and
  • C. Chenivesse
Abstract
Background
Thymoglobulin® (anti-thymocyte globulin [rabbit]) is a purified pasteurised, gamma immune globulin obtained by immunisation of rabbits with human thymocytes. Anaphylactic allergic reactions to a first injection of thymoglobulin are rare.

February 23, 2017

Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data

BMJ 2017356 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i6583 (Published 15 February 2017)Cite this as: BMJ 2017;356:i6583
  • Adrian R Martineau, professor of respiratory infection and immunity2
  • David A Jolliffe, postdoctoral research fellow1
  • Richard L Hooper, reader in medical statistics1
  • Lauren Greenberg, medical statistician1
  • John F Aloia, professor of medicine3
  • Peter Bergman, associate professor4
  • Gal Dubnov-Raz, consultant paediatrician5
  • Susanna Esposito, professor of paediatrics6
  • Davaasambuu Ganmaa, assistant professor7
  • Adit A Ginde, professor of emergency medicine8
  • Emma C Goodall, assistant professor9
  • Cameron C Grant, associate professor10
  • Christopher J Griffiths, professor of primary care11
  • Wim Janssens, professor of pneumonology12
  • Ilkka Laaksi, chief administrative medical officer13
  • Semira Manaseki-Holland, senior clinical lecturer14
  • David Mauger, professor of public health sciences and statistics15
  • David R Murdoch, professor of pathology16
  • Rachel Neale, associate professor17
  • Judy R Rees, assistant professor18
  • Steve Simpson Jr, postdoctoral research fellow19
  • Iwona Stelmach, professor of paediatric allergy20
  • Geeta Trilok Kumar, associate professor21
  • Mitsuyoshi Urashima, professor of molecular epidemiology22
  • Carlos A Camargo Jr, professor of emergency medicine, medicine, and epidemiology23
    1. Author affiliations
    1. Correspondence to: A R Martineau a.martineau@qmul.ac.uk
    Abstract
    Objectives To assess the overall effect of vitamin D supplementation on risk of acute respiratory tract infection, and to identify factors modifying this effect.
    Design Systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data (IPD) from randomised controlled trials.

    February 15, 2017

    Self-assessment of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma (SACRA) Questionnaire-based Allergic Rhinitis Treatment Improves Asthma Control in Asthmatic Patients with Allergic Rhinitis

    Internal Medicine
    Vol. 56 (2017) No. 1 p. 31-39

    Language: 
    http://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.56.7251
    ORIGINAL ARTICLES

    Objective This study was conducted to investigate whether the add-on treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) based on the Self-assessment of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma (SACRA) questionnaire for assessing AR control improves both AR and asthma control in asthmatic patients with AR.
    Methods This multi-center prospective study was performed in Nagano prefecture, Japan. Two hundred five asthmatic patients and 23 respiratory physicians participated in the study. We administered add-on AR treatments based on the results of the SACRA questionnaire. After the first SACRA questionnaire, 67 asthmatic patients agreed to receive an add-on AR treatment. Three months after the AR treatment, a secondary SACRA questionnaire, asthma control test (ACT), and pulmonary function tests were performed.

    February 13, 2017

    Biomarkers for Monitoring Clinical Efficacy of Allergen Immunotherapy for Allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis and Allergic Asthma: an EAACI Position Paper.

     2017 Feb 2. doi: 10.1111/all.13138. [Epub ahead of print]

    Abstract

    Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is an effective treatment for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR) with or without asthma (1-12). AIT has disease modifying properties and confers long-term clinical benefit after cessation of treatment (6, 7, 13-17). AIT is routinely used in daily practice and can be administered either subcutaneously (SCIT) or sublingually (SLIT) (3-12).