Racemic epinephrine compared to salbutamol in hospitalized young children with bronchiolitis; a randomized controlled clinical trial [ISRCTN46561076]

BACKGROUND: Bronchiolitis is the most common cause of lower respiratory tract illness in infancy, and hospital admission rates appear to be increasing in Canada and the United States. Inhaled beta agonists offer only modest short-term improvement. Trials of racemic epinephrine have shown conflicting results. We sought to determine if administration of racemic epinephrine during hospital stay for bronchiolitis improved respiratory distress, was safe, and shortened length of stay. METHODS: The study was a randomized, double-blind controlled trial of aerosolized racemic epinephrine compared to salbutamol every one to 4 hours in previously well children aged 6 weeks to ≤ 2 years of age hospitalized with bronchiolitis. The primary outcome was symptom improvement as measured by the Respiratory Distress Assessment Instrument (RDAI); secondary outcomes were length of stay in hospital, adverse events, and report of symptoms by structured parental telephone interview one week after discharge. RESULTS: 62 children with a mean age of 6.4 months were enrolled; 80% of children had Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Racemic epinephrine resulted in significant improvement in wheezing and the total RDAI score on day 2 and over the entire stay (p < 0.05). The mean LOS in the epinephrine arm was 2.6 days (95% CI 2, 3.2) v. 3.4 days in those in the salbutamol group (95% CI 2.6, 4.2) (p > 0.05). Adverse events were not significantly different in the two arms. At one week post-discharge, over half of parents reported that their child still had a respiratory symptom and 40% had less than normal feeding. CONCLUSION: Racemic epinephrine relieves respiratory distress in hospitalized infants with bronchiolitis and is safe but does not abbreviate hospital stay. Morbidity associated with bronchiolitis as identified by parents persists for at least one week after hospital discharge in most infants

Subjective health legacy of the Chornobyl accident: a comparative study of 19-year olds in Kyiv

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Since the Chornobyl accident in 1986, the physical health of exposed children in Ukraine has been monitored, but their perceived health has not been studied. This study examines health perceptions of Ukrainian adolescents exposed to radioactive fallout <it>in utero </it>or as infants, and the epidemiologic and Chornobyl-related influences on self-reported health.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>We assessed three groups of 19-year olds in Kyiv: 262 evacuees from contaminated areas near the plant; 261 classmate controls; and 325 population-based controls. The evacuees and classmates were previously assessed at age 11. Structured interviews were conducted with the adolescents and their mothers (N = 766), followed by general physical examinations (N = 722) and blood tests (N = 707). Proportional odds logistic regression and multi-group path analysis were the major statistical tests.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The examination and blood test results were similar across groups except for a significantly elevated rate of thyroid enlargement found by palpation in evacuees (17.8%) compared former classmates (8.7%) and population-based controls (8.0%). In addition, four evacuees and one population control had had a thyroidectomy. Compared to controls, the evacuees rated their health the least positively and reported more medically diagnosed illnesses during the 5 years preceding the interview, particularly thyroid disease, migraine headache, and vascular dystony. The consistent risk factors (p < 0.001) for these subjective health reports were evacuee status, female gender, multiple hospitalizations, and health risk perception regarding Chornobyl. All three groups of mothers rated their children's health more negatively than the adolescents themselves, and maternal ratings were uniquely associated with the adolescents' health reports in the adjusted models. In the longitudinal evacuee and classmate subsamples, path analysis showed that mothers' health ratings when the children were age 11 predicted their later evaluations which in turn were associated with the adolescent self-reports.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The more negative self-evaluations of the evacuees were linked to a number of risk factors, including multiple hospitalizations, health risk perceptions, and epidemiologic risk factors. The increased rate of thyroid cancer and other diagnoses no doubt contributed to the evacuees' less positive subjective health. The strong effect of the mothers' perceptions argues in favor of developing risk communication programs for families rather than for mothers or adolescents as separate target groups.</p

Comorbidity of eczema, rhinitis, and asthma in IgE-sensitised and non-IgE-sensitised children in MeDALL: a population-based cohort study

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Organic carbon content and carbon isotope variations across the Permo-Triassic boundary in the Gartnerkofel-1 borehole, Carnic Alps, Austria

