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Relationship of circulating hyaluronic Acid levels to disease control in asthma and asthmatic pregnancy.

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Relationship of circulating hyaluronic Acid levels to disease control in asthma and asthmatic pregnancy.

PLoS One. 2014;9(4):e94678

Authors: Eszes N, Toldi G, Bohács A, Ivancsó I, Müller V, Rigó J, Losonczy G, Vásárhelyi B, Tamási L

Abstract
Uncontrolled asthma is a risk factor for pregnancy-related complications. Hyaluronic acid (HA), a potential peripheral blood marker of tissue fibrosis in various diseases, promotes eosinophil survival and plays a role in asthmatic airway inflammation as well as in physiological processes necessary to maintain normal pregnancy; however the level of circulating HA in asthma and asthmatic pregnancy is unknown. We investigated HA levels in asthmatic patients (N = 52; asthmatic pregnant (AP) N = 16; asthmatic non-pregnant (ANP) N = 36) and tested their relationship to asthma control. Serum HA level was lower in AP than in ANP patients (27 [24.7-31.55] vs. 37.4 [30.1-66.55] ng/mL, p = 0.006); the difference attenuated to a trend after its adjustment for patients' age (p = 0.056). HA levels and airway resistance were positively (r = 0.467, p = 0.004), HA levels and Asthma Control Test (ACT) total score inversely (r = -0.437, p = 0.01) associated in ANP patients; these relationships remained significant even after their adjustments for age. The potential value of HA in the determination of asthma control was analyzed using ROC analysis which revealed that HA values discriminate patients with ACT total score ≥20 (controlled patients) and <20 (uncontrolled patients) with a 0.826 efficacy (AUC, 95% CI: 0.69-0.97, p = 0.001) when 37.4 ng/mL is used as cut-off value in ANP group, and with 0.78 efficacy (AUC, 95% CI: 0.65-0.92, p = 0.0009) in the whole asthmatic cohort. In conclusion circulating HA might be a marker of asthma control, as it correlates with airway resistance and has good sensitivity in the detection of impaired asthma control. Decrease of HA level in pregnancy may be the consequence of pregnancy induced immune tolerance.

PMID: 24736408 [PubMed - in process]

Disrupted lung development and bronchopulmonary dysplasia: opportunities for lung repair and regeneration.

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Disrupted lung development and bronchopulmonary dysplasia: opportunities for lung repair and regeneration.

Curr Opin Pediatr. 2014 Apr 15;

Authors: Baker CD, Alvira CM

Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Advances in medical therapy have increased survival of extremely premature infants and changed the pathology of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) from one of acute lung injury to a disease of disrupted lung development. With this evolution, new questions emerge regarding the molecular mechanisms that control postnatal lung development, the effect of early disruptions of postnatal lung development on long-term lung function, and the existence of endogenous mechanisms that permit lung regeneration after injury.
RECENT FINDINGS: Recent data demonstrate that a significant component of alveolarization, the final stage of lung development, occurs postnatally. Further, clinical and experimental studies demonstrate that premature birth disrupts alveolarization, decreasing the gas exchange surface area of the lung and causing BPD. BPD is associated with significant short-term morbidity, and new longitudinal, clinical data demonstrate that survivors of BPD have long-standing deficits in lung function and may be at risk for the development of additional lung disease as adults. Unfortunately, current care is mainly supportive with few effective therapies that prevent or treat established BPD. These studies underscore the need to further elucidate the mechanisms that direct postnatal lung growth and develop innovative strategies to stimulate lung regeneration.
SUMMARY: Despite significant improvements in the care and survival of extremely premature infants, BPD remains a major clinical problem. Although efforts should remain focused on the prevention of preterm labor and BPD, novel research aimed at promoting postnatal alveolarization offers a unique opportunity to develop effective strategies to treat established BPD.

PMID: 24739494 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Association between Breastfeeding and Severity of Acute Viral Respiratory Tract Infection.

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In a cross-sectional analysis of 629 mother-infants dyads, breastfeeding (ever vs. never) was associated with a decreased relative odds of a lower versus upper respiratory tract infection (AOR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.99). There was not a significant association between breastfeeding and bronchiolitis severity score or length of hospital stay.

The Association between Influenza Treatment and Hospitalization-Associated Outcomes among Korean Children with Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza.

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There are limited data evaluating the relationship between influenza treatment and hospitalization duration. Our purpose assessed the association between different treatments and hospital stay among Korean pediatric influenza patients.

Total 770 children ≤ 15 yr-of-age hospitalized with community-acquired laboratory-confirmed influenza at three large urban tertiary care hospitals were identified through a retrospective medical chart review. Demographic, clinical, and cost data were extracted and a multivariable linear regression model was used to assess the associations between influenza treatment types and hospital stay. Overall, there were 81% of the patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza who received antibiotic monotherapy whereas only 4% of the patients received oseltamivir monotherapy. The mean treatment-related charges for hospitalizations treated with antibiotics, alone or with oseltamivir, were significantly higher than those treated with oseltamivir-only (P < 0.001). Influenza patients treated with antibiotics-only and antibiotics/oseltamivir combination therapy showed 44.9% and 28.2%, respectively, longer duration of hospitalization compared to those treated with oseltamivir-only.

Patients treated with antibiotics, alone or combined with oseltamivir, were associated with longer hospitalization and significantly higher medical charges, compared to patients treated with oseltamivir alone. In Korea, there is a need for more judicious use of antibiotics, appropriate use of influenza rapid testing.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia and humoral immunodeficiency - Is there a missing link?

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) and humoral mmunodeficiency (HID) are both rare disorders which cause recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the concurrence of PCD and HID in a patient cohort with known PCD.
METHODS: Retrospective review of the patient files.

RESULTS: We describe 11 patients of a cohort of 168 patients with PCD (6.5%) with a combination of PCD and some form of HID. The patients all presented with typical clinical symptoms for PCD, however the role of the concomitant immunological abnormalities is not clear.

CONCLUSION: PCD and HID coincided in 6.5% of the patients. We suggest that a common pathophysiological pathway results in both disorders.

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