Difficulties Generated by Allergies

Allergies have recently been related to the development of speech, language and hearing problems in students. Diagnosis and treatment is compounded by multiple complaints or the absence of complaints. If an unrecognized allergic hearing loss is operating, individuals sometimes are considered to be mentally incompetent or emotionally disturbed. In our analyses, articulation and hearing loss were found predominantly in conjunction with allergic rhinitis, and vocal quality problems were associated with bronchial asthma. These findings suggest that school health professionals should be aware of the possibility of an allergy disorder when dealing with young students who have learning, articulation, hearing or vocal quality problems.     

Alternatives in the Treatment of Food Allergies

Abstract

Food allergy, food intolerance, and food sensitivity affect a growing number of people. The foods that are most commonly associated with food allergies are milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, soy, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Web sites that provide complementary and alternative treatments for food allergies are evaluated in this column.     

小儿哮喘病变应原皮试反应分析

小儿哮喘病是具有植物神经功能紊乱和免疫功能异常的变态反应性疾病.对本病的诊断,除根据临床症状和体征外,亦常作变应原(抗原)皮肤试验(皮试)作为病因诊断和治疗的参考.笔者从2005-2009年共检查哮喘病患儿530例,同时检查健康儿童80例作为正常对照,对比如下.     

Restaurant Managers' Knowledge of Food Allergies

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine restaurant managers, and/or operators' knowledge of food allergies and the level of food allergy training given their employees. The study describes managers' knowledge of food allergies, restaurant procedures for training food service employees about food allergies, and respondents' background by level of education, chain or independent affiliation, size of their establishment, and number of employees.

Research was conducted in two phases: (1) respondents contributed information and opinions about food allergies and employee training of food allergies in their restaurants and (2) a survey instrument was designed to evaluate manager knowledge of food allergies. Knowledge scores regarding food allergies include managers' overall knowledge of food allergies (84.8%); managers' ability to discriminate between food allergies and food poisoning (90.4%); and managers' ability to perceive the difference between food poisoning and food intolerances (95.5%). These and other knowledge questions were compared to the independent variables of restaurant size, affiliation, and type (i.e., limited service or full service). One-third of the respondents reported including food allergy training for their employees.     

Air Pollution and Childhood Respiratory Allergies in the United States

Background

Childhood respiratory allergies, which contribute to missed school days and other activity limitations, have increased in recent years, possibly due to environmental factors.

Objective

In this study we examined whether air pollutants are associated with childhood respiratory allergies in the United States.

Methods

For the approximately 70,000 children from the 1999–2005 National Health Interview Survey eligible for this study, we assigned between 40,000 and 60,000 ambient pollution monitoring data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, depending on the pollutant. We used monitors within 20 miles of the child’s residential block group. We used logistic regression models, fit with methods for complex surveys, to examine the associations between the reporting of respiratory allergy or hay fever and annual average exposure to particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm in diameter (PM_2.5), PM ≤ 10 μm in diameter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide and summer exposure to ozone, controlling for demographic and geographic factors.

Results

Increased respiratory allergy/hay fever was associated with increased summer O₃ levels [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) per 10 ppb = 1.20; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15–1.26] and increased PM_2.5 (AOR per 10 μg/m³ = 1.23; 95% CI, 1.10–1.38). These associations persisted after stratification by urban–rural status, inclusion of multiple pollutants, and definition of exposures by differing exposure radii. No associations between the other pollutants and the reporting respiratory allergy/hay fever were apparent.

Conclusions

These results provide evidence of adverse health for children living in areas with chronic exposure to higher levels of O₃ and PM_2.5 compared with children with lower exposures.     

