In most asthmatic children, their family circumstances are one of factors which can affect their clinical courses. We analysed 379 first-time visiting outpatients with asthma in 1987 and 1989, and 103 asthmatic chindren who had residential therapy between 1987 and 1989. The incidence of asthmatic children in a single parent family was higher in severe cases of outpatients and residents. Patients with undesirable family circumstances, for example, devorce or separation of parents, neurotic or psychotic patients in the family and so on, had psychological complications such as refusal to go to school, refusal to take their medicine, and psychosomatic disoders in significantly high frequency. Psychotherapy was introduced to these patients with psychological problems in oder to promote their self-reliance, but some of them needed residential therapy for a longer time. It seems that we must care for asthmatic children in problematic family not only with biological and psychological treatment but also with socioeconomical supports.

View full abstract

Six outpatients suffering from atopic dermatitis underwent the α-linolenic acid enriched diet, that is, reducing n-6 series polyunsaturated fatty acid (linoleic acid, arachidonic acid [AA]) intake and increasing n-3 series polyunsaturated fatty acid (α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]) intake using perilla oil to suppress the release of chemical mediator derived from arachidonic acid cascade. After 124±40.4 (mean±SD) days of this treatment, improvement of the dermatitis was observed in three patients, and in another one patient by continuing the diet after this study. In the phospholipid fraction in their serum, the n-3/n-6 ratio and the EPA/AA ratio were significantly increased (p<0.01). According to that, Leukotriene C₄ release from polymorphonuclear leukocytes by zymosan and fresh autologous serum was significantly decreased (p<0.05). This results suggest that daily meals consist in the α-linolenic acid enriched diet have some benefit in the treatment of allergic diseases.

View full abstract

To study the characteristics of personality in children with bronchial asthma, we examined 89 asthmatic and 71 healthy children in terms of sex and age (1-4 grades, 5, 6 grades at elementary school) using the Yatabe-Guilford (Y-G) Personality Inventory which measures conscious aspects of parsonality and the Picture Frustration (PF) Study which measures unconscious aspects of personality. There were two major findings. 1) A finding of both tests showed that there were sex and age differences the characteristics of the personality of asthmatic children. Especially in the PF Study asthmatic boys in 5, 6 grades were inclined to be more aggressive, but asthmatic girls in 5, 6 grades were inclined to conform themselves to the social environment around them to an excessive degree as compared to the results of children in 1-4 grades. 2) The results of asthmatic children in 5, 6 grades on the Y-G Personality Inventory significantly differed from their results on the PF Study as compared to the results of children in 1-4 grades. It is suggested that the batteries of psychological tests could help us to examine various aspects of personality of asthmatic children.

View full abstract

8mg/kg/day of repirinast was administered orally on 12 asthmatic children for about 1 year and the respiratory threshold to acetylcholine was determined before and after the period of above medications. Measurement of the threshold was performed by using Astograph to which on a special device, P-V Lissajou method, was applied.
It was found that the improvement of bronchial hypersensitivity was obtained in 8 patients of 12 patients.

View full abstract

In this case, a year and four months old boy, showed recurrent wheezing in spite of the administration of beta2-stimulants. Then we examined the relationship between gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and asthma. Esophagram demonstrated no regurgitation of barium from stomach to esophagus. However the score of 24-houmsr pH monitoring of the distal esophagus was 57.1 (mean+2SD of controls=15.44), lower esophageal sphincter pressure was 80mmH₂O (mean+2SD of controls=130mmH₂O), lower esophageal sphincter length wan 9.2mm (mean+2SD of controls=10.0mm). These data resulted in the diagnosis of GER. Furthermore, the simultaneous monitoring of SpO₂ by pulse oximeter and 24-hours pH of distal esophagus demonstrated the synchronized decrease of pH of esophagus and SpO₂ during wheezing. The relationship between GER and asthma was shown in this case. A decrease up to 34., 7 of score of 24-hourspH monitoring was observed afteroral administration of omeprazole (proton-pump inhibitor) and further improvement of the score (28.5) was gained by combined administration of omeprazole and antacid. Then his asthma was also well controlled. It was suggested that the simultaneous monitoring of 24-hours pH monitoring of the distal esophagus and SpO₂ by puls oximeter is useful for the assessment of the relationship between GER and asthma. Omeprazole is one of the effective treatment for asthma in which GER is involved.

View full abstract

The study was conducted to assess some allergic factors which infantile bronchial asthmatics (BA) developed as compared to only wheezy bronchitis patients (WB) and those with only atopic dermatitis (AD).
The subjects of this study were observed in this clinic for more than two years during their childhood. The BA group had 56 cases. The WB group had 53 cases. The AD group had 50 cases.
1. The improvement rate of the BA group was 85.7%. The no-symptom rate was 10.7%.
2. Both IgE RIST value and specific IgE RAST positive rate for dermatophagoides farinae and rice were higher in BA group than WB and AD groups then, IgE positive rate for wheat in BA group than AD group.
3. There was no great difference between the three as regards the number of eosinophil in peripheral blood.
4. The rate of patients transferred from WB group to BA group at the age of 2 and over was 18.9%. These patients belong to the transferred patient's group.
5. Both the IgE RIST value and the specific IgE RAST positive rate for food allergens at the age of 2 and over were higher in the transferred patients' group than in the WB and the completely recovered patients' group.
From the above mentioned results, some allergic factors which infantile bronchial asthmatics developed were a high IgE RIST value and a high positive rate of specific IgE level for dermatophagoides farinae rice and wheat.

View full abstract