Skin test results and self-reported symptom severity in allergic rhinitis: the role of psychological factors

BACKGROUND: In allergic conditions, the degree of skin test reactivity does not always correlate with the severity of clinical symptoms. Additional factors may contribute to the reported symptom severity. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between the magnitude of the skin prick test (SPT) response and the reported symptom severity in patients with allergic rhinitis and the possible modifying role of psychological factors. METHODS: One hundred four patients with allergic rhinitis and 23 with non-allergic rhinitis, classified according to their SPT response to 19 aeroallergens, were asked to rate the severity of five symptoms and to indicate whether their symptoms intensified on exposure to five common aeroallergens. They also completed a psychological questionnaire. Results Reported symptom severity of allergic rhinitis did not correlate with weal size for any of the aeroallergens tested or with the number of positive responses on SPT. It was not related to patient age, sex, or education. The reported symptoms severity correlated positively (0.29, P < 0.01) with reported symptom intensification on exposure to allergens. Moreover, both outcomes were positively associated with the psychological factors of hypochondriasis (0.20, P < 0.05 and 0.18, P < 0.05, respectively), and somatic awareness (0.24, P < 0.05 and 0.33, P < 0.01, respectively), but not with neuroticism. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of symptoms experienced by patients with allergic rhinitis is apparently not related to the magnitude of SPT response, but rather to psychological factors of hypochondriasis and somatic awareness. Physicians should be aware of the contribution of psychological factors to patient perceptions of the intensity of symptoms and of the intensification of symptoms on their exposure to allergens.     

Immunomodulatory activity of Asparagus racemosus on systemic Th1/Th2 immunity: Implications for immunoadjuvant potential

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Roots of Asparagus racemosus Willd (Shatavari in vernacular) are widely used in Ayurveda as Rasayana for immunostimulation, galactogogue as also in treatment of conditions like ulcers and cancer. Various studies have indicated immunomodulatory properties of Shatavari root extracts and formulations.

Aim of the study

To study the effect of standardized Asparagus racemosus root aqueous extract (ARE) on systemic Th1/Th2 immunity of SRBC sensitized animals.

Materials and methods

We used HPTLC to quantify steroidal saponins (Shatavarin IV, Immunoside^®) and flow cytometry to study effects of ARE on Th1/Th2 immunity. SRBC specific antibody titres and DTH responses were also monitored as markers of Th2 and Th1 responses, respectively. We also studied lymphocyte proliferation. Cyclosporin, cyclophosphamide and levamisole were used as controls.

Results

Treatment with ARE (100 mg/(kg b.w. p.o.)) resulted in significant increase of CD3⁺ and CD4/CD8⁺ percentages suggesting its effect on T cell activation. ARE treated animals showed significant up-regulation of Th1 (IL-2, IFN-g) and Th2 (IL-4) cytokines suggesting its mixed Th1/Th2 adjuvant activity. Consistent to this, ARE also showed higher antibody titres and DTH responses. ARE, in combination with LPS, Con A or SRBC, produced a significant proliferation suggesting effect on activated lymphocytes.

Conclusion

The study suggests mixed Th1/Th2 activity of ARE supports its immunoadjuvant potential.     

How far do patients with sensory ataxia benefit from so-called “proprioceptive rehabilitation”?

A rehabilitation program including foot sensory stimulation, balance and gait training with limited vision was performed in 24 patients with clinically defined sensory ataxia. There were 15 patients with bilateral somatosensory loss related to chronic neuropathy and nine patients with unilateral loss-related to multiple sclerosis. After training, balance control assessed using the Berg Balance Test improved similarly in both groups, and Romberg's sign disappeared in some patients, suggesting an improvement in dynamic balance and in the proprioceptive contribution. Conversely, balance assessed on a static force platform remained similar in the open-eyes condition and improved in the closed-eyes condition only in patients with unilateral sensory loss. These results show that ataxic patients can improve their balance with better results in dynamic conditions and that the relative contribution of proprioceptive and visual inputs may depend on the extent of somatosensory loss.     

Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde allergy: relationship between patch test and repeated open application test thresholds

Background  Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (HICC) is a synthetic fragrance ingredient. Case reports of allergy to HICC appeared in the 1980s, and HICC has recently been included in the European baseline series. Human elicitation dose–response studies performed with different allergens have shown a significant relationship between the patch-test threshold and the repeated open application test (ROAT) threshold, which mimics some real-life exposure situations. Fragrance ingredients are special as significant amounts of allergen may evaporate from the skin.
Objectives  The study aimed to investigate the relationship between elicitation threshold doses at the patch test and the ROAT, using HICC as the allergen. The expected evaporation rate was calculated.
Materials and methods  Seventeen HICC-allergic persons were tested with a dilution series of HICC in a patch test and a ROAT (duration up to 21 days). Seventeen persons with no HICC allergy were included as control group for the ROAT.
Results  The response frequency to the ROAT (in μg HICC cm⁻² per application) was significantly higher than the response frequency to the patch test at one of the tested doses. Furthermore the response rate to the accumulated ROAT dose was significantly lower at half of the doses compared with the patch test. The evaporation rate of HICC was calculated to be 72% over a 24-h period.
Conclusions  The ROAT threshold in dose per area per application is lower than the patch test threshold; furthermore the accumulated ROAT threshold is higher than the patch test threshold, which can probably be explained by the evaporation of HICC from the skin in the open test.     

