Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Rhinitis”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Evaluation of a novel immunotherapy for treatment of chronic rhinitis in cats.

The pathogenesis of chronic rhinitis in cats is poorly understood and consistently effective therapies are not currently available. Therefore, randomized clinical trials were conducted to evaluate a novel immunotherapy for treatment of chronic rhinitis in adult (n=12) and young cats (n=28). In addition, cytokine profiles in cats with chronic rhinitis were compared to those of healthy cats. Cats were treated with a potent stimulator of innate immunity (liposome-IL-2 DNA complexes) and the effects of treatment on clinical signs and immune function were assessed. In adult cats with chronic rhinitis, immunotherapy led to significant improvement in frequency of sneezing but not in other clinical signs when compared to the placebo group, whereas immunotherapy failed to improve clinical signs in younger cats. Analysis of cytokine expression in cats with rhinitis did not reveal evidence of a Th2 cytokine bias in cats with rhinitis. We conclude that chronic rhinitis in cats is not a Th2-biased disease and that immunotherapy may lead to clinical improvement in adult cats with the disease.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

The relation of rhinitis to recurrent cough and wheezing: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent cough can be a clinical manifestation of rhinitis. However, it remains unclear if the association between rhinitis and recurrent cough among children is independent of asthma. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine, in a large longitudinal cohort, whether rhinitis is significantly associated with recurrent cough alone, wheezing alone, or the combination of both symptoms during childhood. METHODS: We investigated determinants of recurrent cough, with or without wheezing, using longitudinal data from the Tucson Children's Respiratory Study. Among the 1246 subjects originally enrolled, 1024 children completed at least one questionnaire between the ages of 6 and 18 years and were included in the present study. In any survey, wheezing was defined as at least one wheezing episode during the past year and recurrent cough as two or more coughing episodes lasting at least 1 week without a cold during the past year. Generalized estimating equations were used to determine significant risk factors. RESULTS: After adjusting for sex, skin test reactivity and parental asthma, both rhinitis (OR = 2.47 CI = 1.84, 3.30) and sinusitis (OR = 1.54 CI = 1.11, 2.14) were associated with an increased risk of recurrent cough plus wheezing. The OR associated with rhinitis were significantly reduced for subjects reporting only recurrent cough or only wheezing (OR = 1.43, CI = 1.03, 1.99; and OR = 1.30, CI = 1.07, 1.58, respectively). Recurrent cough and wheezing, when examined independently, showed different patterns of risk factors. CONCLUSION: We found rhinitis to be an independent risk factor for both recurrent cough and wheezing during childhood. Different pathways may be involved in the association of rhinitis with recurrent cough and wheezing.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

A cost of illness study of allergic rhinitis in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis is a common condition, but the burden of this condition on the national economy is not well understood. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to estimate the national direct and indirect costs of allergic rhinitis. METHODS: Data from the National Medical Expenditure Survey were used to provide estimates of resource utilization, medical expenditures, and lost productivity. With the complex survey design, variance estimates were used to construct confidence intervals for cost estimates of resource utilization and lost productivity. RESULTS: It is estimated that approximately 39 million persons in the United States experienced allergic rhinitis in 1987. However, only 12.3% (4.8 million) sought medical treatment for allergic rhinitis. The total estimated cost of the condition, in 1994 dollars, was $1.23 billion (95% confidence interval, $846 million to $1.62 billion). Direct medical expenses accounted for 94% of total costs. Allergic rhinitis results in approximately 811,000 missed workdays, 824,000 missed school days, and 4,230,000 reduced activity days. CONCLUSION: Allergic rhinitis clearly creates a burden in terms of the number of persons affected, total expenditures, and lost productivity. It also appears that a relatively large proportion of persons with allergic rhinitis were not seeking medical treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Nasal nitric oxide is increased in patients with asthma and allergic rhinitis and may be modulated by nasal glucocorticoids.

