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Constance H Katelaris

Publications and source records attributed to Constance H Katelaris.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

5. Allergy and the skin: eczema and chronic urticaria.

Eczema is common, occurring in 15%-20% of infants and young children. For some infants it can be a severe chronic illness with a major impact on the child's general health and on the family. A minority of children will continue to have eczema as adults. The exact cause of eczema is not clear, but precipitating or aggravating factors may include food allergens (most commonly, egg) or environmental allergens/irritants, climatic conditions, stress and genetic predisposition. Management of eczema consists of education; avoidance of triggers and allergens; liberal use of emollients or topical steroids to control inflammation; use of antihistamines to reduce itch; and treatment of infection if present. Treatment with systemic agents may be required in severe cases, but must be supervised by an immunologist. Urticaria ("hives") may affect up to a quarter of people at some time in their lives. Acute urticaria is more common in children, while chronic urticaria is more common in adults. Chronic urticaria is not life-threatening, but the associated pruritus and unsightly weals can cause patients much distress and significantly affect their daily lives. Angioedema coexists with urticaria in about 50% of patients. It typically affects the lips, eyelids, palms, soles and genitalia. Management of urticaria is through education; avoidance of triggers and allergens (where relevant); use of antihistamines to reduce itch; and short-term use of corticosteroids when antihistamine therapy is ineffective. Referral is indicated for patients with resistant disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Latex allergy.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Dermatitis, Occupational↗
PubMed2006

Patterns of allergic reactivity and disease in Olympic athletes.

OBJECTIVE: Because the Sydney Olympic Games were being held in the spring, we wished to examine the prevalence of allergic disorders in the Australian Olympic and Paralympic athletes and to examine patterns of allergic reactivity and medication use for the treatment of allergic symptoms. DESIGN: A survey case series of Australian Olympic and Paralympic athletes. SETTING: Screening was conducted on team processing days. PARTICIPANTS: Prospective members of the Australian Olympic and Paralympic teams. INTERVENTION: A questionnaire seeking information on the presence of allergic disorders, symptoms, family history, and medication use was administered. Skin-prick tests (SPT) for sensitivity to common aeroallergens was performed. OUTCOME MEASURES: Athletes were classified as atopic or non-atopic, and patterns of reactivity were examined according to sporting category. RESULTS: Of the athletes, 56% had a positive SPT to at least 1 allergen, with 34% reacting to at least 1 seasonal allergen. There was no significant association between skin test reactivity and sporting category. Of the athletes, 37% had allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR/C), whereas 24% had seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (SAR/C). Approximately one-third of all those with AR/C had a history of asthma, whereas approximately one-fifth had a history of atopic dermatitis. Swimmers were most likely to have asthma, AR/C, and positive skin tests to any allergen. Very few athletes with self-reported AR/C took any medication to relieve their symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Allergic disorders are common among athletes from all sports. The known impact of AR/C on quality of life necessitates that it be screened for and managed appropriately.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Spatial variability in the pollen count in Sydney, Australia: can one sampling site accurately reflect the pollen count for a region?

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest in the daily pollen count, with pollen-sensitive individuals using it to determine medication use and researchers relying on it for commencing clinical drug trials and assessing drug efficacy according to allergen exposure. Counts are often expressed qualitatively as low, medium, and high, and often only 1 pollen trap is used for an entire region. OBJECTIVES: To examine the spatial variability in the pollen count in Sydney, Australia, and to compare discrepancies among low-, medium-, and high-count days at 3 sites separated by a maximum of 30 km. METHODS: Three sites in western Sydney were sampled using Burkard traps. Data from the 3 sites were used to compare vegetation differences, possible effects of some meteorological parameters, and discrepancies among sites in low-, medium-, and high-count days. RESULTS: Total pollen counts during the spring months were 14,382 grains/m3 at Homebush, 11,584 grains/m3 at Eastern Creek, and 9,269 grains/m3 at Nepean. The only significant correlation between differences in meteorological parameters and differences in pollen counts was the Homebush-Nepean differences in rainfall and pollen counts. Comparison between low- and high-count days among the 3 sites revealed a discordance rate of 8% to 17%. CONCLUSIONS: For informing the public about pollen counts, the count from 1 trap is a reasonable estimation in a 30-km region; however, the discrepancies among 3 trap sites would have a significant impact on the performance of a clinical trial where enrollment was determined by a low or high count. Therefore, for clinical studies, data collection must be local and applicable to the study population.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2003

Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in elite athletes: optimal management for quality of life and performance.

Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis is a common condition with a peak incidence in the age range of the majority of elite athletes. The condition has been shown to have a significant impact on the quality of life of those affected and poses particular challenges when present in the elite athlete. When an athlete is looking for exceptional performance at events such as the Olympic Games, any factor which affects quality of life by interfering with sleep, decreasing the ability to concentrate, or reducing peak physical fitness, may have a significant impact on the ability to perform at one's best. Optimal management begins with correct diagnosis and identification of triggering factors. There are a number of therapeutic options available to the treating physician. When formulating a management plan for the elite athlete, the physician must consider "doping" rules and the possible effect of medication on athletic performance. Medication choices include the newer, non-sedating antihistamines, used either orally or topically, and the prophylactic use of intranasal corticosteroids. When allergic conjunctivitis is the principal problem, the newer, topical antihistamines are highly effective and have a rapid onset of action. Since avoidance strategies are rarely practical for the athlete, consideration should be given to strategies such as immunotherapy, where long-term benefit is possible.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2002

A comparison of the efficacy and tolerability of olopatadine hydrochloride 0.1% ophthalmic solution and cromolyn sodium 2% ophthalmic solution in seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.

BACKGROUND: Treatments for allergic conjunctivitis have various mechanisms of action. Cromolyn sodium stabilizes conjunctival mast cells by preventing calcium influx across the cell membrane, whereas olopatadine hydrochloride is both an antihistamine and a mast cell stabilizer. OBJECTIVE: This study compared the efficacy and tolerability of olopatadine and cromolyn in controlling the ocular signs and symptoms of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. METHODS: This was a multicenter, randomized, double-masked, parallel-group trial. One group instilled olopatadine 0.1% ophthalmic solution and placebo BID, and the other instilled cromolyn 2% ophthalmic solution QID, both for 6 weeks. The formulation of cromolyn used in this study is currently available only in Europe and Australia. RESULTS: The intent-to-treat efficacy and safety analyses included 185 patients, 91 in the olopatadine group and 94 in the cromolyn group. At 30 minutes after the first instillation, respective decreases of approximately 30% and approximately 20% were reported in self-rated ocular itching and redness with both treatments; by 4 hours, itching had decreased by approximately 38% in both groups. Differences between treatments were not statistically significant. At 4 hours, redness had decreased by approximately 38% and approximately 26% in the respective treatment groups. By day 42, both treatments had produced significant reductions from baseline in ocular signs and symptoms; however, the reductions in itching and redness were significantly greater with olopatadine compared with cromolyn (both variables, P < 0.05). The difference in physicians' impression of overall improvement on days 30 and 42 significantly favored olopatadine over cromolyn (both days, P < 0.05). Most patients (62.2%) had reacted positively to grass pollen at baseline. The regression slopes correlating itching and redness with pollen count were 5 times lower for olopatadine compared with cromolyn (P = 0.002 and P = 0.016, respectively), indicating that olopatadine's efficacy increased as the pollen count increased. CONCLUSIONS: Six weeks' instillation of olopatadine 0.19% ophthalmic solution BID had a significantly greater effect on the ocular signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis compared with 6 weeks' instillation of cromolyn 2% ophthalmic solution QID. Both treatments were well tolerated by patients in all age groups; however, olopatadine appeared to have better local tolerability in children aged <11 years.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Effects of intranasal budesonide on symptoms, quality of life, and performance in elite athletes with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess change in symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and performance ability before, during, and after treatment with budesonide in a group of Olympic and Paralympic athletes with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (SAR/C). DESIGN: Because budesonide has already been proven to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment of SAR/C(1), an open-label treatment format was used. SETTING: The study was community-based with participating athletes preparing for Olympic competition. PARTICIPANTS: Olympic and Paralympic athletes were screened for the presence of SAR/C using history and positive skin test results for pollen allergens. INTERVENTIONS: All were offered treatment with intranasal budesonide, applied to each nostril, once daily for eight weeks. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Symptom and medication diaries were completed before treatment and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. Similarly, Quality of Life (QOL) was measured with the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire. As a secondary outcome measure, the ability to train and compete was assessed using a performance diary. RESULTS: Of the 236 athletes eligible for the study, 145 (61%) agreed to participate. Forty-six percent of the athletes who were dispensed treatment did not return questionnaires. For those returning questionnaires, scores between baseline (week 0) and weeks 4 and 8 were calculated for total symptoms, QOL, and performance scores. There were statistically significant improvements in symptoms, QOL, and performance scores in athletes who used intranasal budesonide. CONCLUSION: SAR/C is a common condition and has demonstrable negative effects on athletes. Better education of coaches and athletes is necessary to ensure that the condition is correctly diagnosed and treated, with safe, effective, permitted medication.

Administration, Intranasal↗