Allergy and asthma proceedings :
-
Allergy Asthma Proc · Nov 1998
Biography Historical ArticleAsthma among the famous. Supplement. John F. Kennedy (1912-1963), 35th President of the United States.
-
Allergy Asthma Proc · Sep 1998
Biography Historical ArticleAsthma among the famous. John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) 35th President of the United States.
-
Allergy Asthma Proc · Mar 1998
Comparative StudyEosinophil count and eosinophil cationic protein concentration of induced sputum in the diagnosis and assessment of airway inflammation in bronchial asthma.
Measurement of eosinophil percentages and ECP concentration in induced sputum may be useful in the diagnosis and assessment of the variability of airway inflammation in bronchial asthma (BA). To evaluate the usefulness of sputum eosinophil counts and ECP concentrations in the diagnosis of BA, we measured these parameters in 68 patients with respiratory complaints. In addition, we followed-up 14 BA patients with variable airflow limitation for 45.4 +/- 10.4 days. ⋯ The percentages of sputum eosinophilia showed a moderate correlation with ECP (r = 0.4358, p < 0.01) and with the peak expiratory flow rate (PFR, r = -0.4746, p < 0.01) but sputum ECP did not correlate with PFR. In 14 BA patients who were followed, there was a relationship between changes of PFR and the percentage of sputum eosinophil (r = -0.7238, p < 0.01), but the change of PFR did not correlate with the change of sputum ECP levels. These results suggest that the sputum eosinophil count and sputum ECP level could be helpful in the diagnosis of BA, but that sputum ECP is not satisfactory for the assessment of variability of airway eosinophilic inflammation during the initial anti-inflammatory management of BA.
-
Allergy Asthma Proc · Jan 1998
Biography Historical ArticleAsthma among the famous. Marcel Proust (1871-1922), French author.
-
Allergy Asthma Proc · Nov 1997
Case ReportsHypersensitivity pneumonitis due to inhalation of fungi-contaminated esparto dust in a plaster worker.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis or extrinsic allergic alveolitis can be defined as a lung disease caused by a wide group of antigens that reach the lung by inhalation of organic and/or inorganic dust of various sources. The esparto (Stipa Tenacissima and Ligeum Spartum) is an herbaceous of the grass family used in the production of ropes, canvas, sandals, mats, baskets, and so forth. It is also used in the construction industry for the production of paper paste. ⋯ We present a case of occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis in a plaster worker. Clinical findings, precipitating antibodies, and evolution, after having removed him from his work, confirmed the diagnosis. In our case, Aspergillus species contaminating esparto are probably the antigens that caused the disease.