Blood Level of Soluble CD30 and Soluble E-Selectin in Allergic Rhinitis Patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Blood levels of soluble CD30 and soluble E-selectin are related to allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis or asthma. However, these levels have not been well investigated in allergic rhinitis. We evaluated the association of blood concentrations of these cytokines in allergic rhinitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The concentrations of soluble CD30 and soluble E-selectin in blood were analyzed by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay. The levels of these cytokines were compared between allergic rhinitis patients (n=48) and age-matched healthy controls (n=27), and a relationship was found with symptom severity. RESULT: The concentration of soluble CD30 was significantly increased in allergic rhinitis patients compared to that in normal healthy people (p=0.042). However, soluble E-selectin was not significantly increased in allergic rhinitis patients (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest a possible role of soluble CD30 in the blood of allergic rhinitis.

A Case of Multiple Fungal Balls Involving the Isolated Three Sinuses

The fungal ball usually occurs in a single sinus, most frequently in the maxillary sinus, and multiple sinus localization has rarely been reported? Recently, the authors experienced a rare case of multiple fungal balls involving three sinuses that were not contiguous, the bilateral maxillary sinuses and right sphenoid sinus. The patient had a history of endodontic treatment. We report this rare case with a literature review.

One Case of Persistent Stapedial Artery Combined with Aberrant Internal Carotid Artery / 대한이비인후과학회지

A 2-year-old girl had 2-month history of both secretory otitis media . Nine weeks after the first visit, physical examination revealed a whitish mass behind the intact right tympanic membrane. A CT study showed absence of the right foramen spinosum. The right ICA had an aberrant course running laterally in the middle ear cavity with ossesous canal. The soft tissue density in the normal location of the tympanic segment of facial nerve was markedly enlarged. A diagnosis of aberrant ICA and persistent stapedial artery was made. Vascular mass in the middle ear space are very uncommon. They continue to present a diagnostic problem, as the clinical symptoms and signs are often nonspecific and require radiological investigation to distinguish between glomus tumors, other vascular tumors, a dehiscent jugular bulb and an aberrant internal carotid artery. In approximately one per cent of the population, a dehiscent ICA canal is present and can result in the passing of an aberrant ICA through the middle ear space. The persistent stapedial artery is a rare congenital vascular anomaly that may present as a pulsatile middle ear mass or that may appear as an incidental finding. It is important for the otologist to be aware of this anomaly, as a misdiagnosis can have catastrophic consequences.

A Immunohistochemical Study of Expression of Inducible Isoform of Heme Oxygenase on Human Nasal Polyps / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nasal polyp is non-neoplastic, chronic inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa. Oxidative stress may be related to the pathogenesis of nasal polyp. Oxidative stress may be potential inducers of heme oxygenase (HO-1) expression. To illustrate the role of the HO-1 in the nasal polyp, we investigated the expressive pattern of the HO-1 in the nasal polyp and the influence of corticosteroids on its expression. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The study materials were 28 specimens of nasal polyp (steroid user: 13 cases, steroid non-user: 15 cases) taken from 28 patients during endoscopic sinus surgery and 11 cases of normal nasal mucosa of the inferior turbinate as control. The HO-1 expression was assessed by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The HO-1 was mainly expressed on non-epithelial cells in the lamina propria of nasal polyps in 20/28 (71.4%). The expression of HO-1 was positive in 11 out of 13 (84.6%) and 9 out of 15 (60%) subjects for steroid user and steroid non-user group, respectively. The inflammatory cells were almost identified as macrophage by using a macrophage specific marker (CD68+). The HO-1 was not expressed in normal control at all. There was no significant difference in the expression of HO-1 between the steroid user group and the non-user group. CONCLUSION: HO-1, as an important endogenous antioxidant enzyme, may play a protective role in the pathogenesis of nasal polyp. Steroid may not regulate the HO-1 expression in the nasal polyp.

A Study of Susceptibility between Allergic Rhinitis and IL-13 Exon 4 G2044A Gene Polymorphism Study in Korean / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: High total serum IgE level is one of the characteristics seen in allergic rhinitis. IL-13 provides impetus to immunoglobulin class switching to IgE. The IL-13 promoter single nucleotide polymorphism has been shown to be associated with allergic diseases and abnormal IL-13 production. We tested whether a polymorphism in the coding region of IL-13 gene is associated with allergic rhinitis, blood eosinophil counts and total serum IgE levels in Korean. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Blood samples for genetic analysis were obtained from 307 individuals with allergic rhinitis and from 268 healthy subjects without atopic diseases. Polymerase chain reaction-based assay for IL-13 exon 4 G2044A was used for genotyping. Serum total IgE levels were determined by using the immunoassay. Eosinophil values were determined by eosinophil numbers per total cell numbers per microl. RESULTS: There were no differences in the frequencies of the genotypes of IL-13 in the controls and patients (p>0.05). The frequencies of the IL-13 exon 4 2044A allele were statistically different between controls and patients (p0.05). CONCLUSION: Our result suggests that the IL-13 exon 4 G2044A polymorphism might give susceptibility to the development of allergic rhinitis in Koreans.

A Study of Susceptibility between Allergic Rhinitis and STAT6 Gene G2964A Polymorphism Study of a Korean Population / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: T helper-type 2 cytokines, such as IL-4 and IL-13, may play a central role in allergic diseases. The proteins known as signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 (STAT-6) are key transcription factors involved in both IL-4 and IL-13 mediated biological responses. Since a polymorphism of STAT6 G2964A has been found, we investigated the association between the polymorphism of STAT6 G2964A and allergic rhinitis in Korean. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Blood samples for genetic analysis were obtained from 229 individuals with allergic rhinitis and from 278 healthy subjects without atopic diseases. Polymerase chain reaction-based assay for the STAT6 G2964A variant was used for genotyping. RESULTS: There were no differences in the frequencies of the genotypes between the controls and patients (p>0.05). The frequencies of the STAT6 2964A allele were not statistically different between controls and allergic rhinitis patients (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Our result suggests that the STAT6 G2964A polymorphism might not give susceptibility to the development of allergic rhinitis in Koreans.

STAT6 Gene Polymorphisms in Allergic Rhinitis

T helper-type 2 cytokines, such as IL-4 and IL-13, may play a central role in allergic diseases. The protein known as signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 (STAT6) is a key transcription factor involved in both IL-4- and -13-mediated biological responses. Two polymorphisms of the STAT 6 gene (exon 1 and G2964A variant) have been found. We investigated whether these STAT6 gene polymorphisms were associated with allergic rhinitis. Blood samples for genetic analysis were obtained from 285 individuals with allergic rhinitis and from 271 healthy subjects without atopic disease. The G2964A variant of the STAT6 gene was genotyped using PCR-RFLP analysis. The GT repeat polymorphism in exon 1 of the STAT6 gene was genotyped by fragment analysis. There was no association between the 2964A variant and GT repeat polymorphism in exon 1 of the STAT6 and allergic rhinitis in a Korean population (both p > 0.05). Our results suggest that a combination of STAT6 gene polymorphisms is not a useful marker for predicting allergic rhinitis.