Nitric oxide (NO) is produced in large amounts in the noses of normal individuals. We have measured NO by chemiluminescence in the noses and exhaled air of subjects with symptomatic allergic rhinitis, some of whom had concomitant asthma, during the pollen season and compared this with values measured in normal subjects and in patients treated with nasal and/or inhaled glucocorticoids. We found that nasal levels of NO were significantly (p < 0.001) elevated in patients with untreated rhinitis (1527 +/- 87 ppb, n = 12) compared with normal individuals (996 +/- 39 ppb, n = 46) or subjects treated with nasal steroids (681 +/- 34 ppb, n = 10), whereas exhaled NO in patients with untreated rhinitis was similar to that in normal subjects (10 +/- 2 ppb vs 7 +/- 0.6 ppb, respectively). In five subjects who were nasally challenged with allergen, there was a significant decrease in nasal NO 1 hour after challenge, and this was significantly correlated with increased rhinitis symptoms. In patients with rhinitis and concomitant asthma, nasal NO was also significantly elevated (1441 +/- 76 ppb, n = 16) but not when they were treated with nasal or inhaled steroids; whereas exhaled NO was elevated in untreated patients and in patients treated with nasal, but not inhaled, steroids. Our data suggest that the increase in exhaled NO in patients with allergic rhinitis is likely to be due to increased local production, caused by long-term exposure to allergen, which is suppressed by locally administered steroids. Measurement of nasal NO may be useful to study the inflammatory response in rhinitis and its response to antiinflammatory treatments.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chronic rhinitis: a manifestation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Chronic rhinitis is a condition that occasionally reflects underlying systemic disease. In such cases, physical examination, nasal endoscopy, and computed tomography may be nonspecific. Diagnosis and treatment of the underlying illness may improve nasal symptoms, which may prove refractory to standard rhinitis therapy. A case of chronic rhinitis secondary to nasal involvement of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is presented. Biopsy was important in clarifying the cause of the rhinitis. Treatment of the CLL with chlorambucil was successful in alleviating nasal symptoms, and systemic effectiveness was reflected by a decrease in the patient's white cell count. Chronic rhinitis as a manifestation of CLL can be successfully managed through systemic treatment of the underlying disease. Biopsy can be helpful in confirming the cause of rhinitis and should be considered in refractory cases of rhinitis.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Exercise-induced rhinitis: a common disorder that adversely affects allergic and nonallergic athletes.

BACKGROUND: Exercise is a well-established trigger for allergic disorders such as asthma, urticaria, and anaphylaxis, but the effect of exercise on rhinitis has not been well described. OBJECTIVE: To survey individuals with and without nasal allergy who exercise regularly to determine the prevalence and nature of nasal symptoms induced by indoor exercise. METHODS: An original, self-administered questionnaire to evaluate exercise-induced rhinitis (EIR) was distributed to adults who were receiving allergy immunotherapy at a community allergy practice and to members of a community athletic club. Nasal symptoms that occur indoors (runny nose, nasal congestion, postnasal drip) were primarily evaluated. Comparisons with outdoor EIR were determined. The perception of adverse effects of rhinitis on exercise was evaluated. RESULTS: Sixty-six (40%) of the 164 patients indicated that their indoor EIR adversely affected athletic performance, and this finding occurred more frequently in patients with nasal allergy vs unaffected individuals (53.1% vs 27.7%; P = .009). Of the 61.0% who reported increased rhinitis with indoor exercise, rhinorrhea was the most common symptom experienced (48.8%). Indoor EIR occurred more frequently in patients with nasal allergy vs unaffected individuals (69.1% vs 53.0%; P = .04). Outdoor EIR occurred in 56.1% of the total population, and patients with nasal allergy reported significantly more rhinitis with outdoor exercise compared with unaffected individuals (71.6% vs 41.0%; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Exercise-induced rhinitis, predominantly rhinorrhea, commonly occurs in athletes regardless of underlying nasal allergy. A history specific to indoor and outdoor exercise triggers needs to be part of the complete rhinitis history so that specific treatment can be directed.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Overview of allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis is the most common chronic condition seen in the outpatient practice of medicine. Its incidence is rising in parallel with other IgE-mediated diseases, affecting 10 to 30% of adults and up to 40% of children. Half the patients with allergic rhinitis experience symptoms up to 4 months per year, whereas 20% are symptomatic more than 9 months of the year. This disease is often associated with asthma, sinusitis, and otitis media. OBJECTIVE: To review the literature concerning the evaluation and treatment of allergic rhinitis. DATA SOURCES: Epidemiologic, pathophysiologic, and clinical studies published in peer-reviewed journals concerning the topic of allergic rhinitis. RESULTS: Diagnosis of allergic rhinitis is based on patient history, signs and symptoms, physical examination, and appropriate testing procedures. Management includes aggressive environmental control measures to reduce exposure to implicated allergens, immunotherapy that can change the potential clinical course of allergic rhinitis by preventing the initiation and progression of airway inflammation, and pharmacotherapeutic management, including antihistamines and topical nasal corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS: Early recognition and management of allergic rhinitis, which include allergen avoidance, immunotherapy, and pharmacologic treatment, can prevent serious complications and significantly improve the patient's quality of life.

