title: [Sensitization to ascaris lumbricoides and asthma severity in children].
abstract: There is little information concerning asthma severity and sensitization to Ascaris lumbricoides in pediatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The relationship between sensitization to Ascaris lumbricoides and asthma severity in 219 patients with a high prevalence of parasitic exposure (IgE antibodies) was studied by using linear, multivariate and logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sensitization to Ascaris lumbricoides was associated with positive skin tests for aeroallergens, increased total serum IgE, increased eosinophils, reductions in FEV1 and FEV1/FVC ratio, increased airway Methacholine, bronchodilator responsiveness, and hospitalizations for asthma in the past year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sensitization to Ascaris lumbricoides is associated with increased severity of asthma among Romanian children. This association is mediated by a high degree of atopy among the asthma children sensitized to Ascaris lumbricoides and belonging to a population with a low prevalence of helminthiasis.
authors.affiliation: Universităţii de Medicină şi Farmacie Gr. T. Popa Iaşi, Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie Gr. T. Popa Iaşi, Facultatea de Medicină.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rîpă
authors.forename: Roxana-Gabriela
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Bahnea
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cojocaru
authors.forename: Mihaela Cătălina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Luca
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leon
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luca
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017164:Ascaris lumbricoides / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000276:immunology; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007073:Immunoglobulin E