Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology

BACKGROUND: Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), the most typical kind of pediatric vasculitis, can also affect adults. Over the last 10 years, research has been increasing on improvements in HSP diagnosis, physiopathology, symptoms, and therapy. Joint involvement is highly frequent in this condition; however, it typically undergoes spontaneous resolution and does not lead to long-term complications. OBJECTIVE: To provide a deeper understanding of the constituting pathogenic mechanisms and clinical presentation of articular involvement, focusing on the effect of neutrophil activation on systemic small vessels...

BACKGROUND: Unintentional exposure is common in children with food allergies. OBJECTIVE: To assess the benefits of newly developed food allergy application. METHODS: Caregivers of children with confirmed immediate reactions to food were enrolled to use the "Kinchew" application for one month. Kinchew provides the detail of food allergens after typing the name of specific food in the chat box. Then, the app provides the product image and detail of food allergens...

BACKGROUND: Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is a non-pharmacological intervention in severe asthma with a well-known mechanism of reducing airway smooth muscle. However, its effect on airway inflammation remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of BT on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytokines and chemokines in severe asthma patients before BT, after the first BT, and 12 weeks after BT. METHODS: Ten severe asthma patients were recruited, and BALF was obtained from right lower lobe before BT, after the first BT, and 12 weeks after BT...

BACKGROUND: Food allergy affects the patient's quality of life (QoL) and leads to anxiety and depression. In addition to routine treatment, QoL evaluation should also be performed in patients with food allergies. The validated Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire - Adult Form (FAQLQ-AF) and Food Allergy Independent Measure - Adult Form (FAIM-AF) have been well accepted and available in many languages. OBJECTIVE: Translate FAQLQ-AF and FAIM-AF into Thai and perform reliability and validity tests in Thai adult patients with food allergies...

COVID-19 Vaccines, which include mRNA and inactivated vaccines, have been proven effective and safe for infants and children aged more than six months in reducing the severity of the disease, hospitalization, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, and death. Nonetheless, the real-world effectiveness of these vaccines in preventing infection is generally lower than in clinical trials due to the emergence of variants of concern, especially the Omicron strains. Despite the availability of vaccines for children, their uptake remains low globally, particularly among parents who are hesitant to vaccinate their children...

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) and drug-induced liver injury (DILI) can hamper therapeutic strategy, contribute to multiple drug resistance and serious public health burden. Diagnosis (including allergy assessment) and management of these two severe hypersensitivity reactions in clinical practice are somewhat difficult and published scientific evidence is rather weak and limited. The first step is always represented by stopping all anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs, treating reaction with systemic corticosteroids, and identifying the offending drug, even if it is often complicated by the patient's simultaneous intake of antibiotics...

Mast cells and eosinophils are considered pivotal contributors to the pathogenesis of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). However, emerging evidence suggests that neutrophils also play a central role. Cutaneous mast cells and macrophages orchestrate the recruitment of neutrophils through the regulation and activation of diverse processes, including heightened local vascular permeability and chemokine release. Studies have demonstrated increased activation and elevated levels of neutrophil-related cytokines in CSU patients...

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia and obesity contribute to a pro-inflammatory state. Eosinophilic airway inflammation can be indirectly measured by fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) produced in the airways of asthmatic subjects. OBJECTIVE: To compare exhaled nitric oxide (NO) and alveolar NO in asthmatic children with and without dyslipidemia. METHODS: Asthmatic children (5-18 years old) had fasting serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations, and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations measured...

BACKGROUND: The effect of probiotics in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) is inconclusive, partially due to the heterogeneities of AD. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of AD with a subgroup analysis according to country, severity of AD, duration of supplementation, and probiotic strain. METHODS: Original articles reporting the therapeutic efficacy of probiotics for AD were identified by searching PubMed, Cochrane Library databases, and Embase from inception to September 30, 2022...

BACKGROUND: Negative emotions are a major comorbidity of atopic dermatitis (AD). Evidence that supports the effectiveness of digital cognitive behavioral therapy (dCBT) as an adjuvant therapy for AD remains limited. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the preliminary efficacy of additional dCBT and potential neurotransmitter biomarkers for AD accompanied by negative emotions. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with AD were recruited and examined for clinical severity and negative emotions including insomnia, anxiety, and depression...

