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Background: Chronic Urticaria (CU) is a debilitating disease whose treatment is mainly symptomatic. UCREX study aimed to identify CU patients’ profile, disease management and quality-of-life (QoL) in daily clinical practice in Spain. Methods: Observational, 12-months prospective, multicenter study, included de novo or established CU patients attending to dermatology/allergy consultations in 39 Spanish hospitals. Main variables: Urticaria Activity Score (UAS), UAS over 7 days (UAS7). Secondary variables: CU-QoL Questionnaire (CU-Q2oL), EuroQol-5 dimensions (EQ-5D), Medical Outcomes Study Sleep (MOS-Sleep) scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: 361 patients included. Of them, 176 (48.8%) considered for the main objective analysis. Mean age (SD) of 46.6 (14.2) years and 71.8% women. The year prior to inclusion, most patients (57.1%) were treated with non-sedating H1-antihistamines (NS-H1AH). At baseline, mean (SD) 3.6 (6.8) visits were registered to primary care. Mean (SD) UAS7 at baseline was 14.3 (11.0) and CU-Q2oL 24.1 (17.0) which tended to improve by 8.6 (9.7) and 13.9 (15.0), respectively, at 12-months. MOS-Sleep and EQ-5D remained steady during the study, except pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression which went from 58.7% and 49.6% to 29.6% and 26.9%, respectively. At baseline, HADS showed a mean (SD) anxiety of 8.7 (4.5) and depression 5.1 (4.4), decreasing to 7.0 (4.3) and 4.7 (4.3), respectively, at 12-months. Conclusions: Although most CU patients are treated with NS-H1AH, disease activity is still important, negatively affecting patients’ QoL, work activity and healthcare resources use. An appropriate disease management could be the basis for symptoms control, QoL improvement and resources optimization. Resumen: Antecedentes: La urticaria crónica (UC) es una enfermedad debilitante cuyo tratamiento es principalmente sintomático. El estudio UCREX tuvo como objetivo identificar el perfil de los pacientes con UC, el manejo de la enfermedad y la calidad de vida (CdV) en la práctica clínica diaria en España. Métodos: Estudio observacional, prospectivo, multicéntrico de 12 meses, que incluyó pacientes con UC de novo o establecida que acudieron a la consulta de dermatología/alergología de 39 hospitales españoles. Las variables principales fueron: el Urticaria Activity Score (UAS) y el UAS por siete días (UAS7). Las variables secundarias fueron: el cuestionario de CdV de urticaria crónica (CU-Q2oL), el EuroQol-5 Dimensiones (EQ-5D), la escala Medical Outcomes Study Sleep (MOS-Sleep) y la escala hospitalaria de ansiedad y depresión (HADS). Resultados: Se incluyeron 361 pacientes, de los cuales 176 (48,8%) formaron parte del análisis del objetivo principal. La edad media (DE) fue de 46,6 (14,2) años y el 71,8% eran del sexo femenino. El año anterior al periodo de inclusión de los pacientes, la mayoría de ellos (57,1%) se habían tratado con antihistamínicos H1 no sedantes (AHNS-H1). En la basal, se registró una media (DE) de 3,6 (6,8) de visitas a atención primaria. La media (DE) del UAS7 en la basal fue de 14,3 (11,0) y del CU-Q2oL 24,1 (17,0), observándose una tendencia en la mejoría en 8,6 (9,7) y 13,9 (15,0), respectivamente, a los 12 meses. El MOS-Sleep y el EQ-5D se mantuvieron estables durante el estudio, excepto por el dolor/malestar y la ansiedad/depresión que pasaron de 58,7 y 49,6% a 29,6 y 26,9%, respectivamente. En situación basal, el HADS mostró una ansiedad media (DE) de 8,7 (4,5) y una depresión de 5,1 (4,4), disminuyendo respectivamente a 7,0 (4,3) y 4,7 (4,3) a los 12 meses. Conclusiones: Aunque la mayoría de los pacientes son tratados con AHNS-H1, la actividad de la enfermedad sigue siendo importante, afectando negativamente a su CdV, su actividad laboral y repercutiendo negativamente en el uso de recursos sanitarios. Un manejo adecuado de la enfermedad podría ser la base para alcanzar el control de los síntomas, la mejora de la CdV y la optimización de los recursos sanitarios necesarios.

The prevalence of cereal allergy is highly influenced by geographical area and consumption habits. According to data from Alergologica 2015 [1], cereal allergy accounts for 2.1% of all cases of food allergy in Spain. Beer is a barley-based alcoholic beverage that also contains hops, yeast, and other cereals (wheat, oats, corn, and even rye). Barley is also the basis of malt vinegar, whiskey, and gin. Several allergens of barley have been described, including lipid transfer protein (LTP), - and ß-amylase, gliadin, glutenin, peroxiredoxin, thionin, and trypsin inhibitor [2].

