The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Jul 2020
Risk factors for severity and mortality in adult COVID-19 inpatients in Wuhan.
In December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak occurred in Wuhan. Data on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with severe COVID-19 are limited. ⋯ Patients with older age, hypertension, and high lactate dehydrogenase level need careful observation and early intervention to prevent the potential development of severe COVID-19. Severe male patients with heart injury, hyperglycemia, and high-dose corticosteroid use may have a high risk of death.
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Jul 2020
Elevated levels of IL-6 and CRP predict the need for mechanical ventilation in COVID-19.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can manifest as a viral-induced hyperinflammation with multiorgan involvement. Such patients often experience rapid deterioration and need for mechanical ventilation. Currently, no prospectively validated biomarker of impending respiratory failure is available. ⋯ The maximal level of IL-6, followed by CRP level, was highly predictive of the need for mechanical ventilation. This suggests the possibility of using IL-6 or CRP level to guide escalation of treatment in patients with COVID-19-related hyperinflammatory syndrome.
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · May 2020
Cost-effectiveness of implementing objective diagnostic verification of asthma in the United States.
Asthma diagnosis in the community is often made without objective testing. ⋯ Implementation of a simple diagnostic testing algorithm to verify asthma diagnosis might result in substantial savings and improvement in patients' quality of life.
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Apr 2020
ReviewAutoimmune bullous skin diseases, pemphigus and pemphigoid.
Autoimmune bullous skin diseases, such as pemphigus and pemphigoid, may enable clarification of the mechanisms of immune regulation in the skin. Pemphigus and pemphigoid are mediated by essentially IgG autoantibodies against structural proteins of the desmosomes at cell-cell junctions and hemidesmosomes at epidermal-dermal junctions, respectively, and are characterized by blisters and erosions in the skin and/or mucous membranes. Intensive investigation over the last 3 decades has identified their target antigens and developed serological diagnostic tools as well as mouse models to help us understand their pathophysiology. Based on these advances, several new therapeutic approaches have become available, and more effective and less toxic targeted approaches are under development.