STUDI E RICERCHE
LAVORI SCIENTIFICI RECENTI DI INTERESSE GENERALE
Di seguito potete trovare gli abstract
di alcuni lavori pubblicati nel 2010 e nel 2011 su importanti riveste nazionali ed internazionali che
sono legati più o meno direttamente ai problemi allergo-pneumologici.
Per questioni di copyright non possiamo presentare i lavori completi,
ma in caso siate interessati vi sono le indicazioni per poterli
reperire contattando la rivista, cercando su internet (si consiglia il
sito
www.pubmed.gov) o presso le
biblioteche.
Total
viable molds and fungal DNA in classrooms and association with
respiratory health and pulmonary function of European schoolchildren
School air quality related to dry cough, rhinitis and nasal patency in childrenHyponatremia as a marker of invasiveness of pediatric respiratory tract infections
Differentiation of bacterial and viral community-acquired pneumonia in children
Transient hemi-diaphragmatic palsy following pleural empyema: a pediatric case report
Serologically verified human bocavirus pneumonia in children
Clicca qui per i lavori
scientifici degli anni precedenti
Total viable
molds and fungal DNA in classrooms and association with respiratory
health and pulmonary function of European schoolchildren
Marzia Simoni, Gui-Hong Cai, Dan
Norback, Isabella Annesi-Maesano, Franc¸ois Lavaud, Torben Sigsgaard,
Gunilla Wieslander, Wenche Nystad, Mario Canciani, Giovanni Vieg &
Piersante Sestini
Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2011: 22: 843–852.
Indoor molds are associated with adverse respiratory effects in
children. Although schools are important exposure sources of molds,
objective measurements were more often taken in homes. Our aim was to
assess indoor molds in schools and related effects on schoolchildren
health. The Health Effects of the School Environment study (HESE)
included 21 schools (46 classrooms) in Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway,
and France and 654 schoolchildren (mean age 10 yr). Information on
schoolchildren was collected by standardized questionnaires.
Measurements of total viable molds (VM, colony-forming units, cfu/m3)
and total/specific fungal DNA (cell equivalents, CE/g dust) were taken
inside all classrooms in the cold season during normal activities,
using the same standardized methodology. Pulmonary function tests were
performed on 244 pupils. VM (mean, 320 cfu/m3) and total fungal DNA
(geometric mean, 2.2 · 105 ± 2.1 CE/g dust) were detectable in all
classrooms. The levels were significantly higher in buildings with
mold/dampness problems. VM, but not fungal DNA, were inversely related
to ventilation rate. VM exceeded the maximum standard of 300 cfu/m3 in
33% of the classrooms. In the past 12 months, dry cough at night (34%)
and rhinitis (32%) were the mostly reported. Children exposed to VM
levels ‡300 cfu/m3, compared with those exposed to lower levels, showed
higher risk for past year dry cough at night (odds ratio, OR: 3.10, 95%
confidence interval, CI: 1.61–5.98) and rhinitis (OR: 2.86, 95% CI:
1.65–4.95), as well as for persistent cough (OR: 3.79, 95% CI:
2.40–5.60). Aspergillus/Penicillium DNA was significantly positively
associated with wheeze, and Aspergillus versicolor DNA with wheeze,
rhinitis, and cough. There were significant inverse associations of
Aspergillus versicolor DNA with forced vitality capacity (FVC) and
Streptomyces DNA with both FEV1 and FVC. In conclusion, indoor VM and
fungal DNA were commonly found in monitored European schools and
adversely related to respiratory health. Schools should be routinely
tested through both culturable and non-culturable methods for global
indoor molds’ evaluation.
School air quality related to dry cough, rhinitis and nasal patency in children
M. Simoni, I. Annesi-Maesano, T. Sigsgaard, D. Norback, G. Wieslander, W. Nystad, M. Canciani, P. Sestini and G. Viegi
ERJ. April 1, 2010 - Vol. 35 N° 4, 742-749
Controls
for indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools are not usually performed
throughout Europe. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of
IAQ on respiratory health of schoolchildren living in Norway, Sweden,
Denmark, France and Italy.
In the cross-sectional European
Union-funded HESE (Health Effects of School Environment) Study,
particulate matter with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of
10 µm (PM10) and CO2 levels in a day of normal activity (full
classroom) were related to wheezing, dry cough at night and rhinitis in
654 children (10 yrs) and to acoustic rhinometry in 193 children.
Schoolchildren
exposed to PM10 >50 µg·m–3 and CO2 >1,000 ppm
(standards for good IAQ) were 78% and 66%, respectively. All disorders
were more prevalent in children from poorly ventilated classrooms.
Schoolchildren exposed to CO2 levels >1,000 ppm showed a
significantly higher risk for dry cough (OR 2.99, 95% CI 1.65–5.44) and
rhinitis (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.14–3.73). By two-level (child, classroom)
hierarchical analyses, CO2 was significantly associated with dry cough
(OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.00–1.13 per 100 ppm increment) and rhinitis (OR
1.06, 95% CI 1.00–1.11). Nasal patency was significantly lower in
schoolchildren exposed to PM10 >50 µg·m–3 than in those exposed
to lower levels.
