Comparison of Long-term Efficacy of Subcutaneous Immunotherapy in Pediatric and Adult Patients With Allergic Rhinitis

PURPOSE: Data comparing the long-term efficacy and safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) using house dust mite (HDM) in children and adults with allergic rhinitis (AR) are limited. This study aimed to compare the long-term effects of HDM-SCIT in a cohort of Chinese pediatric and adult patients with AR. METHODS: A total of 124 pediatric and adult AR patients received HDM-SCIT for 3 years, with 118 patients being followed-up for 2 years. Prior to treatment (baseline), at the end of the 3-year treatment periods (third year) and 2 years after the discontinuation of treatment (fifth year), all patients were evaluated for total nasal symptom scores (TNSS), daily medication score (DMS), total combined score (TCS; symptoms [nasal + ocular] + DMS) and quality of life (QoL). Safety was assessed according to adverse events reported. RESULTS: After 3-year treatment, HDM-SCIT significantly improved symptoms and QoL scores at the end of the third and fifth years in both groups. Better improvements were observed in the third and fifth years based on baseline, in children compared to adults (TNSSΔ3: 6.66 vs. 5.41, P = 0.011; TCSΔ3: 4.30 vs. 3.83, P = 0.027 and TNSSΔ5: 6.16 vs. 4.86, P = 0.037; TCSΔ5: 4.11 vs. 3.62, P = 0.044).Shorter duration of AR history before SCIT (<10 vs. ≥10 years) resulted in better improvements at the end of the third and fifth years (TCSΔ3: 4.12 vs. 3.13, P = 0.036; TCSΔ5: 3.90 vs. 3.09, P = 0.033). HDM-SCIT was safe and comparable in both children and adults with AR. CONCLUSIONS: Children with AR may achieve better long-term efficacy of HDM-SCIT than adults with AR.

Study of fractional exhaled nitric oxide concentrations in healthy school children of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei province / 中国耳鼻咽喉头颈外科

OBJECTIVE To investigate the normal range of fraction exhaled nitric oxide(FeNO) in healthy schoolchildren in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province. METHODS A total of 337 schoolchildren(161 males and 176 females) in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province were selected randomly in our outpatient clinic and met the health standards. FeNO values were measured using NIOX. Age, height, weight and body mass index(BMI) were investigated. At the same time, skin prick tests were performed on children with suspected atopy. RESULTS Geometric mean of FeNO value in healthy schoolchildren in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province was 13 ppb(part per billion, ppb), and the 95％ Confidence Interval(CI, bias distribution) was 5-23 ppb, which was related to the gender of schoolchildren(P ＜0.001). There was no signif icant cor relation between age, height, weight, body mass index(BMI) and regional differences(P all＞0.05). FeNO values were no significant difference among the three regions(P ＞0.05); the geometric mean of FeNO values were 13 ppb in Beijing, 13 ppb in Tianjin, and 14 ppb in Hebei; 95％CI was 5 to 21 ppb, 5 to 21 ppb, 5 to 23 ppb, respectively. CONCLUSION FeNO values of healthy schoolchildren in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei provinces are only significantly correlated with gender. However, FeNO values are highest among schoolaged girls in Hebei, and 23 ppb is the 95％ normal range of FeNO in healthy schoolchildren in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province. Gender and regional factors must be considered when FeNO values are evaluated.

Allergen-Dependent Differences in ILC2s Frequencies in Patients With Allergic Rhinitis

PURPOSE: Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are a novel population of lineage-negative cells that induce innate type 2 responses by producing the critical Th2-type cytokines IL-5 and IL-13 in response to IL-25 and IL-33 stimulation. ILC2s accumulation in the peripheral blood of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) is controversial; the precise role of ILC2s in the immunopathogenesis of AR is still not clear. We investigated the role of ILC2s in phenotypic AR sensitized to distinct allergens. METHODS: Flow cytometric analysis of the peripheral blood of 7 healthy controls (HCs), 9 patients monosensitized to house dust mite (HDM), and 8 patients monosensitized to mugwort was performed to quantify ILC2s frequency. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from HDM-AR and mugwort-AR patients, and Lineage- and Lineage+ cells were separated using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). IL-5 and IL-13 levels in the supernatants of PBMCs, and Lineage- and Lineage+ cells stimulated with IL-25 and/or IL-33 combined with IL-2 in vitro were assessed using the Milliplex magnetic bead kit. RESULTS: The percentage of ILC2s was significantly elevated in HDM-AR patients compared to mugwort-AR patients and HCs, while no significant difference was found between mugwort-AR patients and HCs. IL-33+/-IL-25 plus IL-2 induced a significantly greater release of IL-5 and IL-13 in the PBMCs of HDM-AR patients compared to PBMCs of mugwort-AR patients. IL-25 plus IL-2 also induced a significantly greater release of IL-13 in the PBMCs of HDM-AR patients compared to PBMCs of mugwort-AR patients. Stimulation with IL-33 and/or IL-25 combined with IL-2 also induced a significantly greater IL-5 and IL-13 release from Lineage- cells compared to Lineage+ cells. CONCLUSIONS: AR patients sensitized to HDM or mugwort allergen have distinct phenotypic and functional profiles in ILC2s frequencies. ILC2s mediate major type 2 immunity in the development of HDM-AR and may be a potential therapeutic target.

