Health-related quality of life in children with objectively diagnosed staple food allergy assessed with a disease-specific questionnaire.

AIM: Among Swedish children of 0-12 years old, we investigated various food allergy-related exposures associated with health-related quality of life using a food allergy-specific questionnaire among children allergic to the staple foods cow's milk, hen's egg and/or wheat, and contextualised worse food allergy-associated health-related quality of life using a generic questionnaire versus controls. METHODS: In total, 85 children with objectively diagnosed allergy to the staple foods were included as cases, and 94 children matched for age and sex were included as controls. We administered a food allergy-specific parent-completed questionnaire originally developed by EuroPrevall to cases only, and a generic health-related quality of life questionnaire (EuroQol Health Questionnaire, 5 Dimensions; EQ 5-D); to both cases and controls. RESULTS: Hen's egg was the most common offending staple food, affecting 76% of cases. Approximately 7% of cases were allergic to all three staple foods. Parent-reported respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms were associated with worse health-related quality of life. Elements of disease severity [previous anaphylaxis (p < 0.001); epinephrine autoinjector prescription (p < 0.003)] were negatively associated with health-related quality of life. Cases had worse health-related quality of life measured by the EQ-5D compared to controls (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The use of a disease-specific questionnaire revealed that disease severity in children with objectively diagnosed allergy to the staple foods cow's milk, hen's egg and/or wheat is associated with worse health-related quality of life. The use of a generic questionnaire confirmed that cases have worse health-related quality of life than controls.

Socioeconomic evaluation of well-characterized allergy to staple foods in adults.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate if total, direct, indirect, and intangible costs differ between a cohort of adults with well-characterized allergy to staple foods ('cases') and controls. METHODS: Swedish adults with objectively diagnosed food allergy to cow's milk, hen's egg, and/or wheat were recruited at an outpatient allergy clinic. Controls age- and sex-matched to cases were recruited from the same geographic area. For assessing the household costs of food allergy, a disease-specific socioeconomic questionnaire, developed within EuroPrevall, was utilized. RESULTS: Overall annual total costs at the household level were significantly higher among adults with food allergy compared with controls (the difference amounted to 8164 €), whereas direct costs did not differ between cases and controls. However, household healthcare costs and costs for medicines were significantly higher for cases vs controls. Furthermore, indirect costs were significantly higher for households with food-allergic adults vs households without food-allergic adults. Specifically, more time was spent on performing domestic tasks due to a family member's food-allergy-related illness, as well as shopping and preparing food, and seeking food-allergy-related information. Presence of food allergy also affected intangible costs. Adults with food allergy experienced overall lower health status compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: Swedish adults with allergy to staple foods have higher total costs determined as direct, indirect, and intangible costs using the disease-specific socioeconomic questionnaire. Thus, total costs were 8164 € higher per year in households with at least one adult allergic to staple foods compared with controls.

Identification of galactose-α-1,3-galactose in the gastrointestinal tract of the tick Ixodes ricinus; possible relationship with red meat allergy.

Patients with IgE antibodies against the carbohydrate epitope galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal) have reported severe allergic reactions after consumption of red meat. Investigations have revealed associations between IgE to α-Gal and tick bites. We provide the first direct evidence that α-Gal is present within ticks thus potentially explaining the relationship between tick exposure and sensitization to α-Gal, with development of red meat allergy as a secondary phenomena. Serum from Swedish patients with delayed severe reactions to red meat was included in the study. A dose-dependent inhibition of IgE responses to α-Gal by the tick Ixodes ricinus is demonstrated. Furthermore, using cryostat-cut sections of I. ricinus, we show that both a monoclonal and a polyclonal antibody against α-Gal stains the gastrointestinal tract of the tick. The same pattern is seen when staining with patient sera IgE positive to α-Gal. These results confirm that the α-Gal epitope is present in I. ricinus and imply host exposure to α-Gal during a tick bite. This provides further evidence that tick bites are associated with IgE responses to α-Gal and red meat allergy.

Responsiveness of eosinophils to aeroallergens may be independent of atopic status.

