Soheila Alyasin; Marzieh Adab; Asieh Hosseinpour; Reza Amin; Maryam Babaei
Volume 13, Issue 3 , September 2016, , Pages 204-219
Abstract
Background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease which is characterized by B-cell abnormality and auto-antibody generation. Since bacterial infections are the most important causes of mortality in these patients, pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for children with ...
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Background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease which is characterized by B-cell abnormality and auto-antibody generation. Since bacterial infections are the most important causes of mortality in these patients, pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for children with SLE. Objective: To investigate humoral immunity and specific-antibody formation in response to a 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccination in SLE children and asthmatic control group. Method: The case and control groups consisted of 30 children with the mean age of 13 years who were matched by sex and age. Anti-pneumococcal antibody titers were determined using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) before the vaccination with the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine and 3 weeks later in both groups. Also the correlation between anti-pneumococcal antibody titer and different factors including age, sex, lupus activity, disease duration, medications, history of recurrent infections, and laboratory data were investigated. Results: Both groups showed significant increases in anti-pneumococcal antibody level after vaccination (p≤0.001). The increase in antibody level were almost the same in both groups (p≥0.05) such that 77.7% of SLE children and 86.2% of control children showed at least 2-fold increase in anti-pneumococcal antibody titer following immunization. Significant correlations were seen between the level of post-immunization anti-pneumococcal antibody with the age of children with SLE (p=0.02) and their age of disease onset (p=0.02). Conclusion: It is concluded that pneumococcal vaccination is generally immunogenic in children with SLE. However, a small group of patients show impaired response to the vaccine.
Hedaiat Akbari; Reza Farid-Hosseini; Sara Miri; Reza Amin
Volume 1, Issue 2 , September 2004, , Pages 133-137
Abstract
Background: Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common forms of allergic disorders affecting children. The prevalence rate of allergic rhinitis differs among countries and even among regions within the same country. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of childhood allergic rhinitis and the ...
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Background: Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common forms of allergic disorders affecting children. The prevalence rate of allergic rhinitis differs among countries and even among regions within the same country. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of childhood allergic rhinitis and the presence and significance of eosinophilia in nasal secretions. Method: 4584 children aged 11-15 years-old of both sexes with allergic rhinitis were studied. The study was done during a four-season period. After physical examination of the nose, smear was taken from nasal secretions and it was stained. The results compared with nasal smears related to 340 healthy children controls. Results: 445 cases (9.7%) were diagnosed as having allergic rhinitis, on the basis of clinical criteria. Significant nasal eosinophilia was present in 274 (62%) of children with allergic rhinitis. 226 students (5.8%) of Shiraz school children had proven or classic allergic rhinitis. Conclusion: Allergic rhinitis is one of the major health problems among children in Shiraz. Eosinophilia of nasal secretions had a diagnostic specificity of 96% and sensitivity of 62% and seems to be having a moderate value as screening test for nasal allergy.