[Prevalence of reactions to drugs in 251 patients with urticaria-angioedema syndrome]

We studied 251 outpatients affected by chronic and acute urticaria-angioedema syndrome, triggered or exacerbated by drugs, to evaluate the prevalence of adverse reactions to each pharmacological group. Among these patients, 134 (53.4%) presented one or more adverse reactions to a single drug: 100 (74.7%) reacted to NSAIDs, 33 (24.7%) to antibiotics and 1 to B vitamin complex. The remaining 117 patients (46.6%) presented adverse reactions to more than one drug. Considering the patients all together, 123 (49%) had adverse reactions to ASA, 116 (46.2%) to pyrazones, 65 (25.9%) to antibiotics, 26 (10.3%) to NSAIDs different from ASA and pyrazones. In our experience, according to other reports, there is a greater frequency of drug reactions to NSAIDs vs other drugs. ASA is the more frequently involved drug.

[IgE-mediated allergy to ethylene oxide in hemodialyzed patients]

Ethylene oxide (ETO) is widely employed in sterilization of hemodialysis materials. Many studies have shown that ETO may act as an antigenic compound when bound to human albumin, therefore eliciting allergic reactions during hemodialysis. In the present study, we investigated in 93 patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis the prevalence of sensitization to ETO. All the patients were investigated for the presence of allergic or pseudo allergic reactions during the treatment. Specific IgE to ETO were found in sera of 3 patients: 1 suffered from urticaria and 1 from glottic edema and hypotension during the dialysis. The third one had non symptoms. The employ of a gamma-rays sterilized filter determined the disappearance of clinical manifestations in the two symptomatic patients, therefore suggesting a pathogenetic role of the specific IgE to ETO in determining the clinical manifestations.

Panax ginseng: Relation between Age of Plant and Content of Ginsenosides

The roots of PANAX GINSENG C. A. Meyer contain a relatively high percentage of ginsenosides from their first year of life onwards. Since the major development of weight of roots occurs between the 4th and 5th year of life, it has been established that the highest yield of ginsenosides and therefore the best time for harvesting the roots is at the end of the summer of the 5th year.