The effect of roxithromycin (RXM) on superoxide (O₂^-) generation was studied in peripheral polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from children with bronchial asthma. The O₂^- generation activity was investigated using methoxy-cypiridina luciferin analog (MCLA), a specific chemiluminescence (CL) probe for O₂^- RXM suppressed the ability of O₂^- generation at 1×10^-5M, the concentration of clinical use. The level of suppression was different among stimulants to PMN.

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It has been supposed that the bacterial dermatic infection or food allergy may act as an initiator or accelerator on the attack of atopic dermatitis (AD). In this regard, in 76 children under 6 years of age with AD, the affected parts of the skin were subjected to bacterial culture to isolate infected bacteria, and the relationships between AD and bacterial infection and food allergy were examined.
As the results, from the skin lesions of AD children with egg allergy, Staphylococcus spp. were isolated from 49 (89.1%) of 55 test specimens, and among them, Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 72.7% and Staphylococcus epidermidis was in 21.1%. However, from the skin of AD children without egg allergy, they were detected not in such a high frequency. This trend was more prominent in dry skin lesions.
Whereas, from skin lesions so wet as accompanying erosion, irrespective of the presence or absence of egg allergy, Staphylococcus spp., particularly S. aureus was isolated in a high frequency.
No the correlation was observed on the isolations of S. aureus from skin lesions of children with or without milk allergy.

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Risk factors for asthma death were evaluated from pulmonary function tests during stable period. Subjects were divided into three groups. The first group was asthma death group, in which 16 patients(10 males, 6 females) died with acute asthma attacks during last 20 years in our hospital and had performed pulmonary function tests before death, age and duration of asthma being 14.7±4.9 years-old, 12.8±5.9 years(mean±SD) respectively. The second group was severe group, in which 49 patients (29 males, 20 females) had severe asthma attacks with cyanosis between 1988 and 1991 year, and had performed pulmonary function test within one year before such episodes, age and duration of asthma being 15.2±5.2 years-old, 11.9±4.9 years respectively. The third group was mild group, in which 84 patients (56 males, 28 females) under good control, neither had severe attacks nor hospitalization, age and duration of asthma being 13.1±4.4 years-old, 9.6±4.8 years respectively. Pulmonary function tests were performed at 19.7±12.5 months before death in asthma death group and at 4.3±3.8 months before severe attacks in severe group.
The values of FEV_1.0% in asthma death group, severe group, and mild group were 67.3±11.3%, 70.0±11.9%, and 81.6±8.0% respectively, while significant lower FEV_1.0% were observed in severe group (p<0.05). Significant lower values of %V₅₀ were also observed in asthma death group and severe group, %V₅₀ being 43.6±13.6%, 46.1±21.6% respectively, as compared to mild group (70.5±20.2%). Although mean values of %PEF were within normal range (80-100%) in three groups, being 89.9±27.6%, 89.8±24.3%, and 100.3±21.3% respectively, %PEF was significantly lower in severe group (p<0.05). In six patients who never required hospitalization and steroid treatments during last one year before death in asthma death group, FEV_1.0%, %PEF, and %V₅₀ were 74.1±7.1%, 94.7±17.7%, and 49.5±10.2% respectively. Regarding relationship between pulmonary function and duration of asthma, FEV_1.0% and %V₅₀ were inversely proportional to duration of asthma in severe group.
These results suggest that measurements of pulmonary function including flow-volume curve are useful in the management of asthma, and that risk of asthma death would be less if their airway obstructions improve without progression.

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Nutritional availability of a drink with soy protein hydrolysate (Hinute D3; Fuji Oil Co., Ltd) was evaluated in 10 food allergic children. The soy peptide has 5.2 amino acids in average peptide length and contain 1.0% free amino acids. Binding ability of the soy hydrolysate to soy specific IgE antibodies of patient's sera was significantly lowered when compared with unhydrolysed soy protein (p<0.001).
Eight patients among 10 could take continuously the soy peptide drink over 3 months, but 2 patients experienced skin eruption and itching by the challenge tests of the soy peptide drink. During the period taking a can (6g protein in 200g) every day, hemoglobin, serum total protein and albumin for nutritional index were significantly improved, and body weight and height also increased favorably. Throughout feeding period, the soy peptide drink did not bring about aggravation of allergic symptoms or adverse reactions, and laboratory findings including blood and urine examinations were also in good order. Moreover, patients and their parents put value on taste of the soy peptide drink.
These results indicated that the soy peptide was useful in nutritional management of some part of food allergic children.

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The inhibitory effect of booth with electric air cleaner (Mite-Free Booth) on acute asthma attacks was evaluated in seventeen children with bronchial asthma (atopic type) receiving institutional therapy by multi-center double blind crossover study.
1. The numbers of house dust mite in their bedroom and floor were 1095/g and 1050/g, on an average respectively, and mite allergen was caught by filter in Mite-Free Booth.
2. In group using Mite-Free Booth, clinical usefulness was observed in 52.9% of patients, while those was 23.5% in control group.
3. There were no exacerbation evaluated by the number of asthma attacks and pulmonary function during home stay in group using Mite-Free Booth, although those was significantly exacerbated in control group.
These results suggest that Mite-Free Booth is useful equipment for the management of atopic bronchial asthma.

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A evaluation of the stature and body weight was done on 272 infant with allergic diseases.
1. A height SD score lowered as the severity on atopic dermatitis advanced.
2. When classified by the condition of atopic dermatitis, a height SD score tended to be low with cases of advanced age, cases without elimination diet, and cases whose reaction to the cow's milk IgE RAST proved positive.
3. No specific relations were noticed between the condition of bronchial asthma and the height SD score of body weight.
As described above, a height SD score significantly lowered as the condition of atopic dermatitis advanced. This is considered to have been caused by an absorption disoder, stress due to ich, a sleep disorder, and the effect of external steroid preperations. So in cases of severe atopic dermatitis, it is considered to be necessary to pay paticular regard to the possibility of stature development retardation and to give coordinated treatment such as a combination on provision of good surroundings, good care of the skin, use of antiallergics and so forth, in addition to proper distractions for meal, use of topical steroid preparations.

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We evaluated the factors which influenced theophylline clearance during continuous intravenous aminophylline infusion in young athmatic children less than 2 years of age. We examined the relationship between the theophylline clearance and various factors sach as age, sex, body weight, fever, diarrhea and vomiting, in each of four deviled age groups.
We analyzed these relationship using multi variant analysiswith the rate of discrimination of 84%.
Low age (especialy under 6 months old), fever and diarrhea decreased theophylline clearance, but sex, body weight and vomiting were not related to theophylline clearance.
These resalts suggest that the be age, diarrhea and fever should be considered when we start the continuous intravenous aminophylline infusion.

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