Search results for " ASTHMA"

Cabbage and fermented vegetables: from death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID-19

2021

International audience; Large differences in COVID-19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage have been associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS-CoV-2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS-CoV-2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1 R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistance …

Rhinoconjunctivitis and wheeze in preschool children: a different relationship than in adults (United or Coexistent Airways Disease)?

2007

Sensitization to Horse Allergens in Italy: A Multicentre Study in Urban Atopic Subjects without Occupational Exposure.

2010

<i>Background:</i> Horses play a significant role in people’s leisure time in Italy and other countries, but few data are available on IgE-mediated sensitization to horse allergens in patients without occupational exposure. We assessed, in a multicentric survey, the prevalence of horse sensitization in atopic subjects and its clinical characteristics. <i>Methods:</i> Allergists from the whole Italian territory were required to collect the results of skin prick tests from at least 100 consecutive subjects. Those patients with a positive skin test to horse dander underwent a detailed interview concerning clinical history, pet ownership and possible exposure. <i>R…

Leptin and leptin receptor expression in asthma.

2009

Background The adipokine leptin is a potential new mediator for bronchial epithelial homeostasis. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by airway remodeling that might affect disease chronicity and severity. TGF-β is a tissue growth factor the dysregulation of which is associated with airway remodeling. Objective We sought to determine whether a bronchial epithelial dysfunction of the leptin/leptin receptor pathway contributes to asthma pathogenesis and severity. Methods We investigated in vitro the presence of leptin/leptin receptor on human bronchial epithelial cells. Then we studied the effect of TGF-β and fluticasone propionate on leptin receptor expression. Finally, th…

Switching from omalizumab to mepolizumab: real-life experience from Southern Italy.

2020

Background: Current availability of several biologic treatments for severe asthma makes it possible to choose the most appropriate for each patient. Sometimes a good percentage of patients with severe asthma may be eligible for biologics that target either the allergic phenotype or the eosinophilic one, but not all respond to that selected as first choice. The aim of our real-life study was to assess whether, for patients with severe eosinophilic allergic asthma, not previously controlled by the anti-IgE omalizumab, the shift to another biologic targeting interleukin-5, such as mepolizumab, may represent a good therapeutic choice. Methods: A total of 41 consecutive patients with severe, per…

Improvement in quality of life with omalizumab in patients with severe allergic asthma.

2006

Patients with severe persistent asthma experience daily symptoms and frequent serious exacerbations that contribute to a significant impairment of health-related quality of life (QoL).A pooled analysis was completed of six controlled clinical trials that evaluated the effect of add-on omalizumab on asthma-related QoL in patients with severe persistent allergic (IgE-mediated) asthma. Asthma-related QoL was assessed at baseline and treatment endpoint using the well-validated Juniper Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ). Change from baseline in AQLQ total score was compared between treatments using analysis of covariance methods. The percentage of patients who achieved a clinically mean…

Agreement in Asthmatics' Perception of Dyspnea During Acute and Chronic Obstruction

2005

Objective Three types of asthmatic patients can be identified during periods of clinical stability: “poor perceivers,” “normal perceivers,” and “over perceivers.” When asthmatics undergo bronchial challenge in the laboratory, the same distinctions in type of perception can be observed. The aim of the present study was to determine the level of agreement between the 2 situations. Patients and methods A total of 93 patients with persistent moderate asthma (36 men and 57 women; mean age 40 years) were studied. We asked them to assess their dyspnea on a modified Borg scale when stable and after each histamine dose in a bronchial provocation test. When a patient's Borg scale assessment in stable…

Budesonide increases TLR4 and TLR2 expression in Treg lymphocytes of allergic asthmatics

2015

Abstract Background Reduced innate immunity responses as well as reduced T regulatory activities characterise bronchial asthma. Objectives In this study the effect of budesonide on the expression of TLR4 and TLR2 in T regulatory lymphocyte sub-population was assessed. Methods TLR4 and TLR2 expression in total peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), in CD4+/CD25+ and in CD4+/CD25− was evaluated, by flow cytometric analysis, in mild intermittent asthmatics (n = 14) and in controls (n = 11). The in vitro effects of budesonide in modulating: TLR4 and TLR2 expression in controls and in asthmatics; IL-10 expression and cytokine release (IL-6 and TNF-α selected by a multiplex assay) in asthmati…

Inhaled Corticosteroids and the Beneficial Effect of Deep Inspiration in Asthma

2005

Deep inspiration-induced bronchoprotection and bronchodilation are impaired in asthma. We evaluated the effect of inhaled glucocorticosteroids on these phenomena. Two groups of subjects with asthma, 9 with moderate/severe hyperresponsiveness to methacholine, and 12 with mild/borderline hyperresponsiveness to methacholine, received inhaled fluticasone (880 microg daily) for 12 weeks. Serial bronchoprovocations were performed at Weeks 0, 6, and 12. The impact of deep inspirations on the airway response to methacholine was evaluated on the basis of inspiratory vital capacity and FEV(1). Fluticasone produced a wide spectrum of changes in the beneficial effects of deep inspiration, but the mean …

18-yr cumulative incidence of respiratory/allergic symptoms/diseases and risk factors in the Pisa epidemiological study

2019

Abstract Background Few population-based studies on the effects of environmental exposure variation exist. Aim Assessing respiratory symptom/disease incidence related to risk factor exposure changes. Methods A longitudinal general population sample from two surveys (PISA2:1991–1993; PISA3:2009–2011; no. = 970), aged ≥20 years at baseline, completed a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms/diseases, risk factor exposure and performed spirometry. 18-year follow-up cumulative incidence of respiratory symptoms/diseases and longitudinal changes (persistence, incidence, remittance) in risk factor exposure were computed. Results Cumulative incidence values were: 3.2% (corresponding to a 1.8‰/year i…