AllergoOncology: Danger signals in allergology and oncology: A European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Position Paper.

The immune system interacts with many nominal 'danger' signals, endogenous danger-associated (DAMP), exogenous pathogen (PAMP) and allergen (AAMP)-associated molecular patterns. The immune context under which these are received can promote or prevent immune activating or inflammatory mechanisms and may orchestrate diverse immune responses in allergy and cancer. Each can act either by favouring a respective pathology or by supporting the immune response to confer protective effects, depending on acuity or chronicity. In this Position Paper under the collective term danger signals or DAMPs, PAMPs and AAMPs, we consider their diverse roles in allergy and cancer and the connection between these in AllergoOncology. We focus on their interactions with different immune cells of the innate and adaptive immune system and how these promote immune responses with juxtaposing clinical outcomes in allergy and cancer. While danger signals present potential targets to overcome inflammatory responses in allergy, these may be reconsidered in relation to a history of allergy, chronic inflammation and autoimmunity linked to the risk of developing cancer, and with regard to clinical responses to anti-cancer immune and targeted therapies. Cross-disciplinary insights in AllergoOncology derived from dissecting clinical phenotypes of common danger signal pathways may improve allergy and cancer clinical outcomes.

Relationship between low serum immunoglobulin E levels and malignancies in 9/11 World Trade Center responders.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with very low immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels have a high risk of developing malignancy. Previous studies have revealed that World Trade Center (WTC) responders exposed to carcinogens have an elevated risk of some cancers. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between low-serum IgE levels and cancer development in WTC-exposed responders. METHODS: IgE levels were measured in 1851 WTC responders after September 11, 2001. This is the first pilot study in humans comparing the odds of developing cancer in this high-risk population, between the "low-IgE" (IgE in the lowest third percentile) vs "non-low-IgE" participants. RESULTS: A significantly higher proportion of hematologic malignancies was found in low-IgE (4/55, 7.3%) compared with non-low-IgE (26/1796, 1.5%, P < .01) responders. The proportion of solid tumors were similar in both groups (5.5% vs 11.4%, P > .05). After adjustment for relevant confounders (race, sex, age at blood draw, WTC arrival time, smoking status), the low-IgE participants had 7.81 times greater odds (95% confidence interval, 1.77-29.35) of developing hematologic cancer when compared with non-low-IgE participants. The hematologic cancers found in this cohort were leukemia (n = 1), multiple myeloma (n = 1), and lymphoma (n = 2). No statistical significance was found when estimating the odds ratio for solid tumors in relation to IgE levels. CONCLUSION: WTC responders with low serum IgE levels had the highest odds of developing hematologic malignancies. This hypothesis-generating study suggests that low serum IgE levels might be associated with the development of specific malignancies in at-risk individuals exposed to carcinogens. Larger, multicenter studies with adequate follow-up of individuals with different IgE levels are needed to better evaluate this relationship.

Severe asthma in adult, inner-city predominantly African-American and latinx population: demographic, clinical and phenotypic characteristics.

INTRODUCTION: The burden of asthma morbidity with co-existing atopy among the racial/ethnic minorities in the socio-economically disadvantaged NYC borough of the Bronx is unusually high. The multidisciplinary Montefiore Asthma Center (MAC) provides guideline-based treatment to this high-risk population through the joint efforts of Allergists/Immunologists, Pulmonologists, and on-site health educators. METHODS: The objective of this prospective, observational study was to define the demographic and clinical characteristics of severe asthma, evaluate improvement in asthma severity and lung function through the course of treatment at the MAC, and describe the asthma phenotypes of the patients managed at the MAC. Adults with severe asthma receiving treatment at the MAC were followed from their first to their last visit at the MAC. Patient demographics, along with asthma severity and co-existing allergies, were assessed. Possible phenotypes were defined (based on presence or absence of atopy, age at asthma onset, and blood eosinophil counts). RESULTS: 227 patients were included in the final analysis, of which 55.5% were Hispanic and 33.9% identified as non-Hispanic Black. Ninety-one percent (91%) of our cohort was found to be atopic and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) was the most commonly identified co-existing allergic condition (86.3%). Mean Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores improved from 11.1 (± 4.9) at the initial visit to 14.8 (± 6.1) at the last visit. The spirometric values did not improve despite treatment at MAC. CONCLUSION: A multidisciplinary severe asthma center is an ideal setting to phenotype patients and offer personalized guideline-based management and education to adults with severe asthma.

A randomized trial of subcutaneous allergy immunotherapy in inner-city children with asthma less than 4 years of age.

BACKGROUND: Allergic sensitization to environmental allergens in the first years of life is a strong predictor of asthma morbidity in children. Allergy immunotherapy can improve asthma and allergy outcomes, but its efficacy in inner-city, atopic children of less than 4 years of age with recurrent wheezing has not yet been established. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether subcutaneous allergy immunotherapy improves asthma in a population of US inner-city children when started at less than 4 years of age. METHODS: In a randomized controlled, open-label phase I-II single-center trial in the Bronx, New York, 58 children with recurrent wheezing or physician-diagnosed asthma were randomized to receive asthma standard of care treatment with or without a 3-year course of multiple allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy. RESULTS: A total of 23 children in the control group and 27 children in the immunotherapy group began the study. A total of 20 of 27 children commencing immunotherapy completed at least 2 years of immunotherapy. There was no difference in asthma medication and symptom scores between the treatment or control groups over time. Similarly, naso-ocular symptoms and allergy medication use were similar in both groups over time. Nevertheless, asthma-related quality of life improved in the immunotherapy group compared with the control group (P = .03). CONCLUSION: With the exception of asthma-related quality of life, allergy immunotherapy was ineffective in improving asthma outcomes in this population of inner-city children of less than 4 years of age. These findings suggest that the effects of allergy immunotherapy depend on population-specific factors and highlight the importance of precise predictors of immunotherapy efficacy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01028560.

Developing and pilot testing ASTHMAXcel, a mobile app for adults with asthma.

Objective: We sought to compare the impact of ASTHMAXcel, a novel, guideline-based, patient-facing mobile app to human-delivered asthma education.Methods: We conducted a focus group with asthma patients in the Bronx to identify desired mobile app features. ASTHMAXcel was designed based on patient feedback and consistent with NAEPP, BTS/SIGN, and GINA guidelines. The app was reviewed by internists, allergist/immunologists, and pulmonologists specializing in asthma treatment, asthma educators, and a behavioral scientist, and iteratively refined. The refined version of ASTHMAXcel was administered once via tablet at our outpatient Montefiore Asthma Center (MAC). Asthma knowledge was measured through the Asthma Knowledge Questionnaire (AKQ) pre and post-intervention. We also recorded process outcomes including completion time and patient satisfaction. In parallel, human-delivered education was delivered once at MAC. These outcomes were similarly collected.Results: 60 patients were enrolled with 30 in the ASTHMAXcel and 30 in the human-educator group. Mean AKQ in the ASTHMAXcel group vs human-educator group pre-intervention was 9.9 vs 10.5, p = 0.27. Mean AKQ post-intervention in the ASTHMAXcel group vs human-educator group was 12.3 vs 14.4, p = 0.0002. The mean AKQ improvement for both groups were 2.4 vs 3.9, p = 0.007. Patients were highly satisfied in the ASTHMAXcel group scoring on average 27.9 out of 30 maximum points on the satisfaction survey. There was no difference in satisfaction scores or completion times (minutes) of either intervention.Conclusion: ASTHMAXcel was associated with an increase in AKQ, but the human-educator group experienced a greater improvement. ASTHMAXcel demonstrated no differences in process outcomes vs human-delivered education.

Increased Malignancy Rate in Children With IgE Deficiency: A Single-center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Immunoglobulin (Ig) E-deficient adults (IgE<2.5 kU/L) have increased susceptibility for developing malignancy. We evaluated the association between IgE deficiency and cancer diagnosis in children (age younger than 18 y), compared with those non-IgE-deficient (IgE≥2.5 kU/L). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information about malignancy diagnosis were compared between 4 cohorts of children who had IgE levels measured at our institution: IgE-deficient (IgE<2.5 kU/L), normal IgE (2.5

The association of environmental, meteorological, and pollen count variables with asthma-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations in the Bronx.

