Escaping the trap of allergic rhinitis

Review

Oliviero Rossi^1*, Ilaria Massaro^2†, Marco Caminati^3†, Cristina Quecchia^4†, Filippo Fassio^5†, Enrico Heffler^6† andGiorgio Walter Canonica^7†

Clinical and Molecular Allergy 2015, 13:17  doi:10.1186/s12948-015-0023-y

Abstract

Rhinitis is often the first symptom of allergy but is frequently ignored and classified as a nuisance condition. Ironically it has the greatest socioeconomic burden worldwide caused by its impact on work and on daily life.

However, patients appear reticent to seek professional advice, visiting their doctor only when symptoms become ‘intolerable’ and often when their usual therapy proves ineffective.

Clearly, it’s time for new and more effective allergic rhinitis treatments.

MP29-02 (Dymista®; Meda, Solna, Sweden) is a new class of medication for moderate to severe seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis if monotherapy with either intranasal antihistamine or intranasal corticosteroids is not considered sufficient.

Update and clinical utility of alcaftadine ophthalmic solution 0.25% in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis

Clin Ophthalmol. 2015; 9: 1215–1225.

Published online 2015 Jul 8. doi:  10.2147/OPTH.S63790

PMCID: PMC4501164

DeGaulle I Chigbu and Alissa M Coyne

Author information ► Copyright and License information ►

Abstract

Allergic disorders of the ocular surface are primarily characterized as IgE- and/or T-lymphocyte-mediated disorders that affect the cornea, conjunctiva, and eyelid. Approximately 40% of individuals in the developed countries have allergic conjunctivitis, and as such, it is the most common form of ocular allergy.

Allergy in Children in Hand Versus Machine Dishwashing

Bill Hesselmar, MD, PhD^a,^b,^c, 

Anna Hicke-Roberts, MD^d, and

Göran Wennergren, MD, PhD^a,^c

+Author Affiliations

1. ^aPaediatric Allergology, Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden;
2. ^bVästra Götaland Healthcare Department, Follow-up and Analysis Unit, Gothenburg, Sweden;
3. ^cDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; and
4. ^dVästra Frölunda Paediatric Outpatient Clinic, Västra Frölunda, Sweden

 

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ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The hygiene hypothesis stipulates that microbial exposure during early life induces immunologic tolerance via immune stimulation, and hence reduces the risk of allergy development. Several common lifestyle factors and household practices, such as dishwashing methods, may increase microbial exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate if such lifestyle factors are associated with allergy prevalence.

Innate lymphocyte cells in asthma phenotypes

Review

Leyla Pur Ozyigit^1*, Hideaki Morita²³ and Mubeccel Akdis²³

Clinical and Translational Allergy 2015, 5:23  doi:10.1186/s13601-015-0068-5

Abstract

T helper type 2 (T _H 2) cells were previously thought to be the main initiating effector cell type in asthma; however, exaggerated T _H2 cell activities alone were insufficient to explain all aspects of asthma. Asthma is a heterogeneous syndrome comprising different phenotypes that are characterized by their different clinical features, treatment responses, and inflammation patterns.

What pulmonologists think about the asthma–COPD overlap syndrome

Authors Miravitlles M, Alcázar B, Alvarez FJ, Bazús T, Calle M, Casanova C, Cisneros C, de-Torres JP, Entrenas LM, Esteban C, García-Sidro P, Cosio BG, Huerta A, Iriberri M, Izquierdo JL, López-Viña A, López-Campos JL, Martínez-Moragón E, Pérez de Llano L, Perpiñá M, Ros JA, Serrano J, Soler-Cataluña JJ, Torrego A, Urrutia I, Plaza V

Published Date July 2015 Volume 2015:10(1) Pages 1321—1330

DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/COPD.S88667

Received 15 May 2015, Accepted 23 June 2015, Published 15 July 2015

Peer reviewers approved by Dr Hsiao-Chi Chuang

Approved for publication by Dr Richard Russell

Background: Some patients with COPD may share characteristics of asthma; this is the so-called asthma–COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS). There are no universally accepted criteria for ACOS, and most treatments for asthma and COPD have not been adequately tested in this population.
Materials and methods: We performed a survey among pulmonology specialists in asthma and COPD aimed at collecting their opinions about ACOS and their attitudes in regard to some case scenarios of ACOS patients. The participants answered a structured questionnaire and attended a face-to-face meeting with the Metaplan methodology to discuss different aspects of ACOS.

Clinical contraindications to allergen immunotherapy: an EAACI position paper

1. C. Pitsios^1,*, 
2. P. Demoly^2,3, 
3. M. B. Bilò⁴, 
4. R. Gerth van Wijk⁵, 
5. O. Pfaar^6,7, 
6. G. J. Sturm⁸,
7. P. Rodriguez del Rio⁹, 
8. M. Tsoumani¹⁰, 
9. R. Gawlik¹¹, 
10. G. Paraskevopoulos¹², 
11. F. Ruëff¹³, 
12. E. Valovirta¹⁴, 
13. N. G. Papadopoulos^15,16and
14. M. A. Calderón¹⁷

Article first published online: 18 MAY 2015 DOI: 10.1111/all.12638

Abstract

Clinical indications for allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in respiratory and Hymenoptera venom allergy are well established; however, clinical contraindications to AIT are not always well documented. There are some discrepancies when classifying clinical contraindications for different forms of AIT as ‘absolute’ or ‘relative’. EAACI Task Force on ‘Contraindications to AIT’ was created to evaluate and review current literature on clinical contraindications, and to update recommendations for both sublingual and subcutaneous AIT for respiratory and venom immunotherapy.

Allergy immunotherapy with a hypoallergenic recombinant birch pollen allergen rBet v 1-FV in a randomized controlled trial

Research

Ludger Klimek^1*, Claus Bachert², Karl-Friedrich Lukat³, Oliver Pfaar⁵, Hanns Meyer⁴ and Annemie Narkus⁴

Clinical and Translational Allergy 2015, 5:28  doi:10.1186/s13601-015-0071-x

Abstract (provisional)

Background Pollen extracts and chemically modified allergoids are used successfully in allergen immunotherapy (AIT). Recombinant extracts offer potential advantages with respect to pharmaceutical quality, standardization and dosing. A hypoallergenic recombinant folding variant of the major birch pollen allergen (rBet v 1-FV) was compared with an established native birch preparation.

Protocadherin-1 is a glucocorticoid-responsive critical regulator of airway epithelial barrier function

Research article

Yutaka Kozu¹, Yasuhiro Gon^1*, Shuichiro Maruoka¹, Kuroda Kazumichi², Akiko Sekiyama¹, Hiroyuki Kishi³, Yasuyuki Nomura³, Minoru Ikeda³ and Shu Hashimoto¹

BMC Pulmonary Medicine 2015, 15:80  doi:10.1186/s12890-015-0078-z

Impaired epithelial barrier function renders the airway vulnerable to environmental triggers associated with the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. We investigated the influence of protocadherin-1 (PCDH1), a susceptibility gene for bronchial hyperresponsiveness, on airway epithelial barrier function.

We applied transepithelial electric resistance and dextran permeability testing to evaluate the barrier function of cultured airway epithelial cells. We studied PCDH1 function by siRNA-mediated knockdown and analyzed nasal or bronchial tissues from 16 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and nine patients with bronchial asthma for PCDH1 expression.