Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews - Volume 13, Issue 1, 2017

Background: Changes in sex hormone levels, occurring both in premenstrual phase and in menstrual cycle, can affect pulmonary function and inflammation, favoring, the onset of premenstrual asthma (PMA). However, to date, due to the lack of consistent data, this clinical entity is not well characterized. Objective: This systematic review aims to analyze the latest data and advances on the PMA. Methods: Following PRISMA g Read More

Background: HMGB1 is a marker of inflammation that belongs to the alarmins family promoting an immediate activation of the innate immune response, such as chemotaxis and proinflammatory cytokine release, in response to tissue damage. The aim of this mini review is summarized what is known about the role of HMGB1 in onset and development of allergic and not allergic respiratory disorders. Methods: A literature Read More

Allergic diseases have substantially increased in all western countries and the cause of this increase would appear to be related to both environmental changes and the western lifestyle. There is a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors that can influence the onset of allergic diseases. The activation of the innate immune system, caused by microbial stimulation, seems to have a key role in nor Read More

Anti-IgE treatment represents a major breakthrough in the therapeutic management of severe allergic asthma. Omalizumab is the unique biologic treatment registered for asthma therapy in children. The clinical efficacy and safety of omalizumab treatment in the pediatric population has been extensively documented in specific trials and consistently expanded from real-life studies. In addition, new experimental evidence sugge Read More

Background: Recurrent respiratory infections (RRIs) are very common in early life, and constituting a social problem concerning the family, the paediatrician and pharma-economy. Although the relation between atopy and RRIs has been evaluated in several studies, the data are not still conclusive. Objectives: The aim of the study were: (i) to determine the type, the number and the total duration of RRIs recorded during f Read More

Background: Anti-IgE treatment represents a major breakthrough in the therapeutic management of severe allergic asthma. To date, omalizumab is the only biological drug currently licensed as add-on therapy in children aged ≥ 6 years with moderate-to-severe and severe allergic asthma uncontrolled after treatment with high dose of inhaled corticosteroids plus long-acting inhaled beta2-agonist. The clinical efficacy and sa Read More

Background: Asthma is characterized by chronic airway inflammation that is controlled by a complex cytokine network. Inhaled corticosteroid and short acting β2-agonists treatment improve asthma control. Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate if a combination of fluticasone and formoterol is effective to assure a protective effect against EIB 15 min and 4 hours after administration in adolescent with persistent ast Read More

Background: The clinical presentation of lower respiratory tract illness in children frequently resembles more than one disease entities of those described in textbooks. Not uncommonly, terms like “bronchiolitis”, “bronchitis”, “asthma exacerbation”, “bronchopneumonia” and “pneumonia”are used interchangeably. Methods: In this article, a didactic simplified algorithm for the management of the child from the Read More

Background: Intrathoracic Gossypiboma refers to a retained surgical sponge in the thoracic cavity. It is a rare entity which is capable of producing serious complications. Objective: The aim of this study was to review case reports in the English literature on diagnosed and undiagnosed intrathoracic gossypibomas to heighten the awareness of this entity and decrease the rate of future misdiagnosis. Method: In reviewing Read More