Objective: To better understand how meteorological variables, air quality variables, and pollen counts collectively contribute to asthma-related emergency department visits (AREDV) and asthma-related hospitalizations (ARH) among pediatric and adult patients in the New York City borough of the Bronx. Methods: The numbers of daily adult and pediatric AREDV and ARH from 2001 to 2008 were obtained from three Bronx hospitals. After removing outliers, interpolating missing data, and standardizing variable values by scaling the data using z-scores, data were analyzed using Spearman rank tests and linear regression models for the full year and each season. Results: There were a total of 42,065 AREDV and 1,664 ARH at both Bronx hospitals. With the exception of a spring peak in AREDVs, AREDVs and ARHs follow a cyclical pattern, climbing in the fall, plateauing in the winter, dropping in the spring, and reaching a low in the summer. Among the 11 air quality, meteorological, and pollen count variables, temperature and tree pollen made the greatest contribution to AREDV with scaled coefficients of -0.337 and 0.311 respectively; equating to an additional AREDV for every 5.0-unit decrease in temperature and an additional AREDV for every 186.0-unit increase in tree pollen. These two variables were confirmed to have independent associations with AREDV prior to the data interpolation. Grass pollen was also found to have a relatively large contribution to AREDV during the summer with a scaled coefficient of 0.314, equating to an additional AREDV for every 2.3-unit increase in grass pollen. Conclusion: There are distinct peaks of increased AREDVs that are closely associated with increased tree pollen counts in the spring and decreasing temperatures in the fall. Early anticipation of these air quality, meteorological, and pollen factor changes based on ongoing surveillance could potentially guide clinical practice and minimize AREDVs in the Bronx.

The association between pollutant levels and asthma-related emergency department visits in the Bronx after the World Trade Center attacks.

Objective: To examine the potential impact of the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks on asthma-related emergency department visits (AREDV) in the New York City borough of the Bronx. Methods: We obtained daily nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3) values from the National Climatic Data Center's collection station in the Bronx from 1999 and 2002, a year before and after the WTC attacks. We compared daily AREDV and pollutant levels between 1999 and 2002 using the Wilcoxon signed rank sum test. We considered each season separately due to seasonal variations of AREDV and pollutants. We then used multiple linear regression models to assess the relationships between the changes in AREDV and the changes in pollutants from 1999 to 2002 in each season. Results: There were statistically significant increases from 1999 to 2002 in the daily NO2 in the summer. Significant increases for daily SO2 and O3 values from 1999 to 2002 occurred in all seasons. Significant increases occurred in daily AREDV values in the spring and fall. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that increases in the daily O3 values were significantly associated with increases in AREDV from 1999 to 2002 in the summer season. Conclusion: We observed a possible association between the WTC attacks and significant increases in O3 and SO2 for all seasons, and NO2 for the summer. AREDV significantly increased following the WTC attacks. Increases in daily O3 values were significantly associated with increases in AREDV in the summer season.

IgE deficiency and prior diagnosis of malignancy: Results of the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Data on patients from tertiary-level health care facilities suggest that IgE-deficient (IgE <2.5 kU/L) patients have high rates of prior malignant tumors. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between IgE levels and diagnosis of malignancy in non-institution-associated patients using the 2005-2006 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cohort. METHODS: All individuals with available IgE levels and known prior diagnosis of malignancy were divided into 4 groups: IgE deficient (IgE, <2.5 kU/L), normal IgE levels (2.5-100 kU/L), high IgE levels (100-1,000 kU/L), and very high IgE levels (≥1,000 kU/L). Rates of malignancy were compared among groups. RESULTS: Of 4,488 individuals with data on IgE levels and malignancy status, 7.4% had a prior diagnosis of cancer. The rate of prior malignancy was significantly higher in the IgE-deficient group (12.6%) compared with individuals with high (6.7%, P = .04) and very high IgE levels (5.3%, P = 0.04). In the IgE-deficient group, only 3 patients had a diagnosis of malignancy within 3 years of IgE measurement. A mean (SD) of 10.3 (9.6) years elapsed between the time of malignancy diagnosis and IgE collection time; therefore, active neoplasm or recent chemotherapy was less likely to explain the very low IgE levels. Types of malignancies in the IgE-deficiency group included breast cancer (n = 6), nonmelanoma or unknown skin cancer (n = 3), uterine cancer (n = 2), cervical cancer (n = 1), lung cancer (n = 1), prostate cancer (n = 1), and hematologic cancer (n = 1). CONCLUSION: In this non-institution-based cohort, IgE deficiency was associated with a higher rate of prior diagnosis of malignancies compared with individuals with high or very high IgE levels. Prospective studies are essential to better evaluate the association between IgE levels and risk of cancer.

