Oleosins: A Short Allergy Review.

In patients having a history of anaphylaxis after consumption of peanuts, sunflower seeds, or soy and skin or blood tests negative for the allergen extracts, oleosins could be the culprit. Oleosins are common and largely underestimated allergy inducers of plant origin, causing severe allergy symptoms, including the anaphylactic shock. They are resistant to high temperatures and digestive enzymes. The consumption of heat-treated oleosins has been associated with a higher risk of a severe anaphylactic reaction. Recent studies have shown that oleosins could be a biomarker of the allergy severity to peanuts. Oleosins have a hydrophobic structure and thus, are poorly soluble in aqueous solutions. The aqueous extraction, separation, and purification procedures do not guarantee their solubility. Oleosins dissolve only in the presence of detergents, which limits their use in both in vivo and in vitro allergy tests. Recently, a multiparameter allergy test that detects the allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) against oleosins has become available. This capability may help to unravel the presence of oleosin source during the routine diagnostic of allergy, which is conducive to assessing the risk for severe anaphylaxis and may also help to clarify the ambiguous allergy cases.

Symptoms of chronic bronchitis in individuals without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: prevalence, burden, and risk factors in southern Poland.

Introduction Chronic bronchitis (CB) symptoms are commonly reported in individuals without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but CB is rarely diagnosed in this population. Objectives We aimed to determine the prevalence and burden of CB, as well as its risk factors, in a population of patients without COPD. Patients and methods Data from the "Health Action" program (a lung cancer prevention and health care improvement program conducted in Proszowice County, Poland) were used. All county inhabitants aged 40 years or older without COPD were invited to participate. As part of the program, a questionnaire was administered to assess CB symptoms and risk factors. Spirometry at baseline and after the bronchodilator test was also performed. Results CB symptoms were present in 9.1% of the 3558 participants. The prevalence of CB in the study population was 7.12% (95% CI, 6.70-7.56). Patients with CB had more dyspnea and more often received medical treatment for lung disease or were hospitalized for respiratory disorders than patients without CB. CB was associated with worse lung function and a worse score in the modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale even after adjustment for possible confounders. In a multivariate analysis, male sex, age over 70 years, current smoking, passive exposure to tobacco smoke, gas or wood heating, occupational exposure to chemical agents, lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and asthma correlated with an increased risk of CB. Conclusions CB symptoms are common in individuals without COPD aged 40 years or older and are associated with more dyspnea irrespective of lung function and comorbidities.

Coexistence of Chronic Bronchitis in Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease.

The incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is on the rise worldwide. Chronic bronchitis is a frequent accompaniment of COPD, which increases the burden of COPD in affected individuals. The aim of this study was to characterize the phenotype of chronic bronchitis in COPD patients. The study was based on the survey data retrospectively retrieved from the Action Health-Lung Cancer Prophylaxis and Health Care Improvement screening program that concerned all the inhabitants, aged over 40, of the Proszowice administrative region situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland. Participants with the symptoms suggestive of a lung disease were subject to further evaluation. The findings were that 546 (13.3%) out of the 4105 individuals displayed spirometry features of COPD. Symptoms of chronic bronchitis were present in 92 (16.8%) out of the COPD afflicted persons. Chronic bronchitis was commoner in current smokers and its incidence increased with increasing severity of airway obstruction. In multivariate analysis, chronic bronchitis was independently related to lower FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, and to dyspnea. In regression model, factors related to increased risk of chronic bronchitis were current smoking, asthma, and lower lung function. We conclude that COPD with coexisting chronic bronchitis is linked to severer dyspnea and worse lung function. Current smoking, asthma, and lower lung function are related to increased risk of chronic bronchitis accompanying COPD.

Pulmonary prevention program in the Proszowice county: description and results.