The terms control and remission and other key terms used in chronic urticaria (CU) such as flare-up, relapse, exacerbation, and recurrence have not been fully defined in the literature. Disease monitoring and treatment goals in clinical practice are not well established. After a qualitative appraisal of available evidence, we aimed to find a consensus definition of control and remission, clarify key terminology, provide guidance on how to monitor the disease, and establish treatment goals in clinical practice. A modified Delphi consensus approach was used. Based on a literature review, a scientific committee provided 137 statements addressing controversial definitions and terms, available patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and recommendations on how to measure therapeutic objectives in CU. The questionnaire was evaluated by 138 expert allergists and dermatologists. A consensus was reached on 105 out of the 137 proposed items (76.6%). The experts agreed that complete control and remission of CU could be defined as the absence of signs or symptoms while on treatment and in the absence of treatment, respectively. Consensus was not reached on the definition of other key terms such as flare-up, exacerbation, and recurrence. The panel agreed that the objective of therapy in CU should be to achieve complete control. PROs that define the degree of control (complete, good, partial, or absence) were established. An algorithm for disease assessment is provided. In conclusion, this work offers consensus definitions and tools that may be useful in the management of patients with CU.

Nut allergy is a growing problem, yet little is known about its onset in children. Objective: To characterize the onset of nut allergy in children in southern Europe. The study population comprised consecutive patients up to 14 years of age who visited allergy departments with an initial allergic reaction to peanut, tree nut, or seed. The allergy work-up included a clinical history, food challenge, skin prick testing, determination of whole-extract sIgE, and ImmunoCAP ISAC-112 assay. Of the 271 children included, 260 were first diagnosed with nut allergy at a mean age of 6.5 years and at a mean (SD) of 11.8 (21.2) months after the index reaction. The most common culprit nuts at onset were walnut (36.5%), peanut (28.5%), cashew (10.4%), hazelnut (8.5%), pistachio (5.4%), and almond (5%). Onset of peanut allergy was more frequent in children ≤6 years and walnut in those aged >6 years (P=.032). In 65% of cases, the allergic reaction occurred the first time the patient consumed the nut, and 35% of reactions were anaphylactic. Overall, polysensitization to nuts was detected by skin prick testing in 64.9% of patients, although this rate was lower among walnut-allergic children (54.7%) and peanut-allergic children (54.1%) (P6 years (P=.032). In 65% of cases, the allergic reaction occurred the first time the patient consumed the nut, and 35% of reactions were anaphylactic. Overall, polysensitization to nuts was detected by skin prick testing in 64.9% of patients, although this rate was lower among walnut-allergic children (54.7%) and peanut-allergic children (54.1%) (P In the population we assessed, the onset of nut allergy occurred around 6 years of age, slightly later than that reported in English-speaking countries. Walnut was the main trigger, followed by peanut. 2S albumin storage proteins, especially Jug r 1, were the most relevant allergens. This study will help guide management and may contribute to preventive strategies in pediatric nut allergy.

The purpose of this consensus statement is to provide a tool to assist in the management of asthma in Spanish emergency departments and to improve care of patients with asthma. A multidisciplinary team of 3 emergency medicine specialists, 3 respiratory medicine specialists, and 3 allergy specialists made a list of clinical questions and chose 4 clinical practice guidelines on asthma management to prioritize when answering the questions. The team members first worked individually and then discussed their findings in a meeting to reach consensus about the content of the present statement. The recommendations and clinical algorithms in the statement contribute to detecting the asthmatic patient on arrival at the emergency department, establishing the diagnosis, following unified treatment criteria, and referring the patient to a respiratory medicine specialist, an allergy specialist, or a primary care physician, as appropriate. The definitions used in this statement provide a common language for asthma in the interest of helping to unify care practices in emergency departments. The diagnostic criteria, treatment guidelines, and criteria for discharging and admitting patients provided should be useful for managing asthma in Spanish emergency departments.

