Did you know that 1 in 12 people in the United States have asthma?

And that the prevalence of asthma has increased by 28%?

Pediatric Asthma & IgE Sensitivity

Crystal Parry

Mount Hebron High School

Intern/Mentor

Dr. Ruth Agwuna

Overview

● Atopic Asthma
● Genetic & Environmental Factors
● Hypothesis
● Data Collection
● Final Product
● Internship
Research

● Asthma
○ Atopic (Allergic) Asthma
○ Can be compounded with different atopic diseases
● Genetic Factors
○ IgE antibodies in the immune system
● Surplus can cause sensitivity
● Environmental Factors
● Triggers expression gene

https://www.rsb.org.uk/biologist-features/158-biologist/features/1512-focus-on-allergies
True or False?

Atopic asthma is caused by hypersensitivity to allergens.

Hypothesis

Modes of Diagnosis

● IgE count
● Allergy testing/Past Medical History of Lung infections
● Family history (Genetics)
Meta-Analysis Results

Examined Mode of Diagnosis: Genetics

● Findings: For children with asthmatic mothers, 11% of them had asthma, while
for children with asthmatic fathers, 10% of them had asthma. However, only
3% of children with nonasthmatic parents had asthma.
● Significance: Shows there is a greater correlation between family history of
asthma and developing asthma as a child.

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-disease-genetics-fact-sheet
Meta-Analysis Results (cont.)

Examined Mode of Diagnosis: IgE antibody count

● Findings: Except for molds, all allergens had significant correlations between
their serum sp IgE levels and skin test positivities
● Significance: Shows there is a greater chance a child with a high antibody count
will exhibit symptoms of atopic asthma.

http://hairliciously.com/5-blood-tests-you-must-get-before-taking-finasteride/
Meta-Analysis Results (cont.)

Examined Mode of Diagnosis: Frequency of past bacterial infections

● Findings: The number of fever episodes during the first year of life and the
number of antibiotic courses during the first 3 yrs of life were associated with a
higher risk of asthma and current wheeze at school age after adjusting for
several confounding factors.
● Significance: These wheezing lower respiratory tract illnesses (LRIs) due to RSV
or other viruses were therefore thought to alter normal lung development and
produce long-lasting sequelae that induce the development of asthma later in
life.
Meta-Analysis Results (cont.)

Examined Mode of Diagnosis: Combination of Genetics, IgE antibody count, and

Past Medical History

● Findings: At all ages, males have higher total IgE concentration than females.
More than 80% of asthma exacerbations in children are of viral origin. This
epidemiological observation equates well with most clinical experience.
● Significance: Shows a combination of methods work in finding an accurate
diagnosis, but is more likely that the cause of asthma for each individual is more
situational.
Internship & Future Aspirations
● Patient to patient interaction
● Mentor specializes in pediatric asthma and allergy medicine
● Importance to allergy and asthma testing

https://www.healthline.com/health/allergy-testing
Final Product

● Informative brochure
○ Designed to reach parent population

https://practicepromotions.net/successful-physical-therapy-brochures/
Questions?
References
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology. (n.d.). Asthma defined. In Conditions
dictionary. Retrieved October 5, 2017, from https://tinyurl.com/ybyzozy6

Chadwick, D. J., & Goode, J. A. (Eds.). (2006). Mast cells and basophils: Development,
activation and roles in allergic/autoimmune disease. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/yd8z2hgt

Gern, J. E., Lemanske, R. F., & Busse, W. W. (1999). Early life origins of asthma. The Journal
of Clinical Investigation. https://doi.org/10.1172/ JCI8272

Peter, S. D., Attilio, B. L., Bengt, B., Andy, B., Adnan, C., Phillippe, E. A., . . . Patrick, H. G.
(2008). Early identification of atopy in the prediction of persistent asthma in children. The Lancet, 372(9643).
Retrieved from The Lancet database.

World Allergy Organization. (n.d.). WAO/EAACI allergy definitions. In WAO. Retrieved October 17, 2017, from
http://www.worldallergy.org/professional/allergic_diseases_center/nomenclature/english.php