Frequency of allergic asthma and common aeroallergens sensitization in Pakistani patients of bronchial asthma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of allergic asthma and 18common causative aeroallergens sensitisation among patients of bronchial asthma. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from March 2014 to March 2016, and comprised clinically-diagnosed adult patients of bronchial asthma referred from various hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Detailed history of each patient was recorded. Serum total immunoglobulin E level was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Skin prick test for 18 common aeroallergens was performed. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis.. RESULTS: Of the 105 patients, 62 (59.05%) were males and 43(40.95%) were females. The overall mean age for males and females was 29.9±10.2 years and 28.7±7.0 years respectively. Overall mean serum total immunoglobulin E was 285.01±241.39IU/ml. Frequency of atopy/allergic asthma was 59(56.2%) and patients with raised total immunoglobulin E had more chance of developing allergic asthma than those having normal immunoglobulin E(p <0.05). Frequency of allergen sensitisation was the highest with house dust mite 35(33.3%), followed by paper mulberry 33(31.4%) and grass 28(26.7%) cases.s. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of allergic asthma was high and the most common allergen causing highest sensitisation was house dust mite.

HLA- DR Alleles in Pakistani Patients of Pemphigus Vulgaris.

OBJECTIVE: To determine frequency of HLA-DR alleles in Pakistani patients of pemphigus vulgaris in comparison with local healthy controls. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional, comparative study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Immunology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Rawalpindi, from January 2011 to January 2014. METHODOLOGY: Twenty eight patients with biopsy proven diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris referred from Department of Dermatology, Military Hospital, Rawalpindi were included. Patients were compared with a group of 150 unrelated local healthy subjects. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood collected in Tri-potassium EDTA. HLA-DRB1 typing was carried out on allele level (DRB1*01--DRB1*16) using SSP (sequence specific primers). HLA type was determined by agarose gel electrophoresis and results recorded. Phenotype frequency of various alleles among patient group and control group was calculated by direct counting and significance of their association was determined by Fisher's exact test/ Chi square test. RESULTS: A total of 12 male and 16 female patients, with age ranging from 21 to 34 (mean 23.4 years) were genotyped for HLA-DRB1 loci. A statistically significant association of the disease with HLA-DRB1*04 was observed (50% versus 20.7% in controls, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There is a strong association of HLA-DRB1*04 with pemphigus vulgaris in Pakistani population.