Expert review of clinical immunology
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Expert Rev Clin Immunol · Nov 2014
ReviewCanakinumab for the treatment of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
The introduction of methotrexate in the 1980s and of TNF-inhibiting agents and abatacept in the late 1990s led to a dramatic improvement in the outcomes of non-systemic categories of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. By contrast, the same treatment approaches had no strong impact on the outcome of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA), and the main effective treatment in these patients remained glucocorticoids with their known side effects. Encouraging findings in small studies involving SJIA patients treated with IL-1 and IL-6 inhibitors led to large Phase III trials, and the results in these trials provide hope that substantial joint damage and disability seen in the majority of patients with persistent SJIA can be prevented. The purpose of this review is to discuss the safety and efficacy of the IL-1 and IL-6 inhibiting agents in SJIA with the main focus on canakinumab, a fully human monoclonal anti-IL-1β antibody.
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Expert Rev Clin Immunol · Oct 2014
ReviewCurrent recommendations and emerging options for the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common diseases and represents a global health problem, currently affecting up to 30% of the general population, with a continuously increasing prevalence and significant comorbidities and complications. The aim of this review is to provide an update on AR treatment, with a focus on current therapies defined by AR and its impact on asthma guidelines and with a particular emphasis on new and future therapeutic perspectives.
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Expert Rev Clin Immunol · Oct 2014
ReviewBiomarkers of sepsis and their potential value in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.
Biomarkers have great potential to improve the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis. The available literature supports the potential utility of sTREM-1, IL-27, suPAR, neutrophil CD64, presepsin, cfDNA and miRNAs as novel diagnostic, prognostic and treatment response biomarkers. The future of sepsis biomarkers lies in extensive validation studies of such novel biomarkers across heterogeneous populations and exploration of their power in combination. Furthermore, the use of a companion diagnostics model may augment the ability of investigators to identify novel sepsis biomarkers and develop specific therapeutic strategies based on biomarker information.
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Challenges in in vitro allergy diagnostics lie in the development of accessible and reliable assays allowing identification of all offending allergens and cross-reactive structures. Flow-assisted analysis and quantification of in vitro activated basophils serves as a diagnostic instrument with increasing applications developed over the years. From the earliest days it was clear that the test could constitute a diagnostic asset in basophil-mediated hypersensitivity. ⋯ However, results in these nondiagnostic applications are preliminary. We review the most relevant clinical applications of the basophil activation test. Some personal comments and views about perspectives and challenges about flow-assisted allergy diagnosis are made.
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Expert Rev Clin Immunol · Sep 2014
ReviewThe role of immune and metabolic biomarkers for improved management of sepsis patients.
Sepsis, the body`s overwhelming response to systemic infections, is responsible for significant morbidity, mortality, and financial burden. Pathogens and their antigens stimulate pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators and immune markers which characterize the host defense and orchestrate leukocyte recruitment to the acute site of infection. Different immune and metabolic biomarkers have been studied in relation to sepsis for their diagnostic and/or prognostic aid. ⋯ Second, procalcitonin correlates with risks of bacterial infections and helps guide therapeutic decisions about initiation and withdrawal of anti-microbial therapy. Third, prognostic markers such as pro-adrenomedullin improve early mortality prediction and thereby site-of-care decisions in respiratory infections. For these markers interventional trials have documented their value when integrated in clinical protocols.