Maternal dietary omega-3 deficiency worsens the deleterious effects of prenatal inflammation on the gut-brain axis in the offspring across lifetime.

Maternal immune activation (MIA) and poor maternal nutritional habits are risk factors for the occurrence of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). Human studies show the deleterious impact of prenatal inflammation and low n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake on neurodevelopment with long-lasting consequences on behavior. However, the mechanisms linking maternal nutritional status to MIA are still unclear, despite their relevance to the etiology of NDD. We demonstrate here that low maternal n-3 PUFA intake worsens MIA-induced early gut dysfunction, including modification of gut microbiota composition and higher local inflammatory reactivity. These deficits correlate with alterations of microglia-neuron crosstalk pathways and have long-lasting effects, both at transcriptional and behavioral levels. This work highlights the perinatal period as a critical time window, especially regarding the role of the gut-brain axis in neurodevelopment, elucidating the link between MIA, poor nutritional habits, and NDD.

[Bronchial hyperreactivity or broncho obstructive hyper response]. / Hiperreactividad bronquial o hiper respuesta bronco obstructiva.

In this article bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) is defined and a series of factors which may be involved are discussed: genetic, neurovegetative imbalance, increase in the bronchial epithelial permeability, inflammation and mechanical factors which cause the shortening of the bronchial smooth muscle. A less rigid bronchial cartilage and a decrease in pulmonary elasticity, as well as a thickening of the bronchial wall due to a relative hypertrophy of the glandular tissue might just explain the occurrence of bronchial hyperreactivity in breast-feeding newborns, which actively wheeze and later outgrow the abnormality, and those cases of persistent BHR who repeatedly wheeze. This hyperbronchial response reappears with the aging of the lung tissue.

[Ambulatory aerosol therapy in children with bronchial obstruction and hyperreactivity]. / Terapia de aerosol ambulatoria en niños con obstrucción e hiperreactividad bronquial.

Some of the main objectives for the use of aerosol therapy in the treatment of bronchial obstruction are pointed out. This has all been possible due to the physical findings on the use of aerosols, their mode of action, the size and speed of the particles, the level of bronchial obstruction ventilation and the technique behind it all. The main advancements in the treatment of asthma are described according to the degree of severity. Special attention is given to the great impact caused by the management of childhood lung obstruction. Bronchial obstruction; aerosol therapy; bronchial hyperreactivity.

Fibrosis pulmonar idiopatica. / Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

La asociacion descrita entre fibrosis pulmonar y numerosos agentes fisicos quimicos y noxas ambientales permite suponer un incremento en la incidencia de enfermedades intersticiales pulmonares, condicionadas por la creciente contaminacion atmosferica y condiciones ocupacionales y yatrogenicas La fibrosis pulmonar idiopatica (FPI) es una enfermedad aparentemente infrecuente en la edad pediatrica, pero representa un importante problema diagnostico y pronostico. Hemos revisado los aspectos basicos mas modernos, con especial enfasis en los mecanismos inmunologicos involucrados en la patogenia y los avances en la histopatologia de la FPI. Con el objetivo de orientar el estudio de ninos con FPI y de facilitar la pesquisa de la etapa inicial de la enfermedad, se llama la atencion sobre los aspectos clinicos y los examenes de laboratorio; se discute el tratamiento y el pronostico, revisando la bibliografia sobre el tema

[Bronchial asthma in children under 2 years of age]. / Asma bronquial en el niño menor de dos años.

Bronchial asthma is defined and some basic physiopathological phenomena are quoted. The most important facts leading to the investigation and the possibility of establishing the diagnosis of bronchial asthma in infants are mentioned. 61 children under 2 years of age who had been taken for consultation to the Bronchial Pulmonary Disease Department of the Exequiel González Cortés Hospital and the Child Medical Institute were analyzed in connection with the contribution of the anamnesis, physical check-up and the laboratory test to the diagnosis of the bronchial asthma. The following items are emphasized: value of the clinical history, the clinical test of total reversability of bronchial obstruction to (towards) adrenaline and the esoinophil count in bronchial secretion, and the skin test in children over 12 months of age. The conclusion is that it is possible to diagnose bronchial asthma in the child under two years old through simple, specific methods in any medical center with minimal equipment.