Complementary Predictors for Asthma Attack Prediction in Children: Salivary Microbiome, Serum Inflammatory Mediators, and Past Attack History.

Background: Early identification of children at risk of asthma attacks is important for optimizing treatment strategies. We aimed to integrate salivary microbiome and serum inflammatory mediator profiles with asthma attacks history to develop a comprehensive predictive model for future attacks.

Methods: This study contained a discovery (SysPharmPediA) and a replication phase (U-BIOPRED).

Metabotypes are linked to uncontrolled childhood asthma, gut microbiota, and systemic inflammation.

Background: Childhood asthma has been linked to distinct metabolomic profiles.

Objective: We sought to identify phenotypes (metabotypes) in children with moderate to severe asthma through integrative fecal and serum metabolome analysis.

Methods: Children from the Systems Pharmacology Approach to Uncontrolled Pediatric Asthma cohort with Global Initiative for Asthma treatment step 3 or higher were recruited.

Epigenome-Wide Association Study of Asthma Exacerbations in Europeans.

Background: Asthma exacerbations (AEs) represent the major contributor to the global asthma burden. Although genetic and environmental factors have been associated with AEs, the role of epigenetics remains uncovered.

Objective: This study aimed to identify whole blood DNA methylation (DNAm) markers associated with AEs in Europeans.

Association of Corticosteroid Inhaler Type with Saliva Microbiome in Moderate-to-Severe Pediatric Asthma.

: Metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) and dry powder inhalers (DPIs) are common inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) inhaler devices. The difference in formulation and administration technique of these devices may influence oral cavity microbiota composition. We aimed to compare the saliva microbiome in children with moderate-to-severe asthma using ICS via MDIs versus DPIs.

Vaginal Delivery Is Associated with Neurochemical Evidence of Increased Neuroaxonal Remodelling in Infants from the KUNO-Kids Health Study: Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Aim: Little is known about neonatal brain plasticity or the impact of birth mode on neurointegrity. As a reflection of neuroaxonal damage, the neuronal structural protein neurofilament light chain (NfL) has emerged as a highly specific biomarker. Our purpose was to test the hypothesis that vaginal delivery is associated with increased NfL in neonates.

Symptoms, SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies, and Neutralization Capacity in a Cross Sectional-Population of German Children.

Children and youth are affected rather mildly in the acute phase of COVID-19 and thus, SARS-CoV-2 infection infection may easily be overlooked. In the light of current discussions on the vaccinations of children it seems necessary to better identify children who are immune against SARS-CoV-2 due to a previous infection and to better understand COVID-19 related immune reactions in children. In a cross-sectional design, children aged 1-17 were recruited through primary care pediatricians for the study (a) randomly, if they had an appointment for a regular health check-up or (b) if parents and children volunteered and actively wanted to participate in the study.

Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) values in a large cross-sectional population of children with asymptomatic to moderate COVID-19.

Background: Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) is an established biomarker of neuro-axonal damage in multiple neurological disorders. Raised sNfL levels have been reported in adults infected with pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Levels in children infected with COVID-19 have not as yet been reported.

Human β-Defensin 2 Mutations Are Associated With Asthma and Atopy in Children and Its Application Prevents Atopic Asthma in a Mouse Model.

Asthma and allergies are complex, chronic inflammatory diseases in which genetic and environmental factors are crucial. Protection against asthma and allergy development in the context of farming environment is established by early animal contact, unpasteurized milk consumption and gut microbiota maturation. The human β-defensin 2 (hBD-2) is a host defense peptide present almost exclusively in epithelial tissues, with pronounced immunomodulatory properties, which has recently been shown to ameliorate asthma and IBD in animal models.

Symptoms and immunoglobulin development in hospital staff exposed to a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak.

Background: Worldwide, the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections is increasing. Serological immunoglobulin tests may help to better understand the development of immune mechanisms against SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 cases and exposed but asymptomatic individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate exposure to SARS-CoV-2, symptoms, and antibody responses in a large sample of healthcare workers following a COVID-19 outbreak.

KUNO-Kids birth cohort study: rationale, design, and cohort description.

Background: Birth cohort studies can contribute substantially to the understanding of health and disease - in childhood and over the life course. The KUNO-Kids birth cohort study was established to investigate various aspects of child health, using novel omics technologies in a systems medicine approach.

Results: After 3 years of recruitment, 2515 infants and their families have joined the study.

6q12 and 11p14 variants are associated with postnatal exhaled nitric oxide levels and respiratory symptoms.

Background: Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is a biomarker of airway inflammation and seems to precede respiratory symptoms, such as asthma, in childhood. Identifying genetic determinants of postnatal eNO levels might aid in unraveling the role of eNO in epithelial function or airway inflammation and disease.

Objective: We sought to identify genetic determinants of early postnatal eNO levels and subsequent respiratory symptoms during the first year of life.

Doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1 (DMRT1) is a sex-specific genetic determinant of childhood-onset asthma and is expressed in testis and macrophages.

Background: Asthma is a disease affecting more boys than girls in childhood and more women than men in adulthood. The mechanisms behind these sex-specific differences are not yet understood.

Objective: We analyzed whether and how genetic factors contribute to sex-specific predisposition to childhood-onset asthma.

Polymorphisms related to ORMDL3 are associated with asthma susceptibility, alterations in transcriptional regulation of ORMDL3, and changes in TH2 cytokine levels.

Background: Chromosome 17q21, harboring the orosomucoid 1-like 3 (ORMDL3) gene, has been consistently associated with childhood asthma in genome-wide association studies.

Objective: We investigated genetic variants in and around ORMDL3 that can change the function of ORMDL3 and thus contribute to asthma susceptibility.

Methods: We performed haplotype analyses and fine mapping of the ORMDL3 locus in a cross-sectional (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase II, n = 3557 total subjects, n = 281 asthmatic patients) and case-control (Multicenter Asthma Genetics in Childhood Study/International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase II, n = 1446 total subjects, n = 763 asthmatic patients) data set to identify putative causal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the locus.

Genetic variants in Protocadherin-1, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, and asthma subphenotypes in German children.

Background: Recently, Protocadherin-1 (PCDH1) was reported as a novel susceptibility gene for bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) and asthma. PCDH1 is located on chromosome 5q31-33, in the vicinity of several known candidate genes for asthma and allergy. To exclude that the associations observed for PCDH1 originate from the nearby cytokine cluster, an extensive linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis was performed.

Gingival disease and secretory immunoglobulin a in non-stimulated saliva in children.

Aim: To find the relationship of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) to gingival diseases in childhood and adolescence by quantitative study of these antibodies in non-stimulated saliva.

Patients And Methods: The survey included 30 somatically healthy children (mean age 15.37 +/- 1.