Humans↗
PubMed2002

Clinical evidence for antileukotriene therapy in the management of allergic rhinitis.

OBJECTIVE: This article presents information summarizing the findings of several clinical trials that evaluated the efficacy and safety of leukotriene receptor antagonists in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. After reading this article, readers will have a greater understanding of these clinical findings and their implications for the management of allergic rhinitis. DATA SOURCES: Relevant and appropriately controlled clinical trials were used. Only literature in the English language was reviewed. STUDY SELECTION: Material was taken from academic/scholarly publications, published abstracts, and papers presented at a major congress. RESULTS: Similar to their contribution to the pathogenesis of asthma, cysteinyl leukotrienes have been found to exert potent inflammatory effects in the upper airways and to play a role in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis. The guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis emphasize the importance of treating the pathophysiologic pathways of the disease. Thus, the use of antileukotriene therapy is a rational therapeutic option for patients with allergic rhinitis. Findings from several randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials confirm the efficacy of leukotriene receptor antagonists in reducing the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and improving quality of life. Clinical experience with these medications has also demonstrated their tolerability and safety. CONCLUSIONS: Results from recently completed and ongoing clinical trials have expanded the body of evidence for the safety and efficacy of antileukotrienes in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

Acetates↗
PubMed2002

Rhinitis: do diagnostic criteria affect the prevalence and treatment?

BACKGROUND: Rhinitis is one of the world's most common health problems. Diagnostic criteria used in community surveys may affect reported prevalence and treatment. METHODS: A proportionately stratified random sample study was performed to investigate the prevalence, comorbidities and management of community-based patients with rhinitis in the tropical urban city of Singapore. RESULTS: The prevalence of at least one, two, three, or four nasal symptoms on most days during the past year in our study population was 25.5%, 13.1%, 6.5%, and 3.0%, respectively. Based on the definition of 'rhinitis' by the International Consensus Report (ICR), the prevalence was 13.1% in Singapore. There was significantly higher prevalence of self-reported allergy, asthma, and common cold/influenza-like illness among the rhinitis group. In the 53% of rhinitis subjects seeking for medical help, 71% visited a primary care physician and 20% an otolaryngologist. Treatments as reported by patients were decongestants (topical or oral) 27%, antibiotics 12%, antihistamines 6%, nasal steroids 3%, surgery 2%, traditional methods 28%, and 22% did not know what medication they had. Subjects considered the effectiveness of treatment unsatisfactory because the majority of them had only partial or no relief with any treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The standardization of the definition of rhinitis in epidemiological studies is of crucial importance, especially when comparing the prevalence between studies. Appropriate patient education by physicians with a good understanding of the nature of rhinitis and the available treatment options (e.g. evidenced-based efficacy, safety, and a good cost-benefit ratio) will maximize patient compliance and treatment outcomes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Implementation of guidelines for seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis is a common disease altering quality of life. Its treatment is well established and guidelines have been proposed. However, their efficacy has never been tested. The aim of the study was to validate the guidelines of the International Consensus on Rhinitis in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis. METHODS: A multicenter, multinational, open label, parallel, randomized study compared two therapeutic strategies in seasonal allergic rhinitis during a 3-week treatment. General practitioners were randomized into two groups. In the first group of 224 patients, doctors followed guidelines from the International Consensus on Rhinitis. Depending on the severity of nasal and ocular symptoms defined using visual analogue scales, patients received ebastine (an oral antihistamine), triamcinolone acetonide (a topical corticosteroid) and/or ophthalmic nedocromil sodium (a topical ocular cromone). In the second group of 241 patients, general practitioners had a free choice of treatment. The primary efficacy end points were quality of life measured using the standardized rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) and the symptom-medication scores assessed daily with an electronic dairy system. RESULTS: Adjusted mean total symptom scores over 21 days were 4.93 in the guidelines strategy group compared with 7.48 in the free-choice treatment group (P = 0.0001). Mean total scores in the RQLQ decreased by 2.19 in the guidelines group compared with a decrease of 1.79 in the free-choice treatment group (P = 0.0001). At 21 days, the least square mean difference in improvement in overall scores for RQLQ in the guidelines group compared with the free-choice treatment group was 0.53, which was greater than the minimal important difference. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis often present severe symptoms which are not well recognized or controlled by physicians using their own criteria of severity and treatment. Using a simple method for the evaluation of the severity and a simple therapeutic scheme based on International Guidelines, patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis presented a significant improvement by comparison with those receiving a non-standardized treatment.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed2000

