Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology
-
Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol · Jun 2009
ReviewQuality of life in food allergy: valid scales for children and adults.
The purpose of this review is to give an overview of how health-related quality of life (HRQL) can be measured in food allergy and to explore recent findings on how food allergy might impact HRQL. ⋯ Assessment of HRQL could be used by clinicians to get insight into the specific problems patients have to face. In addition, HRQL measurements may be used to measure the effects of an intervention on the patient's quality of life. Finally, HRQL is the only available measure reflecting the ongoing severity of food allergy, as no objective disease parameters are available.
-
Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol · Jun 2009
ReviewChildhood asthma may be a consequence of vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D deficiency has been rediscovered as a public-health problem worldwide. It has been postulated that vitamin D deficiency may explain a portion of the asthma epidemic. The purpose of this review is to present the evidence for a role of vitamin D in asthma. ⋯ Improving vitamin D status holds promise in primary prevention of asthma, in decreasing exacerbations of disease, and in treating steroid resistance. However, the appropriate level of circulating vitamin D for optimal immune functioning remains unclear. Because vitamin D deficiency is prevalent even in sun-replete areas, clinical trials are needed to definitively answer questions about the role of vitamin D in asthma.
-
Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol · Apr 2009
ReviewInduced sputum and occupational diseases other than asthma.
Induced sputum noninvasively provides information on cellular and soluble material from airways. It has been successfully applied for assessing airway inflammation in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, producing reliable results comparable to biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage. Induced sputum research in the field of occupational medicine has mainly focused upon occupational asthma, and less to other types of occupational diseases. ⋯ Induced sputum is a well tolerated, noninvasive technique that is opening a new window in the field of occupational diseases of the lung and can be integrated into the well established criteria for diagnosing and monitoring these diseases, especially when invasive techniques are clinically contraindicated or impractical.
-
The collection of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is a noninvasive method for evaluation of airway inflammation. This article reviews recent data concerning the ability of EBC markers to reflect alterations in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or environment and occupation-induced changes. ⋯ EBC might be of particular interest in preventive medicine as inflammatory processes triggered may precede changes in lung function. Robust and easy-to-handle condensing devices and analytical methods are warranted to spread the use of EBC.