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The natural history of allergic rhinitis (AR) is commonly characterized by worsening of symptom severity, frequent comorbidity with asthma, and polysensitization to aeroallergens. The polysensitization phenomenon starts in early childhood. AR classification has been recently revised, and some studies investigated the new types: intermittent (IAR) and persistent (PER) AR. However, no study has been carried out on children regarding this issue. This preliminary study was performed on a large cohort of children with allergic rhinitis to evaluate the type and severity of rhinitis and its possible association with asthma, including severity grade. One hundred and thirty-nine children (86 males, 53 females, mean age 11.8 years, range 3.5–17.7 years) with allergic rhinitis were prospectively and consecutively evaluated. Seventy-one children had rhinitis alone and 68 had rhinitis associated with asthma. Forty children had IAR, 30 of whom with moderate-severe grade. Ninety-nine children had PER, 65 of whom had moderate-severe grade. The severity of AR was not associated with asthma presence (Fisher ?2= 0.5765; Prob.=0.9018). Regarding asthma severity, 30 children had the intermittent form, whereas 38 had the persistent form: 15 mild, 22 moderate, and 1 severe. This study provides the first evidence concerning the ARIA classification in children, partially confirming findings obtained in adulthood.

AbstractTo mitigate some drawbacks of the discrete ordinates method or the even-parity approach, a new deterministic method for solving the Boltzmann transport equation is proposed. Based on a scaled least-squares formulation, the first-order transport equation is solved for a spherical harmonics expansion of the angular flux. This approach allows a continuous finite element discretization. Discrete equations have been derived for media with anisotropic scattering. Moreover, extensions are proposed to allow for solutions in three-dimensional multiplicative regions. Asymptotic analyses of this least-squares approach show the need for a scaling of the transport equation in order to maintain the diffusion limit. One-dimensional tests are used to evaluate this scaling operator, and results are compared with reference solutions. Anisotropic multigroup scattering cases are also presented. Tests on a three-dimensional simple problem show that ARTEMIS, the transport solver based on this method, gives solutions free of ray effects.

The use of soy milk as an alternative formula in cow milk intolerance and its role in inducing soy seed hypersensitivity is still controversial. In our study soybean intolerance was evaluated in 71 children ( age range 8 mo - 15 yrs ) affected with IgE-mediated ( 50 subjects ) and non-IgE-mediated ( 21 subjects ) food intolerance ( urticaria, atopic dermatitis, rhinitis and asthma ) and a rlationship between soy milk, cow milk and seed intolerance was assessed. Soy bean specific IgE assayed positive in 46% of children with food allergy and negative in all cases of non-IgE-mediated food intolerance. The soy bean hypersensitivity was not related to a prior soy milk feeding. Soy RAST was in agreement with seed RAST in 82% of cases,with cow milk RAST in only 54% of cases. Intolerance signs and symptoms appeared at soy bean challenge in 18% of patients: the incidence was not related to a preceding soy milk feeding.There was a relationship between soy milk and cow milk intolerance in 23% of cases, between soy milk and seed intolerance in 41% of cases.

The pathogenesis of chronic urticaria is still an unsolved problem. Aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of food allergy and food pseudoallergy in a pediatric population.In 97 children suffering from chronic urticaria starting between 1mo. and 12yrs. the following tests were carried out:common blood chemistry,specific and total IgE radio-immunoassay,prick-tests with the most common allergens,exclusion diet followed by challenge.In a group of patients with suspected pseudoallergy challenge with Sodium Benzoate,Aspirin and Tartrazine was carried out.Blood chemistry always assayed normal.There was evidence of food intolerance in 61 children (14 IgE-mediated and 47 non IgE-mediated).In other 24 cases food intolerance was undoubtly ruled out, while in the remaining 12 cases urticaria disappeared on elimination diet but did not recur on challenge.15 of the 24 cases with no food intolerance were diagnosed as cholinergic urticaria (5 cases),infectious urticaria (2 cases),inhalant urticaria (8 cases); for the remaining 9 patients it was concluded for idiopathic urticaria. The additives challenge yelded positive results in almost 20% of cases.