Allergen Management in Children with Type 2-High Asthma

Impact of climate change on paediatric respiratory health: pollutants and aeroallergens

Paediatric populations are particularly vulnerable to respiratory diseases caused and exacerbated by aeroallergens, pollutants and infectious agents. Worsening climate change is expected to increase the prevalence of pollutants and aeroallergens while amplifying disease severity and causing disproportionate effects in under-resourced areas. The purpose of this narrative review is to summarise the role of anthropogenic climate change in the literature examining the future impact of aeroallergens, pollutants and infectious agents on paediatric respiratory diseases with a focus on equitable disease mitigation. The aeroallergens selected for discussion include pollen, dust mites and mould as these are prevalent triggers of paediatric asthma worldwide. Human rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus are key viruses interacting with climate change and pollution and are primary causal agents of viral respiratory disease. Within this review, we present the propensity for aeroallergens, climate change and pollution to synergistically exacerbate paediatric respiratory disease and outline measures that can ameliorate the expected increase in morbidity and severity of disease through a health equity lens. We support shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy worldwide, across sectors, as a primary means of reducing increases in morbidity.

Revised ISHAM-ABPA working group clinical practice guidelines for diagnosing, classifying and treating allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis/mycoses

BACKGROUND

The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM) working group proposed recommendations for managing allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) a decade ago. There is a need to update these recommendations due to advances in diagnostics and therapeutics.

METHODS

An international expert group was convened to develop guidelines for managing ABPA (caused by Aspergillus spp.) and allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM; caused by fungi other than Aspergillus spp.) in adults and children using a modified Delphi method (two online rounds and one in-person meeting). We defined consensus as ≥70% agreement or disagreement. The terms "recommend" and "suggest" are used when the consensus was ≥70% and <70%, respectively.

RESULTS

We recommend screening for A. fumigatus sensitisation using fungus-specific IgE in all newly diagnosed asthmatic adults at tertiary care but only difficult-to-treat asthmatic children. We recommend diagnosing ABPA in those with predisposing conditions or compatible clinico-radiological presentation, with a mandatory demonstration of fungal sensitisation and serum total IgE ≥500 IU·mL-1 and two of the following: fungal-specific IgG, peripheral blood eosinophilia or suggestive imaging. ABPM is considered in those with an ABPA-like presentation but normal A. fumigatus-IgE. Additionally, diagnosing ABPM requires repeated growth of the causative fungus from sputum. We do not routinely recommend treating asymptomatic ABPA patients. We recommend oral prednisolone or itraconazole monotherapy for treating acute ABPA (newly diagnosed or exacerbation), with prednisolone and itraconazole combination only for treating recurrent ABPA exacerbations. We have devised an objective multidimensional criterion to assess treatment response.

CONCLUSION

We have framed consensus guidelines for diagnosing, classifying and treating ABPA/M for patient care and research.

[Unmet Needs in Severe Allergic Asthma]

Severe asthma affects 3%-10% of the world's population, according to estimates by the Global Initiative for ASTHMA (GINA). Allergic asthma is one of the most common phenotypes of severe asthma and it is characterized by allergen-induced type 2 inflammation in which immunoglobulin E (IgE) is a key mediator, making it an important therapeutic target. The introduction of targeted biological therapies or treatments has entered the management for severe asthma in the era of precision medicine, and the goal of treatment is clinical remission of the disease. There is a significant percentage of patients with severe allergic asthma who do not respond to treatments and whose symptoms are not controlled. In this paper, a group of experts in the management of severe allergic asthma reviewed and evaluated the most relevant evidence regarding the pathophysiology and phenotypes of severe allergic asthma, the role of IgE in allergic inflammation, allergen identification, techniques, biomarkers and diagnostic challenges, available treatments and strategies for disease management, with a special focus on biological treatments. From this review, recommendations were developed and validated through a Delphi consensus process with the aim of offering improvements in the management of severe allergic asthma to the professionals involved and identifying the unmet needs in the management of this pathology.

Effects of Allergen Exposure and Environmental Risk Factors in Schools on Childhood Asthma

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review aims to assess the prevalence of common allergen exposures and environmental risk factors for asthma in schools, examine the underlying mechanisms of these environmental risk factors, and explore possible prevention strategies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Cockroach, mouse, dust mites, fungi, viral infections, ozone pollution, and cleaning products are common allergen exposures and environmental risk factors in schools which may affect asthma morbidity. Novel modifiable environmental risk factors in schools are also being investigated to identify potential associations with increased asthma morbidity. While several studies have investigated the benefit of environmental remediation strategies in schools and their impact on asthma morbidity, future studies are warranted to further define the effects of modifiable risk factors in schools and determine whether school mitigation strategies may help improve asthma symptoms in students with asthma.