Food Allergies–Finding Help on the Internet

ABSTRACT

Food allergies present real challenges to those who must deal with them on a daily basis. When food provokes an immune response, perhaps inducing a severe condition such as anaphylactic shock, it becomes the enemy and an obstacle to be overcome. For some this is a problem of infancy soon outgrown, but for many others it is a life-long problem requiring special diets, emergency medication kits, and a perpetual vigilance regarding all food consumed. The Internet enables those afflicted with food hypersensitivities to learn about their condition as well as methods for dealing with it in their daily lives. This paper describes Web sites that provide information and support for those with food allergies.     

药物过敏实验室诊断及其临床意义

目的评估建立流式细胞术（FCM）分析嗜碱性粒细胞活化试验（BAT）的方法在药物过敏诊断中的意义。方法以CD63、CD203c、CD45抗体组合,建立用FCM分析药物致敏的嗜碱性粒细胞脱颗粒的方法;以皮肤点刺试验（SPT）作为金标准方法,将FCM检测活化嗜碱性粒细胞与荧光酶联免疫吸附试验（FELISA）测定特异性IgE（sIgE）结果作比较,分析其临床应用价值。结果以CD45和CD203c联合设门,可以得到纯的嗜碱性粒细胞,CD63是活化嗜碱性粒细胞的最佳标志,Spearman相关系数显示,sIgE的Unicap分级与活化嗜碱性粒细胞呈中度相关,FCM检测活化嗜碱性粒细胞与FELISA测定sIgE结果,在药物过敏性疾病诊断中的差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）,但前者的特异性、阳性似然比各项指标都优于后者。结论通过FCM分析CD63的表达来确定活化嗜碱性粒细胞,是诊断速发型超敏反应的一种有效、安全的体外检测方法。     

缓解药物过敏试验皮内注射疼痛的方法

目的：寻找缓解药物过敏试验皮内注射局部疼痛的方法。方法：随机抽取住院病人50例,采用病人自身对照,皮试药液为O．9％氯化钠0．1ml。右前臂用教学课本上所示,前臂掌侧面下1／3段内侧,针头刺入皮肤方向与前臂呈大于90°钝角注射（对照组）,左前臂腕横纹上三横指正中处,注射针头刺入皮肤方向与前臂呈90°直角注射（实验组）。观察注射时局部疼痛的发生情况。结果：对照组中疼痛率发生率为60％,实验组为24％,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）,注射后密切观察皮丘变化,两前臂注射出的皮丘在消退过程中无明显差别。结论：采用腕横纹上三横指正中处,注射针头刺入皮肤方向与前臂呈90°直角进行皮内注射可显著减少疼痛的发生,并且不影响皮试结果判断。     

Respiratory Allergies in Industry: A Review of Recent Advances and Current Clinical Practice

In the last decade significant advances have been made in ourunderstanding of allergy. Many new industrial allergens causingrespiratory disease have been discovered. This paper reviewsthe present understanding of the types of allergy commonly encounteredin industry and examines methods of detection, diagnosis andcontrol, necessary within a factory environment. A programmeof screening procedures to exclude those most likely to be affectedand to discover subjects with acute or chronic disease is discussed. The necessity for detecting long-term trends is considered,and statistical methods of analysing data from screening proceduresare outlined. Dr C. P. Juniper, Medical Adviser, Lever Brothers Ltd, Port Sunlight, Wirral, Cheshire, L62 4XN     

COVID-19 Vaccines in Children with Cow’s Milk and Food Allergies

The COVID-19 pandemic is the most challenging global health crisis of our times. Vaccination against COVID-19 plays a key role to control the current pandemic situation. The risk of allergic reactions to new COVID-19 vaccines is low. However, there is a debate on the safety in allergic patients following post marketing findings by different agencies. Our aim is to understand from current experiences whether children with cow’s milk or food allergy are at higher risk than a general population for allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. Current data indicate that patients with a history of allergy to cow’s milk or other foods, even if severe, should receive COVID-19 vaccine in a setting with availability of treatments for anaphylactic reactions and under medical supervision. Recipients should be discharged after a protracted observation period of 30 min if no reaction developed.