Upregulation of nasal mucosal eotaxin in patients with allergic rhinitis during grass pollen season: effect of a local glucocorticoid.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis is a common disease characterized by infiltration of eosinophils into the nasal mucosa during the periods of symptoms. Among chemokines, which attract cells to the site of inflammation, eotaxin is relatively specific for eosinophils. OBJECTIVE: We examined the influence of grass pollen season on nasal eotaxin expression in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis, as well as the effect of a nasal glucocorticoid on this eotaxin expression. METHODS: Nineteen patients with allergic rhinitis received treatment with either nasal beclomethasone (400 microgram/day) or placebo over a grass pollen season. In these patients, nasal biopsies were taken prior to and during the peak of the pollen season and stained immunohistochemically for eotaxin and EG2 + eosinophils. Five healthy subjects served as controls and gave nasal biopsies once prior to the pollen season. RESULTS: Prior to pollen season, there was no significant difference in nasal eotaxin expression between patients with allergic rhinitis and healthy subjects. Grass pollen season induced significant increase in eotaxin expression in placebo-treated (P = 0.04; n = 9) but not in beclomethasone-treated rhinitis patients (P = 0.8; n = 10). During peak grass pollen season, the eotaxin expression in placebo-treated patients was significantly higher compared with healthy subjects outside season (P = 0.03). There was no significant correlation between the expression of eotaxin and the number of EG2 + eosinophils in nasal mucosa. The serum levels of eotaxin in rhinitis patients remained stable over the pollen season. CONCLUSION: Expression of eotaxin in nasal mucosa of grass-pollen allergic rhinitis patients is upregulated during pollen season and treatment with a nasal glucocorticoid protects against this upregulation.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2003

Interrelationships among asthma, atopy, rhinitis and exhaled nitric oxide in a population-based sample of children.

BACKGROUND: Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) has attracted increasing interest as a non-invasive marker of airway inflammation in asthma. However, little evidence exists on the influences exerted on eNO by the interrelations among atopic status, asthma and rhinitis. METHODS: Among the 1156 children who participated in a large-scale epidemiological survey on asthma and allergies (ISAAC II: International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase II) in the city of Clermont-Ferrand, 53 asthmatics without corticosteroid treatment and 96 non-asthmatics were invited to perform eNO and skin prick tests (SPTs) to 12 common allergens. RESULTS: Atopic asthmatic children had higher eNO than non-atopic asthmatic children (28.9+/-9.1 vs. 17.1+/-13.1 p.p.b.; P=0.0004) with a significant increase when one SPT or more are positive (26.5+/-7.8 vs. 17.1+/-13.1 p.p.b.; P=0.03). Similarly, non-asthmatic, atopic subjects had higher eNO than non-atopic subjects with a significant increase when two SPTs or more are positive (19.4+/-9.8 vs. 11.7 +/-6.7 p.p.b.; P=0.003). In the case of equal levels of positive SPTs (0, 1, >/=2), asthmatic children always had higher eNO than non-asthmatic ones. Furthermore, among non-asthmatic children, the eNO level increased only in atopics who had rhinitis (20.7+/-13 vs. 12.5+/-6.4 p.p.b. in atopic controls (subjects without rhinitis and asthma) and 12.3+/-6.6 p.p.b. in non-atopic controls; P=0.001), whereas among asthmatic children, eNO level increased in atopics independently of rhinitis (28.2+/-9.5 p.p.b. in those with rhinitis and 30.9+/-8.1 p.p.b. in those without) as well as in non-atopics with rhinitis (22.5+/-17.2 p.p.b.). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that besides atopy and asthma, allergic rhinitis should also be taken into account in the assessment of eNO.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1997

The effect of the H2 antagonist cimetidine on the numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in the nasal mucosa of patients with allergic rhinitis.

