Reported to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology: Pittsburgh Physicians Find Genetic Clue to Children's Risk of Ear Infection Triggered By Common Cold
Posted on: Tuesday, 27 February 2007, 12:01 CST
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Gamma interferon, a chemical naturally made by the body in response to infection, may be key to predicting which children will be more susceptible to developing an ear infection following a bout with the common cold, according to physicians in the Division of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) in Pittsburgh. The results of the study, funded by the National Institutes of Heath, are being presented today at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in San Diego.
"Ear infections are the number one reason children visit the doctor," said David Skoner, MD, study lead investigator and director, AGH Division of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. "Because ear infections are frequently triggered by the common cold and occur in only a subset of children, developing a method to identify those patients at 'high risk' of ear infections following a cold would result in a significant advantage in the evaluation and management of the illness."
Dr. Skoner and his colleagues studied 140 children, age 18 months to 3, for three years, following them for the development of an ear infection after a cold. The participants had their ears checked every two weeks, and a DNA sample for gene testing was collected from all children by gently brushing the inside of their mouths with a soft brush.
"We found that children who had a particular type of gene associated with high levels of gamma interferon developed 30 percent fewer ear infections following a cold than those who had lower levels of gamma interferon," Dr. Skoner explained. "These results suggest a role of gamma interferon in the development of an ear infection following an upper respiratory virus in some children."
According to Dr. Skoner, future studies are planned and if they yield similar results, genetic testing may become a tool for identifying "at risk" children who may benefit from the selective use of preventive or early intervention treatment of ear infections.
Allegheny General Hospital
CONTACT: Heather Holtschlag of Allegheny General Hospital, +1-412-359-8604
Source: PRNewswire
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