TSA attenuated the development of allergic airway inflammation by decreasing expression of the Th2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-5, and IgE, which resulted from reduced T cell infiltration. Our results suggest that HDAC inhibition may attenuate the development of asthma by a T cell suppressive effect.

Background: Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) include Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). SJS and TEN (SJS/TEN) and DRESS are thought to be different diseases; however, they share some clinical and laboratory features. Although SCORTEN serves as an excellent prognostic marker for SJS/TEN, there is still a need for development of other prognostic markers for SCARs. Methods: The study population consisted of 88 SCAR patients. Clinical characteristics and clinical manifestations were compared between SJS/TEN and DRESS. Risk factor analyses for prolonged hospitalization were performed. Results: Of the 88 patients, 41 were SJS/TEN and 47 were DRESS. Mortality rates of TEN and DRESS were 9.8 and 2.1%, respectively. Allopurinol and carbamazepine were the most common causes of both SJS/TEN and DRESS (34.7 and 62.9%, respectively). Some of the systemic presentations, such as fever and laboratory abnormalities were common in both phenotypes. Thrombocytopenia tended to be related to prolonged hospitalization (longer than 3 weeks) in SJS/TEN (odds ratio, OR = 5.1, 95% confidence interval, CI 0.8-31.8, p = 0.076). In DRESS patients, leukocytosis at presentation (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.1-20.3, p = 0.03) was related to prolonged hospitalization. Conclusions: Clinical features of SCARs in a tertiary hospital in Korea were similar to those reported previously. SJS/TEN and DRESS shared some clinical and laboratory features. Thrombocytopenia for SJS/TEN and leukocytosis at presentation for DRESS may be useful prognostic markers for prolonged hospitalization.

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The role of food additives in chronic urticaria (CU) is still under investigation. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between food additives and CU by using the basophil activation test (BAT). The BAT using 15 common food additives was performed for 15 patients with CU who had a history of recurrent urticarial aggravation following intake of various foods without a definite food-specific IgE. Of the 15 patients studied, two (13.3%) showed positive BAT results for one of the tested food additives. One patient responded to monosodium glutamate, showing 18.7% of CD203c-positive basophils. Another patient showed a positive BAT result to sodium benzoate. Both patients had clinical correlations with the agents, which were partly determined by elimination diets. The present study suggested that at least a small proportion of patients with CU had symptoms associated with food additives. The results may suggest the potential utility of the BAT to identity the role of food additives in CU.