Comparison of the effect of 5-grass pollen sublingual immunotherapy tablets and drops in children with rhinoconjunctivitis.

BACKGROUND: One of the most important aspects of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is the regimen of administration. AIM: To find any differences in symptom-medication scores between the two groups of SLIT tablets and drops, given pre-coseasonally (starting 8 weeks before the pollen season) in children with rhinoconjunctivitis allergy to grass pollen. The secondary outcome were the differences in lung function and induction of T-regulatory forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) positive cells. METHODS: This was a retrospective, secondary analysis of pooled data obtained from our two prospective randomized placebo controlled trials that involved children who underwent SLIT. Forty-one children, ages 6-18 years, with allergic rhinitis (AR), sensitive to grass pollen, participated in the study. RESULTS: Treatment with both tablets and drops significantly reduced all symptoms (nasal, asthma, and ocular) within the groups; there was no significant difference between both groups. When compared with the tablet therapy, there was a trend for drops therapy to be more effective in the reduction of combined symptom-medication score, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.1036); there was no significant difference in asthma and nasal scores. We showed a significant decrease in the fractional exhaled nitric oxide level comparable in both immunotherapy groups. There were no differences between the groups in the induction of CD4+ CD25+ FOXP3+-positive cells in peripheral blood. CONCLUSIONS: Both protocols showed similar decreases in symptom-medication scores; however, when compared with tablet therapy, there was a trend for drops therapy to be more effective in the reduction of combined symptom-medication score.

Cytokine profiling in exhaled breath condensate after exercise challenge in asthmatic children with post-exercise symptoms.

INTRODUCTION: Markers of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) correlate with lung function impairment, airway remodeling and different aspects of the disease such as exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). Aim of the study was to determine the cytokine profile in EBC of children with asthma after an exercise treadmill challenge in order to obtain clinically useful information about mechanisms of EIB; also, to assess correlations between cytokine concentrations in EBC and clinical characteristics of the patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 25 randomly selected children, aged 8 to 19 years, with asthma and EIB symptoms despite the use of control medications. Patients on the day of the study visit underwent fractional exhaled nitric oxide measurement (FeNO) and baseline spirometry, performed an exercise treadmill challenge (ETC), and EBC samples were obtained at the end of the ETC. RESULTS: In asthmatic children with positive ETC, monocyte hemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and IL-16 adjusted to pre-EBC forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were significantly higher compared to children with negative ETC (p = 0.022 and p = 0.017 respectively). After adjustment to pre-EBC FEV1 other cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, MIG, TNF-α) were not related to post-exercise changes in FEV1. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a specific inflammatory profile in the airways of asthmatic children with bronchoconstriction induced by exercise. The concentration of cytokines in EBC depended on the post-exercise decrease in FEV1, which was measured by the area under the curve (AUC). MCP-1 and IL-16, adjusted to pre-EBC FEV1, were significantly higher in children with a positive exercise challenge compared to those with a negative one.

Spirometry-Adjusted Fraction of Exhaled Nitric Oxide Allows Asthma Diagnosis in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults.

BACKGROUND: Recently, it has been proved that fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) results are in disagreement with other measurements of asthma control. The objective of this work is to present and validate new lung function/lung inflammation ratios. METHODS: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional study in which we evaluated data from medical documentation of 1,529 pediatric and adolescent subjects and a small number (2% of the studied population) of young adults, who presented symptoms suggestive of asthma (age range 4-24 y). We are the first to analyze results obtained in this manner (before the introduction of controlled medication): FENO, spirometry, specific resistance of the airways, diagnosis of allergic diseases, and allergen sensitization (specific immunoglobulin E results). RESULTS: Cut-off points for the new indicators allowed us to diagnose asthma in the study participants: for FVC/FENO ratio, 0.17 L/ppb; for FEV1/FENO ratio, 0.15 L/ppb; for forced expiratory flow during the middle half of the FVC maneuver (FEF25-75%)/FENO ratio, 0.16 L/s/ppb; for FENO/FVC ratio, 11.00 ppb/L; for FENO/FEV1 ratio, 12.53 ppb/L; and for FENO/FEF25-75% ratio, 11.81 ppb/L/s. Only the ratios described above were closely correlated with the diagnosis of asthma and with one another. They significantly differed between subjects with asthma and healthy subjects as well as between females and males. Only FEF25-75%/FENO and FENO/FEF25-75% values were significant predictors of any sensitization in the studied subjects. We found higher sensitivity than specificity and higher positive predictive value than negative predictive value for FVC/FENO, FEV1/FENO, and FEF25-75%/FENO and found a mirror image for reverse parameters. However, the positive predictive values and negative predictive values were not clearly convincing with respect to diagnostic accuracy in the case of the new parameters proposed. CONCLUSIONS: We propose new lung function/lung inflammation ratios by which it may become possible to diagnose asthma in children and adolescents on the basis of a subject's spirometry and FENO measurements. We believe that our ratios are only supportive of the universally used parameters in the process of diagnosing asthma. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT01805635.).

