Læknablaðið : fylgirit - 01.06.2005, Blaðsíða 21

ABSTRACTS / XXIX CONGRESS OF THE NORDIC ASSOCIATION OF OTOLARYNGOLOGY
tions in infants <7 months of age with RSV infection, other respi-
ratory viral infections and healthy infants as controls. We have
also in another study analyzed whether RSV bronchiolitis leads to
an increase in U-EPX levels and whether wheezing is more com-
mon in children with high U-EPX values.
Results: Thirty-nine infants with RSV, 9 with influenza or para-
influenza virus infections and 50 controls with no history of prior
infections were enrolled in the study. The levels of the Th2 cyto-
kine IL-4 were significantly higher in RSV-infected infants <3
months of age compared with RSV infected infants >3 months.
Both The inflammatory response in the nose in infants with iin-
fections with caused by RSVand with , influenza or parainfluenza
virus were comparablesponse in the nose and the infants had
similar levels of cytokines, chemokines and blood cell counts.
The virus-infected infants hadsignificantly Compared with the
controls, the virus infected infants had significantly higher levels
of levels of interleukin-IL-4, MIP-lBmacrophage inflammatory
protein-lbeta, IL-5 and ECP in the nasopharyngeal secretions-
secretions compared with the control groupThe levels of the Th2
cytokine IL-4 were significantly higher in RSV-infected infants
<3 months of age compared with infants >3 months. In the other
study seventeen infants requiring in-ward care for verified RSV
respiratory tract infection were followed and compared with
age-matched controls. At inclusion as well as at the 30-month
follow-up, U-EPX was comparable in the RSV group. However,
at follow-up 3 months after inclusion, the RSV group had sig-
nificantly increased levels of U-EPX compared with inclusion
(median 167.8; range 46.2-470.7 vs 122.8; 43.7-266.0 pg/mmol
creatinine; P = 0.023) and also significantly increased compared
with the 3-month old controls (167.8 vs 93.0; 19.0-204.0 pg/mmol
creatinine; P = 0.0095). Subjects that experienced wheezing had
significantly higher U-EPX values both at inclusion and at the
30-month follow-up.
Conclusion: Infections with RSV as well as with influenza and
parainfluenza virus during early infancy preferentially promote
a Th2-like response in the nose with local production of IL-4,
IL-5 and MIP-16MIP-lbeta, and the infiltration and activation of
eosinophils. RSV bronchiolitis severe enough to require in-ward
care produces a significant, but transient increase in U-EPX.
Furthermore, a high U-EPX at baseline appears to increase the
risk of future wheezing.
Abstract no.: 037
Genetic studies of asthma
Hákon Hákonarson, deCode Genetics, Reykjavík, Iceland
Asthma is a complex genetic disorder with a heterogeneous
phenotype attributed to the interactions among many genes and
the environment. Numerous loci and candidate genes have been
reported to show linkage and association of asthma and the asth-
ma-associated phenotypes, atopy, elevated immunoglobulin E
(IgE) levels, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness to alleles of mic-
rosatellite markers and single nucleotide polymorphisms within
specific cytokine/chemokine, and IgE regulating genes. Although
many studies reporting these observations are compelling, only
a few genes conferring significant risk have been mapped. In
addition, despite significant progress made in the field of asthma
genetics in the past decade, the clinical implications of the genetic
variations within the numerous candidate asthma genes, which
have been found to associate with the expression of the asthmatic
phenotype, remain largely undetermined. It is encouraging, how-
ever, that in the past couple of years, the scientific community
has been favourably impacted by postgenomic discoveries, with
the recent cloning of two asthma genes, ADAM 33 and PHFll,
and this has generated new information that is benefiting others.
The presentation will cover these recent observations, including
the isolation of a gene mapped by deCODE which was found to
have variants that increase the risk of asthma by a factor of two.
The presentation describes the key approaches that are used to
study the genetics of asthma and the pathobiology underlying this
complex disorder. It also includes examples of studies addressing
gene-gene interactions and how linkage disequilibrium blocks and
haplotypes are used as functional units to pinpoint mutations and
capture relative risk of mutated genes in complex diseases such
as asthma.
O-lll BALANCE AND OTONEUROLOGY
Abstract no.: 038
The AGES Reykjavík study. Balance and hearing evaluation
Petersen H1, Siggeirsdóttir K2, Pyykkö I3, Toppila E3, Eiríksdóttir G2,
Launer L4, Harris T4, Hoffman H5, Gorritz M5, Themann C5, Jónsson P1,
Sverrisdóttir JE2, Guðnason V2
'Landspítali University Hospital Reykjavik Iceland, 2Icelandic Heart
Association, Iceland, 3Tampere University Hospital Finland, 4National
Institute on Aging, 5National Institute on Deafness and Communication
Disorders, USA
The AGES Reykjavík study is based on the Reykjavik study,
which started in 1967 and comprises health information of more
than 20.000 individuals who at present are older than 69 years.
The study, which is collaboration between National Institute of
Ageing (NIA) in the US and the Icelandic Heart Association
started in the year 2001 and is estimated to continue through the
year 2006.
A total sample of 8000 subjects is expected to be examined.
The AGES Reykjavik study includes several aspects of human
aging. The ageing of CNS and its postural control parts is
thoroughly studied. Beside cognitive tests and MRI of the CNS,
the focus is on following balance research:
1. Questionnaire regarding brain, inner ear and balance prob-
lems.
2. Motor functions test as timed up and go and 6 meter walk.
3. Strength in the lower extremities.
4. Posturography (force) platform, where four main tests are
performed: a) chair stand b) quiet stands with open and
closed eyes c) target hunting d) step test.
5. Hearing evaluation (PTA, impedens audiometry).
The results are as follows: The reaction time for both men and
women decrease as well as the stabilization time in the chair test
with increased age. Hearing thresholds in all frequencies tested
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