It has been reported that extracts from common aeroallergens directly activate eosinophils from non-allergic individuals, eliciting chemotaxis and degranulation. The aims of this study were to compare the reactivity of eosinophils from non-atopic and atopic individuals to airborne allergens, and to assess if this reactivity was modulated by natural exposure to birch pollen. Blood-derived eosinophils were stimulated with allergen extracts from birch pollen, cat dander, house dust mite and timothy grass, and their capacity to degranulate (eosinophil peroxidase, EPO; major basic protein, MBP) and produce T helper type 1 and 2 cytokines were evaluated as well as their capacity to migrate in vitro, in and out of the birch pollen season. Eosinophils from atopic and non-atopic individuals responded similarly to stimulation with allergen extracts with respect to directed migration, EPO and MBP release, which was independent of the season when the samples were collected. Interestingly, eosinophils from both study groups were incapable of producing tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) during the birch pollen season, but could generate interleukin-4. Innate responsiveness of eosinophils to aeroallergens is independent of the atopic status of the individual. In vivo exposure to birch allergen as seen during the birch pollen season downregulates the capacity of eosinophils to produce the cytokine TNF-alpha.

Neither self-reported atopy nor IgE-mediated allergy are linked to gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Among patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), atopic disease has been proposed as a common comorbidity increasing the IBS symptom burden. We therefore assessed the prevalence of self-reported atopy among patients with IBS as compared to non-IBS controls, and whether atopy and higher serum IgE levels were associated with increased IBS symptom severity. METHODS: Levels of total and specific IgE in serum were measured and questionnaires assessing the presence of atopic disease (ie, eczema, asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and pollen allergy), gastrointestinal symptom burden, food intolerance, somatic, and psychological symptoms were completed. KEY RESULTS: In total, 223 patients with IBS and 47 controls participated. Presence of atopic disease was reported in 55% of patients with IBS compared to 40% of controls (P = .07). IBS patients with atopic manifestations (N = 123) had higher total serum IgE levels (median 31 vs 16 kUA /L, P < .001) and higher prevalence of self-reported food intolerance (28% vs 9%, P = .002) than non-atopic IBS patients (N = 100), respectively, but no major difference in gastrointestinal or psychological symptom burden was noted. However, severe somatic symptoms were more common among atopic than non-atopic patients with IBS (38% vs 27%, P = .028). We found no associations between self-reported atopy and IBS symptom severity using linear regression models. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Atopic disease is common in patients with IBS, but that is also true for subjects without IBS. The presence of atopic disease in IBS is associated with self-reported food intolerance and somatic symptom severity, but unrelated to IBS symptom severity.

Methodological issues in the diagnostic work-up of food allergy: a real challenge.

The standard of reporting in diagnostic studies has generally been low. Fortunately, this issue has begun to be addressed in recent years through the discussion of important methodological issues in educational series, textbooks, and checklists. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, oral food challenges (DBPCFC) are considered to be the gold standard for diagnosis of food allergy. However, there is no consensus regarding how to interpret the outcome and how to define positive and negative provocations in DBPCFC. Furthermore, since most theories on the diagnosis of food allergy rely on the assumption that the DBPCFC has a high accuracy, this accuracy must be formally statistically evaluated. In this review, we discuss essential methodological issues for diagnostic accuracy studies in general and for oral food challenges in particular and discuss the importance of methodological issues as a guide for forthcoming studies of diagnostic procedures.

Detection of local mast-cell activity in patients with food hypersensitivity.

BACKGROUND: Mast cells play a central role in many inflammatory diseases and assessment of their activation may be of use to provide objective confirmation of the outcome of food challenge in the diagnosis of food hypersensitivity. However, to date, assessment of mast-cell activation using serum markers has been unsuccessful. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore whether locally released tryptase could be detected in stool samples from patients with food hypersensitivity. METHODS: Nine patients (median age, 55 years; range, 26 - 68 years) with food hypersensitivity confirmed by double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge were included in the study. Tryptase concentration was assessed in stool samples collected before and after an open food challenge at home and symptoms were recorded throughout the study. Tryptase concentration was also assessed in stool samples from 16 apparently healthy individuals (median age, 44 years; range, 27 - 72 years). RESULTS: Measurement of fecal tryptase levels in 16 healthy control subjects revealed an upper limit of the normal range (mean + 2 SD of log transformed data) of 10 ng/g. Fecal tryptase levels exceeded 10 ng/g in 7 out of 9 patients in one or more samples obtained during the study. The tryptase levels varied between patients in response to the food challenge and the individual mean levels of tryptase correlated with the corresponding levels of the inflammatory marker eosinophil protein X (rho = 0.7500, P = .02). CONCLUSION: Measurement of tryptase levels in stool samples is feasible using the method described here. Our results revealed elevated concentrations of fecal tryptase in patients with food hypersensitivity. However, several factors, including food exposure, may account for the increase in fecal tryptase and further studies are necessary to elucidate the role of mast cells in food hypersensitivity.

