Makale Arama

İn this study; skin prick test, serum total and specific IgE levels vvere compared in patients with asthma and the diagnostic values of these tests vvere investigated. İn addition sensitivity and specifity of total and specific IgE values vvere calculated for different allergen groups. Skin prick tests vvere applied to asthmatic and control cases and serum total IgE levels vvere determined in both groups. İn asthmatic and control groups, serum specific IgE levels vvere determined for allergens vvhich vvere observed positive in prick test. The serum total IgE levels of asthma group (301.7±412.1 lU/ml) vvere significantly higher vvhen compared to the control group (77.1+55.3 lU/ml). Sex and family history of atopy vvere not factors influencing the total IgE levels in asthmatic patients (p>0.05). The sensitivity of serum total IgE was 57%. The sensitivity and specifity of serum specific IgE was 75-100% and 100% (except for mites), respectively. The correlation betvveen high serum total IgE and serum specific IgE positivity was weak (r=0.25). We concluded that high serum total IgE levels are not sensitive in diagnosis of atopy in asthmatic patients. Serum specific IgE levels should not be investigated in atopic patients as routine, because of it has high specifity vvith allergens positive in skin prick tests.

The elevations of serum creatine kinase myocardial bound (CK-MB) levels can be observed in children and suggest a myocardial injury. We determined serum CK-MB and cardiac troponin-I (cTn-I) levels in 30 asthmatic children to assess cardiac injury at admission for exacerbation and two weeks later. Twenty healthy age-matched children served as controls. The CK-MB levels in admission for asthmatic exacerbation were higher than control group and than the levels of the same patients after exacerbation (p<0.05). There was found to be a positive correlation between the CK-MB levels and respiratory rate and a negative correlation between the CK-MB levels and oxygen saturation measured at admission. The effective factors on CK-MB levels was found to be respiratory rate and oxygen saturation. However serum cTn-I levels were found to be normal in allpatients including those with CK-MB elevation. In conclusion, CK-MB elevation may ocur in children with acute astma attack related to the stress on respiratory muscles.

Reports have shovvn opposing results for proposed associations betvveen left-handedness and allergic diseases. İn this study we compared the distribution of right- and left-handers in a group of allergic patients and a control population with a Similiarsex and age distribution. The study (59 asthma, 50 rhinitis, 41 asthma+rhinitis; total 150 patients) and control (81 hospital personels and patients' relatives) groups were given a questionnaire that inc- luded a modified version of the Oldfield's Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. The frequency of left-handedness (LS<0) in the study and control population were 10.7%, 9.9%, respectively and there was no difference betvveen two groups, statistically. The percentage of left-handers was 10.7 % in males and 9.4 % in females for the control group and 11.3 % and 10.3 % in males and females, respectively, in the study group. The distribution of han­ dedness was similiar in two sexes, vvithin the control and patient groups. Allergic patients were divided into two groups according to IgE-mediated (n=114) or non-lgE mediated (n=36). The percentage of left/handers in IgE me- diated and non-lgE mediated vvere 10.5%, 12%, respectively. There was no difference in the incidence of left- handedness among these two groups. There was also no difference in the percentage of left-handers in the al­ lergic asthma (8.5%), allergic rhinitis (% 11.1) and allergic asthma+rhinitis (12.2%) patients. As a result, There was no significant association determined betvveen the groups of allergic asthma/ rhinitis and control groups as the incidence of hand preference.

Chlorine is a strong oxidizing agent. There are several forms of exposure: industrial leaks, environmental re-leases occurring prirnarily in transport or water purification swimming pool-related events and houselhold-cleaning product misadventures. The toxic effect of inhaled chlorine gas on the respiratory tract has been known but there is insufficient evidence ta conclude that there is a chronic impairment of pulmonary function after acute or chronic exposure. Chlorine inhalation may manifest any of the full spectrum of pulmonary irritant effects, from minor mucosal response ta diffuse alveoler damage, may rapidly cause pulmonary edema and interstitial pne-umania, leading to acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Pulmonary function tesis obtained following inhalation were most notable for airflow obstruction and air trapping. Follow up studies of World War 1 chlorine gas victims indicate that many of the survivors were subsequently disabled by asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. fn aur cases, following chlorine gas inhalation widespread bronchial inflammation and hyperreactivity, and airway obstruction occurred. Airway obstruction resporıded to medicai treatment.

Skin test and the determination of total lgE level in serum are the methods often used in the diagnosis of allergy. A prospective analysis was performed on 399 clinically atopic patients with bronchial asthma, rhinitis and conjunctivitis between May 1996- July 1998. This study was designed to investigate the allergens and the corelation between the serum total lgE and skin test reactions. Skin test reactions were positive in 207 patients. We found 73.91% positive skin test reactions for mixture of cereals, 59.42% for tree pollen extracts, 47.83% for grass pollen extracts, 27.05 for weed mixture and 23.67% for house dust mites. Skin test reactions were positive in 31%, 74%, 42%, 71%, 60% in brochial asthma, rhinitis, rhinitis+asthma, rhinitis+conjunctivitis, rhinitis+conjunkctivitis+asthma, respectively. 71% of patients with bronchial asthma and 33% of patients with rhinitis had high total lgE levels. We didn't determine positive correlation between the skin test positivity and high serum total lgE levels.