A poor IAQ is frequent in European classrooms; it is related to respiratory disturbances and affects nasal patency.
Hyponatremia as a marker of invasiveness of pediatric respiratory tract infections
Don M, Valerio G, Canciani M, Korppi M.
Lettera all’Editore in Pediatric Nephrology 2009;24(8):1597-1598
Dear
Editor, the interesting observations of Kaneko and Kaneko on the
association between the depth of respiratory tract infection (RTI) and
hyponatremia (HN) markedly supplement our findings on HN in pediatric
pneumonia. [1, 2] This association is in line with our finding for
which the disease severity, assessed by fever and serum non-specific
inflammatory markers, thus reflecting the invasiveness of infection,
was associated with the occurrence of HN in children with pneumonia. In
the study of Kaneko and Kaneko, [1] the prevalence of HN was 13.3% in
upper (pharyngitis or laryngitis), 22.9% in middle (bronchiolitis or
bronchitis) and 38.7% in lower (pneumonia) RTI..........
Torna a inizio pagina
Differentiation of bacterial and viral community-acquired pneumonia in children
Don M, Valent F, Korppi M, Canciani M.
Articolo originale in Pediatrics International 2009;51(1):91-96
Aim.
Microbe-specific diagnosis of pediatric community-acquired pneumonia
(CAP) and the distinction between typical-bacterial, atypical-bacterial
and viral cases are difficult. Aim of the present paper was to evaluate
the role of four serum non-specific inflammatory markers and their
combinations, supplemented by chest radiological findings, in the
screening of bacterial aetiology of paediatric CAP. Methods. Serum
procalcitonin-PCT, serum C-reactive protein-CRP, blood erythrocyte
sedimentation rate-ESR and white blood cell counts-WBC were determined
in 101 children with CAP, all confirmed by chest radiograph. Evidence
of aetiology was achieved in 68 (67%) patients mainly by a serologic
test panel including 15 pathogens. Results. By the combination of
CRP>100 mg/L, WBC>15x109/L, PCT>1.0 ng/mL and ESR>65 mm/h,
the likelihood ratio for a positive test result (LR+) was 2.7 in the
distinction between pneumococcal and viral CAP and 3.9 between atypical
and viral CAP. If there was a higher value in one of these four
parameters (CRP>200 mg/L, WBC>22x109/L, PCT>18 ng/mL or
ESR>90 mm/h) LR+ changed to 3.4 or more, which means a significant
increase from pre-test to post-test disease probability. An alveolar
radiological infiltration was associated with higher values in
non-specific inflammatory markers when compared with interstitial
infiltrates, but there were no significant associations between
radiological and etiological findings. Conclusions. CRP, WBC, PCT and
ESR or their combinations have some but limited role in the screening
between bacterial and viral pediatric CAP. If all or most of these
markers are elevated, bacterial aetiology is highly probable, but low
values do not rule bacterial aetiology out.
Torna a inizio pagina
Transient hemi-diaphragmatic palsy following pleural empyema: a pediatric case report
Don M, Russo V, Budai R, Canciani M.
Caso clinico in La Pediatria Medica e Chirurgica 2009;31(4):172-5
Phrenic
nerve palsy generally is a jatrogenic damage of invasive neck and/or
chest procedures in the pediatric age, but it does not represent a
common complication of pleural empyema. One case of transient
monolateral diaphragmatic paralysis following a decorticated pleural
empyema is here reported. Common causes of the present disorder and its
possible physiopathologic mechanisms are discussed, too.
Torna a inizio pagina
Serologically verified human bocavirus pneumonia in children
Don M, Sorelund-Venermo M, Valent F, Lahtinen A, Hedman L, Canciani M, Hedman K, Korppi M.
Articolo originale in Pediatric Pulmonology [in press]
Working
hypothesis. Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a newly identified parvovirus
frequently found in children suffering from acute respiratory and
intestinal infections. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, by
using a newly developed antibody assay, the role of HBoV in pediatric
community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and the seropositivity rate to HBoV
in a prospective study in North-Italian children. Materials/patients
and methods. During a 15-month study period, 124 children were admitted
due to presumptive pneumonia, and in 101 of them, pneumonia was
radiologically confirmed. The etiology of CAP was studied by antibody
assays to 16 microbes, including the newly developed enzyme immunoassay
for HBoV. Results. Serological evidence of acute HBoV infection was
found in 12 (12%) children, being single in 7 and mixed in 5 cases (4
with other viruses and 3 with bacteria). IgM was positive in 11 cases.
A diagnostic rise in IgG antibodies between paired sera was observed in
6 cases. HBoV was the second most common virus next to respiratory
syncytial virus (17%). The seropositivity rate to HBoV increased with
age, reaching nearly 100% before school age. Conclusions. The present
results show that HBoV is able to induce significant antibody responses
and suggest that HBoV may be a fairly common cause of pneumonia in
children. Sero-conversion to HBoV in most children takes place in early
childhood.
Torna a inizio pagina