This paper reports the effects of the H2 antagonist cimetidine on the number of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in nasal mucosa and the IgE level of nasal secretions in patients with allergic rhinitis. The results showed the numbers of CD4+ cells were greater than the numbers of CD8+ cells in nasal mucosa, both in the patients with allergic rhinitis and normal subjects, but the ratio of CD4+:CD8+ cells was much higher in the patients with allergic rhinitis. After treatment with cimetidine locally for 4 weeks, the numbers of CD4+ cells fell and the numbers of CD8+ cells increased in the patients with allergic rhinitis. The high IgE level of nasal secretion of the patients with allergic rhinitis was much reduced after treatment with cimetidine. The results suggest that there are high numbers of CD4+ cells and lower numbers of CD8+ cells in the nasal mucosa and a high level of IgE in the nasal secretions of the patients with allergic rhinitis. Treatment with cimetidine locally may be of some value to relieve the clinical symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed2002

Atypical nasal challenges in patients with idiopathic rhinitis: more evidence for the existence of allergy in the absence of atopy?

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiology of idiopathic rhinitis is unknown although evidence is accumulating to suggest that many patients may have a localized form of allergic rhinitis in the absence of other atopic symptoms and markers. This study compares detailed nasal challenge results obtained from patients with idiopathic rhinitis to those of atopic and normal controls. METHODS: Patients with idiopathic rhinitis (n = 23), perennial allergic rhinitis (n = 8) and normal controls (n = 8) underwent a normal saline challenge to exclude hyper-reactivity and then bilateral nasal allergen challenges. Nasal patency was assessed by anterior active rhinomanometry. RESULTS: All of the patients with atopic rhinitis demonstrated positive bilateral allergen challenges. All normal control subjects had bilateral negative challenges. Two patients in the idiopathic group tested positively to saline and were excluded from further study with 62% of the remainder testing positive to allergens. Of the idiopathic patients testing positive, 85% were sensitive to house dust mite. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of patients with idiopathic rhinitis have positive nasal challenges, the vast majority to house dust mite allergen. These findings add to the weight of evidence that suggests 'localized allergy' may exist in the absence of systemic atopic markers.

Allergens↗
PubMed2002

Comparison of bronchial responsiveness to histamine in asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic sensitization at the age of 7 years.

BACKGROUND: Bronchial responsiveness (BR) to histamine or methacholin is a common finding in adult non-asthmatic patients with allergic rhinitis. OBJECTIVE: We tested whether BR is also present in children with a comparatively short history of allergic rhinitis in a paediatric cohort. METHODS: We performed pulmonary function tests and histamine challenges in a total of 654 children (age 7 years, participants of the German Multicenter Allergy Study) and compared PC20 FEV1 values in children with asthma, allergic rhinitis, asymptomatic allergic sensitization and non-atopic controls. RESULTS: Most pronounced BR to histamine was observed in allergic asthmatics (n = 28), irrespective of the presence or absence of allergic rhinitis. Furthermore, PC(20)FEV(1) values in non-asthmatic children with allergic rhinitis (n = 24) were not significantly different from those seen in asymptomatic atopic (n = 54) or non-atopic controls (n = 92). CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to adult study populations, 7-year-old non-asthmatic children with allergic rhinitis do not show a higher degree of BR than asymptomatic atopic or non-atopic controls. Therefore, secondary preventive measures in non-asthmatic children with allergic rhinitis (such as regular local anti-inflammatory therapy or specific immunotherapy) should be studied and applied more intensely to prevent bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) and asthma in this high-risk group.