Prevalence of Allergic Rhinitis Among Adults in Urban and Rural Areas of China: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to compare the prevalence of self-reported and confirmable allergic rhinitis (AR) with positive skin prick test (SPT) results among adults living in urban and rural areas of China. METHODS: Adults from a community in Beijing and a village in Baoding were selected as representative urban and rural dwellers, respectively. All eligible residents were enrolled from the population register and received a face-to-face interview using modified validated questionnaires. Equal sets of randomly selected self-reporting AR-positive and AR-negative participants who responded to the questionnaires were also investigated using skin prick tests. RESULTS: A total of 803 participants in the rural area and a total of 1,499 participants in the urban area completed the questionnaires, with response rates being 75.9% and 81.5% respectively. The prevalence of self-reported AR of the rural area (19.1%) was significantly higher than that of the urban area (13.5%). The elementary school of educational level increased the risk of having AR (adjusted OR=2.198, 95% CI=1.072-2.236) .The positive SPT rates among subjects with self-reported AR in the rural and urban areas were 32.5% and 53.3%, respectively; the confirmable AR prevalence of 6.2% and 7.2% among the rural and urban adults, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of confirmable AR is similar between rural and urban areas in China, although there is a higher prevalence of self-reported AR in the former.

The impact of allergic rhinitis on state-trait anxiety / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between the different types of allergic rhinitis and anxiety.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>State-trait anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI) was adopted to 98 cases, moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis (PAR, male 43 cases, female 55 cases ) and 165 cases of moderate to severe intermittent allergic rhinitis (IAR, male 89 cases, female 76 cases ) and compared with the Chinese standard norm.SPSS 15.0 software was used to analyze the data.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was no significant difference in state anxiety (S-AI) and trait anxiety (T-AI) score (P(PAR): 0.411,0.724; P(IAR): 0.400,0.061) between male patients with allergic rhinitis (PAR and IAR) and the 1998 Chinese male norm. There was no significant difference (P(PAR): 0.503, P(IAR): 0.789) between female AR patients and normal in T-AI. The S-AI score was significantly higher in female AR patients than that in Chinese women norm scores (P(PAR) = 0.007, P(IAR) = 0.004). PAR and IAR showed no significant difference on T-AI and S-AI. (P value was 0.748 and 0.967).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Female patients with allergic rhinitis can cause anxiety and continued, but there is no obvious anxiety potential in T-AI. The male patients do not show significantly different from normal people in terms of state and trait anxiety. And then, different types of allergic rhinitis have no significant correlation with anxiety.</p>

The role of combination of traditional Chinese and western medicine on severe allergic rhinitis / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective To explore the effects of combination of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)and western medicine on a variety of allergen induced severe perennial seasonal allergic rhinitis patients who were treated invalidly with antihistamines and intranasal flixonase for more than two years.Methods 16 patients with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis who were uncontrolled with antihistamines and intranasal flixonase for one week were treated by combination with TCM of Xin-Yi-Qing-fei San or Gyokubeifu-san mixed formula for two weeks.Nasal symptoms,its effects on the quality of daily life,and telephone follow-up half a year later were evaluated.Mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (Mini-RQLQ) and Nocturnal Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (NRQLQ) were used to evaluate the quality of life.Results After 2 weeks combination-treatment,the nasal symptoms of congestion,rhinorrhea,sneezing,nasal itching,and nasal obstruction were significantly improved compared with combination-before [(52.0± 11.1)％,(69.1±5.3)％,(68.3±12.3)％,(55.5±10.0)％to (10.9±2.4)％,(8.9±3.2)％,(12.5±4.3)％,(13.2±5.3)％,respectively].The before and after treatment of nasal function of nasal minimum cross-sectional area (MCA),nasal cavity volume (V5) and nasal airway resistance (R75 and R150) respectively were (0.58±0.12)cm2,(0.38 ± 0.23) Pa/cm3 · s-1,(0.44 ± 0.32) Pa/cm3 · s-1,(3.50 ± 2.33) cm2 to (0.48 ± 0.23) cm2,(0.31 ±0.33) Pa/cm3 · s-1,(0.31 ±0.37)Pa/cm3 · s-1,(2.24± 1.03) cm2 (P＜0.01).In addition,findings of patients with nasal symptoms by half year follow-up were significantly better than those of before.Conclusion The interventionof TCM can effectively control the perennial and seasonal severe symptoms of patients with AR,and improve the quality of life of patients.