Short-term Ibuprofen Treatment and Pulmonary Function in Children with Asthma.

Objective: To investigate the association between ibuprofen use and pulmonary function in children with Asthma. Methods: Ninety 9- to 10-year-old children were classified into 3 groups: Study group, mild to moderate stable asthmatic children with self-reported aspirin allergy and no history of anaphylaxis; Allergy control group: atopic children (allergic rhinitis/atopic dermatitis); Healthy control group: non-atopic healthy children. None of the participants in the atopic and healthy control groups had a history of aspirin allergy. All received ibuprofen 4 times a day for 3 consecutive days. Forced expiratory volume in the first second (FeV1) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurements were performed before and after ingestion of ibuprofen daily for 3 days. Results: In the study group, a decrease in FeV1 and increase in FeNO levels were observed after taking ibuprofen for 2 days. The atopic control group showed only an increase in FeNO but not FEV1. In the healthy control group, both FeV1 and FeNO were unchanged from baseline. Conclusions: The results showed that cross-reactive non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug hypersensitivity may exist between ibuprofen and aspirin. This raises the possibility that asthma exacerbation could be mediated by ibuprofen ingestion.

A survey of serum specific-IgE to common allergens in primary school children of Taipei city.

Environmental factors and eating habits have had a significant impact on the increased sensitization to allergens in children. This study investigated changes in common allergen sensitivities among children in Taipei City, Taiwan. A total of 142 primary schools in Taipei City, which included 25,094 students aged 7-8 years, were surveyed using an ISAAC questionnaire to screen for allergies. For positive responders, serum allergen-specific IgE was confirmed using the Pharmacia CAP system. A total of 1,500 students (5.98%) had confirmed sensitivities to allergens. Dust mite sensitivity among these children was nearly 90%. The prevalences of sensitivities to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D. farinae and Blomia tropicaliswere 90.79%, 88.24%, and 84.63%, respectively. Dog dander (29.95%) was the second most common aeroallergen to induce sensitivity. Allergies to cat dander (8.69%) and to cockroach (15.48%) had decreased dramaticallycompared with previous analyses. Among the food allergens studied, the most common allergens that induced sensitization were (in order of prevalence) crab, milk, egg white, and shrimp (88.08%, 22.45%, 24.23%, and 21.44%, respectively). Mold and pollen sensitization was identified in fewer than 2% of the schoolchildren. Dust mites remain the most common allergen to induce allergic sensitization among children in Taipei City, while cockroach and mold sensitivities have dramatically declined. Food allergens should also be considered as a trigger of respiratory allergy. Except for dust mites, American cockroach and crab, allergens commonly reported to induce sensitization in other Asian counties are not common in Taiwan.