Asthma↗
PubMed2004

Monosodium benzoate hypersensitivity in subjects with persistent rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: Very few data are available from the literature on whether nonatopic subjects affected by persistent rhinitis may show the appearance of objective symptoms of rhinitis after the ingestion of food additives such as tartrazine (E102), erythrosine (E127), monosodium benzoate (E211), p-hydroxybenzoate (E218), sodium metabisulphite (E223), and monosodium glutamate (E620). It is still unclear whether the ingestion of food additive may cause, as well, a consensual reduction of nasal peak inspiratory flow (NPIFR). Therefore, we used a double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) study to evaluate this hypothesis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-six consecutive patients (76 males and 150 females) aged 12-60 years (mean age 40.2 +/- 16.3 years). After 1 month of an additive-free diet regimen, an open challenge was carried out (food additive-rich diet for 2 weeks). After this period, challenges were administered in a DBPC manner using the above-mentioned substances under investigation. RESULTS: Twenty of 226 subjects (8.8%) reported an improvement of the symptoms of rhinitis after additive-free diet. More precisely, six of 226 (2.6%) were symptom-free and 14 of 226 (6.2%) showed an improvement in their symptoms after an additive-free diet. As far as the results for DBPC are concerned, 20 challenges with monosodium benzoate induced both objective (i.e. sneezing and rhinorrhoea) and subjective symptoms (nasal blockage and nasal itching) of rhinitis with reduction of NPIFR >/=20%, 45 challenges induced subjective symptoms of rhinitis (i.e. nasal blockage and nasal itching), without reduction of NPIFR >/=20% of the basal value, two with tartrazine, seven with erythrosine, 19 with monosodium benzoate, three with p-hydroxybenzoate, six with sodium metabisulphite, and eight with monosodium glutamate, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The observation that nonatopic persistent rhinitis may be caused by the frequent, probably daily, ingestion of small doses of a nontolerated substance is intriguing and suggests that at least some patients with 'chronic vasomotor rhinitis' may be intolerant to a particular food additive. Therefore, food additives can be considered triggers or aggravating factors, rather than aetiological factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

No increased skin reactivity in subjects with allergic rhinitis during the active phase of the disease.

Data on skin reactivity in patients with respiratory atopy without atopic dermatitis are scarce and controversial. Our purpose was to assess whether skin reactivity in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis varies according to the phase of the disease and the possible release of inflammatory mediators acting on the skin during the pollen season. The volar forearm skin of eleven patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis without atopic dermatitis was challenged with a single exposure to sodium lauryl sulfate. The skin response was evaluated instrumentally over 72 h by transepidermal water loss, capacitance and echogenicity measurements for the assessment of skin damage and the inflammatory response. Tests were performed in winter and repeated in spring in seasonal allergic rhinitis patients, when they showed respiratory symptoms. Fifteen subjects with atopic dermatitis underwent the same experimental procedure in winter as a control population. Baseline and postexposure values were similar both in winter and in spring in seasonal allergic rhinitis patients. After sodium lauryl sulfate challenge, atopic dermatitis patients showed a higher degree of skin barrier damage and inflammation compared to patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. These findings suggest that subjects with seasonal allergic rhinitis without atopic dermatitis have normal epidermal barrier function and normal skin reactivity during both the inactive and the active phase of the disease. Inflammatory mediators possibly released by mucous membranes during active allergic rhinitis do not influence skin barrier function.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Immunohistochemical localization of 3-nitrotyrosine in the nasal respiratory mucosa of patients with vasomotor rhinitis.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that, in the nasal respiratory mucosa of patients with vasomotor rhinitis, oxidative stress following peroxynitrite formation is confined to the respiratory epithelium. This suggests that the role of peroxynitrite in vasomotor rhinitis differs from its role in other diseases of the respiratory tract. The results of this study also support the concept that different pathogenetic mechanisms are probably involved in vasomotor rhinitis. OBJECTIVE: Previous studies indicated that nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the pathogenesis of vasomotor rhinitis, strong expression of NO synthase being detected in the smooth muscle cells of the cavernous sinuses and in the respiratory epithelium. However, most adverse effects of high levels of NO originate from the reaction of NO with superoxide anions to form peroxynitrite. Therefore, in this study we evaluated the involvement of peroxynitrite in the pathogenesis of vasomotor rhinitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sites of peroxynitrite formation were identified by immunolabelling for 3-nitrotyrosine (3NT), its footprint in tissues. Samples of nasal mucosa were obtained from vasomotor rhinitis patients and from control subjects who had undergone corrective surgery of the nasal septum. All samples were obtained by reduction of the inferior turbinate. RESULTS: Examination of specimens from vasomotor rhinitis patients revealed that 3NT is absent in epithelium with a normal appearance, cells of the subepithelial connective tissue, the glands and the blood vessels, including the cavernous sinuses. In contrast, intense 3NT immunolabelling was found in the disrupted respiratory epithelium. 3NT was not present in any of the specimens from control subjects.

Adult↗