Biochemical structure, symptoms, location and treatment of sialoliths.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Sialolithiasis is the most common disease of the salivary glands, which can cause acute and chronic infections. More than 80% of sialoliths occur in the submandibular gland or its duct, 6% in the parotid gland, and 2% in the sublingual gland or minor salivary glands. Typical symptoms are recurrent swelling and pain in the involved gland, often associated with eating, due to obstructions of the draining duct. The aim of the study was to analyze biochemical structure, symptoms, size, and location of salivary stones as well as concomitance with nephrolithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted targeting 46 patients with sialolithiasis who visited the Department of Oral Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, Poland in 2009-2015. Medical records containing patients' age, sex, position of the salivary stone, and symptoms were collected and analyzed. Stones were examined ultrastructurally with a scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffractometer. RESULTS: Multiple stones were found in 1% of patients. We observed that men had sialolithiasis about twice as often as women. The chemical structure of the stones varied but they mainly contained different traces of carbon, calcium, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur. Longitudinal sections of the stones revealed elongated, round, and irregular shapes. We noticed that nephrolithiasis was present in 11 (24%) patients. We observed the unilateral location of sialoliths with multilayer structures, mainly composed of inorganic material, such as hydroxyapatite. CONCLUSION: We found that the location of the stones influenced the symptoms, and concomitance of sialoliths and nephroliths was common.

ATYPICAL DISLOCATION OF IMPACTED PERMANENT TEETH IN CHILDREN. OWN EXPERIENCE.

INTRODUCTION: Disturbances in forming of the hard tissue of teeth and bones can be a cause of their malformation and translocation. The impact of permanent teeth is one of them. It can occur with translocation of the tooth germ. The aim of the study was to present an atypical translocation of impacted permanent teeth in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 3.5 year clinical observation was carried out in 14 children (5 girls and 9 boys), aged between 9 and 12 years old. Patients were referred to our Department by orthodontists, paedodontists and General Dental Practitioners, due to impacted permanent teeth. According to the interview, in 8 cases children suffered from a trauma of a facial part of the skull, caused by a fall. On admitance patients were generally healthy. Basing on the clinical and radiological examination, translocation of the impacted permanent teeth has been diagnosed. In 9 cases it concerned medial maxillary incisors, whereas in remaining children--maxillary premolars. The extraction of such teeth has been performed as a part of the one day surgery procedures. CONCLUSION: In the cases where basing on the radiogram, the position of the tooth allows to predict the latter translocation, the germ has to be extracted.

[Large dentigerous cyst caused by retained tooth 25]. / Duza torbiel zawiazkowa spowodowana zatrzymanym zebem 25.

Follicular cysts are benign, non-inflammatory odontogenic cysts, usually painless and discovered during routine radiographic examination. The article describes a case of a large follicular cyst with retained tooth 25. Pantomographic x ray showed the presence of a large follicular cyst located on the side of the impacted 25 tooth. The cyst has been enucleated and the tooth extracted surgically with subsequent closure of oro-antral communication. After 3 months orthodontic treatment was initiated.

Predictive value of fractional nitric oxide in asthma diagnosis-subgroup analyses.

BACKGROUND: There are no studies investigating the benefit of using FeNO measurements in correlation with sensitization to perennial and seasonal allergens in children with asthma. OBJECTIVE: To define the group of children with respiratory symptoms in whose FeNO measurement has predictive value for asthma. We assessed the effect of age, allergy profile, atopy, lung function and the presence of allergic rhinitis on interpretation of FeNO levels for clinical applications. METHODS: It was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. We evaluated data from medical documentation of 1767 children with symptoms of allergic diseases such as asthma and/or allergic rhinitis. We included in the analyses subjects who had the following tests done during diagnostic procedures (single measurement): FeNO, spirometry, specific IgE results. All subjects had undergone a minimum 3-years prospective clinical observation after the first FeNO measurement until the later assignment (or not) of an asthma/allergic rhinitis diagnosis. RESULTS: We included 1767 children into the analysis; asthma diagnosis was confirm in 1054 (59.6%) children. We showed that only atopy (OR: 1.9; 95%CI: 1.5-2.4) and presence of allergic rhinitis (OR: 1.6; 95%CI: 1.4-1.9) were independently associated with increased FeNO level. Only among patients with atopy and allergic rhinitis FeNO level (above 23 ppb) was associated with asthma diagnosis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of FeNO >23 ppb for asthma diagnosis were as follows: 0.9(95%CI: 0.68-0.98), 0.52(95%CI: 0.42-0.61), 0.25(95%CI: 0.16-0.37), 0.97(95%CI: 0.88-0.99). CONCLUSION: We showed that in children with atopy and with allergic rhinitis a negative predictive value for asthma diagnosis was very high with the optimal cut-off point of FeNO 23 ppb. Therefore we showed the utility of FeNO measurements to exclude asthma in the subgroup of patients with atopy and allergic rhinitis.

