Subject(s)
Acetaminophen/adverse effects , Analgesics, Non-Narcotic/adverse effects , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/adverse effects , Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors/adverse effects , Ibuprofen/adverse effects , Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial/drug therapy , Urticaria/chemically induced , Angioedema/chemically induced , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Child , Drug Hypersensitivity , Female , HumansABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Since 1984, several waves of Ethiopian immigrants have settled in Israel. On arrival they were found to be highly infected with intestinal parasites and to have increased serum immunoglobulin E and eosinophilia. OBJECTIVES: To study serum IgE levels in Ethiopian children growing up in the environment of Israel. METHODS: We assessed four groups of children of Ethiopian origin: a) adolescents examined on their arrival to Israel (group 1, n=11); b) adolescents born in Ethiopia and living in Israel for more than 7 years (group 2, n=10); c) children of Ethiopian origin born in Israel, without a history of allergy or asthma (group 3, n=15); and d) asthmatic children of Ethiopian origin born in Israel (group 4, n=8). A thorough clinical interview and examination as well as laboratory work up (including serum IgE levels, stool parasites and absolute eosinophil count) were performed. RESULTS: Group 1 (11 newly arrived Ethiopian adolescents) had a mean eosinophil count of 688 cells/ml (0-1739) and a mean serum IgE of 1043 IU/ml (253-2932), P< 0.0009 as compared to group 2. Helminthic parasites were observed in 8/11 individuals; after 1 year of follow-up and anti-parasitic treatment, serum IgE levels did not change significantly. Group 2 (10 Ethiopian born adolescents living in Israel for on average 10 years, 7-15 years) had a normal leukocyte count, MEC 192 cells/ml (range 54-289), serum IgE 142 IU/ml (range 14-399 IU/ml) and no parasites in stool. Group 3 (15 Ethiopian children born in Israel) had a normal leukocyte count, MEC 128 cells/ml (0-324), serum IgE 55 IU/ml (7-189 IU/ml), similar to age-matched Israeli controls. In group 4 (8 Israeli born children of Ethiopian descent diagnosed with asthma), serum IgE showed significant elevation compared to Israeli age-matched asthmatic children (P< 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: High levels of IgE found in Ethiopian children on arrival to Israel declined to Israeli control levels after several years of living in the new environment. Ethiopian children born in Israel had normal levels of IgE, suggesting that environment is the main factor affecting IgE levels in this population. Israeli born Ethiopian children with asthma had significantly increased serum IgE levels compared to asthmatics of Israeli origin. These findings suggest that both environmental and genetic factors determine the level of serum IgE in these children.
Subject(s)
Asthma/blood , Immunoglobulin E/blood , Adolescent , Asthma/genetics , Environment , Eosinophilia/blood , Eosinophilia/genetics , Ethiopia/ethnology , Female , Helminthiasis/blood , Helminthiasis/diagnosis , Humans , Immunoglobulin E/genetics , Israel , Male , Time FactorsABSTRACT
It is well known that cigarette smoking is implicated in the etiology of cardiovascular disease, lung disease and a multitude of other types of cancer as well. Smoking is the leading avoidable cause of mortality and morbidity. The orthopaedic community is aware of the relation between smoking and its impact on the results of conservative and surgical treatment. It has been shown that smoking may adversely affect bone metabolism, lumbar disk disorders, fracture and wound healing. Most of the available data did provide varying degrees of correlation between smoking and orthopaedic conditions. In this review we attempted to summarize and present the clinical data regarding smoking and its impact on orthopaedic disorders and surgery.
