Relationships between lung function, allergy, and wheezing in urban children.

BACKGROUND: Allergic sensitization and low lung function in early childhood are risk factors for subsequent wheezing and asthma. However, it is unclear how allergic sensitization affects lung function over time. OBJECTIVE: We sought to test whether allergy influences lung function and whether these factors synergistically increase the risk of continued wheezing in childhood. METHODS: We analyzed longitudinal measurements of lung function (spirometry and impulse oscillometry) and allergic sensitization (aeroallergen skin tests and serum allergen-specific IgE) throughout early childhood in the Urban Environmental and Childhood Asthma study, which included high-risk urban children living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to assess lung function stability. Cluster analysis identified low, medium, and high allergy trajectories, which were compared with lung function and wheezing episodes in linear regression models. A variable selection model assessed predictors at age 5 years for continued wheezing through age 12 years. RESULTS: Lung function adjusted for growth was stable (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.5-0.7) from age 5 to 12 years and unrelated to allergy trajectory. Lung function and allergic sensitization were associated with wheezing episodes in an additive fashion. In children with asthma, measuring lung function at age 5 years added little to the medical history for predicting future wheezing episodes through age 12 years. CONCLUSIONS: In high-risk urban children, age-related trajectories of allergic sensitization were not associated with lung function development; however, both indicators were related to continued wheezing. These results underscore the importance of understanding early-life factors that negatively affect lung development and suggest that treating allergic sensitization may not alter lung function development in early to mid-childhood.

Cigarette smoking is an independent risk factor for developing vitiligo on the hands.

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo presents with varying clinical features based on the type and location. Treatment tends to be more effective on the face, neck, trunk, and mid-extremities, while the lips and distal extremities may be more resistant. Vitiligo in frequently exposed areas such as the face, arms, legs, and hands is typically associated with a lower Dermatology Life Quality Index. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify the characteristics and potential causes of vitiligo in challenging-to-treat regions, with particular focus on the hands. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical data of 337 patients with generalized vitiligo who visited our hospital between 2016 and 2022. For this study, we focused on patients with non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) specifically on their hands. Of the 337 patients, 248 had NSV and 89 had segmental vitiligo; 119 (47%) of those with NSV had vitiligo on their hands. Logistic regression models were applied to identify factors the factors linked to hand vitiligo, such as age, sex, duration of the condition, and smoking and alcohol history. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We developed a model to predict the risk of hand vitiligo using several factors. Among the factors analyzed, only smoking history was significantly associated with an increased risk (odds ratio: 3.13). In addition, we used clinical photography to evaluate color-graded frequency heat maps comprising 528 pixels. Vitiligo in nonsmokers widely distributed over the hand, predominantly the fingertips and joints, whereas vitiligo in smokers tended to be distributed mostly at the fingertips.

Effects of Body Mass Index on Hypertriglyceridemia Associated with Oral Bexarotene Therapy: A Post Hoc Analysis of an Open-Label Comparative Clinical Study of Combined Bexarotene and Phototherapy Versus Bexarotene Monotherapy for Japanese Patients with Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Bexarotene, which has been approved for use in Japan since 2016, is an effective drug for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma; however, careful management is imperative because of its adverse events. We previously demonstrated the severity of bexarotene-associated hypertriglyceridemia and the need for bexarotene dose reduction for patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and high body mass index (BMI); however, high BMI does not affect the efficacy of combined bexarotene and phototherapy treatment. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to verify the effects of BMI on hypertriglyceridemia associated with oral bexarotene therapy. METHODS: We conducted a post hoc analysis of data from a previous randomized, open-label clinical study that compared combined bexarotene-phototherapy treatment with bexarotene monotherapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma by dividing patients into two groups based on BMI (<23 kg/m2 and ≥23 kg/m2). RESULTS: No statistically significant association was observed between patients with BMI ≥23 kg/m2 and severe hypertriglyceridemia; however, there was a significant association between BMI ≥23 kg/m2 and severe hypertriglyceridemia for patients who received bexarotene monotherapy, but not for those who received combined bexarotene-phototherapy treatment. The exact reasons for the discrepancies between the results of this thorough analysis and those of our past research are unclear. However, high BMI may be a risk factor for hypertriglyceridemia. Additional unidentified risk factors could also affect treatment outcomes. CONCLUSION: High BMI is the primary reason for hypertriglyceridemia-associated bexarotene dose reduction; however, unexplored risk factors other than high BMI could exist.