Prevalence of occupational allergy due to live fish bait

BACKGROUND: Larvae of insects and worms, used as live fish bait (LFB), are a common source of allergy in anglers and occupationally exposed workers, but the prevalence and predictors have not yet been investigated. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the prevalence and associated factors of occupational allergy in workers exposed to LFB. METHODS: We assessed the prevalence of sensitization to LFB and work-related symptoms (WRS) in 76 workers occupationally exposed to it. All workers completed a case history questionnaire and underwent skin prick tests (SPT) for common aeroallergens and bluebottle (Calliphora vomitoria), bee moth (Galleria mellonella), mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), and gusano rojo (Cilecomadia moorei). Specific IgE were tested in 64 subjects. Two-thirds of the workers had a high level of LFB exposure. RESULTS: Sensitization to LFB was found in 24 workers (31.6%). Seven subjects (9.2%) reported WRS (asthma in 3, rhinoconjunctivitis in 5, and contact urticaria in 1), and 5 were positive for SPT and serum IgE to one or more LFB extracts. One was also exposed to LFB while fishing. Sensitization to LFB extracts and WRS were strongly associated (Odds Ratio = 6.6, P < 0.05). The 7 subjects with WRS had been exposed longer than asymptomatic subjects with positive skin tests to LFB (P < 0.05). No differences in sex, age, smoking habit, duration or level of exposure, and atopy were detected in symptomatic or in sensitized subjects, compared with normal workers. CONCLUSION: Sensitization to LFB and WRS are relatively frequent in occupationally exposed workers. No associated factors of occupational allergy to LFB could be detected.     

ATP下鼻甲注射治疗药物性鼻炎的价值

目的 探讨ATP下鼻甲注射治疗药物性鼻炎的价值,并对ATP治疗药物性鼻炎的机理进行分析。方法 对80例采用ATP下鼻甲注射治疗(ATP组)与40例采用激光治疗(激光组)作疗效比较。结果 ATP组有效率(95％),与激光组(100％),疗效相当,无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论ATP下鼻甲注射治疗药物性鼻炎疗效佳,起效快,痛苦小,简便易行,费用低廉,且无毒、副作用,值得推广。     

Posture-induced nasal obstruction in patients with allergic rhinitis

Nasal resistance is affected by posture. In this study, the effects of supine and lateral recumbent positions were investigated in eight normal subjects and 31 patients with allergic rhinitis. Of the 31 patients with allergic rhinitis, five showed unilateral complete nasal obstruction and one patient showed bilateral complete obstruction during the change of posture. Total nasal resistance had a tendency to increase with repeating the change of posture (a paired t-test, P < 0.05). The supine and lateral recumbent positions did not induce variable changes in total nasal resistance in normal subjects. Posture induces complete nasal obstruction in the supine or lateral recumbent positions in some patients with allergic rhinitis.     

鼻内窥镜下微波凝固治疗常年性变应性鼻炎近期疗效观察

目的 :观察微波凝固治疗常年性变应性鼻炎的近期疗效。方法 :患者随机分为两组 ,治疗组 96例经鼻内窥镜行微波凝固筛前神经及下鼻甲治疗 ;对照组 72例采用鼻内窥镜下 15 %硝酸银烧灼治疗 ,治疗部位同治疗组。结果 :在治疗结束 1个月后进行疗效评定。治疗组总有效率 10 0 % ,对照组总有效率 72 .2 % (P <0 .0 0 5 )。结论 :鼻内窥镜下微波凝固筛前神经及下鼻甲治疗常年性变应性鼻炎 ,具有视野清晰 ,操作简便 ,疗效显著等优点 ,有较好的临床应用价值。     

鼻内镜下激光凝固中鼻甲前端治疗变应性鼻炎

（1）目的 探讨鼻内窥镜下Nd:YAG激光治疗变应性鼻炎的方法。（2）方法 应用鼻内镜下Nd:YAG激光凝固中务甲前1／3端治疗变应性鼻炎126例。（3） 结果 随访1年，显效109例（86．5％），有效13例（10．3％），无效4例（3．2％），总有效率96．8％。（4）结论 鼻内镜下Nd:YAG激光凝固中鼻甲前1．3端治疗变应性鼻炎，具有视野清楚，操作简便，疗效好等优点，值得临床应用。     

