Roxana I. Siles

Allergy blood testing: A practical guide for clinicians.

Blood tests are available that measure levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) against specific allergens such as foods, inhalants, medications, latex, and venoms. These tests can confirm the diagnosis of an allergic disorder, supplementing a clinical history consistent with an immediate allergic reaction. They are particularly useful when skin testing cannot or should not be performed. These tests can confirm the diagnosis of an allergic disorder, supplementing the clinical history. They are particularly useful when skin testing cannot or should not be done.

The Utility of Serum Tryptase as a Marker in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria

© 2013 The Authors. doi: 10.2340/00015555-1486 Journal Compilation

Monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis and hypogammaglobulinaemia.

Keywords: monoclonal B cell lymphocytosis; B cell lymphocytosis; hypogammaglobulinaemia; infection

Triple Disease Combination: Familial Mediterranean Fever, Crohn's Disease, and Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria with Angioedema.

(n 1⁄4 47) or by 13C urea breath test (n 1⁄4 3). Of this cohort, 40 patients were affected by lymphocytic colitis and 10 by collagenous colitis. H. pylori resulted positive in 18 patients (36%), of whom 13 affected by lymphocytic colitis and 5 affected by collagenous colitis; the difference was not statistically significant (Chi-squared test, P 1⁄4 0.51). These data were compared with a control population of 404 subjects suffering from constipation, who underwent urea breath test for study purposes. This cohort included 224 women (55.4%) and 180 men (44.6%) (statistically significant difference with cases, P 1⁄4 0.038), with median age of 55 years (not statistically significant different, Mann–Whitney test, P 1⁄4 0.4). H. pylori infection was reported in 166 controls (41.1%), without difference with cases (Chi-squared test, P 1⁄4 0.59). Of the 18 patients with H. pylori positive status in the MC populations, in 8 (44%), the H. pylori infection was eradicated before the diagnosis of MC. Thus, at the diagnosis of MC, only 10 patients (20%) were H. pylori positive. Considering patients with history of H. pylori positivity but with eradication before the diagnosis of MC as patients with negative H. pylori status, there was a statistically significant difference between cases and controls (Chi-squared test, P 1⁄4 0.006). In conclusion, to be H. pylori negative, ab initio or after antibiotic treatment seem to be a risk factor for the onset of MC.