Milos Jesenak

Immunomodulatory effect of pleuran (β-glucan from Pleurotus ostreatus) in children with recurrent respiratory tract infections

OBJECTIVES Recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) represent a very important problem in daily clinical practice because of their significant contribution to morbidity in children. Several natural nutritional supplements have been used in the prevention of RRTIs, but the clinical efficacy of only a few preparations is supported by scientific evidence. MATERIALS AND METHODS In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, multicentre study, we have observed a group of 175 children (aged 5.65 ± 2.39 years) with more than 5 respiratory infections that occurred during the 12 months prior to the beginning of the study. Children were randomised into an active group, treated with Imunoglukan P4H® syrup (with pleuran-β-glucan from Pleurotus ostreatus and vitamin C), or a placebo group (vitamin C only). During the 3 visits, within a 12-month period, questionnaires were completed, and blood samples were examined for immune parameters. RESULTS In the active group, 36% of the children did not suffer from any respiratory infections throughout the treatment, compared to 21% in the placebo group (p<0.05). Imunoglukan P4H® also significantly decreased the frequency of flu and flu-like disease and the number of lower respiratory tract infections. Imunoglukan P4H® treatment resulted in a statistically significant modulation of humoral and cellular immunity. CONCLUSIONS Results from this study demonstrate that Imunoglukan P4H® is effective in the prevention of RRTIs in children. Furthermore, our results also revealed complex immunomodulatory activity of this product. This is the first double-blind, placebo-controlled study in children with RRTIs that has addressed the preventive effects of pleuran on morbidity caused by respiratory infections.

Children's health and mercury exposure

The reason why mercury is dangerous is that once released into the environment it cannot be removed and is rapidly transformed by microorganisms into organic compounds that tend to bioaccumulate and biomagnify in animals. The principal organic compound is methylmercury (MeHg). The primary route of exposure to MeHg for humans is consumption of fish. The safe dose (reference dose, RfD) of MeHg that can be consumed without neurotoxicological consequences is 0.1 µg per kg b.w./day. According to available data, the whole population of certain European countries or people who consume large quantities of fish are exposed to doses of MeHg that exceed the RfD. Given this level of mercury exposure, in order to avoid or reduce the expected neurotoxic consequences on foetuses we propose the following strategy:

Factors attributable to the level of exhaled nitric oxide in asthmatic children.

BackgroundAsthma is a heterogeneous disease with variable symptoms especially in children. Exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) has proved to be a marker of inflammation in the airways and has become a substantial part of clinical management of asthmatic children due to its potential to predict possible exacerbation and adjust the dose of inhalant corticosteroids.ObjectivesWe analyzed potential factors that contribute to the variability of nitric oxide in various clinical and laboratory conditions.Materials and methodsStudy population consisted of 222 asthmatic children and 27 healthy control subjects. All children underwent a panel of tests: fractioned exhaled nitric oxide, exhaled carbon monoxide, asthma control test scoring, blood sampling, skin prick tests, and basic spirometry.ResultsFeNO and other investigated parameters widely changed according to clinical or laboratory characteristics of the tested children. Asthmatics showed increased levels of FeNO, exhaled carbon monoxide, total serum IgE, and higher eosinophilia. Boys had higher FeNO levels than girls. We found a significant positive correlation between FeNO levels and the percentage of blood eosinophils, %predicted of forced vital capacity, total serum IgE levels, and increasing age.ConclusionsVarious phenotypes of childrens asthma are characterized by specific pattern of the results of clinical and laboratory tests. FeNO correlates with total serum IgE, blood eosinophilia, age, and some spirometric parameters with different strength. Therefore, the coexistence of atopy, concomitant allergic rhinitis/rhinoconjunctivitis, and some other parameters should be considered in critical evaluation of FeNO in the management of asthmatic children.

Epidemiology of atopy patch tests with food and inhalant allergens in an unselected population of children

Atopy patch test (APT) has been used as a diagnostic tool in patients with suspected food or inhalant allergy. This study assessed the prevalence of positive APT with food or inhalant allergens in an unselected population of schoolchildren. We also evaluated the link between positive APT reactions and skin‐prick tests (SPT) for food and inhalant allergens, circulating eosinophils and histamine skin reactivity. We studied an unselected population of 380 children aged 9 or 13 yr living in Rome, Italy. APTs were carried out with food (native or standardized) and inhalant allergens. All the children also underwent skin‐prick testing with five common inhalant and four food allergens. We also measured eosinophil cell counts and histamine skin reactivity. The prevalence of positive APT reactions for foods in unselected children ranged between 4% and 11% for hen’s egg, tomato, and wheat flour and was similar for both age groups studied. The prevalence of positive APT for milk was significantly lower in children aged 13 than in children aged 9 (p = 0.013). No concordance emerged between positive APT and SPT for foods. Conversely, APT and SPT for inhalant allergens yielded statistically significant concordance (p < 0.001). APT produces positive reactions for food or inhalant allergens in a significant number of subjects in the general population of schoolchildren. Age influences the prevalence of positive APTs with cow’s milk to some extent. Inhalant allergens probably induce a positive APT reaction through an immunoglobulin E‐linked process, while food allergens probably do not.

