Allergy and asthma proceedings :
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Allergy Asthma Proc · Mar 2016
Review Case Reports Meta AnalysisApproach to evaluation and management of a patient with multiple food allergies.
Diagnosing food allergy is often challenging, and validated testing modalities are mostly limited to immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated reactions to foods. Use of food-specific IgE tests and skin prick tests in individuals without a history that supports an IgE-mediated reaction to the specific food being tested diminishes the predictive capabilities of the test. ⋯ An evidence-based approach to diagnosing and managing a patient at risk of having a life-threatening food allergy is reviewed.
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Allergy Asthma Proc · Nov 2015
Anxiety but not depression symptoms are associated with greater perceived dyspnea in asthma during bronchoconstriction.
To determine whether anxiety and depression are associated with greater respiratory discomfort in asthma. ⋯ Anxiety but not depression was associated with greater perceived dyspnea intensity but not other measures of respiratory discomfort in individuals with asthma. Anxiety may shape the quality and intensity of dyspnea at a given respiratory load.
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Allergy Asthma Proc · Sep 2015
ReviewUpdate on the utility of corticosteroids in acute pediatric respiratory disorders.
Corticosteroids, delivered systemically and by inhalation, are widely used for the treatment of multiple acute respiratory illnesses in children. However, the level of evidence to support the utility of this therapy varies between these different acute respiratory illnesses. ⋯ Corticosteroids treatment response varies between the acute respiratory illnesses presented in this review. Future research should aim to fill the current gaps-of-knowledge regarding the utility this intervention such as the identification of specific wheezing phenotypes among preschool children which might benefit from systemic corticosteroids as a treatment for acute viral wheeze.
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Allergy Asthma Proc · Sep 2015
Multicenter StudyAnalysis of characteristics associated with reinjection of icatibant: Results from the icatibant outcome survey.
Phase 3 icatibant trials showed that most hereditary angioedema (HAE) (C1 inhibitor deficiency) acute attacks were treated successfully with one injection of icatibant, a selective bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist. We conducted a post hoc analysis of icatibant reinjection for HAE type I and II attacks in a real-world setting by using data from the Icatibant Outcome Survey, an ongoing observational study that monitors the safety and effectiveness of icatibant treatment. ⋯ In this real-world setting, most HAE attacks resolved with one icatibant injection. There was no distinct profile for patients or attacks that required reinjection when outliers with substantially different patterns of use were excluded. Because new attacks were not distinguished from the recurrence of symptoms, reinjection rates may be slightly higher than shown here. Clinical trial identifier: NCT01034969.
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Allergy Asthma Proc · Jul 2015
ReviewReducing asthma attacks in patients with severe asthma: The role of bronchial thermoplasty.
Asthma remains one of the most common diseases worldwide and results in significant societal health care costs and in morbidity and mortality to those afflicted. Despite currently available medications, 5-10% of patients with asthma have severe disease with debilitating symptoms and/or life-threatening exacerbations. ⋯ Thus far, bronchial thermoplasty has been shown to reduce exacerbations and to improve important measures of asthma control. The purpose of this article is to review the pathophysiology of severe asthma, including the role of airway smooth muscle cells and the procedural aspects of bronchial thermoplasty, and to review the evidence behind this important therapy.