The Gartnerkofel borehole is one of the most thoroughly studied and described Permo-Triassic sections in the world. Detailed bulk organic carbon isotope studies show a negative base shift from − 24‰ to − 28‰ in the Latest Permian which latter value persists into the Earliest Triassic after which it decreases slightly to − 26‰. Two strongly negative peaks of > − 38‰ in the Latest Permian and a lesser peak of − 31‰ in the Early Triassic are too negative to be due to a greater proportion of more negative organic matter and must be due to very negative methane effects. The overall change to more negative values across the Bulla/Tesero boundary fits the relative rise in sea level for this transition based on the facies changes. A positive shift in organic carbon isotope values at the Late Permian Event Horizon may be due to an increase in land-derived organic detritus at this level—a feature shown by all Tethyan Permo-Triassic boundary sections though these other sections do not have the same values. Carbonate carbon isotope trends are similar in all sections dropping by 2–3 units across the Permo-Triassic boundary. Gartnerkofel carbonate oxygen values are surprisingly, considering the ubiquitous dolomitization, compatible with values elsewhere and indicate reasonable tropical temperatures of 60 °C in the Latest Permian sabkhas to 20–40 °C in the overlying marine transition beds. Increased land-derived input at the Late Permian Event Horizon may be due to offshore transport by tsunamis whose deposits have been recognized in India at this level

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is associated with allergic rhinitis in children with asthma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Allergic rhinitis (AR) affects up to 80% of children with asthma and increases asthma severity. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a key mediator of allergic inflammation. The role of the TSLP gene (<it>TSLP</it>) in the pathogenesis of AR has not been studied.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To test for associations between variants in <it>TSLP</it>, <it>TSLP</it>-related genes, and AR in children with asthma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We genotyped 15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in <it>TSLP, OX40L, IL7R</it>, and <it>RXRα </it>in three independent cohorts: 592 asthmatic Costa Rican children and their parents, 422 nuclear families of North American children with asthma, and 239 Swedish children with asthma. We tested for associations between these SNPs and AR. As we previously reported sex-specific effects for <it>TSLP</it>, we performed overall and sex-stratified analyses. We additionally performed secondary analyses for gene-by-gene interactions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Across the three cohorts, the T allele of <it>TSLP </it>SNP rs1837253 was undertransmitted in boys with AR and asthma as compared to boys with asthma alone. The SNP was associated with reduced odds for AR (odds ratios ranging from 0.56 to 0.63, with corresponding Fisher's combined P value of 1.2 × 10^-4). Our findings were significant after accounting for multiple comparisons. SNPs in <it>OX40L, IL7R</it>, and <it>RXRα </it>were not consistently associated with AR in children with asthma. There were nominally significant interactions between gene pairs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>TSLP </it>SNP rs1837253 is associated with reduced odds for AR in boys with asthma. Our findings support a role for <it>TSLP </it>in the pathogenesis of AR in children with asthma.</p

Baixa percepção de risco entre adolescentes espanhóis em relação ao consumo de álcool

