Development of Airway Allergic Diseases and Immunotherapy in Children / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Allergic march is a part of a phase that occurs in a series of continuous steps in disease of pediatric patients, which proceeds from atopic dermatitis to asthma, and from asthma to allergic rhinitis. Recently, several hypotheses have been raised to explain the allergic march. Among them, the study of the hygiene theory related to microbiota, and the study on the role of innate cytokines which occurs in skin barrier damage are attracting attentions. If the interaction between the microbiota and the immune system occurs improperly, the activity of the regulatory T cell becomes insufficient and the immune-regulatory function is reduced, resulting in allergic diseases. Because of the skin barrier disruption, the innate cytokines are activated, thus resulting in Th2 inflammation reaction being increased. Considering this pathogenesis, blocking the linkage to pathogens is regarded to play an important role in preventing and treating allergic march.