腺病毒载体介导CTLA4Ig基因治疗小鼠变应性鼻炎

目的 检测CTLA4Ig-重组腺病毒载体（Ad-CTLA4Ig）在变应性鼻炎治疗中的作用。方法 采用卵清蛋白（OVA）致敏和激发诱导小鼠变应性鼻炎。实验组在OVA激发前30min予以Ad-CTA4Ig腹腔注射。未转CTLA4IgcDNA的腺病毒载体（Adv）作对照。比较各组动物鼻部症状和鼻粘膜形态学改变，并采用ELISA法测定血清中OVA－特异性IgE水平。结果 CTLA4Ig重组腺病毒实验组小鼠鼻部症状和鼻粘膜病理改变不明显，并且血清中OVA－特异性IgE水平明显低于对照组（P＜0.05）。结论 Ad-CTLA4Ig可防治小鼠应变性鼻炎的发生，提示CTLA4Ig-重组腺病毒载体有可能运用于临床变应性鼻炎的治疗。     

The use of a feather quilt, childhood asthma and allergic rhinitis: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Feather bedding has long been considered as a potential source of allergen exposure and thus a potential risk factor for allergic diseases. However, recent cross-sectional studies have reported a higher risk of allergic diseases among users of synthetic bedding compared with feather-bedding users. OBJECTIVE: To explore associations between early life exposure to feather bedding and the risk of developing asthma allergic rhinitis in childhood. METHODS: We assessed the association between early life exposure to feather quilts and the risk of bronchial obstruction during the first 2 years of life and asthma and allergic rhinitis in a prospective 4-year cohort study of 2531 Norwegian children. RESULTS: At the age of 6 months, 24% of the children had a quilt with feathers, decreasing to 20% at the age of 2 years. The adjusted odds ratio for bronchial obstruction 0 to 2 years by exposure to a feather quilt at the age of 6 months was 0.59, 95% confidence interval 0.41 to 0.86, for asthma at the age of 4 years 0.38, 0.23 to 0.64 and for allergic rhinitis at the age of 4 years 0.73, 0.43 to 1.18. CONCLUSION: The use of a feather quilt in early life does not seem to increase the risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis later in childhood.     

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.     

Acoustic rhinometry compared with anterior rhinomanometry in the assessment of the response to nasal allergen challenge

Acoustic rhinometry was used to assess nasal airway patency objectively and was compared with the more established method of anterior rhinomanometry. Ten patients with allergic rhinitis underwent 15 nasal challenges with allergen to which they showed positive skin-prick tests. Responses were assessed by measuring the minimum nasal cross-sectional area (Amin.) using acoustic rhinometry and by measuring nasal airway resistance (NAR) using anterior rhinomanometry. The measurements of Amin. and NAR showed a significant negative correlation. Acoustic rhinometry appears to be superior to anterior rhinomanometry in quantifying the response to nasal allergen challenge and may be particularly useful in patients with initial nasal blockage.     

Increased carbon monoxide levels in the nasal airways of subjects with a history of seasonal allergic rhinitis and in patients with upper respiratory tract infection

BACKGROUND: Carbon monoxide (CO) has emerged as an endogenously produced gaseous mediator known to be involved in bronchial smooth muscle regulation. Increased amounts of CO have been found in exhaled air during asthma and lower airway inflammation. Recently CO has been shown to be produced in the nasal airways, but there are no reports of altered CO levels in nasal airways during inflammation. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate if CO levels increase in the human nasal airways during inflammatory conditions, such as allergy and upper airway respiratory tract infection (URTI). METHODS: CO was sampled separately from the upper and lower airways of 13 healthy control subjects, six patients with a history of allergic rhinitis and six patients with URTI. RESULTS: Nasal CO levels were increased in subjects with allergic rhinitis, compared to healthy controls (2.07 +/- 0.15 ppm, n = 6 and 1.62 +/- 0.08 ppm, n = 13, respectively, P < 0.01). CO levels were also increased in patients with URTI, compared to the same controls (1.92 +/- 0.09 ppm, n = 6, P < 0.05). Normal levels of CO were found in air from the lower airways among subjects with allergic rhinitis, whereas corresponding levels in the URTI patients were increased. CONCLUSION: The present data demonstrates that upper airway CO levels increase in parallel with different inflammatory stimuli, such as allergy and infection, suggesting a role for CO as marker or mediator of nasal inflammation.