BACKGROUND: Eczema, rhinitis, and asthma often coexist (comorbidity) in children, but the proportion of comorbidity not attributable to either chance or the role of IgE sensitisation is unknown. We assessed these factors in children aged 4-8 years.

METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, we assessed children from 12 ongoing European birth cohort studies participating in MeDALL (Mechanisms of the Development of ALLergy). We recorded current eczema, rhinitis, and asthma from ...

Quality of life has been found to be impaired both in patients with asthma and in patients with allergic rhinitis, but the relative burden of these diseases has not been investigated. We analyzed answers to the SF-36 questionnaire from 850 subjects recruited in two French centers participating in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey, a population-based study of young adults. Both asthma and allergic rhinitis were associated with an impairment in quality of life. However, 78% ...

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT: • The topical second generation anti-histamine azelastine hydrochloride (AZE) and the potent corticosteroid fluticasone propionate (FP) are well established first-line treatments in allergic rhinitis (AR). • MP29-02, a novel intranasal AZE and FP formulation, has been shown to control AR symptoms faster and better than standard intranasal AZE or FP. • The systemic bioavailabilities of marketed AZE and FP nasal spray products have been established ...

BACKGROUND: Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma in collaboration with the World Health Organization initiative reclassified allergic rhinitis, like asthma, by duration and severity. The Xyzal in Persistent Rhinitis Trial is the first large, long-term clinical trial studying patients with persistent rhinitis as defined by Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma.

OBJECTIVES: Two primary objectives were defined: comparison of the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire ...

BACKGROUND: Patients with severe persistent asthma who are inadequately controlled despite Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) 2002 step 4 therapy are a challenging population with significant unmet medical need. We determined the effect of omalizumab on clinically significant asthma exacerbations (requiring systemic corticosteroids) in the first omalizumab study to exclusively enrol patients from this difficult-to-treat patient population.

METHODS: Following a run-in phase, patients ...

BACKGROUND: Previous published analyses have focused on the effect of air pollution on asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis throughout early and middle childhood. However, the role of exposure to air pollution in the development of childhood and adolescent asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis remains unclear. We aimed to assess the longitudinal associations between exposure to air pollution and development of asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis throughout childhood and adolescence.

METHODS: We did a ...

BACKGROUND: A genomewide association study has shown an association between variants at chromosome 17q21 and an increased risk of asthma. To elucidate the relationship between this locus and disease, we examined a large, family-based data set that included extensive phenotypic and environmental data from the Epidemiological Study on the Genetics and Environment of Asthma.

METHODS: We tested 36 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 17q21 region in 1511 subjects from 372 families ...

BACKGROUND: Eczema, asthma, and rhinitis affect a large proportion of children, but their prevalence varies with age. IgE antibodies are also common in the pediatric population. However, the links between IgE, disease, and trajectories are unclear.

OBJECTIVE: To better understand the links between sensitization and disease, we studied IgE sensitization ever in relation to eczema, asthma, and rhinitis, in children followed up to 16 years of age.

METHODS: From the Swedish population-based ...

In the present study, we show that IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, and IL-15 are able to induce functional CXCR4 surface expression on resting in vitro-generated CD4+ CXCR4- CCR7+ memory T cells. Cytokine-mediated induction of CXCR4 expression was associated with an increase in CXCR4 transcription, enhanced stromal-derived factor-1-induced T cell migration in vitro, and increased susceptibility of these cells to infection with X4 strains of HIV-1. CXCR4 expression could also be induced through an ...

BACKGROUND: Cupressaceae pollen allergy is a worldwide pollinosis, but its in vitro diagnosis is notoriously difficult. The Basotest is a newly available in vitro test for the detection of allergen-specific IgE based on the level of cellular activation of basophils by using flow cytometry.

OBJECTIVES: The Basotest was compared with the measurement of cypress pollen-specific IgE in highly selected patients.

METHODS: We analyzed 34 patients allergic to cypress pollen selected on the basis ...

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of montelukast versus salmeterol added to inhaled fluticasone propionate on asthma exacerbation in patients whose symptoms are inadequately controlled with fluticasone alone. Design and setting A 52 week, two period, double blind, multicentre trial during which patients whose symptoms remained uncontrolled by inhaled corticosteroids were randomised to add montelukast or salmeterol.

PARTICIPANTS: Patients (15-72 years; n = 1490) had a clinical history of ...

BACKGROUND: Lung deposition is crucial for asthma treatment. However, there is no study comparing the potential role of lung co-deposition of combination therapy (inhaled corticosteroid and long-acting beta2 agonist) in the same inhaler. In moderate to severe asthmatics, an extra-fine hydrofluoroalkane combination of beclomethasone dipropionate and formoterol given via a single pressurised metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) was compared with beclomethasone dipropionate chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) ...

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine baseline characteristics predictive of response to omalizumab, an anti-IgE antibody, in patients with allergic asthma.

DESIGN: Pooled analysis of two multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase III studies with omalizumab.

PATIENTS: One thousand seventy allergic asthma patients symptomatic despite moderate-to-high doses (mean, 725 micro g/d) of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP).

INTERVENTIONS: Omalizumab (n = 542) or placebo (n = ...

Histamine is the primary mediator involved the pathophysiology of allergic rhinitis and chronic urticaria, and this explains the prominent role that histamine H(1)-receptor antagonists have in the treatment of these disorders. However, histamine is clearly not the only mediator involved in the inflammatory cascade. There is an emerging view that drugs which can inhibit a broader range of inflammatory processes may prove to be more effective in providing symptomatic relief in both ...