IgE cross reactivity between reindeer and bovine milk beta-lactoglobulins in cow's milk allergic patients.

BACKGROUND: Allergic reactions to cow's milk are common in small children. One of the main protein allergens found in cow's milk is beta-lactoglobulin (beta-Lg). Reindeer and bovine milk both contain related beta-Lg proteins, but the allergenicity of reindeer beta-Lg has not previously been studied. The purpose of this study was to analyze the immunological cross-reactivity of IgE antibodies from children with cow's milk allergy to reindeer and bovine beta-Lg. METHODS: Sera from 17 children and a serum pool of 4 patients with elevated cow's milk-specific IgE were investigated. Beta-Lg from bovine and reindeer milk was isolated in native form and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent inhibition assay was developed. Bovine beta-Lg was used as a capturing antigen and the inhibiting effects of reindeer and bovine beta-Lg on the IgE binding were measured. RESULTS: Cross-reactivity patterns of bovine milk beta-Lg specific IgE to reindeer beta-Lg varied among patients. In general, reindeer beta-Lg showed significantly lower inhibition (mean 43%) of IgE binding to the capturing antigen than did bovine beta-Lg (mean 89%). In some patients, even high concentrations of reindeer beta-Lg only partly eliminated the IgE binding to bovine beta-Lg. CONCLUSIONS: The partial cross-reactivity of human anti-bovine IgE with reindeer beta-Lg suggests that it lacks important bovine epitopes and those that are recognized are only weakly bound.

Analysis of aberrant methylation of the VHL gene by transgenes, monochromosome transfer, and cell fusion.

Several tumor suppressor genes were shown to be inactivated by a process involving aberrant de novo methylation of their GC-rich promoters which is usually associated with transcriptional repression. The mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. In particular this abnormal methylation may be caused and/or maintained by either deficiency of some trans-acting factor(s) or by various malfunctions acting in cis. Here we studied the nature of aberrant methylation of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease tumor suppressor gene in a human clear cell renal carcinoma cell line, UOK 121, that contains a silent hypermethylated endogenous VHL allele. First, we transfected unmethylated VHL transgenes, driven by the VHL promoter, into UOK 121 cells. Next, to exclude possible position effects that may influence methylation of the introduced VHL genes, we transferred a single chromosome 3, carrying an apparently normal hypomethylated VHL allele into the UOK 121 cells. Finally, we created somatic cell hybrids between UOK 121 and UMRC 6 cells containing a mutant VHL-expressing hypomethylated allele. In these three experiments both the methylation of the VHL promoter and the transcriptional status of the introduced and endogenous VHL alleles remained unchanged. Our results demonstrate that the putative trans-acting factors present in the UOK 121 and UMRC 6 cells are unable to induce changes in methylation pattern of the VHL alleles in all cell lines and hybrids studied. Taken together, the results indicate that cis-specific local features are pivotal in maintaining and perpetuating aberrant methylation of the VHL CpG island. Contribution of some putative trans-acting factors cannot be excluded during a period when the aberrant VHL methylation pattern was first generated.

Characterization of the murine homolog of C1qR(P): identical cellular expression pattern, chromosomal location and functional activity of the human and murine C1qR(P).

Human C1qR(P) is a highly glycosylated transmembrane protein that is the human C1q receptor/receptor component that in vitro mediates enhancement of Fc- and C3b-mediated phagocytosis. A human genomic clone and a murine genomic clone that is 73% identical in sequence with the coding region for human C1qR(P) cDNA have been isolated. Chromosomal localization of the human and murine gene demonstrates that these genes are syntenic. Murine cell lines of diverse myeloid origins are shown to respond to interaction of C1q with the enhancement of phagocytosis similar to that seen previously in human peripheral blood monocytes. Northern blot, RT-PCR, Western blot and FACS analyses demonstrated that mC1qR(P) is expressed in these murine myeloid cell lines, but not in a mouse epithelial cell line, similar to the cell type expression of the human gene product. A polyclonal antibody to a peptide sequence common to the deduced sequence from the both murine and human C1qR(P) inhibited the enhancement of phagocytosis response to C1q when cells were permeabilized to permit access of the antibody to the intracellular milieu. These data support the postulate that the identified murine and human genes are homologs, confirm the previously predicted intracellular location of the C-terminus of the molecule, and indicates the necessary role of this intracellular domain in transducing the signal that leads to enhancement of phagocytic function.

