Efficacy and safety analysis with standardized mite allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy in 90 patients with allergic rhinitis / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the three-year efficacy and safety with standardized dust mite subcutaneous immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety patients who were diagnosed as allergic to mite by skin prick test and serum IgE were include in the standardized allergen-specific dose-escalation regimen. Nasal symptom score (0-3) were collected before treatment and three years after treatment; VAS (visual analogue scale, 0-10) of all nasal symptoms and drug use score were collected every four months; frequency of local and systemic reactions were recorded in the duration of dose escalation and maintenance.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Nasal blocking, sneeze, rhinorrhea and nasal itch were significantly improved after 3 years treatment (before treatment: 2[2;3], 2[2;3], 2[2;3], 2[1;2] ; after treatment: all were 0[0;0]; Z value were -8.310, -8.408, -8.377, -8.287, all P were 0.000). VAS of all nasal symptoms and drug use score decreased dramatically after escalation period (before treatment: 8.00[7.00;8.85], 2.00[1.50;2.00]; after treatment: 1.00[1.00;1.50], 0 [0;0]; Z value were -8.287, -8.248, P value 0.086, 0.744), and maintained afterwards (F value were 2.483, 0.296; P value were 0.086, 0.744). Ninety-eight case times (64.47%) local reactions mainly happened in maintenance period; the frequency of systemic reactions was 2.54%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The standardized specific allergen immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis is safe and effective.</p>

Role of aquaporin 1 in the migration of eosinophils from asthmatic guinea pigs / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of aquaporin 1 (AQP1) in the migration of eosinophils (EOS) and to determine if AQP-1 can be viewed as the chemotactic activity marker of EOS.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Asthma model of guinea pigs were developed and EOS were purified from both peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The smears of EOS were studied by in situ hybridization for determining AQP1 mRNA and immunofluorescence under laser scanning confocal microscope for determining AQP1 protein.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>AQP1 was found expressed in EOS both from peripheral blood and from BALF. Compared with the expression of AQP1 mRNA (mean grey value 109.200 +/- 5.756, x +/- s) and protein (average fluorescence intensity 279.926 +/- 11.293) in EOS from BALF, there was stronger expression of AQP1 mRNA (92.904 +/- 3.290) and protein (425.081 +/- 17.474) in EOS from peripheral blood. The difference both of AQP1 mRNA (t = 9.519, P < 0.05) and protein(t = 27.020, P < 0.05) were considered statistically significant respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>AQP1 plays a crucial role in EOS movement. It is possible that EOS produce more AQP1 protein to accelerate its migration to inflammatory tissues under allergic disease and EOS with AQP1 highly expressed are activated. AQP1 can be viewed as the chemotactic activity marker of EOS.</p>

Expression of monocyte chemotactic protein 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor in nasal polyps / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the relationship between the expression of monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in nasal polyp (NP) tissues and the role of MCP-1 in the formation of nasal polyps.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty nasal polyp tissues obtained from NP patients were used to detect the expression of MCP-1 and VEGF at the levels of protein and mRNA by immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization assay. Twenty-five inferior turbinate (IT) samples obtained from chronic rhinitis patients were used as control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of MCP-1 and VEGF was higher in NP tissue than in IT at protein and mRNA levels (P <0.01). The expression of these two cytokines was positively correlated(r = 0.871, P <0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MCP-1 and VEGF were involved in the formation of nasal polyps.</p>