Chronic urticaria: the necessity of laboratory examination

Urticaria is a common dermatologic disease. About 20 per cent of the population experiences it in a life-time period. The aim of this study was to compare the various laboratory examinations of chronic urticaria patients and healthy individuals and to determine the necessity of laboratory tests in such patients. In this study 78 patients suffering from chronic urticaria and 67 healthy individuals [2-50 year-old] with analogous demographic features underwent ALT, AST, S/E, ESR, CBC, TSH, T4, C4, C3, CH50, ANA, anti-thyroglobulin, anti-peroxidase, and anti H. pylori antibodies testing. Forty-one per cent of patients had increased IgE in comparison to 14.92% in normal subjects. Anti-thyroid antibodies were positive in 17.94% of cases while only 9% of normal individuals were positive [p<0.05]. Anti H. pylori antibodies were positive in 69.23% of patients [all above 18-year-old] and 61.19 per cent of normal population [p>0.05]. No significant difference found in other variables. Urticaria is often diagnosed based on clinical grounds and no routine laboratory examination is required

Palatal arch diameters of patients with allergic rhinitis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the transverse and vertical dimensions of the palate of children with allergic rhinitis [AR]. There was no significant difference for intermolar and intercanine distances between two groups in primary and mixed dentitions. Palate depth in children with allergic rhinitis was statistically more than in children without any respiratory disease. Cross bite was more prevalent in study group. It seems that the main influence of alteration of breathing pattern from nasal to mouth occurs on the vertical plane

[Primary Immuno-deficiencies [PID]]

Primary immune-deficiencies [PID] are associated with a wide range of clinical disorders along with variable symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate and improve our knowledge regarding PID from patients that were referred to Booali Sina Hospital. We evaluated all of PID's that were referred to Booali Sina Hospital from their data records. Demography, clinical and laboratory data were recorded and then analyzed. In the duration of 3 years, we had 10 patients with PID [7 males and 3 females]. Of these cases, 5 had hum oral [50%], 1case had phagocytic [10%], 3 cases had cellular [30%] and 1 case had hyper IgE syndrome [10%]. Many of them had respiratory and otitis media infections, while a few patients had adenitis, gastroenteritis, liver abscesses, bleedings and malignancy. PID is a diverse disorder that involves different immune systems. Knowledge from patient's clinical symptoms and consideration in their differential diagnosis can be helpful in early diagnosis and an effective treatment

Effects of cisapride on QTc interval in children

Cisapride is a prokinetic drug with different reports on its cardiac side effects. As there might be a genetic susceptibility for the effects of this drug, we studied its effects on QTc interval of children in our region. This semi-experimental study was performed on children aged over one month, who attended Amirkola Children's Hospital from October 2004 to March 2005 and needed to be treated with Cisapride. Patients with risk factors such as cardiac disease, electrolyte disturbance and drug usage interfering with Cisapride metabolism were excluded from the study. Cisapride was prescribed orally 0.6mg/kg/day in 3 doses. ECG was taken in lead II before drug administration and after one week. QTc intervals before and after treatment were compared. P-value >0.05 was considered significant. Among 135 admitted children needing Cisapride, 118 cases fulfilled inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study. Their mean age was 14.1 [1.5] months. The mean QTc intervals before and after treatment were 377 [20] msec and 380 [22] msec, respectively [P=0.1]. No child had a QTc interval more than 450 msec. Cisapride [0.6mg/kg/day] did not cause a significant prolonged QTc interval in children with no risk factor

prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in north of Iran: the international study of asthma and allergies in childhood [ISAAC]

Asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema as a common chronic disorder in childhood, has many epidemiologic variations in different geographic areas. Uniform and standard epidemiologic researches are able to clear and modify scientific questions in this field. We carried out this study to determine the prevalence and intensity of pediatric allergic disease in our region. This analytical-cross sectional study was performed on 2 groups of children; the first group aged 6-7 years [n=3240] and the second group aged 12-14 years [n=3254] during 2002-03. According to ISAAC programming, sample size consisted of 3000 children in each group. From all students 99.3% of primary students and 88.8% of guidance students entered into study. Data was gathered by ISAAC first phase questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS 10 and Chi square test. The 12-month prevalence rates of symptoms were as follow: wheezing 16.8% and 21.7%, allergic rhinitis symptoms 14.5% and 19.9% and atopic dermatitis symptoms 4.5% and 8.2%, for younger and older age group, respectively. The prevalence of wheezing and current wheeze did not show differences according to sex [P > 0.05] but it was significantly higher in students of guidance school [P < 0.05]. The prevalence of previous history of asthma, speech disorders, wheezing after physical exercises and dry cough at night, rhinoconjuntivitis, recurrent rhinitis, eczema with pruritus, recurrent lesions and history of eczema was significantly higher in boys and in students of guidance school [P < 0.05]. The prevalence of flexor lesion did not show a significant difference according to age [P > 0.05] but in boys it was higher than in the girls [P < 0.05]. According to our findings asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema have a moderate prevalence in this region of our country

