Short SGA children: etiological aspects, metabolic consequences and effects of GH treatment

__Abstract__ In 1997 the author of the present thesis started studies relating to short children born small for gestational age (SGA).The present chapter describes definitions of SGA, prevalence and etiology of SGA, factors involving fetal growth and features of short children born SGA.Also an overview of the literature is presented concerning the effects of growth hormone (GH) treatment on growth in these children. Finally, the aims of the study, study design and in- and exclusion criteria of this Dutch multicenter trial are described

Mono-sensitisation to peanut component Ara h 6: a case series of five children and literature review

Here, we summarise the current clinical knowledge on Ara h 6 sensitisation and clinical relevance of this sensitisation pattern using five illustrative clinical cases. The literature search yielded a total of 166 papers, and an additional relevant article was found by ‘snowballing’. A total of ten articles were considered relevant for this review. Most studies included patients with a sensitisation to Ara h 6 and cosensitisation to Ara h 2. Only three studies showed patients with a mono-sensitisation to Ara h 6. This illustrates that Ara h 6 mono-sensitisation has been neglected in literature. We present a case series of five children with sensitisation to peanut component Ara h 6. Only one of these five patients showed Ara h 8 cosensitivity. Three out of the five children had a positive double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC), with moderate to strong reactions. Conclusion: A mono-sensitisation to peanut component Ara h 6 is uncommon but can cause severe allergic reactions. Therefore, the determination of sIgE to Ara h 6 is warranted in patients with a suspected peanut allergy, especially in the absence of sensitisation to Ara h 1, 2, 3 and 9.(Table presented.

Improving successful introduction after a negative food challenge test: How to achieve the best result?

Oral food challenges (OFC) confirm or exclude the presence of a food allergy. The outcome can be positive (allergic symptoms), inconclusive, o

Peanut components measured by ISAC

Background: Specific IgE (sIgE) against the peanut component Arachis hypogaea (Ara h) 2 has been shown to be the most important allergen to discriminate between peanut allergy and peanut tolerance. Several studies determined sIgE cut off values for Ara h 2, determined by singleplex measurements. However, cut off values for Ara h 2 from multiplex arrays are less well defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between Ara h 2 sIgE determined by singleplex versus multiplex measurements and to assess the diagnostic value of the different peanut components included in Immuno Solid-phase Allergen Chip (IS

Polymorphism in the IGF-I gene: clinical relevance for short children born small for gestational age (SGA)

Low birth weight is associated with an increased risk in adult life of type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The fetal insulin hypothesis postulates that genes involving insulin resistance could effect birth weight and disease in later life (Hattersley, 1999). Besides insulin, there is extensive evidence that insulin-like growth factor-I and -II (IGF-I, IGF-II) play an important role in fetal growth. We hypothesized that minor genetic variation in the IGF-I gene could influence pre- and postnatal growth. Three microsatellite markers located in the IGF-I gene in 124 short children (height < -1.88 SDS) who were born small for gestational age (SGA) and their parents were studied. SGA was defined as both a birth weight and birth length below -1.88 SDS for gestational age. Two polymorphic markers showed transmission disequilibrium. Allele 191 of the IGF1.PCR1 marker was transmitted more frequently from parent to child (chi(2) = 4.8 and p = 0.02) and allele 198 of the 737/738 marker was transmitted less frequently from parent to chil