BACKGROUND: Adult-onset immunodeficiency (AOID) is associated with the presence of anti-interferon gamma autoantibodies (anti-IFN-γ autoAbs), which neutralizes IFN-γ signaling and leads to susceptibility to intracellular opportunistic infections. However, measuring neutralizing autoAbs is not practical for general clinical laboratories. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to develop a competitive immunochromatographic (IC) strip test for detecting autoAbs that recognize the same epitope as a potent neutralizing antibody...

BACKGROUND: The commercial wheat extract for skin prick test (SPT) provides less sensitivity to predict wheat allergy, compared to in-house gliadin extracts. SPT is a preferred method to study extract stability as it is the aim of developing extract. The role of cell degranulation assay, a functional assay with the same mechanism as SPT, is not widely used to determine extract stability. OBJECTIVE: To study the stability of in-house gliadin extracts stored at different periods, by using protein analysis, SPT and degranulation assay of humanized rat basophilic-leukemia (RBL-SX38) cells...

BACKGROUND: Infants with cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) are at risk for nutrient inadequacy and impaired growth. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a new amino acid-based formula (nAAF) compared with commercial amino acid-based formula (cAAF) on growth and protein status of cow's milk protein (CMP)-allergic infants and to compare their growth with those of healthy infants. METHODS: Infants less than 6 months of age with CMPA were enrolled in the nAAF or cAAF groups...

BACKGROUND: IgE-mediated food allergy (FA) affects health-related quality of life, and may cause life-threatening reactions. Few studies characterizing adult FA patients have been reported, especially first ever reaction (FER) in adult-onset. OBJECTIVE: We describe the characteristics of adult FA patients, especially FER and compare these characteristics between childhood- and adult-onset FA. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of all adult patients visiting the Allergy Clinic, Siriraj Hospital at the outpatient department between January 2009 to December 2019 was conducted...

BACKGROUND: Pollen of the Asian white birch (Betula platyphylla) is a major source of allergens in spring in northern China, yet little research on its pollen allergens has been done so far. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the B. platyphylla pollen allergen profile of patients from northern China and to identify the major pollen allergens in this patient cohort. METHODS: Sera from 35 Chinese patients with birch pollinosis were collected for this study...

BACKGROUND: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a chronic inflammatory disease with complex pathophysiology and therapeutic strategies. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of CRSwNP are incompletely understood. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the transcriptomic characteristics, ceRNA networks, and whether these molecular markers play a role in the occurrence and development of CRSwNP. METHODS: Following RNA sequencing, a ceRNA network was predicted and constructed based on the sequencing results and multiple databases...

BACKGROUND: Although the development of allergic rhinitis (AR) is associated with multiple genetic and hygienic environmental factors, previous studies have focused mostly on the effect of a single factor on the development of AR. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the combined effect of multiple genetic and hygienic environmental risk factors on AR development in school children. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study, comprising 1,797 children aged 9-12 years...

BACKGROUND: The appropriate COVID-19 booster vaccine following inactivated or adenoviral vector COVID-19 vaccination is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the immunogenicity of four COVID-19 booster vaccines. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled healthy adults who received a two-dose CoronaVac or ChAdOx1 8-12 weeks earlier and allocated them to receive one of the following booster vaccine: inactivated (BBIBP-CorV), ChAdOx1 or mRNA (BNT162b2 at full [30 μg] and half [15 μg] dose) vaccines...

BACKGROUND: Despite nebulized budesonide being identified by the Global Initiative for Asthma report as a viable alternative to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) delivered by pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) with spacers, practical guidance on nebulized corticosteroid use in the pediatric population remains scarce. OBJECTIVE: To review the current literature and provide practical recommendations for nebulized budesonide use in children aged ≤ 5 years with a diagnosis of asthma...

BACKGROUND: CD4, a leukocyte surface glycoprotein, is mainly expressed on CD4+ T cells, but is also expressed on monocytes. The difference in the expression level and structure of CD4 on T cells and monocytes predicts the different functions of this molecule in both cell types. Although the function of CD4 on T cells is well characterized, little is known about that expressed on primary monocytes. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the immunoregulation function of CD4 on peripheral blood monocytes...