Prevalence and Risk Factors of Allergies in Turkey (PARFAIT): results of a multicentre cross-sectional study in adults.

The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Allergies in Turkey (PARFAIT) study was planned to evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for asthma and allergic diseases in Turkey. The present analysis used data from 25,843 parents of primary school children, obtained from a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. A total of 25,843 questionnaires from 14 centres were evaluated. In rural areas, the prevalences asthma, wheezing, allergic rhinitis and eczema in males were: 8.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 7.9-9.1%), 13.5% (95% CI 12.8-14.2%), 17.5% (95% CI 16.7-18.2%) and 10.8% (95% CI 10.2-11.4%), respectively; and in females were: 11.2% (95% CI 10.9-11.8%), 14.7% (95% CI 14.3-15.1%), 21.2% (95% CI 20.4-22.0%) and 13.1% (95% CI 12.4-13.8%), respectively. In urban areas, the corresponding prevalences in males were: 6.2% (95% CI 5.8-6.6%), 10.8% (95% CI 10.3-11.3%), 11.7% (95% CI 11.4-12.0%) and 6.6% (95% CI 6.2-7.0%), respectively; and in females were: 7.5 % (95% CI 7.9-7.1%), 12.0% (95% CI 11.7-12.3%), 17.0% (95% CI 16.4-17.6%) and 7.3% (95% CI 6.9-7.7%), respectively. Having an atopic first-degree relative or any other atopic diseases had significant effects on the prevalence of allergic diseases. Housing conditions, such as living in a shanty-type house, visible moulds at home and use of wood or biomass as heating or cooking material were associated with one or more allergic diseases. Although genetic susceptibility is strongly associated, country- and population-based environmental factors may contribute to increased prevalence rates of allergic diseases.

Eosinophil infiltration of the oesophageal mucosa in patients with pollen allergy during the season.

BACKGROUND: The oesophagus is normally devoid of eosinophils. There are some disorders accompanying with eosinophil infiltration. Food allergy has been reported as a common reason, especially in children but some other studies have also indicated that aeroallergens might have a role in oesophageal eosinophil accumulation. OBJECTIVE: In this study we investigated whether there is any eosinophil recruitment in the oesophagus of pollen-allergic patients who had respiratory symptoms during the season. METHODS: Thirty-eight symptomatic patients (allergic rhinitis (AR) with or without asthma) who had sensitization to grass pollen were included in the study during the pollen season. Controls were composed of 25 healthy non-atopics and 24 patients diagnosed as having gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Reflux was excluded in allergic and non-atopic groups, whereas the presence of allergy was eliminated in control groups. Gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed in all participants, and biopsy specimens were taken from both the proximal and the distal oesophagus to evaluate eosinophil accumulation. At the same time, blood eosinophil numbers were counted. Results Oesophageal eosinophil accumulation was found in 10 allergic patients (26%) and in five patients (21%) with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease but none of the healthy controls had eosinophils (0%) (P<0.05). Blood eosinophils were higher in these 10 patients than the rest of the 28 patients without infiltration. In this group, blood eosinophils were also correlated with the number of accumulated eosinophils in the oesophagus (P<0.001). There was more intense eosinophil infiltration at the distal part of the oesophagus in the reflux group when compared with the allergic group (mean 7.6+/-5.6 vs. 3.2+/-3.7). Nevertheless, eosinophils were found to be concentrated (mean 5.5+/-7.3) in the proximal oesophagus of allergic patients, although it was 1.7+/-1.5 in reflux patients (P>0.05). Conclusion Our results showed that eosinophil infiltration might be observed in oesophageal tissue of patients with respiratory tract allergy during the symptomatic period. This finding may possibly reflect the systemic and common mucosal aspects of allergic inflammation.

Change in serum concentrations of interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma during treatment of tuberculosis.

We aimed to investigate changes in serum concentrations of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-gamma during the clinical course of active tuberculosis, to establish the presence of cellular immunity before and after treatment. Blood samples were taken from 18 patients with active tuberculosis before and 2 months after therapy; IL-2 and IFN-gamma concentrations were evaluated. The mean serum IL-2 concentration before therapy was 164.5 pg/ml (range 12-980 pg/ml) and the concentration 2 months after therapy was 92.11 pg/ml (range 1-490 pg/ml). The mean serum IFN-gamma concentrations were 10.83 pg/ml (range 1-22.2 pg/ml) and 4.64 pg/ml (range 1-28.5 pg/ml), respectively. The decrease in concentrations of both cytokines after therapy was statistically significant. Further studies investigating the benefits of adding cytokines to drug treatment for tuberculosis are needed.

The prevalence of pancreatitis in organophosphate poisonings.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of pancreatitis in cases of organophosphate (OP) poisonings admitted to Yüzüncü Yil University Teaching Hospital over an 18-month period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 47 patients of acute poisoning with OP insecticides attended the Emergency Department of the Yüzüncü Yil Medical School Hospital, from May 1999 to December 2000, and were prospectively studied. Serum amylase and lipase levels were studied with colorimetric assay. Serum SGOT, SGPT, LDH, CPK, K levels, leukocyte count and total hospitalization days were also evaluated. RESULTS: Four of 47 patients had obviously elevated amylase and lipase levels (amylase >300 U/L, lipase >60 U/L). Only two of the patients with amylase levels between 100 and 300 U/L had also elevated levels of lipase. None of the patients with normal amylase levels had elevated levels of lipase. A total of 12.76% was diagnosed as acute pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: Acute pancreatitis as a complication of OP intoxication is not a rare condition. In order to improve the outcome of OP poisoning, early diagnosis of acute pancreatitis is important and serum levels of amylase and lipase should be routinely considered carefully. In acute pancreatitis, serum levels of SGOT, SGPT, LDH and leukocyte counts may also be found to be elevated. However, serum K levels are only slightly decreased.

Brucellar spondylodiscitis: MRI diagnosis.

Early diagnosis of brucellar spondylodiscitis is often difficult because of the long latent period. Radiographs of the spine, bone scan, and computed tomography (CT) scan provide insufficient data. Among 25 patients with brucellar spondylodiscitis studied by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 9 were in the acute stage and 16 were in the chronic stage. MRI is the investigation method of choice in diagnosing brucellar spondylodiscitis.