Pulmonary Manifestations of Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders in Children

Primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) are inherited disorders in which one or several components of immune system are decreased, missing, or of non-appropriate function. These diseases affect the development, function, or morphology of the immune system. The group of PID comprises more than 200 different disorders and syndromes and the number of newly recognized and revealed deficiencies is still increasing. Their clinical presentation and complications depend on the type of defects and there is a great variability in the relationship between genotypes and phenotypes. A variation of clinical presentation across various age categories is also presented and children could widely differ from adult patients with PID. Respiratory symptoms and complications present a significant cause of morbidity and also mortality among patients suffering from different forms of PIDs and they are observed both in children and adults. They can affect primarily either upper airways (e.g., sinusitis and otitis media) or lower respiratory tract [e.g., pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiectasis, and interstitial lung diseases (ILDs)]. The complications from lower respiratory tract are usually considered to be more important and also more specific for PIDs and they determinate patients’ prognosis. The spectrum of the causal pathogens usually demonstrates typical pattern characteristic for each PID category. The respiratory signs of PIDs can be divided into infectious (upper and lower respiratory tract infections and complications) and non-infectious (ILDs, bronchial abnormalities – especially bronchiectasis, malignancies, and benign lymphoproliferation). Early diagnosis and appropriate therapy can prevent or at least slow down the development and course of respiratory complications of PIDs.

β-Glucans in the treatment and prevention of allergic diseases.

β-glucans are a group of biologically active polysaccharides of natural origin with a proven pleiotropic immunomodulation effect. Their efficacy has been confirmed in the therapeutic treatment and prevention of various infectious diseases, secondary immune defects and also of oncologic disorders. Allergic diseases are one of the most frequent diseases and their prevalence continues to increase. They develop as a consequence of dysregulation of the immune system, especially when there is failure in the equilibrium of the response of TH1/TH2 lymphocytes towards TH2. New therapeutic approaches in the treatment of immunopathological conditions (e.g. allergic or oncologic) are directed to restoring the equilibrium among different T lymphocyte subpopulations. Based on in vitro experiments, and also on animal and human clinical studies, there is much evidence for the importance of β-glucans in the treatment and also prevention of allergic diseases; this opens new perspectives on the use of this widespread and popular group of natural substances.

Frecuencia del polimorfismo -262 C/T en el gen de la catalasa y lesión oxidativa en niños eslovacos con asma bronquial

INTRODUCTION Bronchial asthma is a complex disease in which genetic factors, environmental factors and oxidative damage are responsible for the initiation and modulation of disease progression. If antioxidant mechanisms fail, reactive oxygen species damage the biomolecules followed by progression of the disease. Catalase is one of the most important endogenous enzymatic antioxidants. In the present study, we examined the hypothesis that increased oxidative damage and polymorphism in the CAT gene (-262 promoter region, C/T) are associated with childhood bronchial asthma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Genotyping of the polymorphisms in the CAT gene in healthy (249) and asthmatic children (248) was performed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Markers of oxidative damage: content of sulfhydryl groups and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were determined by spectrophotometry in children. RESULTS The TT genotype of catalase was more frequent among the asthmatic patients (22.6%) than in healthy children (4.8%) (odds ratio=5.63; 95% confidence interval=2.93-10.81, P<.001). The amount of sulfhydryl groups decreased significantly and conversely, the content of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances increased significantly in bronchial asthma and in catalase TT genotype compared to other catalase genotypes of this gene. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that catalase polymorphism might participate in development of bronchial asthma and in enhanced oxidative damage in asthmatic children. Genetic variation of enzymatic antioxidants may modulate disease risk.

Anti-allergic effect of Pleuran (β-glucan from Pleurotus ostreatus) in children with recurrent respiratory tract infections.

Recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) present a very important problem in paediatric praxis. As true immunodeficiencies are rare, one of the most important factors assumed to contribute to increased respiratory morbidity is atopy. Several preparations of natural origin have been used for the prevention of RRTIs, and some of the most effective immunomodulators are biologically active polysaccharides – e.g. ß‐glucans. In our randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study, we investigated the prevalence of atopy in a group of children with RRTIs and the potential anti‐allergic effect of pleuran (ß‐glucan isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus) on basic laboratory markers of allergic inflammation. We confirmed that atopy may be an important factor contributing to the increased respiratory morbidity in children with RRTIs. The active treatment with pleuran resulted in a significant reduction of peripheral blood eosinophilia and stabilised the levels of total IgE in serum. This was more evident in atopic subjects. Pleuran showed a potential anti‐allergic effect. This previously non‐described effect could expand the application of this natural immunomodulator also as a complementary adjuvant therapy in allergic patients. Copyright

Staphylococcus intermedius—rare pathogen of acute meningitis

We report the first case of acute meningitis caused by a rare, atypical pathogen. An 11-month-old infant was admitted to hospital with clinical symptoms typical of acute meningitis. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed an elevated neutrophil cell count and high proteins. Microbiological examination of the fluid confirmed an atypical cause of meningitis--Staphylococcus intermedius. Antibiotic therapy with cefotaxime was successful and the child made a full recovery.

Beta-palmitate – a natural component of human milk in supplemental milk formulas

The composition and function of human milk is unique and gives a basis for the development of modern artificial milk formulas that can provide an appropriate substitute for non-breastfed infants. Although human milk is not fully substitutable, modern milk formulas are attempting to mimic human milk and partially substitute its complex biological positive effects on infants. Besides the immunomodulatory factors from human milk, research has been focused on the composition and structure of human milk fat with a high content of β-palmitic acid (sn-2 palmitic acid, β-palmitate). According to the available studies, increasing the content of β-palmitate added to milk formulas promotes several beneficial physiological functions. β-palmitate positively influences fatty acid metabolism, increases calcium absorption, improves bone matrix quality and the stool consistency, and has a positive effect on the development of the intestinal microbiome.