1/265. Cockroach allergy and asthma in a 30-year-old man.A growing body of evidence has implicated allergens derived from cockroaches as an important environmental factor that may aggravate asthma in sensitized persons. We present the case of a 30-year-old man with asthma and a cockroach allergy. Allergy skin testing confirmed hypersensitivity to cockroach extract, and a home visit revealed visual evidence of infestation and the presence of Bla g 1 German cockroach allergen in vacuumed dust. As is typical of patients with a cockroach allergy and asthma, multiple factors in addition to cockroach allergen appeared to aggravate the patient's asthma. A multimodality therapeutic regimen, which included medications as well as cleaning of the home, integrated pest management, and professional application of chemical controls, resulted in substantial clinical improvement. The pathophysiology, epidemiology, and clinical features of cockroach-allergic asthma are reviewed, and an approach to diagnosis and management is suggested.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = tract (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/265. Occupational asthma and IgE sensitization to cellulase in a textile industry worker.BACKGROUND: Although there have been a few reports of occupational asthma due to cellulase in several occupational settings, this is the first case of cellulase-induced occupational asthma in an employee working in the textile industry. Its pathogenetic mechanism remains to be further clarified. OBJECTIVE: It is important to alert physicians to the possibility of occupational asthma caused by cellulase in workers of the textile industry. methods AND RESULTS: The patient had atopy and strong positive responses to cellulase extract on skin prick tests. Bronchoprovocation test showed an early asthmatic response to cellulase extract. serum specific IgE and specific IgG4 antibodies to cellulase were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In order to further characterize the allergenic component of the extract, sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and electroblotting studies were performed. Eight IgE binding components ranging from 6 to 97.5 kD were detected within the cellulase extract. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that inhalation of cellulase can induce IgE-mediated bronchoconstrictions in employees working in the textile industry.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = tract (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/265. New occupational allergen in citrus farmers: citrus red mite (Panonychus citri).BACKGROUND: There have been several reports of occupational allergy to spider mites (tetranychidae), but no published report has described citrus red mite (CRM, Panonychus citri)-induced occupational asthma confirmed by specific bronchial challenge. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical and immunologic characteristics of CRM-induced occupational asthma. methods AND RESULTS: We encountered 16 cases of CRM-induced occupational asthma among farmers cultivating citrus fruits. Asthmatic attacks corresponded closely with their work on citrus farms. The mean duration of the latent period was 12.9 (range 7 to 20) years. During their first visit to our clinic, nine patients with FEV1 lower than 70% of predictive value showed reversible airway obstruction after inhalation of bronchodilator, and seven with FEV1 greater than 70% of predictive value showed airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine. Fifteen of the 16 also complained of recurrent nasal symptoms, which had developed at an earlier time than the asthmatic symptoms. They showed strong positive reactions to CRM extract on skin prick test (A/H ratio > or = 1.0) and had high serum specific IgE antibody against CRM which was detected by ELISA. skin prick test with common inhalant allergens revealed that 10 had an isolated positive response to CRM with negative results to common inhalant allergens in their environment. The ELISA inhibition tests with CRM demonstrated significant inhibitions by CRM in a dose-dependent manner, while minimal inhibitions were noted by D. pteronyssinus and mugwort allergens. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that CRM could induce IgE-mediated bronchoconstriction in exposed workers on citrus farm.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = tract (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/265. Pseudo-steroid resistant asthma.BACKGROUND: Steroid resistant asthma (SRA) represents a small subgroup of those patients who have asthma and who are difficult to manage. Two patients with apparent SRA are described, and 12 additional cases who were admitted to the same hospital are reviewed. methods: The subjects were selected from a tertiary hospital setting by review of all asthma patients admitted over a two year period. Subjects were defined as those who failed to respond to high doses of bronchodilators and oral glucocorticosteroids, as judged by subjective assessment, audible wheeze on examination, and serial peak flow measurements. RESULTS: In 11 of the 14 patients identified there was little to substantiate the diagnosis of severe or steroid resistant asthma apart from symptoms and upper respiratory wheeze. Useful tests to differentiate this group of patients from those with severe asthma appear to be: the inability to perform reproducible forced expiratory manoeuvres, normal airway resistance, and a concentration of histamine causing a 20% fall in the forced expiratory volume (FEV1) being within the range for normal subjects (PC20). Of the 14 subjects, four were health care staff and two reported childhood sexual abuse. CONCLUSION: Such patients are important to identify as they require supportive treatment which should not consist of high doses of glucocorticosteroids and beta2 adrenergic agonists. Diagnoses other than asthma, such as gastro-oesophageal reflux, hyperventilation, vocal cord dysfunction and sleep apnoea, should be sought as these may be a cause of glucocorticosteroid treatment failure and pseudo-SRA, and may respond to alternative treatment.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.2358171963239keywords = upper (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/265. Successful extracorporeal lung assist (ECLA) for a patient with severe asthma and cardiac arrest.A 20-year-old male had a severe asthma attack complicated by a cardiac arrest despite maximal conventional therapy including mechanical ventilation. He was treated successfully with emergency veno-arterial Extra-corporeal lung Assist started after 30 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We believe that ECLA is a life-saving measure for intractable asthma and cardiac arrest.