Background and objective: Statin-associated autoimmune myopathy (SAAM) with anti-HMGCR antibodies has recently been described. Several specific immunoassays are in use to detect HMGCR antibodies. In the course of systematic autoantibody screening we recognized a new distinct IFL staining pattern on rat liver sections that regularly coincided with anti-HMGCR antibodies. In this study we investigated whether this new IFL pattern is specifically associated to statin-associated autoimmune myopathy and corresponds to anti-HMGCR antibodies. Patients and methods: Twenty-three patients positive for anti-HMGCR antibodies (14 diagnosed with SAAM) were investigated for anti-HMGCR antibodies by two ELISA assays and confirmed by immmunoblot. HMGCR associated liver IFL pattern (HALIP) was detected by indirect IFL and the reactivity against HMGCR was confirmed by immunoabsorption using purified human HMGCR antigen. 90 patients with other autoimmune diseases and 45 non-autoimmune statin treated patients were studied as controls. Results: 21 out of 23 (91%) anti-HMGCR positive patients were HALIP positive. The staining was completely and specifically removed by immunoabsorption with human purified HMGCR. None of the control sera from autoimmune patients or non-autoimmune statin treated subjects was positive for HALIP. Statistical concordance between HALIP and anti-HMGCR antibody specific tests was 98.7%, kappa 0.95. Conclusions: A new and distinct IFL staining pattern (HALIP) is associated to HMGCR associated myopathy. Absorption and concordance studies indicate that the antigen recognized in the liver by HALIP is HMGCR or a closely related protein. Awareness of this new pattern can help to detect HMGCR autoantibodies in statin treated patients tested for autoimmune serology. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are a heterogeneous group of rare autoimmune diseases characterized by symmetric proximal muscle weakness and inflammatory infiltrates on muscle biopsy. A meticulously collected combination of clinical, serological, and pathological data is essential to correctly diagnose and classify myositis patients, often a considerable challenge for clinicians. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the most useful tools for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with myositis. Capillaroscopy, serological biomarkers (particularly the autoantibody profile) and imaging techniques, such as muscle magnetic resonance and chest ultrasound, are of great aid in diagnosing, classifying and managing these patients. Relevant clinical scenarios, such as interstitial lung disease, associated cancer and pregnancy are also addressed in this review. Myositis registries, identification of new autoantibodies, and genetic studies will enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of these conditions and help to define new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Objective: The aim of this study is to describe a novel myositis-associated autoantibody (anti-cortactin antibody) and assess related clinical and immunological manifestations and its clinical significance. Methods: Adult patients with myositis (dermatomyositis, polymyositis, immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy, and inclusion body myositis), as well as patients with other autoimmune diseases and non-inflammatory myopathies were analyzed for the presence of anti-cortactin antibody using in-house developed ELISA and immunoblotting techniques with a commercial source of purified cortactin. The cut-off for positive status was determined in a group of healthy volunteers. Results: Antibody against cortactin was positive in 7/34 (20%) polymyositis patients, 9/117 (7.6%) dermatomyositis, 2/7 (26%) immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy, and none of the 4 patients with inclusion body myositis. The antibody also tested positive in 3/101 patients with other autoimmune diseases (2 systemic sclerosis and 1 systemic lupus erythematosus), and in 1/29 patients with non-inflammatory myopathy. No relevant association with specific clinical features was found in patients with these antibodies. Anti-cortactin antibody was more frequently positive in patients with polymyositis and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy than in the remaining myositis patients, and was the only myositis autoantibody found in sera of 3 patients from these groups. Conclusions: Our data indicate that cortactin is a novel target antigen in patients with autoimmune diseases, especially patients with polymyositis or immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy. Anti-cortactin can be considered a new myositis-associated antibody. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Background A new myositis-specific autoantibody (anti-p155) directed against transcriptional intermediary factor 1 gamma (TIF1 gamma) has been described as a good marker of cancer-associated myositis (CAM). Objective To analyse the feasibility of detecting this autoantibody in patient serum samples using new assays with commercially available recombinant TIF1 gamma. Methods The study included 90 Spanish patients with dermatomyositis (DM), classified as clinically amyopathic DM, CAM, or DM without cancer. Anti-TIF1 gamma antibodies were detected by ELISA and immunoblot techniques and compared with anti-p155 antibody detection by protein immunoprecipitation assays with radiolabelled HeLa cells. The kappa coefficient was used to compare the agreement between the different tests. Results Serum samples from 23 (25.6%) and 20 (22.2%) patients with DM recognised TIF1 gamma by ELISA and immunoblot, respectively. ELISA (kappa=0.91) and immunoblot (kappa=0.88) showed excellent agreement with immunoprecipitation analysis (anti-p155). Good concordance (kappa=0.91) was also seen between ELISA and immunoblot. Conclusions Excellent agreement was found between anti-p155 detected by immunoprecipitation and anti-TIF1 gamma detected by ELISA or immunoblot. These data indicate that identification of this autoantibody can be reliably performed in a standard laboratory setting, with potential application in clinical practice for cancer screening in adult patients with DM.