The last issue of Allergologia et Immunopathologia in 2015 contains a wide variety of issues related to several conditions, both allergic and immunological. Curiously three of the papers are devoted to exhaled breath compounds in asthma and/or related conditions. In the first one, a group from Chile establishes the cut-off point of exhaled FeNO for normal children 8–15 years of age, above of which an eosinophilic lung inflammation should be considered. FeNO is also the topic of the review of the present issue of A&I: the Italian group describes how FeNO measurement is a useful tool for diagnosing, following up and tailoring the treatment of asthmatic children. Annexin A5, an anti-inflammatory mediator, is the subject of the third paper devoted to exhaled breath composition (condensate –EBC–, in this case). Although being a preliminary study, the group from Turkey shows that those children with higher values of annexin A5 in EBC were negative to an exercise induced bronchoconstriction and suggests that this compound might be a future therapeutic target.
There are also several studies coming from the epidemiological field. Two of them are part of the EISL (Estudio Internacional de Sibilancias en Lactantes), a widespread study involving many centres in numerous countries focused on wheezing during the first year of life. In this issue of the journal we have results from a centre in Spain (Cantabria) and from another one from Brazil (Sao Paulo). The first one is a descriptive study that shows that one third of infants experience at least one episode of wheeze during the first year of life and explores the risk and protective factors of this condition. The second one looks at the specific issue of BMI gain and arrives to the conclusion that a rapid BMI gain is a risk factor for more severe patterns of wheeze in infancy among girls.
Also in the epidemiological field of asthma, a short report from Spain shows that exposure to pets during the first year of life might act as a protective factor against sensitization to dust mites, this protection being higher in children with no siblings. Continuing with the epidemiological field, a paper from Turkey finds that actual drug allergy was found only in 18% of patients with suspected drug hypersensitivity reactions.
An original study on allergic rhinitis addresses the association of this condition with 25-hidroxicolecalciferol concentration in tears. This group, also from Turkey, shows that the levels of this vitamin are higher in children with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, thus suggesting a possible mechanistic pathway to further explore.
Two immunological diseases are also focused in the present issue of A&I. Autosomal dominant Hyper-IgE syndrome is the subject of the first one. The authors, from Colombia, show that several innate immune mediators, such as IL-12p70, TNF-alpha and IL-10 are increased in peripheral blood cells after several stimuli. A second report, from the United Kingdom, shows that – although the population was limited – SH2D1A gene mutations do not seem to be associated to non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma in Iranian paediatric patients.
Chronic urticaria (CU) is the theme of one of the articles of the present issue of A&I. In particular, the authors from Spain measure diamine oxidase (DAO) levels in patients with this condition and show that DAO levels depend on the of fish eating habits. In those patients with CU associated to Anisakis sensitization, DAO levels are related to the amount of specific IgE against the Anisakis antigen.
To end, two papers are devoted to the genetics of allergic diseases. An original report, again from Turkey, found no evidence for an association between rhinitis and polymorphisms of C677T and A1298C for methylenetetrahydropholate reductase, an important enzyme in folate metabolism, which might be related to allergy. In the series on the genetics of allergic diseases, a review on genome wide association studies (GWAS) on asthma is also included in this issue of our journal.
I really hope this last issue of 2015 is of interest for the readers of Allergologia et Immunopathologia.
