Background: The risk factors for asthma exacerbations are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients who experience asthma exacerbations. We also assessed potential triggers of exacerbations and possible predictors of hospitalization. Methods: A retrospective, noninterventional cohort study was conducted in adult patients who attended the emergency department of a tertiary hospital with an asthma exacerbation during 2014.

In this population, patients who had multiple ED visits in 1 year, those with uncontrolled asthma, wheezing, ≥400 blood eosinophils/μL, or who had been discharged at the first ED visit are at higher risk of relapse.

Palabras clave: Inmunoterapia frente a veneno. Veneno de avispa. Trastornos autoinmunológicos.Venom immunotherapy (VIT) is the only highly effective way of treating patients with hymenoptera venom allergy (HVA). The most serious anaphylactic symptoms of HVA (HVA-SYS IVo) are life-threatening, thus making their occurrence an unconditional recommendation for VIT. Yet, VIT is contraindicated in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.We present the case of a 55-year-old woman with autoinflammatory neurological disease (initially diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis) who received VIT following an anaphylactic reaction (SYS-IVo) to wasp sting (Vespula germanica). Allergy tests showed the presence of specific IgE antibodies to wasp venom (intradermal test at 0.001 µg/mL, 12×12 mm; sIgE class 2). The basal serum tryptase concentration was normal. Her past medical history included gastrointestinal reflux, mild gastritis, allergy to ketoprofen and metamizole sodium, and seronegative spondyloarthropathy. At the age of 50, she was diagnosed with remitting-relapsing multiple sclerosis. Her first symptoms of neurological damage were mild facial weakness, mild instability with the eyes closed in the Romberg test, and clumsy movements of the left hand. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed twice and revealed multiple hyperintense areas that were considered demyelinating lesions. The cerebrospinal fluid study showed intrathecal production of immunoglobulins 1.75 [normal range,). Visual evoked potentials were normal. Lyme disease was excluded. The patient was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol, 1000 mg/d over 5 days) during 3 exacerbations of the disease. Progression in her disability was measured using the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Her initial EDSS was 1.5, which rose to 4.0 after the last exacerbation of the disease.The patient met the clinical and immunological criteria for VIT. Another reason in support of the decision to administer VIT was the patient's physical disability, which might have hindered attempts to avoid a sting, especially given that she lives in an area with high exposure to stinging insects. The decision to start VIT was made despite the hitherto accepted belief that autoimmunological diseases constitute a contraindication to immunotherapy. At the time the patient qualified for VIT, her condition was stable, with no new active neurological symptoms.No complications were recorded during the induction phase (ultrarush; Pharmalgen, ALK-Abelló) and a complete 5-year course of VIT. There were no local or systemic allergic reactions. Neurological symptoms did not intensify, and no new symptoms appeared. The patient did not experience exacerbation of her neurological disease; the EDSS score remained unchanged. The findings in subsequent MRI examinations of the brain were stable, with no new lesions. The MRI revealed no lesions in the temporal lobes or posterior fossa structures and no juxtacortical lesions (Figure, A). However, numerous, small,...

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Antecedentes: La inmunoterapia con alérgenos específicos es el único tratamiento modificador del sistema inmunológico para la enfermedad alérgica.Objetivo: Identificar la prevalencia de reacciones adversas durante la fase de inicio de inmunoterapia subcutánea en condiciones de vida real y los posibles factores de riesgo que se asociados.Métodos: Estudio observacional retrospectivo de un año. Se registraron características epidemiológicas de 481 pacientes, inmunoterapia utilizada y reacción adversa.Resultados: 16.8 % de los pacientes sufría dermatitis atópica, 8.9 % alergia alimentaria, 4 % alergia a fármacos y 7.3 % había presentado urticaria idiopática. El polen de gramíneas fue el principal alérgeno. En los pacientes polisensibilizados, el uso de extractos polimerizados que llevaban gramíneas en su composición fue mayor (89.2 %) que los extractos nativos (78.9 %). Se administraron 1292 dosis de inmunoterapia específica: 881 extractos polimerizados y 411 extractos depot; 30 pacientes presentaron reacción adversa (6.2 %): 4.4 % de quienes recibieron extracto polimerizado y 14.3 % de quienes recibieron uno nativo (RM = 3.657). En los pacientes que recibieron extractos polimerizados, la reacción adversa fue local en 82.4 %, en 11.8 % sistémica leve y solo uno, sistémica grave; 66.7 % de quienes recibieron extracto nativo presentó reacciones locales, 25 % sistémicas leves y solo uno, sistémica grave.Conclusión: La inmunoterapia subcutánea en condiciones de vida real no está libre de riesgo, pero la incidencia de reacciones graves es muy baja, especialmente con extractos polimerizados, incluso cuando se utilizan tratamientos agrupados o ultrarrápidos.