ABSTRACT
El presente artículo tiene como finalidad el desarrollar el tópico del estrés de la mucosa, en particular de las vías aéreas, y cómo se pueden obtener nuevos beneficios en el tratamiento basado en el uso del sistema inmune común a las mucosas
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Air Pollution/adverse effects , Immune System/immunology , Immune System/physiology , Immunity/immunology , Respiration/immunology , Stress, Physiological/immunologyABSTRACT
A double-blind, cross-over protocol was applied to 22 asthmatic patients who were previously subjected to provocation tests with methacholine. The baseline FEV1 for mild asthma was 89.6 +/- 13.6% while for moderate asthma it was 73 +/- 6%. The initial provocation tests with methacholine revealed that the mild asthma group needed a greater accumulated dose of methacholine than that required by the moderate asthma group to lower the FEV1 by 20%, stressing the enhanced bronchial hyperreactivity present in the latter group. Significant differences in the PD20 values were obtained in both groups of patients using the combination of salbutamol plus beclomethasone. Salbutamol alone was ineffective to change the PD20 values in mild asthma while beclomethasone alone was able to change significantly the PD20 values in these patients, stressing the importance of the inflammatory component in the pathogenesis of stable asthma. Furthermore, the combination of both drugs was also more effective in the moderate asthma group than either medication alone, confirming the pharmacological control of the obstructive and inflammatory changes that are already established in patients with moderate asthma.
Subject(s)
Albuterol/therapeutic use , Asthma/drug therapy , Beclomethasone/therapeutic use , Adolescent , Adult , Albuterol/administration & dosage , Asthma/diagnosis , Asthma/physiopathology , Beclomethasone/administration & dosage , Bronchial Provocation Tests , Child , Cross-Over Studies , Double-Blind Method , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Forced Expiratory Volume , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , SpirometryABSTRACT
The point prevalence of bronchial asthma and the influence of environmental conditions among 100 individuals chosen from two Venezuelan regions, i.e., rural and urban, were investigated by history, routine laboratory tests, determination of total and specific IgE antibody to common allergens and spirometric tests. The point prevalence of bronchial asthma was 3.0% in rural subjects who were also highly parasitized by helminths and 3.6% in subjects from the urban region. A significative difference in skin responses to Dermatophagoides pteronnysinus was observed in urban asthmatics when compared with rural asthmatics. A similar response to selected allergens was found among both populations. The prevalence of infestation by Ascaris in rural asthmatics was high compared with that of rural controls. Total IgE levels were elevated for both populations, but significatively higher (p less than 0.05) for rural individuals. Results suggest a significative point prevalence of bronchial asthma in both regions, despite the helminth infestation of rural subjects. The effects of environmental factors, their concentration and time of exposure are considered as main factors responsible for allergic reactivity observed in the Venezuelan regions studied.
Subject(s)
Asthma/epidemiology , Helminthiasis/complications , Asthma/immunology , Asthma/parasitology , Humans , Prevalence , Rural Population , Tropical Climate , Urban Population , Venezuela/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Sixty per cent of the patients with immuno-compromise of the humoral compartment may show chronic diarrhoea, specially seen in the common variable hypogammaglobulinemia (CVH). We presented 3 cases of late-onset CVH who referred chronic diarrhoea as the main symptom. The immunodiagnosis revealed undetectable or subnormal immunoglobulins levels (G, M, A), preserved total haemolytic complement and a negative autoimmune screening. The cell compartment analysis showed increased number of suppressor T lymphocytes (CD8) plus hyporesponsiveness of the total peripheral lymphocytes to polyclonal mitogens such PHA. The clinical approach of the CVH patients should be performed by a multispecialized team including the clinical immunologist and the gastrointestinal and infectious diseases specialists.
Subject(s)
Agammaglobulinemia/complications , Diarrhea/etiology , Adult , Antibody Formation , Chronic Disease , Complement Hemolytic Activity Assay , Diarrhea/immunology , Humans , Immunity, Cellular , Immunoglobulin A/analysis , Immunoglobulin G/analysis , Immunoglobulin M/analysis , Male , T-Lymphocytes/analysisABSTRACT
Estudios epidemiológicos han intentado evaluar como las infecciones parasitarias por helmintos puede modular la respuesta alérgica, generando importantes controversias. En este estudio se observó una significativa prevalencia de enfermedades alérgicas (rinitis y asma bronquial en individuos infectados por helmintos)
Subject(s)
Ascaris/immunology , Asthma/etiology , Hypersensitivity/epidemiology , Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/complications , Rhinitis/etiologyABSTRACT
A resposta imune celular foi estudada em pacientes com infecçäo recente ou crônica por Schistosoma mansoni. Células mononucleares do sangue periférico pré-cultivadas reagiram significantemente a antígenos do verme adulto (SA. WA) do S.mansoni quando comparadas à preparaçäo contendo células frescas. A adiçäo de soro autólogo às células pré-cultivadas resultou em inibiçao da reaçäo frente a SAWA ou antígenos de memória; o mesmo efeito foi notado quando os soros de pacientes foram adicionados a culturas de células alogénicas obtidas de indivíduos normais. A subpopulaçäo CD4 foi a principal populaçäo celular respondedora a SAWA, sendo que esta reatividade foi intensamente suprimida na presença de preparaçöes purificadas contendo monócitos-macrófagos. Estes resultados sugerem a açäo de fatores inibidores, tanto humorais como celulares, sobre a resposta imune celular específica ao S.mansoni
