Search

Food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FEIAn) is a rare disease. The disease is classified into physical allergy and/or a subtype of food allergy. However, the pathophysiology and epidemiology are not well known. In this article we presented our studies of the epidemiology of FEIAn, in school students (elementary. junior-high, and high school) in Yokohama City and/or Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Also, we reviewed FEIAn cases in the literatures in Japan as well as in foreign countries. Six hundred and seven school nurses responded the questionnaire, 30 (Male:Female, 24:6) cases of FEIAn and 44 (M:F, 22:22) with exercise-induced anaphylaxis (EIAn) among 353977 students were reported. The frequency of FEIAn and EIAn was 0.0085% and 0.012%, respectively. Only one third of nurses had knowledge of FEIAn. We performed provocation tests in 11 of the 30 students with FEIAn and confirmed the diagnosis. We demonstrated transient increases in plasma histamine but not serum tryptase levels during the tests. The causative foods were mainly wheat and crustaceans in 170 Japanese cases and beans and wheat in foreign countries. As for exercise, ball games and running were more frequent sports in both groups. The age of first episode of FEIAn was 10 to 20 years old in most cases. Provocation test often fails to induce symptoms. In addition, we do not have the standard method. Now we are establishing the protocol. FEIAn and EIAn are relatively rare among school students in Japan. There is no evidence to prevent the onset of FEIAn with medicines. Therefore, to avoid serious outcomes and unnecessary restriction, we believe it is important to be familiar with the diseases for not only physicians, but also school nurses and teachers of physical education.

We studied the usefulness of interferon-gamma measurement reagent QuantiFERON-TB 2 G (QFT-2G), used to diagnose tubercle bacilli infections, as an indicator both for diagnosing primary tuberculosis (PTB) and for assessing therapeutic amorg pediatric Tuberculosis Outpatent cases effectiveness. Five cases showing typical PTB findings, such as cavitation, swollen lymph nodes, and nodular shadows at the pulmonary hilum, and diagnosed as tubercle bacillus infections, all showed positive reactions to QFT-2G, and in 3 asymptomatic cases without abnormalities detected in diagnostic imaging but QFT-2G-positive, one developed tuberculosis (TB) later. Among 12 patients who gave negative reactions to QFT-2G at their first visit and during observation from 6 months to 1 year, no TB occurrences was seen. Patients who were vaccinated for BCG and were tuberculin-positive showed negative reactions to QFT-2G, confirming that QFT-2G is not affected by BCG. One case of nontuberculous acid-fast bacilli in which Mycobacterium avium was detected was QFT-2G-negative. In 1 case, QFT-2G decreased as the patient's conditiorl improved. Without being influenced by BCG vaccination, QFT-2G demonstrated its usefulness in primary TB cases both for diagnosis and for assessing treatment effectiveness. Our results strougly suggested that QFT-2G is a potentially powerful tool with wide applications in diagnosis and assessment of treatment effectiveness in primary TB, even when bacterial elimination is low and diagnosis is difficult.

We reported three cases of childhood-onset male systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), all of whom successfully treated with a combination of pulse methylprednisolone (mPSL) and pulse cyclophosphamide (IVCY). All of them had severe lupus nephritis and were complicated with other collagen diseases. Two cases were complicated with Sjögren syndrome (SS) and the other was complicated with both SS and anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS). After a combination of pulse mPSL and IVCY for a year, followed by oral predonisolone (PSL) and azathioprine (AZA), following up renal biopsy were performed in all cases, which showed histological improvement in glomerulonephritis. One case had flares a year later, but no flares were observed either in clinical symptoms or in laboratory examinations in the others. Their autoantibodies except anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) were eliminated. We suggest a combination of pulse mPSL and IVCY is effective for the patients who are suffering with severe lupus nephritis complicated with the other collagen diseases.

We analyzed the effects of three therapies on 30 patients with childhood systemic lupus erythematosus, and classified the patients into three groups. The therapies were as follows; Group A (8 cases), methylpredni-solone (mPSL) pulses plus oral prednisolone (PSL) alone, Group B (10 cases), mPSL pulses plus oral PSL and mizoribine (MZB) or azathioprine (AZP), Group C (12 cases), mPSL pulses and intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVCY) pulse therapy plus oral PSL and MZB or AZP. Three years after treatment, we compared the laboratory data (C3, C4, CH50 and anti-DNA antibody), the SLEDAI scores and numbers of relapses in these three groups. We demonstrated that group C had the best data, and this data indicated that the median C3, C4 and CH50 increased and that the median anti-DNA antibody and the mean of the numbers of relapses decreased. In conclusion, the combination of immunosuppressants and IVCY appeared to offer great benefits in childhood systemic lupus erythematosus.