Systemic and local reactions of bee venom immunotherapy in Iran

Severe allergic reactions during specific immunotherapy may occur in the treatment of hymenoptera sting allergy. The objective of the present study was to examine the characteristics of allergic reactions during specific immunotherapy in patients with allergy towards hymenoptera venom in the Iranian population. A prospective study was performed using the clinical reports of 27 patients with anaphylaxis to bee venom [Apis melifera, Geupes vespula and Geupes Polites]. Ten patients treated with Cluster protocol during 2002 and 2006 After diagnosis of hymenoptera sting allergy according to history and intradermal tests, the patient were treated with Cluster protocol immunotherapy. The protocol lasted 6 weeks with an increase in the concentration of venom from 0.01? g/ml to 100 ? g/ml. None of the patient received premedication. All patients with hymenoptera venom allergy received 120 injections. Anaphylactic reactions were classified according to the Mueller-classification. The frequencies of systemic reactions during Cluster protocol were 8.33% and 5% for yellow jacket and honey bee venom respectively. No patient experienced severe systemic reaction. Cluster protocol for hymenoptera immunotherapy is a reliable method for the treatment of anaphylactic reactions to bee venom. It is safe with low cost and do not need hospitalization

[Epidemiology, clinical and laboratory characteristics of pneumonia in hospitalized children, at amirkola children Hospital from 2003 to 2005]

Pneumonia causes about three million deaths a year in young children; nearly all of them are in developing countries. Most of pneumonias are caused by microorganisms but a number of non-infectious agents could be the etiologic agent. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory characteristics of pediatric patients admitted to Amirkola Children's Hospital, Babol/Iran because of pneumonia. This cross-sectional study was done on pediatric patients, aged 1 month to 12 years who were hospitalized with a final diagnosis of pneumonia. From 2003 to 2005 a total of 404 cases with a diagnosis of pneumonia were recorded. The diagnosis was based on physical examination, result of chest radiography and laboratory findings. The epidemiologic, clinical and laboratory characteristics were recorded and analyzed by SPSS 10 software. Sex distribution showed male 58.6%, female 41.4%. The mean age of boys was significantly less than girls [P=0.02]. Admissions more than once because of pneumonia were seen in 10% of the patients. The most common clinical signs and symptoms were positive pulmonary auscultation, cough and increased respiratory rate. ESR and CRP were elevated in 66% and 65.8% respectively. The blood culture was positive in 3.5% of cases and the predominant bacteria isolated was Haemophilus influenzae type b. The mortality rate of pneumonia in this study was 1.2%. Although cases of positive culture for bacterial infection in our study population seem to be low, the predominance of Haemophilus influenzae type b in comparison to the similar studies in developed countries necessitates the vaccination of target population against this microorganism

Seroprevalence of HCV antibody among patients with B-Thalassemia major in amirkola thalassemia center, Iran

Beta- thalassemia major is a common hemoglobinopathy in humans. In some journals, numerous studies have reported different prevalence of hepatitis C among beta-thalassemia major because thalassemic patients need multiple blood transfusions and blood transfusion is a common transmission pathway for hepatitis C virus. Thus this study was performed for detection of anti-HCV between beta- thalassemia major patients in our region

CYBB gene mutation detection in an Iranian patient with chronic granulomatous disease

In this study, we report a mutation in CYBB gene in a patient with X-CGD [diagnosed on the base of family history, NDT test, DHR 123 assay]. Mutation in CYBB gene was detected using SSCP analysis [single-strand conformation polymorphism] followed by sequencing. During screening for mutations in the CYBB gene we observed 880 C T in exon 8. This mutation resulted in 290 Arg Stop. We also observed a change [-270 C A] in the promoter region which needs further investigation. We would like to pursue this study by analyzing more X-CGD patients to find out the CYBB mutation spectrum in Iranian patients