Increased malignancy incidence in IgE deficient patients not due to concomitant Common Variable Immunodeficiency.

BACKGROUND: Immunoglobulin E (IgE) deficiency (<2.5 kU/L) has unclear clinical significance. Very little is known about the clinical characteristics of IgE deficiency in patients with Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and laboratory differences between patients with IgE deficiency and those with non-IgE deficiency with and without CVID diagnosis. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of adult patients who had total serum IgE levels measured at our facility from 2010 through 2015. Patients with IgE levels lower than 2.5 kU/L composed the IgE deficiency group. We used Clinical Looking Glass software to identify laboratory results and comorbid conditions including CVID and malignancy. RESULTS: The IgE levels were measured in 2,339 patients and 63 (2.7%) had IgE deficiency. Of those with IgE deficiency, 14 of 63 (22%) had CVID diagnosis compared with only 62 of 2,276 patients (2.7%) with non-IgE deficiency and CVID. A significantly higher rate of prior malignancy was found in patients with IgE deficiency (21 of 63, 33%) compared with those with non-IgE deficiency (197 of 2,276, 8.7%; P = .001; odds ratio 5.51, 95% confidence interval 3.07-9.88). Six of 14 patients with CVID and IgE deficiency (43%) had a prior malignancy diagnosis compared with 8 of 62 patients (13%) with CVID and non-IgE deficiency (P = .009; odds ratio 10.65, 95% confidence interval 1.79-63.19). In addition to the higher rate of malignancy, patients with CVID and IgE deficiency did not have more severe disease than those with CVID and non-IgE deficiency. CONCLUSION: The rate of prior malignancy is significantly higher in patients with IgE deficiency than in those without IgE deficiency. Similarly, patients with CVID and IgE deficiency have a higher frequency of prior malignancy than those with CVID and non-IgE deficiency. However, patients with IgE deficiency have higher frequency of malignancy than patients with normal IgE levels even in the absence of CVID.

Effect of ivermectin on allergy-type manifestations in occult strongyloidiasis.

BACKGROUND: The immunomodulatory effects of helminths have been well described. However, there is a relative lack of literature regarding the link between parasites and allergic diseases. A number of patients with allergic symptoms have positive serologic test results for Strongyloides stercoralis. OBJECTIVE: To identify patients with allergy-type symptoms and coexisting Strongyloides infection and to analyze the effect of Strongyloides eradication therapy with ivermectin on these symptoms. METHODS: The medical records of our allergy clinic sites were reviewed for Strongyloides test results between January 2011 and October 2014. Each allergy-type symptom was assessed separately with regard to improvement after ivermectin therapy. RESULTS: Among the 1,446 patients who had Strongyloides serologic tests ordered, 127 (8.8%) had positive test results. Eighty-four patients had follow-up data regarding allergy-type symptoms after ivermectin treatment. Among these, 52 patients (61.9%) reported skin-related problems (pruritus, urticaria, angioedema, and/or rash). Forty-nine patients (58.3%) had asthma, and 73.8% had allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Although respiratory symptoms typically did not respond to ivermectin treatment, 24 of 48 patients (50%) with skin symptoms reported a significant subjective improvement of symptoms after ivermectin treatment. Peripheral eosinophil counts significantly decreased after ivermectin treatment from 450 to 200/µL (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Serologic testing for strongyloides may be indicated for patients with allergy-type symptoms and a suggestive exposure history. Patients with strongyloidiasis and primarily cutaneous symptoms experienced significant symptomatic improvement after ivermectin therapy.

Utility of low-dose oral aspirin challenges for diagnosis of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

