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Notizen: Marination was investigated as a means to add value and improve the palatability of lamb chops. Vacuum-packaged whole lamb loins (n = 24) were assigned randomly to a 14 or 20-day aging period. Loins were split and right and left sides were designated to receive one of two treatments: control or marinade with spice rub. Loins were cut into chops and chops were vacuum-packaged and displayed for 0–, 7– or 14-days in a retail display case. Chops from both aging periods assigned to the 0 day retail display period were evaluated for both raw and cooked characteristics by consumers. Consumers indicated that cooked appearance. odor, juiciness, flavor, tenderness, and overall-like were higher for treated chops than for controls (P 〈 0.05). However, consumers preferred the appearance of raw control chops over the appearance of raw treated chops (P 〈 0.05). Treated lamb chops had lower aerobic plate counts at 7 and 14 days of retail display for both aging periods (P 〈 0.05), and lower 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBARS) values than control chops (P 〈 0.05). A treatment × retail display day interaction (P 〈 0.05) was observed for TBARS values as treated chops had lower TBARS values than control chops as days of retail display increased. Marinating lamb chops improved palatability traits of cooked lamb chops and extended the shelf-life characteristics of raw lamb chops.

Notizen: The level of agreement between 14 physicians as to what constitutes a case of atopic dermatitis was tested on 15 selected patients with a range of diagnoses. Between-observer agreement was good, with a mean pair agreement index (P0) of 0.94, and a chance corrected index (κ) of 0.78. Between- observer agreement in the recording of 18 separate physical signs of atopic dermatitis was then tested by asking the 14 physicians to note the presence or absence of each sign in a different group of patients to those seen in the first part of the exercise. Substantial between-observer agreement (κ〉0.61) was only present for truncal dermatitis. Most signs showed only fair to moderate agreement (κ0.21–0.60), and some signs, such as keratosis pilaris, xerosis, orbital pigmentation, fine hair, and extensor dermatitis, showed poor agreement (κ0.01–0.20). The findings were similar when the responses of two independent observers from the national study outlined in Paper I were compared for each sign. Within-observer variation for the recording of physical signs was substantially better than between-observer variation.Physicians interested in atopic dermatitis agree reasonably well on what constitutes a typical case of atopic dermatitis. Between-observer variation with regard to some physical signs of atopic dermatitis is of a magnitude which argues against their continued use in clinical and epidemiological studies.

Notizen: Background Previous studies measuring the prevalence of allergen sensitization have been relatively small and used small numbers of allergens. To effectively evaluate children with atopic disease, we need an accurate knowledge of which allergens are important.Objective To measure the prevalence of sensitization within a large unselected birth cohort, to examine the associations between sensitization to different allergens and determine whether atopy can be defined by a small panel of allergens.Methods The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children is a population-based birth cohort of 13 638 singletons surviving to 4 weeks of age. The cohort was skin tested at 7 years of age to house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus), grass pollens, cat, peanuts, mixed tree nuts and egg and one of three other panels: animal danders, foods or aeroallergens. Sensitization was defined as a weal diameter of 〈inlineGraphic alt="geqslant R: gt-or-equal, slanted" extraInfo="nonStandardEntity" href="urn:x-wiley:09547894:CEA2280:ges" location="ges.gif"/〉3 mm. The strength of associations between sensitization to different allergens was tested by calculating the odds ratio adjusted for sensitization to D. pteronyssinus and grass pollen and gender.Results Valid data were obtained from 6412 singletons. Sensitization was most common to aeroallergens: grass pollens (8.5%), D. pteronyssinus (7.8%), cat (4.9%), D. farinae (3.6%), dog (2.7%), horse (1.4%), rabbit (1.4%). Of the foods tested, the most common sensitization was to peanut (1.4%) and mixed tree nuts (1.0%). More than 95% of subjects with sensitization to any of the 29 allergens tested were sensitized to one of grass, D. pteronyssinus or cat allergen. There were strong associations of multiple sensitizations both within and between different allergen classes (pollens, animals, foods, peanut and tree nuts).Conclusions Seven-year-old children in the UK are primarily sensitized to aeroallergens, but also to peanuts and tree nuts. There are strong associations between sensitization within allergen groups as well as between allergen groups. Further studies are required to observe whether similar associations are seen with clinical allergy to these allergens.

