Simona Barni

Cytokine Expression in CD3+ Cells in an Infant with Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES): Case Report

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE-mediated food allergy characterized by severe vomiting, diarrhea, and often failure to thrive in infants. Symptoms typically resolve after the triggering food-derived protein is removed from the diet and recur within few hours after the re-exposure to the causal protein. The diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms and a positive food challenge. In this study, we report a case of FPIES to rice in an 8-month-old boy. We performed a double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) to rice and we measured the intracellular T cell expression of interleukin-4 (IL-4); IL-10, and interferon γ (IFN-γ) pre-and post-challenge during an acute FPIES reaction and when tolerance to rice had been achieved. For the first time we describe an increase in T cell IL-4 and decrease in IFN-γ expression after a positive challenge with rice (i.e. rice triggered a FPIES attack) and an increase in T cell IL-10 expression after rice challenge 6 months later after a negative challenge (i.e., the child had acquired tolerance to rice) in an 8 month old with documented FPIES to rice. A Th2 activation associated with high IL-4 levels may contribute to the pathophysiology of the disease. On the other hand, T cell-derived IL-10 may play a role in the acquisition of immunotolerance by regulating the Th1 and Th2 responses.

Amoxicillin allergy in children: five-day drug provocation test in the diagnosis of nonimmediate reactions.

BACKGROUND The drug provocation test (DPT) is the gold standard to rule out drug hypersensitivity. There are standardized DPT protocols to diagnose immediate reactions to drugs, but not for nonimmediate reactions. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to show the sensitivity and specificity of an allergy work-up that included a 5-day DPT in children with histories of nonimmediate reactions to amoxicillin through focusing on a pediatric population with histories of immediate and nonimmediate reactions to amoxicillin. METHODS Two hundred consecutive patients with histories of amoxicillin reactions referred to the Allergy Unit of Anna Meyer Childrens Hospital for suspected drug allergy from 2008 to 2011 underwent in vivo tests with the culprit drug according to European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology guidelines. Moreover, most of those children, regardless of the skin tests results, were challenged with amoxicillin for a total of 5 days. RESULTS In 4 years, 200 patients were evaluated for a history of drug hypersensitivity to amoxicillin. The majority of patients (76%) had a history of mild nonimmediate reactions. All 200 patients underwent skin tests, and 9 of 200 tested positive. A total of 177 DPTs were performed with amoxicillin for 5 days in each child. Diagnosis of amoxicillin allergy was confirmed by a DPT in 17 patients (9.6%); 14/17 had history of nonimmediate reactions; 4/14 (26.6%) reacted on day 5. CONCLUSION According to our results, a long-term DPT protocol increases the sensitivity of the allergy work-up, and it should be recommended for patients with a history of amoxicillin nonimmediate reaction.

Sensitivity and specificity of skin tests in the diagnosis of clarithromycin allergy

BACKGROUND Clarithromycin is one of the most frequently prescribed oral macrolidic antibiotics in the pediatric population. Suspected adverse reactions to clarithromycin have been frequently described by parents of children examined in pediatric allergy units, but there is a lack of reliable methods available in detecting the presence of specific IgE antibodies. OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of a clarithromycin allergy in children seen in a pediatric allergy unit using standardized skin tests and oral provocation tests (OPTs). METHODS Sixty-four children were referred with a history of a clarithromycin-associated adverse drug reaction. All these children underwent skin tests and OPTs. The nonirritating intradermal skin test concentration for clarithromycin was determined in a control group of 18 children who had tolerated clarithromycin in the previous month. RESULTS The threshold nonirritating intradermal concentration was established at the 10:2 dilution (0.5 mg/mL). Nine of the 64 children had an immediately positive intradermal response to the 10:2 dilution and only 1 child to the 10:3 dilution (0.05 mg/mL). None had positive skin prick test results or delayed skin responses to intradermal tests. Four of 64 children (6%) with previously described adverse reactions due to clarithromycin intake had a positive OPT reaction. When we correlated the intradermal skin test results to the OPT results, intradermal test sensitivity and specificity were 75% and 90%, respectively. CONCLUSION Intradermal tests seem to be useful in allergologic workup in children with suspected clarithromycin hypersensitivity and may help reduce the need for OPTs.

