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Byline: Nilay. Çaliskan, Raif. Coskun, Hamit. Bologur, Güler. Yildirim, Hilal. Güngör, Oktav. Bosnali, Deniz. Özçeker Albendazole is a benzimidazole group drug used alone or in combination with surgery in the [...]

Background. Food allergy is a public health issue that has a significant impact on the lives of families. Parental self-efficacy/confidence is important in managing food allergies. The aim of this study is to validate the “Food Allergy Self-Efficacy Scale for Parents” (FASE-P) and assess parental self-efficacy in managing their child’s food allergy. Methods. Turkish version of the FASE-P (T-FASE-P) was administered to 347 parents of children aged 0-18 who had been followed for at least one month due to food allergy at the Pediatric Allergy Clinic of Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital between September 1 and December 31, 2023, through face-to-face interviews and online surveys for parents of children with food allergies from the general population. Content validity, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to evaluate the validity of the scale. General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) was used for concurrent criterion validity. Internal consistency analysis, test-retest application, and item analysis were conducted to assess its reliability. Results. T-FASE-P scale initially contained 21 items, and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α) calculated in this form was found to be 0.89. Later, when 4 items were excluded, the 17-item version of the scale was calculated as α=0.90. The intra-class correlation coefficient between the test and re-test was found to be 0.972. The content validity index value of the scale was calculated as 0.99, indicating that the content validity was at a sufficient level. In the EFA, it was determined that the scale formed a three-factor structural model and that this model explained 60.82% of the total variance. As a result of the CFA, the fit indices were calculated as χ2/df=2.341, GFI=0.919, TLI=0.950, indicating a good level of fit. Based on the analysis results, T-FASE-P consists of 17 items and three subscales. Conclusion. T-FASE-P scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to determine the food allergy self-efficacy of Turkish parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on allergic patients is not clearly understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the changes in sensitivity to cat and dog allergens in patients with respiratory allergies in Istanbul during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Before the pandemic (March 2018 - March 2020) and during and after the pandemic (March 2020 - March 2022), a total of 5499 patients who underwent skin testing were retrospectively evaluated. The patients' age, gender, diagnosis, total IgE, and eosinophil values were recorded. Patients were divided into two groups: 2-6 years old and 7 years and older. The frequency of sensitization to cats and dogs was investigated in both groups before and after the pandemic. Results: The median age of the 5499 children included in the study was 77 months, with a range of 2 to 221 months. Furthermore, 55.7% of the children were male. Of the children, 59.1% were examined before the pandemic, and 40.9% during and after the pandemic. During the examinations, allergic rhinitis was identified in 1628 children (29.6%), asthma in 1829 children (33.3%), and both asthma and allergic rhinitis in 2042 children (37.1%). Allergies to cats were found in 247 children (4.5%), and to dogs in 166 children (3.0%). When comparing the age groups, the frequency of cat allergy in the 7-years and older group was found to have decreased compared to the pre-pandemic period, and the statistical difference was close to significance (p=0.08). However, regarding dog allergy, in the 7 years and older group, the sensitivity to dogs, which was 5.6% before the pandemic, had decreased to 2.6% during the pandemic, and this decrease was found to be statistically highly significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: Environmental allergen exposure has a significant impact on the phenotype of allergic diseases. Changes in patients' lifestyles and increased time spent at home during the pandemic may have led to a decrease in contact with outdoor cat and dog allergens, resulting in a reduced frequency of cat and dog sensitivity. Additionally, the introduction of mask-distance-handwashing/ disinfection rules during the pandemic is believed to have reduced contact with cat and dog allergens, potentially contributing to a decrease in allergy frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Local anesthetic (LA) drugs are commonly used in clinical practice to provide effective analgesia, including in dentistry and minor surgical procedures. The perception of a high risk of allergy in daily applications leads to the referral of atopic patients and those with other drug allergies to allergy clinics for the evaluation of allergic reactions to LA. The aim of this study was to determine who should be referred to the allergy clinic for LA allergy testing, assess the frequency of LA allergy in pediatric patients, and identify the negative predictive value of skin tests in diagnosis. Methods: January 2017–July 2023, the clinical and laboratory data, as well as the results of drug allergy tests, of patients referred to our pediatric allergy clinic by dentists and physicians performing minor surgical procedures with suspected LA allergy were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Our study included a total of 153 patients, comprising 84 girls (54.9%) and 69 boys (45.1%), with a mean age of 8.9 (±3.3) years. The most common reason for referral was a history of non‐LA drug allergies (n = 66, 43.2%), followed by asthma (n = 25, 16.3%). Hypersensitivity reactions (HRs) with LA were most commonly associated with articaine (n = 7, 4.8%), followed by lidocaine (n = 6, 4.1%). When intradermal tests were evaluated, 17 patients (11.1%) had a positive test result. The positivity for lidocaine was 70.6% (n = 12), and prilocaine was 29.4% (n = 5). Subcutaneous provocation was administered to 109 patients (71.2%), and one patient exhibited local erythema and swelling with prilocaine. Conclusion: Although LA allergy is a rare occurrence, consultations of this nature are frequently requested from allergy clinics in real life. Considering the negative predictive value of skin tests performed with LA drugs, the reaction rate appears to be low in patients with atopy or other drug allergies. It is crucial for all relevant healthcare professionals to be knowledgeable about the appropriate approach to suspected LA allergies to avoid unnecessary tests. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the most comprehensive work in the literature that evaluates the results of diagnostic tests in children referred with a suspicion of LA allergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on allergic patients is not clearly understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the changes in sensitivity to cat and dog allergens in patients with respiratory allergies in Istanbul during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: Before the pandemic (March 2018 - March 2020) and during and after the pandemic (March 2020 - March 2022), a total of 5499 patients who underwent skin testing were retrospectively evaluated. The patients' age, gender, diagnosis, total IgE, and eosinophil values were recorded. Patients were divided into two groups: 2-6 years old and 7 years and older. The frequency of sensitization to cats and dogs was investigated in both groups before and after the pandemic., Results: The median age of the 5499 children included in the study was 77 months, with a range of 2 to 221 months. Furthermore, 55.7% of the children were male. Of the children, 59.1% were examined before the pandemic, and 40.9% during and after the pandemic. During the examinations, allergic rhinitis was identified in 1628 children (29.6%), asthma in 1829 children (33.3%), and both asthma and allergic rhinitis in 2042 children (37.1%). Allergies to cats were found in 247 children (4.5%), and to dogs in 166 children (3.0%). When comparing the age groups, the frequency of cat allergy in the 7-years and older group was found to have decreased compared to the pre-pandemic period, and the statistical difference was close to significance (p=0.08). However, regarding dog allergy, in the 7 years and older group, the sensitivity to dogs, which was 5.6% before the pandemic, had decreased to 2.6% during the pandemic, and this decrease was found to be statistically highly significant (p<0.001)., Conclusion: Environmental allergen exposure has a significant impact on the phenotype of allergic diseases. Changes in patients' lifestyles and increased time spent at home during the pandemic may have led to a decrease in contact with outdoor cat and dog allergens, resulting in a reduced frequency of cat and dog sensitivity. Additionally, the introduction of mask-distance-handwashing/disinfection rules during the pandemic is believed to have reduced contact with cat and dog allergens, potentially contributing to a decrease in allergy frequency., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. They also declare that they didn’t use any off-label or unapproved drugs or products. They didn’t use previously copyrighted material., (© Copyright 2024 by The Medical Bulletin of Sisli Etfal Hospital.)