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = tract (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/265. Occupational asthma caused by champignon flies.BACKGROUND: Occupational bronchial asthma in mushroom (champignon) workers is unusual, although reports on it appeared in 1938 and 1951; we have not found any others since those dates. Here we report the case of a 52-year-old man who works as a champignon cultivator. He suffered rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma attacks whenever he entered the champignon culture caves. We studied flies as a possible antigen source. We collected these insects from the growing sites in order to identify them, and then prepare an extract; the samples turned out to be of two families of insects of the order diptera, 98% from the Phoridae family (Brachycera suborder) and 2% from the Sciaridae (Nematocera suborder). methods: skin prick tests, conjunctival provocation tests, serum specific IgE, specific IgE-binding fractions in immunoblotting, and monitoring of PEFR (at work and off work) were performed. RESULTS: IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to these flies was demonstrated by skin prick test, conjunctival provocation test, serum specific IgE, and IgE-binding fractions in immunoblotting. Monitoring of PEFR both at work and off work showed a clear relationship between symptoms, or fall in PEFR, and the workplace. CONCLUSIONS: We report the case of a patient suffering from asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis caused by hypersensitivity to fly proteins.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = tract (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/265. Eosinophilic pneumonia with eosinophilic gastroenteritis.A 48-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with cough, fever and dysphagia. He had a past history of bronchial asthma and surgery for nasal polyp. Chest radiograph and computed tomography showed atelectasis in the right lower field and infiltrative shadow in the left lower field and overall thickening of the esophageal wall. Transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) specimens revealed infiltration of eosinophils and lymphocytes under the bronchial mucosa. gastrointestinal tract biopsy specimens showed submucosal infiltration of eosinophils. These findings led to a definite diagnosis of eosinophilic pneumonia associated with eosinophilic gastroenteritis, a disease which has been rarely reported.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = tract (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/265. A smoker with paroxysmal dyspnea.A 40-year-old woman who had experienced recurring episodes of dyspnea for 28 years presented to the emergency department with increasing shortness of breath, wheezing, and dry cough of three days' duration. She had been seen at another hospital shortly after symptoms began but left against medical advice. She did not have fever, chills, or other symptoms of upper respiratory infection.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.2358171963239keywords = upper (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/265. vocal cord dysfunction in a child.vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) involves paradoxical adduction of the vocal cord during the respiratory cycle. This usually occurs during inspiration, but can also be seen in expiration. Vocal cord appositioning produces airflow obstruction sufficient to cause wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. These symptoms often imitate the respiratory alterations of asthma, thus leading to inappropriate treatment; intubation or tracheotomy may prove necessary. An 11-year-old girl was admitted with intractable dyspnea. She had been diagnosed with atopic asthma, although she failed to respond to an increase in antiasthma medication, including high-dose oral steroids. Flow-volume loops were abnormal, with evidence of variable extrathoracic airway obstruction, manifested as a flat inspiratory loop. No structural abnormalities were seen with either computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fibroscopy revealed paradoxical adduction of the vocal cords during the respiratory cycle, no obstructive disorder being observed. After the diagnosis of VCD, the clinical manifestations resolved with psychiatric treatment. Adduction was not demonstrable at repeat fibroscopy after treatment. VCD may simulate bronchial asthma; it may also be associated with that disorder, thus masking the diagnosis. It should be suspected in patients with recurrent wheezing who fail to respond to usual asthma treatment. An early diagnosis avoids unnecessary aggressive management. Treatment should consist of respiratory and phonatory exercises; psychotherapy may be useful.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = tract (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/265. Tracheal neurilemmoma mimicking bronchial asthma--a dilemma of difficult diagnosis: case report.Tracheal tumors are often overlooked as a cause of pulmonary symptoms until they reach an advanced state. They are often presented with a prolonged cough and shortness of breath. Most tracheal tumors in adults are cancerous (80% to 90%). Benign tracheal tumors are rare in adult patients. A case history is presented of a 19-year-old patient with a rare tracheal neurilemmoma. He was treated as having bronchial asthma initially, but his signs and symptoms did not improve with traditional therapy. The possibility of the presence of an upper airway obstruction was not raised until the typical "inspiratory tubular sound" was heard. Flow-volume loop testing, bronchoscopy, and three-dimensional computed tomography (3-D CT) confirmed the diagnosis of upper airway obstruction caused by a tracheal tumor. Therefore, surgical intervention rather than bronchoscopic removal was performed without difficulty. The patient was leading a stable life 8 months after a surgical resection. The presence of an upper airway obstruction can be proven by flow-volume loop testing and 3-D CT. Further pathologic confirmation can be accomplished by bronchoscopy. High suspicion of an upper airway obstruction such as a tracheal lesion should be raised when bronchial asthma patients fail to respond to conventional treatment.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4.9432687852958keywords = upper (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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