BACKGROUND: Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is diagnosed through graded aspirin challenges that induce hypersensitivity reactions and eicosanoid level changes. It is not known whether diagnostically useful changes also occur after low-dose aspirin challenges that do not induce hypersensitivity reactions. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utility of low-dose oral aspirin challenges for diagnosing AERD by measuring different clinical parameters and eicosanoid changes. METHODS: Sixteen patients with AERD and 13 patients with aspirin-tolerant asthma underwent oral challenges with low-dose (20 or 40 mg) aspirin and diagnostic oral graded aspirin challenges (up to 325 mg of aspirin). Forced expiratory volume in 1 second, nasal peak flow, the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), and eicosanoid levels in plasma and urine were analyzed. RESULTS: In patients with AERD but not in those with aspirin-tolerant asthma, 40-mg aspirin challenges induced a significant mean (SEM) decrease from baseline in FeNO (19% [5.1%]; P = .001) without causing any hypersensitivity reaction. The FeNO decrease also occurred after higher-dose aspirin challenges (27.8% [4.9%]; P < .001). The sensitivity and specificity of 40-mg aspirin-induced FeNO changes for identifying AERD were 90% and 100% with an area under the curve of 0.98 (95% CI, 0.92-1.00). The low-dose challenge also induced a significant leukotriene E4 urine increase in patients with AERD (from 6.32 [0.08] to 6.91 [0.15] log-pg/mg creatinine; P < .001), but the sensitivity and specificity of these changes were less than for the FeNO changes. CONCLUSION: The low-dose aspirin-induced decrease in FeNO in patients with AERD may be useful for the diagnosis of aspirin allergy without inducing a hypersensitivity reaction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01320072.

Relationship between urine dichlorophenol levels and asthma morbidity.

BACKGROUND: Chlorinated phenols are associated with atopic conditions, but it is not known whether they are associated with wheeze or asthma and whether atopy is involved in these associations. OBJECTIVES: To test the association between urine levels of 2 dichlorophenols (2,4- and 2,5-dichlorophenols) and asthma morbidity in atopic and nonatopic wheezers and between total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. METHODS: Data from a sample of 2,125 participants at least 6 years old from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005 to 2006 were analyzed. Asthma morbidity data were available for those participants who reported wheezing in the past year ("wheezers"; n = 250). This subsample was categorized as atopic or nonatopic. RESULTS: Atopic wheezers with higher 2,5-dichlorophenol levels were more frequently diagnosed with asthma by a physician (odds ratio [OR] 4.7 for highest vs lowest tertile, P < .001), required more prescriptions for asthma medications (OR 2.2, P = .046), and reported more exercise-induced wheezing (OR 5.8, P = .045) than atopic wheezers with low dichlorophenol levels. Atopic wheezers with higher 2,5- or 2,4-dichloropheonol levels also were more likely to miss work or school because of wheezing (OR 10.0, P < .001; OR 11.4, P < .01, respectively). In contrast, in nonatopic wheezers, there were no significant associations between dichlorophenol levels and asthma morbidity measurements. The 2 dichlorophenol metabolites were positively associated with increased serum IgE levels in the larger study sample. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that in patients with atopy and a history of wheezing, asthma morbidity is associated with high urinary dichlorophenol levels. Increased urine dichlorophenol levels are associated with higher total serum IgE.

The association between asthma-related emergency department visits and pollen and mold spore concentrations in the Bronx, 2001-2008.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of asthma morbidity and mortality is highest among minority inner-city populations. Among New York City's five boroughs, the Bronx has the highest rate of asthma-related hospitalizations and mortality. Outdoor air pollutants have been associated with increased asthma-related ED visits (AREDV) in this borough. OBJECTIVE: To better understand the contribution of pollen and mold to asthma severity in the Bronx. METHODS: The numbers of daily adult and pediatric AREDV and asthma-related hospitalizations (ARH) from 2001 to 2008 were obtained from two Bronx hospitals. AREDV and ARH data were acquired retrospectively through the Clinical Looking Glass data analysis software. Daily counts for tree, grass and weed pollen and mold spore counts from March 2001 to October 2008 were obtained from the Armonk counting station. All data were statistically analyzed and graphed as daily values. RESULTS: There were a total of 42 065 AREDV and 10 132 ARH at both Bronx hospitals. There were spring and winter peaks of increased AREDV. Tree pollen counts significantly correlated with total AREDV (rho = 0.3639, p < 0.001), and pediatric (rho = 0.33, p < 0.001) and adult AREDV (rho = 0.28, p < 0.001). ARH positively correlated with tree pollen counts (Spearman rho = 0.2389, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There exists a significant association between spring AREDV and ARH and tree pollen concentrations in a highly urbanized area such as the Bronx. Early anticipation of spring pollen peaks based on ongoing surveillance could potentially guide clinical practice and minimize asthma-related ED visits in the Bronx.

The Association Between Malignancy, Immunodeficiency, and Atopy in IgE-Deficient Patients.