Identification of a cryptic t(5;7) reciprocal translocation by fluorescent in situ hybridization.

Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) identified a cryptic balanced reciprocal translocation in the mother of an infant with the cri-duchat syndrome. A biotinylated probe from a flow-sorted chromosome 5 cosmid library was used to show the distal deletion of 5p15.2 in the propositus and a translocation of this segment to the distal end of 7 at 7p21 in his mother. In a subsequent pregnancy, the fetus was shown to have normal chromosomes using the same 5 cosmid library probe and a locus-specific probe derived from the 5p15.3 region. The importance of incorporating FISH into the routine diagnostic laboratory is discussed.

Immunoglobulin subclass deficiency.

IgG subclass deficiency was first noted in 1968. Subnormal levels of one or two, occasionally three IgG subclasses may be relatively common. It has not been determined, however, at what level below the normal range the IgG subclass deficiency is of clinical relevance. It remains important to clarify this point because certain subclass deficiencies may be without relevance of their own. Because patients with decreases of various IgG subclasses often present with a number of diseases, the low immunoglobulin levels may signify the presence of other abnormalities of more biologic significance. IgG subclass deficiency has been noted in about 25% of patients with well-defined food allergy and in patients with asthma, diabetes mellitus, Henoch-Schönlein's purpura, Bechterew's disease, intractable epilepsy of childhood, Friedreich's ataxia and autoimmune cytopenias. Most commonly they have increased frequency of infections especially in the respiratory tract, including sinusitis, otitis media and bronchopneumonia, but also osteomyelitis, meningitis, septicemia and various skin infections. Low levels of various subclasses have been noted in connection with other immunodeficiencies such as ataxia-telangiectasia. In common variable immunodeficiency there is an obvious imbalance in the IgG subclasses. Furthermore IgG subclass deficiency can be seen in relatives of patients with common variable immunodeficiency and in IgA deficiency. They also occur in relatives of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, diabetes mellitus type 1 and C2 deficiency. In a few cases of subclass deficiency gene deletions have been shown. Subnormal levels of IgG subclasses make a remarkable change in sex distribution around puberty from 3/1 in boys and girls to the reverse sex ratio among adults.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Intrathoracic accumulation of 111In-labeled neutrophils in guinea pigs in response to PAF.

The intrathoracic content of neutrophils, labeled with 111In-oxine has been measured in the anesthetized guinea pig by using an automated isotope-monitoring system. Intravenous infusion of platelet-activating factor (PAF; 5.6, 10, or 18 ng.kg-1.min-1 over 5 min) caused a dose-related abrupt intrathoracic accumulation of neutrophils, which dispersed from the thorax within 20 min. Repetition of this procedure after 1 h gave responses of comparable magnitude and duration. Anti-platelet antiserum pretreatment did not influence the response of neutrophils to PAF. Iloprost infusion (10 ng.kg-1.min-1 over 15 min) did not affect the response of neutrophils to PAF, whereas accumulation of radiolabeled platelets in the lung was totally suppressed by this dose. Intrathoracic accumulation of neutrophils in response to PAF can be considered to be independent of platelet activation.

Treatment of chronic urticaria with PUVA or UVA plus placebo: a double-blind study.

Chronic urticaria is a disease for which the available range of treatment modalities is limited. Ultraviolet radiation has recently been shown to affect histamine release from mast cells. We therefore studied the effects of PUVA and UVA on chronic urticaria. Nineteen patients took part in the study, which was designed as a randomized double-blind study. Eleven patients received PUVA, and 8 received UVA plus a placebo. In the PUVA group, 7 patients showed improvement, 3 noticed no change, and 1 became worse. In the group that received UVA plus placebo, 5 patients experienced an improvement, whereas the other 3 showed no change. The differences between the groups were not statistically significant. However, the probability of achieving this degree of improvement in both groups just by chance is less than 1%. Consequently, the improvement noted could have been due to either UVA alone or a placebo effect. It is concluded that PUVA is not better than UVA in the treatment of chronic urticaria.

