Childhood Asthma Research Articles

The role of 14-3-3β in acute asthma in children and analysis of the risk factors for asthma exacerbation

Objective To investigate the role of 14-3-3β in acute asthma exacerbations in children and analyze the risk factors for asthma exacerbations. Methods This study recruited 101 children with acute asthma exacerbations, 101 children with stable asthma, and 65 healthy children. Serum 14-3-3β was compared among the three groups. Factors such as asthma family history, skin prick test, serum-specific IgE test, coinfections, and clinical indicators (FeNO, FEV1, white blood cells, eosinophils, and serum IgE level) were compared between the asthma groups. Risk factors associated with acute asthma exacerbations were identified using multivariate logistic regression models. ROC curve was drawn to determine the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 14-3-3β. Results Serum 14-3-3β was significantly greater in the acute asthma group than in the stable asthma and control groups. Serum 14-3-3β was higher in severe acute asthma group than in mild-moderate asthma group. There were no significant differences in serum 14-3-3β levels between stable asthma and control groups (p > .05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that serum 14-3-3β level, FeNO, coinfection, and FEV1 z-score significantly increased the odds of acute asthma exacerbations in children. The optimal 14-3-3β cutoff value (39.79 ng/mL), had a sensitivity of 69.3% and specificity of 94.1% for predicting acute asthma exacerbations. Conclusions 14-3-3β is elevated in children with acute exacerbations of asthma, and increases with exacerbation severity. 14-3-3β, FeNO, FEV1, and coinfection could be independent risk factors for predicting asthma exacerbations. The optimal 14-3-3β cutoff value for predicting asthma exacerbations was 39.79 ng/mL.

Detailed characterization and impact of small airway dysfunction in school-age asthma

Background Small airway dysfunction (SAD) is increasingly recognized as an important feature of pediatric asthma yet typically relies on spirometry-derived FEF25–75 to detect its presence. Multiple breath washout (MBW) and oscillometry potentially offer improved sensitivity for SAD detection, but their utility in comparison to FEF25–75, and correlations with clinical outcomes remains unclear for school-age asthma. We investigated SAD occurrence using these techniques, between-test correlation and links to clinical outcomes in 57 asthmatic children aged 8–18 years. Methods MBW and spirometry abnormality were defined as z-scores above/below ± 1.96, generating MBW reference equations from contemporaneous controls (n = 69). Abnormal oscillometry was defined as > 97.5th percentile, also from contemporaneous controls (n = 146). Individuals with abnormal FEF25–75, MBW, or oscillometry were considered to have SAD. Results Using these limits of normal, SAD was present on oscillometry in 63% (resistance at 5–20 Hz; R5-R20; >97.5th percentile), on MBW in 54% (Scond; z-scores> +1.96) and in spirometry FEF25–75 in 44% of participants (z-scores< −1.96). SAD, defined by oscillometry and/or MBW abnormality, occurred in 77%. Among those with abnormal R5-R20, Scond was abnormal in 71%. Correlations indicated both R5-R20 and Scond were linked to asthma medication burden, baseline FEV1 and reversibility. Additionally, Scond correlated with FENO and magnitude of bronchial hyper-responsiveness. SAD, detected by oscillometry and/or MBW, occurred in almost 80% of school-aged asthmatic children, surpassing FEF25–75 detection rates. Conclusions Discordant oscillometry and MBW abnormality suggests they reflect different aspects of SAD, serving as complementary tools. Key asthma clinical features, like reversibility, had stronger correlation with MBW-derived Scond than oscillometry-derived R5-R20.

A Comprehensive Look at the Development of Asthma in Children.

Asthma, a prevalent chronic respiratory condition affecting millions of children globally, presents a significant health challenge. This review critically examines the developmental pathways of asthma in children, focusing on genetic, environmental, and early-life determinants. Specifically, we explore the impact of prenatal and postnatal factors such as maternal smoking, nutrition, respiratory infections, and allergen exposure on asthma development. Our analysis highlights the intricate interplay of these influences and their contribution to childhood asthma. Moreover, we emphasize targeted strategies and interventions to mitigate its burden, including genetic counseling for at-risk families, environmental modifications to reduce triggers, and early-life immunomodulation. By delving into these preventive measures and interventions, our review aims to provide actionable insights for healthcare professionals in developing tailored strategies to address the complexities of childhood asthma. In summary, this article offers a detailed examination of asthma development in children, aiming to enhance understanding and inform efforts to reduce its burden through targeted interventions.

Role of dietary supplements in the treatment of asthma - a narrative review

Introduction: Asthma is a common inflammatory disease of airway affecting both adults and children. In a large number of cases asthma remains poorly controlled. There is a need to find an additional therapeutic demeanour alleviating symptoms and lowering the risk complications in a long-term. Recently, increasing number of studies has been examining dietary supplements in regards to their anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-remodelling properties and their use in asthmatic patients. Aim of the Study: The aim of the study was to collect and analyse current literature regarding influence of different dietary supplements on the course of asthma in both adults and children. Methods and Materials: Extensive research was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar, with the primary focus on literature from the past 5 years. Firstly, potential dietary supplements affecting course of asthma were collected. The names of the substances were juxtaposed with term “Asthma” to gather data regarding their effect on occurrence and control of asthma and potential mechanisms responsible for it. Additionally, references from selected articles were included in the analysis. Results: Dietary supplements show promising results in decreasing asthma symptoms and lowering inflammation of airway. However, our study revealed that in current state of knowledge there is a deficit of studies performed on humans, especially large-scale, prospective studies that assess the efficacy of different doses of dietary supplements. Thus, further research of dietary supplements in asthma is needed, especially large-scale randomised controlled trials.

Microcirculation indicators in children with bronchial asthma

In pediatric practice, non-invasive methods are relevant that allow one to study the state of blood microflow. One such method is laser Doppler flowmetry.Purpose. To evaluate the state of blood microcirculation in children with bronchial asthma by laser Doppler flowmetry during periods of exacerbation and remission of the disease.Material and methods. 40 healthy children aged 9–17 years (13.7 ± 1.8) were examined, which made up the control group. The main group of the examined were children with moderate and severe bronchial asthma (n=60) during the period of exacerbation (n=29) and remission (n=31) of similar age. To diagnose the general condition, the microcirculation of blood used a system of portable blood microcirculation LAZMA PF. From the LAZMA PF analyzers, a distributed system consisting of four devices was organized: two analyzers for simultaneous research on the 3rd finger of the hands and on the 1st toes. The record of indicators from 4 analyzers was carried out simultaneously in the position of the subject sitting for 10 minutes.Results. When studying the indicator of the microcirculatory-tissue system in children with bronchial asthma of moderate and severe severity who are in remission, we did not reveal significant differences from the indicators in healthy children. When assessing active regulation mechanisms affecting the state of microcirculation, a reliable decrease in the amplitudes of vibrations of endothelial regulation in patients with bronchial asthma compared to healthy children (p&lt;0.05) was revealed. When comparing passive oscillations of blood flow in patients with bronchial asthma, a significant decrease in the amplitudes of oscillations in the cardiac range was revealed in comparison with the control group (p&lt;0.05). Scope of results: medicine, pediatrics, therapy, pulmonology, allergology.Conclusion. The laser Doppler flowmetry can be used as an additional criterion for the diagnosis and control of the therapy of bronchial asthma in children.

Childhood asthma was associated with the presence of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases in US middle-aged and elderly

BackgroundAsthma and cardio-cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) share a common etiology of chronic systemic inflammation. Our manuscript was to investigate the association between childhood asthma and CVDs in middle-aged and elderly. MethodsA total of 12,070 US middle-aged and elder were enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Childhood asthma was defined as a previous diagnosis of asthma at <18 years of age. Associations between childhood asthma and overall and cause-specific CVDs were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models and subgroup analyses, including coronary artery disease (CAD), angina, and stroke. ResultsThe prevalence of CVDs, including CAD (p = 0.031) and angina (p < 0.001), was significantly higher in patients with asthma (p = 0.008). Asthma was independently associated with a higher risk of CVDs (odds ratio [OR]:1.50, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.22–1.84, p < 0.001), CAD (OR: 1.55, 95 %CI: 1.17–2.02, p = 0.002), and angina (OR: 1.93, 95 %CI: 1.42–2.58, p < 0.001) while not related to stroke (p = 0.233). Subgroup analysis suggested that the association was consistent across sex, race, and the presence of obesity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes. ConclusionsChildhood asthma was significantly associated with the presence of cardiocerebrovascular diseases, including CAD and angina in middle-aged and elderly. These findings underscore the importance of addressing childhood asthma as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity in middle-aged and elderly populations.

Remote monitoring of the course of bronchial asthma in children

Aim: to evaluate the eff ectiveness and satisfaction of patients with bronchial asthma (BA) using the remote monitoring software product “ASTMATEST”. Materials and methods. A specialized website “ASTMATEST” — ww.asthmatest.ru was developed for conducting remote and timely telemonitoring of the health status of patients with verifi ed BA. An open prospective comparative study was conducted at the pediatric department of the City Children’s Clinical Hospital in Ufa from November 2022 till April 2023. The study included 2 groups of patients, similar in age and demographic indicators: the main group consisted of 38 (57.8 %) children whose parents agreed to use the information system of the website “ASTMATEST” in combination with its traditional methods, the control group included 34 (43.2 %) children whose parents refused to use the software product due to various reasons. The effectiveness of remote monitoring was analyzed by comparing the morning and evening peak flow meter readings, symptom control report data. Satisfaction with the work and use of the remote monitoring technology of the website “ASTMATEST” by patients with BA and their parents was assessed through a sociological survey using questionnaires. Results. In the main study group, the proportion of patients with severe BA decreased to 18.42 % due to an increase in the proportion of patients with mild (up to 34.21 %) and moderate (47.37 %) severity of BA. In the control group, the proportion of patients with mild BA decreased to 40.74 %, due to an increase in the proportion of patients with moderate (up to 44.44 %) and severe (14.82 %) severity. Conclusion. During the survey of patients in the main group using a specially designed questionnaire, it was found that the majority of patients and their parents/legal representatives are willing to continue using the developed software product to assess the level of disease control and adherence to doctor’s recommendations and prescriptions.

Predictors of lung function in early adulthood: A population-based cohort study.

Lung function reaches a peak/plateau in early adulthood before declining with age. Lower early adult lung function may increase the risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in mid-late adult life. Understanding the effects of multiple childhood/adolescent exposures and their potential interactions on plateau lung function would provide insights into the natural history of COPD. Longitudinal spirometry data from 688 participants with complete data from a population-based birth cohort (original n = 1037) were used to investigate associations between a wide range of childhood/adolescent exposures and repeated measures of FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC during the early-adult plateau phase. Generalized estimating equations were used to accommodate the multiple timepoints per participant. FEV1 reached a peak/plateau between ages 18 and 26 and FVC from 21 to 32 years, whereas FEV1/FVC declined throughout early adulthood. Childhood asthma and airway hyperresponsiveness were associated with lower early adult FEV1 and FEV1/FVC. Smoking by age 18 was associated with lower FEV1/FVC. Higher BMI during early adulthood was associated with lower FEV1 and FVC and lower FEV1/FVC. Physical activity during adolescence was positively associated with FEV1 and FEV1/FVC but this was only statistically significant in men. There was no convincing evidence of interactions between exposures. Childhood asthma and airway hyperresponsiveness are associated with lower lung function in early adulthood. Interventions targeting these may reduce the risk of COPD in mid-late adult life. Promotion of physical activity during adolescence, prevention of cigarette smoking and maintenance of a healthy body weight in early adulthood are also priorities.

The effect of vitamin D provision on biomarkers of inflammation in bronchial asthma in children

Introduction. Asthma is a widespread disease in childhood and has a persistent tendency to increase. Therefore, the search for factors influencing this process, as well as biomarkers reflecting the degree of asthma control, is an urgent problem. Objective. To study the relationship of vitamin D levels with the serum periostin and TGF-β1 concentration in children with asthma. Materials and methods. The cross-sectional (one-stage) study included 80 children aged 6 to 17 years (average age — 12 ± 3.2 g). The subjects were divided into 2 groups: children with asthma — group 1 (n = 40); group 2 — the control group (n = 40). In all children, the assessment of the concentration of 25(OH)D, periostin and TGF-β1 in the blood serum was studied. Results. Median (Me) 25(OH) in patients with asthma was statistically significantly lower than in children of the comparison group (16.7 ng/ml, versus 25.7 ng/ml, p = 0.017), and did not depend on the severity of the disease, corresponded to a deficiency condition in both mild (16.2 ng/ml) and with an average severity of asthma (16.8 ng/ml) (p = 0.041). Me of periostin in 1st group was within the normal range (730.2 ng/ml), but statistically significantly exceeded the indicator of 2nd group (539.7 ng/ml, p &lt; 0.05) and did not depend on the age and duration of asthma. High rates of periostin were observed in children with moderate severity of asthma with a disease experience of 4–6 years (617.2 ng/ml). Me of TGF-β1 in both groups corresponded to normal values (309.0 and 369.6 pg/ml, respectively, p &gt; 0.05) and did not depend on the age and duration of asthma. Conclusions. VD deficiency is registered in children with asthma 2 times more often than in healthy children in Ryazan region. The serum concentration of periostin increased in proportion to the severity of asthma. Vitamin D deficiency can be one of the risk factors for the development of asthma and lead to an imbalance in the periostin and TGF-β system.

Evaluation of Serum Level of Zinc, Copper and Magnesium in Asthmatic Children and Their Correlation to Disease Severity

Evaluation of Serum Level of Zinc, Copper and Magnesium in Asthmatic Children and Their Correlation to Disease Severity

The effect of telephone and short-message follow-ups on compliance and efficacy in asthmatic children treated with inhaled corticosteroid: A randomized controlled trial.

This study aims to evaluate the effect of telephone and short-message follow-ups on compliance and efficacy in asthmatic children treated with inhaled corticosteroids. A total of 120 children with moderate bronchial asthma who visited the Asthma Outpatient Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University were enrolled in the study. They were divided randomly into 3 groups based on the type of follow-up given: a combined telephone and short-message service (Tel + SMS) group, a SMS group, and a control group. After being followed up for 12 weeks, each child's asthma control level was assessed and their lung function was measured. The compliance rates of children in the Tel + SMS group and SMS group were 86.49% and 56.25%, respectively. The total effective rates of these 2 groups (94.59% and 75.0%, respectively) were significantly higher than the rate of the control group (P < .01). The lung function indicators of the children in all 3 groups were better than those before treatment, although only the Tel + SMS group and SMS group improved significantly (P < .05). The lung function indicators of the large and small airways in the Tel + SMS group and the SMS group were also significantly better than those of the control group (P < .01). The results of the study suggest that 1 of the causes of poor compliance in asthmatic children is fear of an adverse reaction to inhaled corticosteroids. Telephone and short-message follow-ups can increase compliance with inhaled corticosteroid treatment and improve the asthma control levels and lung function of asthmatic children.

EVALUATION OF PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA

Among the diseases capable of negatively affecting the course of bronchial asthma in children and adolescents, disruptions in nutritional status play an important role, including not only excess body weight and obesity, but also insufficient body weight. Since children with the consequences of perinatal central nervous system damage often exhibit signs of protein-energy deficiency, the aim of the research conducted was to assess the indicators of nutritional status of children with bronchial asthma depending on accompanying neurological symptoms by evaluating the body mass index. 126 children with bronchial asthma were examined, divided into two subgroups: the main group included 65 children (51.6%) with the disease occurring against the background of consequences of perinatal central nervous system damage; the comparison group included 61 patients (48.4%) without accompanying neurological symptoms. The average age of the children was 11.4±2.9 years. According to the results obtained, in 50.8% of observations, children in the main group had insufficient body weight and a decrease in body mass index, while in the comparison group, excess body weight was observed in 37.7% of cases. KEYWORDS: children, bronchial asthma, anthropometry, body mass index, nutritional status, central nervous system

Impulse oscillometry in the diagnosis of cough variant asthma in children

BackgroundCough variant asthma (CVA) is one of the most common causes of chronic cough in children worldwide. The diagnosis of CVA in children remains challenging. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic utility of impulse oscillometry (IOS) pulmonary function in children with CVA.MethodsThis study included children aged 4 to 12 years diagnosed with CVA who underwent IOS pulmonary function and bronchodilation (BD) tests. A control group of healthy children was matched. Pre- and post-BD IOS parameters were recorded and presented as mean ± standard deviation or median. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the discriminatory potential of the IOS parameters for diagnosing CVA.ResultsA total of 180 patients with CVA and 65 control subjects were included. The baseline IOS parameters in the CVA group, except X5%pred, were significantly greater compared to the control group. After inhalation of salbutamol sulfate, all IOS parameters improved significantly in the CVA group. However, Z5%pred, R5%pred, and R20%pred remained greater in the CVA group compared to the control group. The improvement rates of IOS parameters in the CVA group significantly surpassed those in the control group. The ROC curve results for pre-BD IOS parameters and the improvement rate during the BD test showed that the combinations of pre-Z5%pred+△Z5% and pre-R5%pred+△R5% achieved the highest AUC value of 0.920 and 0.898, respectively. The AUC values of these combined parameters surpassed those of individual ones.ConclusionsThis study highlights that children with CVA exhibit greater IOS parameters compared to healthy children. The changes in IOS parameters during the BD test provided valuable diagnostic information for CVA, and the combination of various parameters can help pediatricians accurately identify CVA in children.

Fiber rich food suppressed airway inflammation, GATA3 + Th2 cells, and FcεRIα+ eosinophils in asthma.

Allergic Asthma is a disease presenting various endotypes and no current therapies act curative but alleviate disease symptoms. Dietary interventions are gaining increasing importance in regulating immune responses. Furthermore, short chain fatty acids (SFCA), as the main products of dietary fiber's fermentation by the gut bacteria, ameliorate the pathogenesis and disease burden of different illnesses including asthma. Nevertheless, the connection and crosstalk between the gut and lung is poorly understood. In this work, the role of high fiber diet on the development of allergic asthma at baseline and after exacerbation of disease induced by respiratory viruses was investigated. Hereby, SCFA in serum of asthmatic and non-asthmatic pre-school children before and after airway disease symptoms were analyzed. Moreover, the effect of high fiber diet in vivo in a murine model of house dust mite extract (HDM) induced allergic asthma and in the end in isolated lung and spleen cells infected ex vivo with Rhinovirus was analyzed. In this study, a decrease of the SCFA 3-Hydroxybutyric acid in serum of asthmatic children after symptomatic episodes at convalescent visit as compared to asthmatic and control children at baseline visit was observed. In experimental asthma, in mice fed with high fiber diet, a reduced lung GATA3 + Th2 type mediated inflammation, mucus production and collagen deposition and expression of Fc epsilon receptor Ia (FcεRIa) in eosinophils was observed. By contrast, the CD8+ memory effector T cells were induced in the lungs of asthmatic mice fed with high fiber diet. Then, total lung cells from these asthmatic mice fed with either standard food or with fiber rich food were infected with RV ex vivo. Here, RV1b mRNA was found significantly reduced in the lung cells derived from fiber rich food fed mice as compared to those derived from standard food fed asthmatic mice. Looking for the mechanism, an increase in CD8+ T cells in RV infected spleen cells derived from fiber rich fed asthmatic mice, was observed. Convalescent preschool asthmatic children after a symptomatic episode have less serum ß-Hydroxybutyric acid as compared to control and asthmatic children at baseline visit. Fiber rich diet associated with anti-inflammatory effects as well as anti-allergic effects by decreasing Type 2 and IgE mediated immune responses and inducing CD8+ memory effector T cells in a murine model of allergic asthma. Finally, ex vivo infection with Rhinovirus (RV) of total lung cells from asthmatic mice fed with fiber rich food led to a decreased RV load as compared to mice fed with standard food. Moreover, spleen cells derived from asthmatic mice fed with fiber rich food induced CD8+ T cells after ex vivo infection with RV. Dietary interventions with increased content in natural fibers like pectins would ameliorate asthma exacerbations. Moreover, respiratory infection in asthma downregulated SCFA in the gut contributing to asthma exacerbations.

Proteomic analysis reveals potential therapeutic targets for childhood asthma through Mendelian randomization.

Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children and poses a significant threat to their health. This study aims to assess the relationship between various plasma proteins and childhood asthma, thereby identifying potential therapeutic targets. Based on publicly available genome-wide association study summary statistics, we employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to elucidate the causal relationship between plasma proteins and asthma. Mediation analysis was then conducted to evaluate the indirect influence of plasma proteins on childhood asthma mediated through risk factors. Comprehensive analysis was also conducted to explore the association between plasma proteins and various phenotypes using the UK Biobank dataset. MR analysis uncovered a causal relationship between 10 plasma proteins and childhood asthma. Elevated levels of seven proteins (TLR4, UBP25, CBR1, Rac GTPase-activating protein 1 [RGAP1], IL-21, MICB, and PDE4D) and decreased levels of three proteins (GSTO1, LIRB4 and PIGF) were associated with an increased risk of childhood asthma. Our findings further validated the connections between reported risk factors (body mass index, mood swings, hay fever or allergic rhinitis, and eczema or dermatitis) and childhood asthma. Mediation analysis revealed the influence of proteins on childhood asthma outcomes through risk factors. Furthermore, the MR analysis identified 73 plasma proteins that exhibited causal associations with at least one risk factor for childhood asthma. Among them, RGAP1 mediates a significant proportion (25.10%) of the risk of childhood asthma through eczema or dermatitis. Finally, a phenotype-wide association study based on these 10 proteins and 1403 diseases provided novel associations between these biomarkers and multiple phenotypes. Our study comprehensively investigated the causal relationship between plasma proteins and childhood asthma, providing novel insights into potential therapeutic targets.

Role of nebulised magnesium sulfate in treating acute asthma in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectivesTo review the efficacy of nebulised magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) in acute asthma in children.MethodsThe authors searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published...

Virological Profile of Asthma Exacerbation in Children: A Hospital-Based Retrospective Study.

Introduction Viruses are the most common triggering factors for asthma exacerbation during the autumn and winter seasons. Viruses,such as influenza A and rhinovirus, play a major role in the occurrence of severe exacerbation ofasthma. This association between viral infection and asthma exacerbation in children is a result of the antiviral response of the immune system and various anti-inflammatory phenomena. In this work, we aimed to identify the virological profile of asthma exacerbation in children and analyze the correlation between viral infection type and the severity of exacerbation. Materials and methods This retrospective study was conducted from January 2016 to January 2024. The study included children hospitalized for asthma exacerbation associated with signs of viral-like respiratory infection with positive virological testing by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction or rapid test in the case of influenza A or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Data analysis was performed with Microsoft Excel and SPSS software using a previously established data collection sheet Results Thirty cases were collected for the study period. The mean age of the patients was 4 years and 8 months, with a male-to-female ratio of 3.3. Eighteen patients were known to have asthma, of which nine had uncontrolled asthma, and exacerbation was inaugural in 12 patients. Viral shedding was found in 14 patients. A viral agent was found in all patients, with coinfection of two or more viruses in three patients. The viruses found were influenza A (18 cases), coupled rhinovirus/enterovirus (eight cases), RSV (eight cases), human metapneumovirus (three patients), and parainfluenza type IV in only one inaugural patient. Asthma exacerbation was severe in 20 patients, moderate in eight patients, and two patients had severe acute asthma requiring intensive care management. We noted a higher frequency of severe exacerbation among those with an influenza A viral infection. All patients with RSV infection exhibited moderate exacerbation. No other significant correlation between asthma severity and other types of viruses was found. Conclusions Our results demonstrate the major role played by viruses in triggering asthma exacerbation, primarily influenza virus, followed by enterovirus, rhinovirus, RSV, and metapneumovirus. Larger-scale studies should be carried out to establish a more complete virological profile and further investigate the viral factor in the management of asthma in children.

T-cell receptor diversity and allergen sensitivity in childhood asthma and atopic dermatitis.

Childhood allergies of asthma and atopic dermatitis (AD) involve an overactive T-cell immune response triggered by allergens. However, the impact of T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoires on allergen sensitization and their role in mediating different phenotypes of asthma and AD in early childhood remains unclear. A total of 78 children, comprising 26 with asthma alone, 26 with AD alone, and 26 healthy controls (HC), were enrolled. TCR repertoire profiles were determined using a unique molecular identifier system for next-generation sequencing. Integrative analyses of their associations with allergen-specific IgE levels and allergies were performed. The diversity in TCR alpha variable region (TRAV) genes of TCR repertoires and complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) clonality in TRAV/TRBV (beta) genes were significantly higher in children with AD compared with those with asthma and HC (p < .05). Compared with HC, the expression of TRAV13-1 and TRAV4 genes was significantly higher in both asthma and AD (p < .05), with a significant positive correlation with mite-specific IgE levels (p < .01). In contrast, TRBV7-9 gene expression was significantly lower in both asthma and AD (p < .01), with this gene showing a significant negative correlation with mite-specific IgE levels (p < .01). Furthermore, significantly higher TRAV8-3 gene expression, positively correlated with food-specific IgE levels, was found in children with AD compared with those with asthma (p < .05). Integrated TCR repertoires analysis provides clinical insights into the diverse TCR genes linked to antigen specificity, offering potential for precision immunotherapy in childhood allergies.

IL-33 gene variants and expression in childhood asthma

IL-33 gene variants and expression in childhood asthma

IL-33 gene variants and expression in childhood asthma

IL-33 gene variants and expression in childhood asthma