The interpretation of exhaled nitric oxide values in children with asthma depends on the degree of bronchoconstriction and the levels of asthma severity.

BACKGROUND: The clinical implications of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (F(ENO)) measurements in childhood asthma are unclear. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between the level of exhaled nitric oxide and pre-bronchodilator FEV1 and the change in FEV1 after bronchodilator in children with asthma. METHODS: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. We evaluated data from medical documentation of children with asthma with special attention to F(ENO) results, asthma severity, FEV1 (% predicted), and bronchial reversibility test. RESULTS: Four hundred and five subjects (age 6-18 y) completed the study. Median levels of F(ENO) increased linearly with subjects' age (P = .03). We found a nonlinear trend of pre-bronchodilator FEV1 across 4 quartiles of F(ENO) in episodic and mild asthma; we observed lower pre-bronchodilator FEV1 in children with higher F(ENO), but only up to the F(ENO) value of 35.4 ppb; in children with F(ENO) value > 35.4 ppb, pre-bronchodilator FEV1 was increased. We found a linear increasing trend of change from baseline (after 400 µg of salbutamol) in FEV1 across F(ENO) categories in children with moderate asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a need to measure F(ENO) before as well as after spirometry. Consequently, in children with asthma with bronchial obstruction, we suggest assessing F(ENO) after short-acting ß2 agonists as well. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT00815984.).

Diagnostic value of lung function parameters and FeNO for asthma in schoolchildren in large, real-life population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To establish a diagnostic value of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), interrupter resistance measurement (Rint), specific resistance of the airways (sRaw), spirometric parameters in asthma diagnosis in schoolchildren. METHODS: It was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. We evaluated data from medical documentation of 6,439 children (aged 6-18) with symptoms suggestive of asthma, who attended our Pediatric Allergic Outpatient Clinic. Medical documentation of the patients was analyzed with special attention to the first ever obtained results (before the introduction of controller medication) of: FeNO, Rint, sRaw, spirometry, diagnoses of allergic diseases, and allergen sensitization (specific IgE results). RESULTS: We included 3,612 children in the analysis. Older age, male gender, the presence of allergic rhinitis, sensitization to perennial and seasonal allergens, higher FeNO and Rint, and FEV1 /FVC <80% were significantly associated with asthma. We observed a significant association between FeNO and Rint in the prediction of asthma diagnosis. Optimal cutoff points to differentiate asthmatics from non-asthmatics were established. Thus, Rint >175.4% was defined as asthma-predicting Rint, and FeNO >15.8 ppb was defined as asthma-predicting FeNO. In all study subgroups, sensitivity for asthma-predicting Rint was significantly higher than for asthma-predicting FeNO with an inverse trend in specificity value. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that asthma-predicting Rint and, to a lesser extent, asthma-predicting FeNO, defined in the present study, could serve as a reliable tool to exclude asthma in schoolchildren. However, our results also indicate a clinically important fact that all lung function parameters or FeNO should be interpreted in the context of age, gender, allergy profile, and the presence of co-morbidities in schoolchildren. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2014; 49:632-640. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) may predict exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) in schoolchildren with atopic asthma.

BACKGROUND: There is a need for the performance of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) tests in the monitoring of childhood asthma control. We aimed to evaluate whether in children with atopic asthma, EIB can be predicted by one or more of the following parameters or by their combination: fractional exhaled nitric-oxide (FeNO), allergy profile, asthma treatment, total IgE serum concentration and eosinophil blood count (EBC). METHODS: It was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. We evaluated data from medical documentation of children with atopic asthma who had performed standardized spirometric exercise challenge test. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty six patients with atopic asthma, aged 5-18, were included in the analysis. There were two groups of patients: the EIB group (n=54) and the no-EIB group (n=72). The median FeNO level prior to exercise in the EIB group was 27.6 vs. 16.3 ppb in the no-EIB group (p=0.002). FeNO level higher than 16 ppb had the highest diagnostic value to confirm EIB. When using the FeNO level of >16 ppb, the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive and positive predictive values for EIB were 83%, 46.9%, 74.2%, and 60%, respectively. In the EIB group, the degree of FeNO elevation did correlate positively with the absolute fall in FEV(1) (p=0.002; r=0.45). The FeNO value of >16 ppb, EBC value of >350 cell/mm(3) and allergy to house dust mites presented the highest odds ratios of EIB. However, the FeNO value of >16 ppb was the only independent odds ratio of EIB. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated FeNO level increased the odds of EIB in asthmatic schoolchildren, independently of other asthma severity markers and the intensity of anti-asthma therapy. It seems likely that FeNO measurement may act as a screening tool and help to prevent under-diagnosis and under-treatment of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in schoolchildren with atopic asthma.