Notizen: Background We recently found that paracetamol (acetaminophen) use in late pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of early wheezing in the offspring.Objective To see whether use of paracetamol in late pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of asthma, wheezing and other atopic outcomes in the child at school age.Methods In the population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, we measured associations of paracetamol and aspirin use in late pregnancy (20–32 weeks) with asthma, hayfever, eczema (n=8511) and wheezing (8381) in the offspring at 69–81 months, and with atopy (positive skin prick test to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cat or grass, n=6527) and blood total IgE (n=5148) at 7 years. We used logistic and linear regression to analyse binary outcomes and log-transformed IgE, respectively, controlling for potential confounders.Results Use of paracetamol, but not aspirin, in late pregnancy was positively associated with asthma (odds ratios (ORs), comparing children whose mothers took paracetamol ‘sometimes’ and ‘most days/daily’ with those whose mothers never took it, 1.22 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06–1.41) and 1.62 (95% CI: 0.86–3.04), respectively; P trend=0.0037), wheezing (ORs 1.20 (95% CI: 1.02–1.40) and 1.86 (95% CI: 0.98–3.55), respectively; P trend=0.011), and total IgE (geometric mean ratios 1.14 (95% CI: 1.03–1.26) and 1.52 (95% CI: 0.98–2.38), respectively; P trend=0.0034), but not hayfever, eczema or skin test positivity. The proportion of asthma attributable to paracetamol use in late pregnancy, assuming a causal relation, was 7%.Conclusion: Paracetamol exposure in late gestation may cause asthma, wheezing and elevated IgE in children of school age.

Notizen: Background Although allergy represents an important source of patient morbidity and healthcare utilization, there is little reliable information on the overall disease burden posed by allergic conditions in the UK.Objectives Focusing on the following conditions: allergic rhinitis, anaphylaxis, asthma, conjunctivitis, eczema/dermatitis, food allergy and urticaria/angioedema, we sought to (i) describe the prevalence, incidence and outcomes of allergic disorders; (ii) describe the NHS healthcare burden posed by allergic disorders; (iii) estimate the costs of allergic disorders from a healthcare perspective.Methods Secondary analyses of data from the Health Survey for England, Scottish Health Survey, International Study of Allergies and Asthma in Childhood, European Community Respiratory Health Survey, Morbidity Statistics from General Practice 1991/1992, Royal College of General Practitioners Weekly Returns Service, Prescribing Analysis and Cost data, Hospital Episodes Statistics and national mortality data.Results Thirty-nine percent of children and 30% of adults have been diagnosed with one or more atopic conditions. Six percent of general practice consultations and 0.8% of hospital admissions are for allergic diseases. Treatments for asthma and other allergic disorders currently account for 10% of primary care prescribing costs. Direct NHS costs for managing allergic problems are estimated at over one billion UK pounds per annum.Conclusions Allergic disorders are common throughout the UK, affecting males and females of all ages and peoples from all social classes and ethnic groups. They currently represent a substantial burden of morbidity and health service cost.

Notizen: Background A large epidemic of asthma occurred following a thunderstorm in southern and central England on 24/25 June 1994. A collaborative study group was formed.Objectives To describe the epidemic and the meteorological, aerobiological and other environmental characteristics associated with it.Methods Collation of data from the Meteorological Office, the Pollen Research Unit, the Department of the Environtnent's Automatic Urban Network, from health surveillance by the Department of Health and the National Poisons Unit, from clinical experience in general practice and hospitals, and from an immunological study of some of the affected cases from north east London.Results The thunderstorm was a Mesoscale Convective System, an unusual and large form of storm with several centres and severe wind gusts. It occurred shortly after the peak grass pollen concentration in the London area. A sudden and extensive epidemic occurred within about an hour affecting possibly several thousand patients. Emergency services were stretched but the epidemic did not last long. Cases had high serum levels of IgE antibody to mixed grass pollen.Conclusion This study supports the view that patients with specific IgE to grass pollen are at risk of thunderstorm-related asthma. The details of the causal pathway from storm to asthma attack are not clear. Case-control and time series studies are being carried out.

Notizen: Background An association of allergic sensitization with small families and low birth order has been described and attributed to a protective effect of early infection. The influence of like-sex and unlike-sex siblings has not been investigated, although the severity of viral infections may be greater if acquired from unlike-sex siblings.Objective To investigate the association of self-reported inhalant allergy with family composition.Methods Reports of allergy to grass, dust or cats by 11042 pregnant women recruited to a longitudinal study of pregnancy and childhood in Avon, UK, were analysed in relation to respondent's age, maternal age and sibship composition (older and younger brothers and sisters) by multiple logistic regression.Results The prevalence of self-reported inhalant allergy decreased with increasing numbers of brothers (test for trend: P 〈 0.0001), but was unrelated to the number of sisters. The unadjusted prevalences for subjects with none, one, two and three or more brothers were 26%, 23%, 20% and 17%, respectively. The corresponding prevalences for numbers of sisters were 23%, 24%, 22% and 23%. After adjustment for total sibship size, offspring of older mothers were more likely to report allergy (test for trend: P 〈 0.001), but there was no association with position in the sibship.Conclusion Although it is not possible to determine whether brothers speciflcally, or unlike-sex siblings in general, are inversely associated with inhalant allergy, these findings are consistent with the hypothesis that patterns of sibling interaction within young families influence the risk of future aeroallergen sensitization.