BACKGROUND: Studies show that IgE-deficient patients (IgE <2.5 kU/L) have a high prevalence of malignancy, but relevant clinical and laboratory characteristics associated with this susceptibility have never been well characterized. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if there is an association between a malignancy diagnosis and other immunological parameters (atopy or other immune abnormalities) in IgE-deficient patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 408 IgE-deficient adults seen at our institution between 2005 and 2020. RESULTS: A malignancy diagnosis was found in 23.5% (96 of 408) of IgE-deficient patients. Among those who had allergy skin testing performed for allergic rhinitis-like symptoms, the nonatopic IgE-deficient patients (negative environmental skin tests) were more likely to have a malignancy diagnosis than the atopic group (odds ratio [OR] = 4.36, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-17.13, P = .03). The IgE-deficient individuals with an additional non-common variable immunodeficiency (non-CVID) humoral abnormality (n = 75; with low IgG, IgA, or IgM without meeting criteria for CVID) were more likely to have a malignancy diagnosis than those with only a selective IgE deficiency (n = 134; with normal IgA, IgM, and IgG) (OR = 2.79, 95% CI: 1.37-5.68, P = .005). Among the IgE-deficient patients, certain less well-defined immune abnormalities such as IgM deficiency (OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.13-5.36, P = .02), IgG2 deficiency (OR = 10.14, 95% CI: 1.9-54.1, P = .007), and CD4 lymphopenia (OR = 7.81, 95% CI: 2.21-27.63, P = .001) were associated with higher malignancy odds than those without these abnormalities. CONCLUSION: The odds of a malignancy diagnosis are not shared equally by all IgE-deficient patients. Prospective studies are needed to determine the utility of performing skin testing and measuring additional immunological parameters in assessing the long-term malignancy risk in IgE-deficient patients.

Discordance between aeroallergen specific serum IgE and skin testing in children younger than 4 years.

BACKGROUND: Atopic sensitization to aeroallergens in early life has been found to be a strong risk factor for the development of persisting asthma in young children with recurrent wheeze. OBJECTIVE: To assess the yield of skin prick test (SPT) compared with allergen specific serum IgE (sIgE) testing at identifying aeroallergen sensitization in atopic children younger than 4 years. METHODS: Concordance between SPT and allergen-specific sIgE testing for 7 common aeroallergens was analyzed in 40 atopic inner-city children 18 to 48 months of age (mean [SD], 36 [9] months) with recurrent wheezing and family history of asthma and/or eczema. RESULTS: In 80% of children one or more allergen sensitizations would have been missed if only SPT had been performed, and in 38% of children one or more sensitizations would have been missed if only sIgE testing had been performed. Agreement between the SPT and sIgE test was fair for most allergens (κ = -0.04 to 0.50), as was correlation between sIgE levels and SPT grade (ρ = 0.21 to 0.55). Children with high total sIgE (≥300 kU/L) were more likely to have positive sIgE test results, with negative corresponding SPT results (P = .02). CONCLUSION: Our study revealed a significant discordance between allergen-specific SPT and sIgE testing results for common aeroallergens, suggesting that both SPT and sIgE testing should be performed when diagnosing allergic sensitization in young children at high risk of asthma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01028560.

Worsening of contact dermatitis by oral hydroxyzine: a case report.

Hydroxyzine is commonly used to treat pruritic skin lesions. Although rare, hydroxyzine can sometimes be linked to worsening dermatitis in patients who have sensitivities to phenothiazines and/or ethylenediamines. Herein we describe a patient who developed papulovesicular eruptions following the use of topical neomycin. Our patient's contact dermatitis initially improved after the use of oral steroids. However, the patient's skin condition was exacerbated by the continued use of hydroxyzine to treat her pruritus. Patch testing was positive at 48 hours for neomycin sulfate, ethylenediamine dihydrochloride, and p-phenylenediamine. Given the suspected cross-reactivity between hydroxyzine and ethylenediamine, hydroxyzine was discontinued and the patient's cutaneous symptoms improved. In summary, physicians must be aware that oral hydroxyzine can worsen contact dermatitis in ethylenediamine-sensitive patients.

Adult-onset IgE-mediated cow's milk allergy-a rare phenotype.

Cow's milk allergy has been studied extensively in infants and young children and has public health importance around the globe. We describe the clinical and demographic characteristics of 3 cases of a rare presentation of adult-onset IgE-mediated cows' milk allergy.