Enhancing Nurse Assessment of Alcohol and Drug Dependency: A Preliminary Study

The purpose of this project was to prepare nurses to provide brief interventions for clients with alcohol or other drug (AOD) dependency in order to reduce hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality. The project was a collaborative process between a major medical center and a school of nursing. Nurses were surveyed for understanding of alcohol and other drug assessment, and a day long training was provided to teach techniques of brief interventions. The short-term results included increased knowledge of nurses about AOD assessment. Long-term results indicated that 95% of patients referred to the AOD team were confirmed to have AOD problems (Dunn & Ries, 1997). This project documents the need for nurses to have more knowledge about AOD problems and brief intervention techniques.     

自制无针粉末注射给药系统药物导入率的体外评价

目的 建立体外吸收评价方法，考察自制无针粉末注射给药系统的给药性能。方法 以人体皮肤为研究材料，荧光素钠作为模型药物，高效液相-荧光法检测，以透皮吸收率为指标，采用正交试验设计优选无针粉末注射的载药喷射参数。结果 建立的方法分析时间小于3min，在0．2304-9．216ng范围内呈线性关系，绝对回收率大于99．8％，RSD〈0．8％；自制无针粉末注射给药系统的最高透皮吸收率可达到40％，超过普通透皮途经400倍以上，与国外同类产品的药物导入效率（33％）相当；正交试验分析表明气源压力、喷管型号、药物剂量、药粉粒径均对无针粉末注射的效果有影响。结论 建立的研究方法简便、快速、准确、可靠，可用于无针粉末注射系统的体外研究；自制无针粉末注射给药系统的药物导入效率较高，值得进一步推广应用。     

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma General and medical management with special attention to exacerbations

The general management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma is discussed. Pathophysiological mechanisms of bronchial obstruction and inflammation are briefly described. The importance of preventive measures is emphasized. Medicine prescribed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, their relative place in treatment schedules and route of administration are reviewed. Finally, the importance of maximal bronchodilatation in exacerbations is stressed and the few indications for antibiotic treatment are discussed.     

Relevance of 10-min delayed recall in dementia screening

Within the context of early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), there is a growing interest in neuropsychological screening tests. Amongst these tests, we focused on the largely used Memory Impairment Screen (MIS). The objective of the present work was to show that adding a 10-min delayed recall to the MIS, improves the test psychometric characteristics in order to detect dementia in the earliest stages. A prospective study was carried out on a cohort of 270 consecutive elderly ambulatory subjects attending the Broca Hospital Memory Clinic: normal controls ( n  = 67), mild cognitive impairment subjects ( n  = 98) and mildly demented patients [ n  = 105, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) = 23 ± 4]. This study consisted in testing the advantage of the 10-min delayed recall entitled MIS-D compared with the MIS. At a cut-off score of 6, the MIS-D revealed satisfying psychometric characteristics with a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 91%, whilst the MIS alone indicated a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 88% in detecting dementia. In demented patients with MMSE score ≥26, MIS-D properties still remained satisfying (sensitivity: 75%, specificity: 92%). MIS-D is a more relevant screening test than MIS alone at very early stages of dementia.     

2003-2005年新生儿感染常见致病菌及耐药性的变迁

目的了解本地区新生儿2003至2005年感染常见致病菌的种类及耐药的现状，以指导临床合理应用抗生素。方法收集我院新生儿科2003年1月至2005年12月收治的613份体液培养阳性（痰液、血液、分泌物、胃液等标本）的患儿资料，对常见检出菌及其耐药性的变迁情况进行分析。结果共检出40种613株病原菌，以革兰阴性杆菌为主约占57．6％，而肺炎克雷伯菌和大肠埃希菌分别位于前二位，其产ESBLs菌株检出率分别为78．1％和82．6％。药敏结果显示，常见致病菌对青霉素、第一、二代头胞类抗生素、红霉素类耐药性显著增加，但对第三代头胞类抗生素如头孢曲松、头孢噻肟（凯福隆）、头孢他啶（复达欣）及B内酰胺酶抑制剂复方制剂、碳青霉烯类、万古霉素等较敏感。产ESBLs菌仅对亚胺培南及B内酰胺酶抑制剂复方制剂敏感。结论革兰阴性杆菌特别是肺炎克雷伯菌和大肠埃希菌是新生儿感染主要病原菌，产ESBLs菌比例增加应引起高度重视。碳青霉烯类、哌拉西林／三唑巴坦和头孢哌酮／舒巴坦，可作为新生儿严重医院感染经验用药，应尽量根据药敏试验调整抗生素。