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome caused by fish and/or shellfish in Italy.

The study describes the demographic features, culprit foods, clinical features and outcomes for children presenting with acute fish and/or shellfish food protein‐induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) in four Italian paediatric allergy centres.

Tacrolimus vs. cyclosporine eyedrops in severe cyclosporine‐resistant vernal keratoconjunctivitis: A randomized, comparative, double‐blind, crossover study

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a chronic sight‐threatening ocular disease. Topical cyclosporine A (Cyc) has been widely administered as a steroid‐sparing drug, although in about 7–10% of cases, it has been ineffective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 0.1% topical tacrolimus (Tcr) in patients with severe VKC who failed to respond to 1% Cyc eyedrops.

Cutaneous adverse reactions to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid suspension in children: the role of sodium benzoate.

BACKGROUND In Europe amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic and sodium benzoate is contained in the suspension formulation as a preservative. OBJECTIVE We studied the relevance of sodium benzoate as the culprit agent. In a group of children with a history of adverse reactions to amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid suspension. STUDY DESIGN A total of 89 children were enrolled over a period of 3 years (2006 - 2009). Single blind oral provocation tests (OPTs) with amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid, sodium benzoate and placebo were performed. 20 children with recurrent idiopathic urticaria were investigated as a control group. RESULTS according to personal history: 70% of reactions were late in developing while 23% of reactions were immediate and for 5% of the cases it was not possible to define the timing. 8 children (8/89=9%) resulted positive to the provocation tests with amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid; ten children (10/89=11%) had positive results with sodium benzoate; 3% had a double positivity (i.e. excipient and active drug). The timing of reactions significantly differs between the Amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid and sodium benzoate groups (p=0.002). CONCLUSION Sodium benzoate probably acts through a non-immunologic mechanism and care should be given to children allergic to sodium benzoate containing pharmaceutical formulations.

Desensitization and immune tolerance induction in children with severe factor IX deficiency; inhibitors and adverse reactions to replacement therapy: a case-report and literature review.

Hemophilia B is a rare X-linked recessive disorder with plasma factor IX (FIX) deficiency. 1-3% of patients treated with exogenous FIX-containing products develop inhibitors (i.e. polyclonal high affinity immunoglobulins) that neutralize the procoagulant activity of a specific coagulation factor. Although the incidence of inhibitors in hemophilia B patients is low, most are “high titer” and frequently associated with the development of severe allergic or anaphylactic reactions. Immune tolerance induction as a strategy for inhibitor eradication was first described in 1984. Unfortunately, the overall reported success of immune tolerance induction in FIX deficiency with inhibitors is approximately 25-40%.We report the case of a 2-year-old boy with hemophilia B severe FIX deficiency (<1%), inhibitor antibodies to FIX development, and a history of adverse reactions to FIX infusions, who underwent a successful desensitization and immune tolerance induction with a daily FIX infusion. With this regimen the inhibitor titer decreased with effective bleeding prevention.

Management of acute rhinosinusitis

To cite this article: Mori F, Fiocchi A, Barni S, Beghi G, Caddeo A, Calcinai E, Contestabile S, de Martino M, Pucci N, Rossi M Elisabetta, Terracciano L, Novembre E. Management of acute rhinosinusitis. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2012: 23 (Suppl. 22): 27–31.

A kwashiorkor case due to the use of an exclusive rice milk diet to treat atopic dermatitis.

Although several cases of severe hypoalbuminemia resulting from rice milk have been described in the past, today the use of rice milk without nutritional counseling to treat eczema is still a continuing, poor practice. We describe a kwashiorkor case in an infant with severe eczema exclusively fed with rice milk. It is well documented that rice milk is not a sufficient protein source. Moreover, only a small portion of eczema is triggered by food allergy. In conclusion this case raises the importance of managing dietary changes facing food allergies with responsibility for specialized consensus among pediatricians, nutritionists, endocrinologists and allergists all of them specialist professionals.

Children monosensitized to pine nuts have similar patterns of sensitization

Several cases of pine nut allergies and anaphylaxis have been reported in the literature, but only few pine nut allergens have been characterized. The aim of this research is to identify through immunoelectrophoretic techniques the major pine nut allergens in a group of children monosensitized to pine nuts.