Search results for "Respiratory system"

The respiratory virome in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

2018

Aim: To characterize the respiratory virome in moderate/severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients using metagenomics, with healthy subjects as the reference. Patients & Methods: Sputum COPD samples were collected during stability and exacerbations with negative usual-care microbiologic analysis. Results: Eukaryotic viruses from the Anelloviridae, Herpesviridae and Retroviridae families and phages from the Shiphoviridae family were commonly found in COPD, and the respiratory virome in stability and noninfectious exacerbations showed a substantial similarity. DNA viruses with the highest relative abundance in COPD are Anelloviridae. Conclusion: These results support a …

Biomarkers and clinical characteristics of autoimmune chronic spontaneous urticaria: Results of the PURIST Study.

2019

Background: Autoimmune chronic spontaneous urticaria (aiCSU) is an important subtype of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) in which functional IgG autoantibodies to IgE or its high-affinity receptor (FcεRI) induces mast cell degranulation and subsequent symptom development. However, it has not been tightly characterized. This study aimed to better define the clinical and immunological features and to explore potential biomarkers of aiCSU. Methods: This was a multinational, multicenter study of 182 CSU patients. The clinical features studied included: urticaria activity and impact (UAS7 and quality of life); autologous serum skin test (ASST); IgG anti-FcεRI and IgG anti-IgE; IgG-anti-thyrop…

Component-Resolved Diagnosis of American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) Allergy in Patients From Different Geographical Areas

2021

Background:Manifestation of respiratory allergy to American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) is prominent in the subtropical and tropical areas. However, co-existing perennial indoor inhalant allergies frequently compromise clinical diagnosis of cockroach allergy, and the analysis of sensitization pattern is limited by the lack ofPeriplanetaallergens widely available for component-resolved diagnostics (CRD).Objective:To evaluate a collection of previously described recombinantPeriplanetaallergens for CRD in cockroach allergy.Methods:A panel of nine recombinantPeriplaneta allergens (Per a 1–5, 7–10) was generated, purified, and subjected to physicochemical characterization by applying circu…

Nitric Oxide System and Bronchial Epithelium: More Than a Barrier

2021

Airway epithelium forms a physical barrier that protects the lung from the entrance of inhaled allergens, irritants, or microorganisms. This epithelial structure is maintained by tight junctions, adherens junctions and desmosomes that prevent the diffusion of soluble mediators or proteins between apical and basolateral cell surfaces. This apical junctional complex also participates in several signaling pathways involved in gene expression, cell proliferation and cell differentiation. In addition, the airway epithelium can produce chemokines and cytokines that trigger the activation of the immune response. Disruption of this complex by some inflammatory, profibrotic, and carcinogens agents c…

Protein corona–mediated targeting of nanocarriers to B cells allows redirection of allergic immune responses

2018

Background Nanoparticle (NP)–based vaccines are attractive immunotherapy tools because of their capability to codeliver antigen and adjuvant to antigen-presenting cells. Their cellular distribution and serum protein interaction ("protein corona") after systemic administration and their effect on the functional properties of NPs is poorly understood. Objectives We analyzed the relevance of the protein corona on cell type–selective uptake of dextran-coated NPs and determined the outcome of vaccination with NPs that codeliver antigen and adjuvant in disease models of allergy. Methods The role of protein corona constituents for cellular binding/uptake of dextran-coated ferrous nanoparticles (DE…

Tamoxifen may cause life-threatening angioedema attacks in patients with hereditary angioedema

2016

Proceedings of the 3rd BEAT-PCD Conference and 4th PCD Training School

2018

Abstract Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a chronic suppurative airways disease that is usually recessively inherited and has marked clinical phenotypic heterogeneity. Classic symptoms include neonatal respiratory distress, chronic rhinitis since early childhood, chronic otitis media, recurrent airway infections leading to bronchiectasis, chronic sinusitis, laterality defects with and without congenital heart disease including abnormal situs in approximately 50% of the cases, and male infertility. Lung function deteriorates progressively from childhood throughout life. ‘Better Experimental Approaches to Treat Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia’ (BEAT-PCD) is a network of scientists and clinician…

Shortened Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time May Help in Diagnosing Hereditary and Acquired Angioedema

2016

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> To evaluate whether activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) could be used in the laboratory diagnosis of hereditary or acquired angioedema (HAE or AAE) with and without C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) deficiency. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In a prospective investigation, APTT and other coagulation parameters were determined in 149 adult patients with various types of angioedema and in 26 healthy participants (HP). <b><i>Results:</i></b> Mean APTT was significantly shortened in HAE-C1-INH type I (p < 0.0001) and type II (p = 0.0017) and in AAE-C1-INH (p < 0.0001) compared to the HP. APTT was shorten…

Development of the Angioedema Control Test—A patient‐reported outcome measure that assesses disease control in patients with recurrent angioedema

2019

Background Recurrent angioedema (AE) is an important clinical problem in the context of chronic urticaria (mast cell mediator-induced), ACE-inhibitor intake and hereditary angioedema (both bradykinin-mediated). To help patients obtain control of their recurrent AE is a major treatment goal. However, a tool to assess control of recurrent AE is not yet available. This prompted us to develop such a tool, the Angioedema Control Test (AECT). Methods After a conceptional framework was developed for the AECT, a list of potential AECT items was generated by a combined approach of patient interviews, literature review and expert input. Subsequent item reduction was based on impact analysis, inter-it…

Interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis: current and future treatment.

2017

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) has the highest fatality rate among connective tissue diseases and is characterized by vascular damage, inflammation and fibrosis of the skin and various internal organs. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) frequently complicates SSc and can be a debilitating disorder with a poor prognosis. ILD is the most frequent cause of death in SSc, and the management of SSc–ILD patients is a great challenge. Early detection of pulmonary involvement based on a recent decline of lung function tests and on the extent of lung involvement at high-resolution computed tomography is critical for the best management of these patients. This article summarizes classification, pathogenesis,…