Laboratory screening test with inhalant and food allergens in atopic Brazilian children and adolescents : a performance

The Phadiatop Infant (R)) is a panel developed to assess allergic sensitization (immunoglobulin E [IgE]) in children aged <5 years and combines inhalant and food allergens. The test has not been evaluated outside Europe. This is a cross-sectional study conducted at 11 pediatric allergy centers to evaluate PhInf as an allergic disease screening method in Brazilian children. Children as controls and patients (aged 6 months-18 years) were grouped according to their primary disease and age group. PhInf and specific serum IgE (sIgE) screening was performed for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (DP), cat and dog epithelia, a mix of grasses and pollens, eggs, cow's milk, peanuts, and shrimp. Values >= 0.35 kU (A)/L (or PAU/L) were considered positive. A total of 470 children and adolescents, which included 385 patients and 85 controls, participated in the study (47.7% boys, average age: 6.3 years). In all, 72.6% of the participants had positive PhInf test (n = 341), with a higher proportion of those having food allergy (92.6%), atopic dermatitis (91.9%), and those aged >13 years having allergy (95%). The PhInf and sIgE agreement between patients (Kappa = 0.94, P < 0.001) and controls (Kappa = 0.84, P < 0.001) was high. PhInf and DP agreement in patients aged >13 years was excellent (Kappa = 0.936, P < 0.001). Compared with sIgE dosage, PhInf had high sensitivity (97%) and specificity (93%). Positivity of PhInf test in this population was high and had an excellent correlation with the allergens comprising the panel. It is a useful method for screening children suspected of having allergic diseases in a non-European country

Doctors' awareness concerning primary immunodeficiencies in Brazil

Background: PIDs are a heterogeneous group of genetic illnesses, and delay in their diagnosis is thought to be caused by a lack of awareness among physicians concerning PIDs. the latter is what we aimed to evaluate in Brazil.Methods: Physicians working at general hospitals all over the country were asked to complete a 14-item questionnaire. One of the questions described 25 clinical situations that could be associated with PIDs and a score was created based on percentages of appropriate answers.Results: A total of 4026 physicians participated in the study: 1628 paediatricians (40.4%), 1436 clinicians (35.7%), and 962 surgeons (23.9%). About 67% of the physicians had learned about PIDs in medical school or residency training, 84.6% evaluated patients who frequently took antibiotics, but only 40.3% of them participated in the immunological evaluation of these patients. Seventy-seven percent of the participating physicians were not familiar with the warning signs for PIDs. the mean score of correct answers for the 25 clinical situations was 48.08% (+/- 16.06). Only 18.3% of the paediatricians, 7.4% of the clinicians, and 5.8% of the surgeons answered at least 2/3 of these situations appropriately.Conclusions: There is a lack of medical awareness concerning PIDs, even among paediatricians, who have been targeted with PID educational programmes in recent years in Brazil. An increase in awareness with regard to these disorders within the medical community is an important step towards improving recognition and treatment of PIDs. (C) 2014 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.Jeffrey Modell FoundationBrazilian Jeffrey Modell CentreUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Pernambuco, Recife, PE, BrazilUniv Hosp, Brasilia, DF, BrazilChildrens Hosp, Brasilia, DF, BrazilAlbert Sabin Childrens Hosp, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Estadual Montes Claros, Montes Claros, BrazilUniv Fed Parana, BR-80060000 Curitiba, Parana, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto, BrazilFac Med Sao Jose Rio Preto, Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, BrazilUniv Hosp Sao Vicente Paulo, Passo Fundo, BrazilJoana Gusmao Childrens Hosp, Florianopolis, SC, BrazilUniv Hosp Muller, Fac Med, Cuiaba, BrazilUniv Fed Mato Grosso, Cuiaba, BrazilNipo Brasileiro Hosp, São Paulo, BrazilHosp lsraelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, BrazilUniv Fed Uberlandia, BR-38400 Uberlandia, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Bahia, Complexo Hosp Univ Prof Edgar Santos, Salvador, BA, BrazilUniv Estadual Piaui, Teresina, BrazilABC, Fac Med, Santo Andre, BrazilUniv Fed Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilUniv Ctr Para, Belem, Para, BrazilMed Course Lusiada Univ Ctr UNILUS, Dept Pediat, Santos, BrazilUniv Fed Sergipe, Aracaju, BrazilHosp Servidor Publ Municipal, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Inst Biomed Sci, BR-05508 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Estadual Campinas, Sch Med, Dept Pediat, Campinas, BrazilPrivate Off, Macapa, BrazilHosp Ministro Costa Cavalcanti, Foz Do Iguacu, BrazilChildrens Hosp Cosme & Damitio, Rondonia, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc