Showing papers by "N. Franklin Adkinson published in 1994"

Cornstarch powder on latex products is an allergen carrier.

Abstract: Allergic reactions of the upper respiratory tract during use of powdered latex rubber gloves have been recently associated with sensitivity to latex. We have studied the ability of cornstarch powder to bind latex proteins and evaluated allergenic properties of the bound protein. Allergenicity was determined by competitive inhibition of human anti-latex IgE binding to solid-phase latex antigen. Cornstarch extracted from powdered latex products and clean cornstarch exposed to latex protein extracts were evaluated in comparison with clean unexposed cornstarch. Both exposed cornstarch preparations inhibited specific binding of anti-latex IgE antibodies to latex proteins in a dose-response manner. Latex-exposed cornstarch diluted 50% vol/vol produced complete inhibition, whereas greater dilutions exhibited variable levels of inhibition, depending on the source of cornstarch-bound proteins, insolubilized latex proteins, and IgE antibody-containing human serum used. Cornstarch not exposed to latex had no inhibitory activity. The study demonstrates that cornstarch indeed binds allergenic latex proteins and supports the causative relationship between allergic reactions in individuals with latex sensitivity and the exposure to airborne particles from powdered latex products.

Peak flow variation in childhood asthma: A three-year analysis

Abstract: Measuring peak expiratory flow (PEF) variation has been suggested as a indicator of asthma disease severity and also of nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity. To test these assumptions, we examined the relationships between PEF variation, methacholine reactivity, symptom scores, and medication requirements in 74 children with tightly controlled allergic asthma. The level of mean diurnal variation (MDV) for the group was 7.1%, which is generally regarded as normal. We found statistically significant correlations between MDV and both methacholine reactivity (r = 0.43, p = 0.0001) and symptom scores (r = 0.28, p = 0.016). These asthma variables were analyzed longitudinally in 33 children who were followed up at 6-month intervals for at least 36 months. Visit-to-visit changes in MDV were generally not reflective of changes in other variables. However, group levels of MDV gradually decreased over time, especially in children with initial MDV of more than 8%. This reduction in group MDV coincided with similar reductions in group medication requirements and methacholine reactivity. We conclude that children with moderately severe asthma that is tightly controlled may have normal levels of PEF variation. The correlation between PEF variation and other asthma variables is statistically significant but too weak to be useful in the treatment of individual patients. In contrast, measurement of MDV may be a useful indicator of disease severity in group studies of asthma.