INTRODUCTION: In the Proszowice county, both lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are more common in comparison with other regions of Poland. The purpose of this study was to provide a report on a prevention program carried out in the area to reduce the burden of COPD and lung cancer in the region. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The program consisted of the following: active prevention - questionnaire survey offered to every county inhabitant aged at least 40 and chest X-ray and spirometry performed in selected subjects; and passive prevention - covering multiple educational activities promoting healthy lifestyle. Data obtained from questionnaire survey and spirometry were further analyzed. RESULTS: Education program covered all local children aged 13-15, a majority of adolescents and a significant proportion of adult inhabitants of the county. Questionnaire data were obtained from 14,455 subjects (about 70% of county inhabitants). On the basis of the questionnaire results, the participants were selected to undergo spirometry (5,816 subjects) and chest X-ray (5,514 subjects). Current smokers constituted 24.2% of the total number of participants (33.3% of men and 16.8% of women). Electronic cigarettes were currently used by 0.65% of the subjects. Negative impact of occupational exposures (including farming) on lung function and the presence of respiratory symptoms was observed. Basing on post-bronchodilator spirometry, COPD was diagnosed in 13.2% of the subjects. Physician's diagnosis of asthma was reported by 7.2%. CONCLUSION: Educational activities and questionnaire-based study were targeted at and reached the majority of the county inhabitants. The study provided data on the prevalence and risk factors of COPD, asthma and respiratory symptoms in the Proszowice region.

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica - a 61-year-old female with middle lobe syndrome.

The authors present a case of a 61-year-old female patient suffering from tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TBO). Etiology of this unit is uncertain. TBO is characterised by presence of multiple nodules of various size, situated in the submucosa of the trachea and major bronchi. The course is usually benign, until lesion obstructs the bronchial lumen. In the presented case, occluded middle lobe bronchi resulted in peripheral atelectasis of the lung.

Passive smoking does not increase hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels in exhaled breath condensate in 9-year-old healthy children.

Environmental tobacco smoke, also called passive smoking, was shown to have adverse effects on the health of children. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is proposed as a sensitive marker of oxidative injury and inflammatory processes in the airways, being increased in adult active cigarette smokers. We tested whether passive smoking had an influence on H2O2 exhalation in healthy children. Thirty healthy passive smoking and 24 nonexposed healthy children aged 9 years were included in the study. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) was obtained by spontaneous tidal volume breathing with EcoScreen (Jaeger, Germany). All subjects underwent flow-volume measurements immediately after EBC collection. Levels of H2O2 were measured fluorimetrically with the homovanillic acid method. Lung function did not differ between the passive smoking and nonexposed children groups. In the passive smoking group, EBC H2O2 concentration (median and range) was 0.32 (0.00-1.20) microM, and did not differ significantly (P >0.05) from that found in the nonexposed group, i.e., 0,22 (0.00-0.68) microM. Exhaled H2O2 did not correlate with spirometric parameters (FEV1, FEV1%FVC, and MEF50%FVC) in either group. We conclude that passive smoking does not increase H2O2 exhalation in healthy children.

[Exhaled hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in allergic and non-allergic stable mild asthmatic children]. / Nadtlenek wodoru (H2O2) w kondensacie powietrza wydechowego u dzieci chorujacych na astme oskrzelowa alergiczna i niealergiczna o lekkim przebiegu.

The evaluation of breath condensate (BC) composition is a new, non-invasive method studying inflammation processes in several respiratory diseases. Among many inflammation markers, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is the most common one, and its increased level was found in BC of cystic fibrosis and asthma patients. As in children's asthma, H2O2 is present and could correlates with the severity of the disease. The aim of our study was to check whether there exist differences between levels of H2O2 in children with allergic and non-allergic asthma. 83 allergic and 33 non-allergic children with mild asthma (50 girls and 66 boys, aged 7-17 years) were included in the study. All patients were clinically stable and used inhaled corticosteroids daily, and an inhaled bronchodilator on demand. Exhaled BC was obtained by spontaneously tidal volume breathing with EcoScreen (Jaeger, Germany). The content of H2O2 in the BC was measured spectrofluorometrically (homovanillic acid method). All subjects underwent flow-volume measurements immediately after collection of the condensate. Lung function in asthmatic allergic and non-allergic children showed near normal values and did not differ between groups. In the allergic group, the median H2O2 level in the expired condensate was 0.238 (0-1.86) microM, and in non-allergic 0.192 (0-0.78) microM (p > 0.05). We conclude that hydrogen peroxide in exhaled breath condensate of children with stable mild asthma does not differ significantly in allergic and non-allergic children and activity of airway inflammation seems to independent on allergic status of patients.