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INTRODUCTION: Iodinated contrast media (ICM) are pharmaceuticals widely used in diagnostic procedures. Adverse effects associated with their administration are quite frequent and mostly mild. However, they raise concerns in patients and doctors in the context of their future use. AIM: To determine efficacy of premedication before medical procedures with the use of iodinated contrast media in patients with a history suggesting a hypersensitivity reaction after their past use. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Out of 152 patients consulted due to adverse reactions after ICM (85 women and 67 men, aged 43-90), 101 were selected with the history suggesting a mild hypersensitivity reaction (urticaria, itching, skin redness, malaise etc.). All the patients had health problems requiring a procedure with ICMadministration in the near future. The premedication was given with cetirizine (10 mg) and prednisone (20 mg or 50 mg, randomly assigned) 13, 7 and 1 h before the ICM administration. Presence of adverse events was compared between the subgroups with χ 2 test and efficacy of premedication - with Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: Seventy-six patients underwent the radiologic procedure with premedication with antihistamine and a lower (40 patients) or higher dose (36 patients) of prednisone. Four of them reported a cutaneous hypersensitivity reaction (urticaria, itching, redness) and one - dyspnoea. There was no statistically significant difference in relation to the premedication protocol (p = 0.1306). CONCLUSIONS: Premedication with cetirizine and prednisone before radiologic procedures proved to be efficient in patients with a history suggesting hypersensitivity to iodinated contrast media. There was no significant difference in efficacy related to the dose of prednisone (20 mg vs. 50 mg).

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The alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) targeted screening program, together with the National Registry, were established in Poland in 2010 soon after the AATD diagnostics became available. Between 2010 and 2014 a total of 2525 samples were collected from respiratory patients countrywide; 55 patients with severe AAT deficiency or rare mutations were identified and registered, including 36 PiZZ subjects (65%). The majority of AATD patients were diagnosed with COPD (40%) or emphysema (7%), but also with bronchial asthma (16%) and bronchiectasis (13%). Therefore, the registry has proved instrumental in setting-up the AATD-dedicated network of respiratory medical centres in Poland. Since augmentation therapy is not reimbursed in our country, the smoking cessation guidance, optimal pharmacotherapy of respiratory symptoms as well the early detection, and effective treatment of exacerbations is absolutely essential.

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BACKGROUND: The safety profile of venom immunotherapy is a relevant issue. We evaluated the frequency of severe adverse events (SAE), associated risk factors, retrospective comparison of pretreatment protocols including solely H1 receptor blockers and a combination of H1 and H2 receptor blockers during rush Hymenoptera venom immunotherapy. METHODS: The study group comprised 118 patients. The treatment was initiated according to a 5-day rush protocol with the use of standardized venom allergens of either wasp or honeybee. RESULTS: During the rush induction, side effects occurred in 18 patients (15.2%), whereas SAE were present in 7 patients (5.9%). Twelve out of 18 (66.6%) developed anaphylactic reactions on the fourth day of the rush protocol, with the majority of cases at a dose of 40 or 60 microg of the venom extract (p = 0.001). The frequency of SAE was also significantly higher on the fourth day than thereafter (p = 0.0001) as well as in patients allergic to bee venom (p = 0.049). All systemic side effects were more frequent in women (p = 0.0065). However, this relation was not true when SAE were consider (p = 0.11). A higher percentage of SAE was observed in the subjects pretreated with both H1 and H2 receptor antagonists than in those pretreated with H1 blocker only (8.8 vs. 4.1%); however, the difference was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Considerable severity of allergic adverse events requires particular attention to patients allergic to bee venom and during rush phase, especially when rapidly increasing doses are administered. Pretreatment with H2 blockers is debatable and warrants further investigation.

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We present case of 67-years-old, non-smoking woman with unilateral hyperlucent lung syndrome. She has diagnosed asthma and since 1997 she has been treated with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists without improvement. She complained of a cough, shortness of breath, pulmonary function test reveal irrvesibility airflow obstruction. The routine X-ray chest showed unilateral hyperlucent left lung. Ct-angiography has shown unilateral hypoplasia of pulmonary artery. It indicates that in all cases of uncontrolled asthma should be considered another or coexisting diagnosis.

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Tetany, which occurs in young women, poses common diagnostic problem. Two types of tetany are distinguished: one which is characterized by hypocalcemia and which rarely occurs (in person after strumectomy in the course of post-operational hypoparathyroidism) and latent one, which occurs more often. In the literature there is a lack of precise data concerned witch most probably results from its underestimation. Clinical symptoms which appear in latent tetany (normocalcemic) are related to the intracellular magnesium deficiency and increased respiratory drive. A noncharacteristic clinical picture and the lack of a pathognomonic symptom, cause that despite of the fearly common occurrence, the latent tetany is rarely recognized. In this paper the case of a 53 year old women has been described. The women had the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux of asthma and depressive syndrome, witch masked the symptoms of the latent tetany.

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