Pediatric asthma caregiver's quality of life questionnaire is a useful tool for monitoring asthma in children.

PURPOSE: There is little agreement among researchers whether a caregiver's QOL can be used to detect changes in asthma severity in children. We assessed correlation between QOL in parents and QOL in children with asthma as well as clinical parameters of asthma. We determined whether changes in caregiver's QOL scores reflect changes in child's QOL and their asthma control. METHODS: This was a 9-week period cohort study. One hundred and ten primary caregivers with 110 children were seen in the clinic at enrollment, at week #1, #5 and #9. At each visit, the parents completed the pediatric asthma caregiver's quality of life questionnaire (PACQLQ). RESULTS: One hundred and one children and 101 caregivers completed the study. We found a significant correlation between asthma diary score in children and QOL in parents (from r = -0.46 to r = -0.53). We also found significant positive correlation between PAQLQ and PACQLQ and significant association between changes in asthma control and PACQLQ score for both domains. We observed significant change in PACQLQ of caregivers whose children obtained asthma control. CONCLUSIONS: PACQLQ is a useful tool for monitoring asthma in children. The implementation of the PACQLQ would be helpful in involving parents in therapy of their children with asthma.

Validity of the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire in Polish children.

BACKGROUND: Although the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) was translated for use in Polish asthmatic children, it is necessary to confirm that its validity, reliability, and the accuracy of the responses are not influenced by culture difference. Therefore, the objective of this study was to validate the Polish version of the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire. METHODS: This was a 9-week period cohort study. The patients were interviewed using the PAQLQ on four occasions: at baseline, 1 wk after inclusion, and after 5 and 9 wk. At each clinic visit, lung functions test and NO measurements were performed. Asthma control (according to GINA) was assessed throughout the study. RESULTS: One hundred and one patients completed the study. At all visits, moderate correlations (from r = -0.51 to -0.68) between all PAQLQ domains and the asthma diary were observed. We noticed a significant improvement in the understanding of the questions during the last visit compared to baseline. The gradient of correlation coefficients between the symptoms domain of PAQLQ and asthma diary was observed across study visits. The standards of reliability defined by Cronbach's α-coefficient (from 0.75 to 0.91) were fulfilled in all domains of the questionnaire, at all visits. We found a higher increase in PAQLQ score in patients who obtained asthma control compared to those who lost control during the study. There was no relation between PAQLQ and FeNO. At all visits, moderate correlations (from r = -0.51 to -0.68) were shown between all PAQLQ domains and the asthma diary. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that Polish version of PAQLQ is valid and reliable among our study group. Moreover, as far as clinical practice is concerned, PAQLQ seems to be a useful tool for monitoring asthma in children especially based on the physician's grading of asthma severity according to GINA guidelines.

The association between fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and cat dander in asthmatic children.

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to assess risk factors of increased FeNO in asthmatic children with no cat at home. METHODS: It was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. We evaluated data from medical documentation of children with asthma: FeNO results, allergen sensitization, seasonal allergen exposure, FEV(1), allergic rhinitis (AR) diagnosis and cat presence at home. We assessed asthma severity using mean doses of inhaled glucocorticosteroids and a management approach based on control according to the newest guidelines of Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) throughout the last three months before the measurement of FeNO and spirometry. RESULTS: 316 patients (age 6-18) completed the study. Sensitization to cat dander was associated with the highest median value of FeNO concentration compared to other allergens in our patients (28,4ppb) and co-existing sensitization did not affect FeNO level. Median levels of FeNO increased linearly with patient's age. In asthmatics with AR, the levels of FeNO were increased significantly compared to asthmatics without AR (20.8 vs. 16.3, respectively). We showed that in patients without AR, sensitization to cat allergen was associated with more severe asthma in comparison to other perennial allergy (step 4 vs. other steps according to GINA treatment steps). The above relation was not observed in patients with AR. We did not observe correlation between allergy profile and FEV(1) among patients in neither subgroup nor in general population. CONCLUSIONS: We revealed that sensitization to cat dander was associated with the highest increase of FeNO concentration compared to other allergens in patients not having any cat at home ever. We also observed that in patients without allergic rhinitis, sensitization to cat allergen, compared to other perennial allergy, was associated with more severe asthma.