Urine concentrating capacity in women: the results of a screening method in a population study.

Urine concentration tests were performed as part of a population study in 1405 women in age strata between 38 and 60 years. The measurement of urine osmolality from the 13th hour of fluid deprivation overnight was adopted as a screening test. If an osmolality of 600 mOsm/kg H2O was not attained, a second test was performed and if this was abnormal a pitressin tannate test was carried out (54 women). Among women with a low urine concentration after pitressin tannate (less than 700 mOsm/kg H20) all but one suffered from chronic renal disease. The urine concentration capacity decreased with age illustrating the inadequacy of using the same "normal" limits at different ages. The outcome of the study raises the question of whether one simple fluid deprivation test discriminates tubular damage sufficiently satisfactorily to justify its application to the screening of large groups of people.

Plasma concentrations of vitamin C, vitamin E and/or malondialdehyde as markers of oxygen free radical production during hemodialysis.

To investigate the effects of neutrophil activation during hemodialysis (HD), blood markers of oxygen free radical (OFR) activity were studied. Two groups of HD patients on standard cuprophane treatment were investigated after an overnight fast. In the first group (mean age 68 +/- 8 years; n = 6) vitamin supplementation was withdrawn two weeks prior to the study, whereas the second group (mean age 73 +/- 3 years; n = 7) continued their normal vitamin intake. The two control groups, one consisting of age-matched subjects (mean age 72 +/- 2 years; n = 21), the other of younger subjects (mean age 36 +/- 7 years; n = 11), were asked to cease vitamin supplementation two weeks before the study and to fast overnight before blood sampling. Serial blood and dialysate samples were collected during HD in the vitamin-deprived patient group, and a single blood sample was collected in the other three groups. Plasma concentrations of vitamin C (total and reduced form), vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined with newly adopted and validated HPLC methods. Basal plasma vitamin C concentrations were lower among vitamin-deprived HD patients than among age-matched controls or vitamin-supplemented HD patients (22 +/- 6 microM versus 39 +/- 19 microM and 34 +/- 10 microM, respectively). During a 3-hour HD session, the mean decrease in total vitamin C was 40%. Basal alpha-tocopherol concentrations did not differ significantly between vitamin-deprived HD patients and vitamin-supplemented HD patients or age-matched controls (39 +/- 5 microM versus 40 +/- 11 microM and 38 +/- 6 microM, respectively), but were lower in younger controls (33 +/- 4 microM). No alpha-tocopherol was detected in the dialysate, and its plasma concentration did not change significantly during a single HD session. Basal plasma MDA concentrations were higher in vitamin-supplemented HD patients than in vitamin-deprived HD patients or age-matched controls (1.5 +/- 0.2 microM versus 0.9 +/- 0.2 microM and 1.1 +/- 0.2 microM, respectively). No MDA was detected in the dialysate, and its plasma concentration did not change significantly during a single HD session. Our results indicate an increased need of vitamin C supplementation in HD patients. The concentration of oxidized vitamin C seems to peak early during HD and may be of value as a marker of OFR production. alpha-tocopherol concentrations do not change during HD and do not differ from those in control subjects. MDA may increase over a longer period of time on dialysis, but does not change during a single HD treatment.

The role of P-glycoprotein in limiting intestinal regional absorption of digoxin in rats.

The objective of this work was to study the role of regional intestinal efflux activity of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) in situ in anesthetized rats in limiting the absorption of digoxin. A 10-cm portion of duodenum or jejunum, or 5-cm of colon was perfused single-pass with saline containing [(3)H]digoxin while the appearance of radioactivity in the blood was measured. Verapamil in the perfusate was used as a modulator of Pgp in the intestinal mucosa. Net water absorption, mucosal integrity, and intestinal motility of the isolated segment were monitored, as well as heart rate and blood pressure. Excretion of i.v. administered unlabelled digoxin, 1 mg/kg, into the intestine while perfusing the duodenum-proximal jejunum region, was studied for comparison. At a perfusate concentration of 1 mM, verapamil caused a dramatic increase in [(3)H]digoxin absorption rate from duodenum and jejunum, while the effect in colon was insignificant. At concentrations of 0.1, 1, and 2.5 mM in the duodenal perfusate, verapamil increased the absorption rate of [(3)H]digoxin in a dose-dependent manner. The lowest concentration almost doubled the rate without having any significant effects on the cardiovascular system, intestinal motility, or net absorption of water. The excretion rate of unlabelled digoxin from the blood into the gut lumen was found to be halved in the presence of 0.5 mM verapamil in the perfusate. Absorption rate of [(3)H]digoxin in the rat is likely limited by Pgp-mediated efflux. The data indicate that Pgp plays an important role for digoxin efflux in the small intestine only.