Según los estudios recientes, los adolescentes españoles muestran una baja percepción del riesgo asociado al consumo de alcohol. El objetivo de la presente investigación es analizar los factores que favorecen esta baja percepción a partir de la opinión de un grupo de 32 profesionales/expertos en adolescencia, familia, escuela, medios de comunicación y políticas locales. Se utilizó una metodología cualitativa, fundamentada en Grounded Theory, a partir de la información obtenida mediante 5 grupos de discusión guiados por entrevistas semiestructuradas. Se identificaron 12 factores o subcategorías agrupados en 4 categorías generales: riesgo a corto plazo, inmediatez y percepción de invulnerabilidad (categoría ¿pensamiento adolescente¿); concepción benévola del alcohol, normalización del consumo y binomio alcohol-diversión (categoría ¿normas sociales¿); consumo habitual en los padres, inconsistencia verbal-no verbal en el modelado parental, consumo sin riesgo en los medios, consumo con resultados positivos en los medios (categoría ¿modelos sociales¿); excesivo contenido sanitario, riesgo a largo plazo (categoría ¿discurso preventivo¿). Tras discutir los resultados en el contexto de la literatura científica actual, se realizan varias propuestas con el objetivo de aumentar la percepción del riesgo en los adolescentes: incidir con mayor fuerza en contenidos sobre los riesgos a corto plazo del alcohol; orientar las estrategias educativas dirigidas al adolescente, también hacia los agentes de socialización, especialmente los padres; incidir en políticas centradas en la sustancia y en reducir la oferta.According to recent studies, Spanish adolescents show low perception of risk in alcohol consumption. The current study aims to analyze the factors that favor this low perception based on the opinion of a group of 32 professional experts on adolescence, family, school, mass media, and local policies. A qualitative methodology was used, based on Grounded Theory, using information from 5 focus groups guided by semi-structured interviews. Twelve factors or subcategories were identified, grouped in 4 general categories: short-term risk, immediacy, and perception of invulnerability (¿adolescent thinking¿ category); benevolent view of alcohol, normalization of consumption, and alcohol-entertainment binomial (¿social norms¿ category); parents¿ habitual consumption, verbal/non-verbal inconsistency in parental model, risk-free consumption depicted in the mass media, consumption with positive results in the media (¿social models¿ category); and excessive health content, long-term risk (¿preventive discourse¿ category). After discussing the results in the context of the current scientific literature, the article offers various proposals for increasing risk perception in adolescents: stronger impact of contents on short-term risks of alcohol; educational strategies targeted to adolescents to include agents of socialization, especially parents; and policies centered on the substance and reduction of supply.De acordo com estudos recentes, os adolescentes espanhóis mostram baixa percepção de risco em relação ao consumo de álcool. O estudo tem como objetivo analisar os fatores associados com a baixa percepção de risco, com base nas opiniões de um grupo de 32 especialistas em adolescência, família, escola, mídia e políticas locais. Foi utilizada uma metodologia qualitativa, baseada na Teoria Fundamentada, usando informações de cinco grupos focais orientados por entrevistas semi-estruturadas. Foram identificados 12 fatores ou subcategorias, agrupados em quatro categorias gerais: risco no curto prazo, imediatismo e percepção de invulnerabilidade (categoria de ¿pensamento adolescente¿); visão benevolente em relação ao álcool, normalização do consumo e binômio álcool-entretenimento (categoria de ¿normas sociais¿); consumo habitual pelos pais, inconsistência na comunicação verbal versus não verbal no modelo representado pelos pais, consumo isento de risco retratado pela mídia, consumo com resultados positivos na mídia (categoria de ¿modelos sociais¿) e excesso de conteúdo relacionado à saúde, risco no longo prazo (categoria de ¿discurso preventivo¿). Depois de discutir os resultados no contexto da literatura científica atual, o artigo oferece várias propostas para aumentar a percepção de risco entre os adolescentes: impacto mais forte de conteúdos sobre os riscos do álcool no curto prazo; estratégias educativas orientadas aos adolescentes para incluir os agentes da socialização, especialmente os pais, além de políticas centradas na substância e na redução da oferta.Departamento de Educación y Psicología SocialVersión del edito

Erratum to: Scaling up strategies of the chronic respiratory disease programme of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (Action Plan B3: Area 5).

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13601-016-0116-9.]

Erratum to: Scaling up strategies of the chronic respiratory disease programme of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (Action Plan B3: Area 5).

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13601-016-0116-9.]

Guidance to 2018 good practice : ARIA digitally-enabled, integrated, person-centred care for rhinitis and asthma

AimsMobile Airways Sentinel NetworK (MASK) belongs to the Fondation Partenariale MACVIA-LR of Montpellier, France and aims to provide an active and healthy life to rhinitis sufferers and to those with asthma multimorbidity across the life cycle, whatever their gender or socio-economic status, in order to reduce health and social inequities incurred by the disease and to improve the digital transformation of health and care. The ultimate goal is to change the management strategy in chronic diseases.MethodsMASK implements ICT technologies for individualized and predictive medicine to develop novel care pathways by a multi-disciplinary group centred around the patients.StakeholdersInclude patients, health care professionals (pharmacists and physicians), authorities, patient's associations, private and public sectors.ResultsMASK is deployed in 23 countries and 17 languages. 26,000 users have registered.EU grants (2018)MASK is participating in EU projects (POLLAR: impact of air POLLution in Asthma and Rhinitis, EIT Health, DigitalHealthEurope, Euriphi and Vigour).Lessons learnt(i) Adherence to treatment is the major problem of allergic disease, (ii) Self-management strategies should be considerably expanded (behavioural), (iii) Change management is essential in allergic diseases, (iv) Education strategies should be reconsidered using a patient-centred approach and (v) Lessons learnt for allergic diseases can be expanded to chronic diseases.Peer reviewe