Kryvopustova M. Prediction of treatment effectiveness and clinical course of bronchial asthma in school-age children with sensitization to cat allergens

The dissertation presents original research on bronchial asthma in school-age children with sensitization to cat allergens. Bronchial asthma is a significant medical and social issue due to its prevalence and negative impact on various aspects of quality of life. After house dust mites, domestic cats are regarded as the second most frequent cause of respiratory allergies. Since cat allergens are so widespread, avoiding them might be challenging. A comprehensive and efficient therapeutic approach based on recent developments in molecular allergology is required for patients with sensitization to cat allergens. The purpose of the research is to improve treatment outcomes for school-age children with bronchial asthma and sensitization to cat allergens by predicting the clinical course and treatment effectiveness. The objectives of the research are as follows: 1. To investigate an individual sensitization profile in school-age children with bronchial asthma and cat allergen sensitivity using a multicomponent molecular allergy diagnostic test. 2. To identify specific characteristics of the clinical course and treatment effectiveness in school-age children with bronchial asthma and sensitization to cat allergens. 3. To create and implement a model for predicting bronchial asthma control status in school-age children with sensitization to cat allergens after a 12-month treatment period. 4. To define the role of allergen-specific immunotherapy in the management of school-age children with bronchial asthma and cat allergen sensitivity. 5. To study quality of life indicators among school-age children who are allergic to cats and are getting bronchial asthma treatment. A total of 430 patients were enrolled in the study according to the following inclusion criteria: children of both sexes, age 6-17 years, diagnosed with bronchial asthma and sensitization to at least one of the cat allergens (Fel d 1, Fel d 2, Fel d 4, Fel d 7). Informed consent for participation in the study was obtained. The Commission on Bioethical Expertise and Scientific Research Ethics of Bogomolets National Medical University (Kyiv, Ukraine) approved the design of this research. The following research methods were used: clinical (anamnesis, analysis of medical documentation, clinical examination, asthma control test), laboratory (total blood count, molecular allergy diagnostics), instrumental (spirometry, evaluation of the fractional exhaled nitric oxide levels in children, skin-prick test), a survey using the MiniPAQLQ questionnaire to assess the quality of life, as well as statistical methods for processing the obtained results (statistical package IBM SPSS Statistics Base v.22).