The hazards of kissing when you are food allergic. A survey on the occurrence of kiss-induced allergic reactions among 1139 patients with self-reported food hypersensitivity.

BACKGROUND: According to a few case reports, kissing can induce symptoms due to food allergy. OBJECTIVE: We wanted to investigate the occurrence of kiss-induced allergic symptoms and other social inconveniences among patients with self-reported food hypersensitivity. METHODS: A questionnaire was answered by 1139 patients (1-84 years old, mean age 29 years, 393 males and 746 females) who considered themselves to be food allergic. RESULTS: 12% of the patients experienced allergic symptoms when in close contact with (e.g., kissing) a person who had eaten a nontolerated food prior to the contact. Some case histories suggested that the symptoms only appeared if the food intake had occurred immediately before the kiss. In addition, the questionnaires showed that 55% had problems in daily life finding tolerable food, 44% were afraid of a severe reaction from eating nontolerated food, 13% could experience symptoms when sitting beside a person who was eating such a food, and 17% could experience symptoms in the kitchen when someone else was preparing such food. CONCLUSIONS: What other people eat can influence the quality of life of food-allergic patients.

Self-reported food hypersensitivity in Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, and Russia.

AIM: The main aim of the study was to describe the differences between some Northern countries regarding what foods, according to the patients, elicit hypersensitivity symptoms. METHODS: At the participating clinics, patients with a history of food hypersensitivity (n = 1139) were asked to fill in a questionnaire in which 86 different foodstuffs were listed. Skin-prick tests (SPT) were performed with common inhalant allergens. RESULTS: The foods that were reported as eliciting symptoms differed between countries. In Russia, Estonia, and Lithuania; citrus fruits, chocolate, honey, apple, hazelnut, strawberry, fish, tomato, egg, and milk were most often reported as causes of hypersensitivity. In Sweden and Denmark; birch pollen (BP) related foods, such as nuts, apple, pear, kiwi, stone fruits, and carrot were the most common causes. In all countries, children, more often than adults, had symptoms of allergic reaction to citrus fruits, tomato, strawberry, milk, egg, and fish. Most patients (95%) reported hypersensitivity to several foodstuffs (median: eight foods). The most common symptoms were oral allergy syndrome and urticaria. Severe symptoms were most common with fish, shellfish, nuts, and milk. Slight symptoms were most common with rice, coriander, poppy seed, lingonberry, corn, caraway red currant, and fig. Earlier well-known correlations, such as that between BP sensitization and some fruits and vegetables, as well as that between mugwort and some spices, were conoborated. Positive correlations were found between self-reported hypersensitivity to crustaceans and SPT with horse. A negative correlation was seen between hypersensitivity to crustaceans and SPT with BP. CONCLUSIONS: The foodstuffs that often are reported to cause food hypersensitivity, differ between Sweden/Denmark on one side and the Baltic States and Russia on the other. BP-related foods dominate in Scandinavia, whereas some mugwort-related foods are of more importance in Russia and the Baltic States.

Platelet activating factor-induced pulmonary accumulation of 111Indium-oxine labelled neutrophils in anesthetized guinea pigs.

The thoracic accumulation of neutrophils labelled with 111Indium-oxine in response to infusion of platelet activating factor (PAF, 18 ng/kg/min x 5 min, i.v.) was studied using an automated isotope monitoring system (AIMSplus) in anesthetized guinea-pigs. Loss of cell associated radioactivity in vitro was less than 1% over 4 hr. Labelled neutrophils maintained their functional capacity (oxidative response to the cell stimulants N-formyl-L-methionine-L-leucine-L-phenylalanine and phorbol myristate acetate) and greater than 95% viability (ethidium bromide/acridine orange stain) in vitro. Total thoracic radioactivity increased significantly from baseline in response to PAF with a slight tachyphylaxia in the neutrophil-accumulation after a repeat PAF infusion. The highest ratios of radiolabel (tissue/blood) were found in the spleen much greater than liver greater than lung.