Prevalence of pollen-induced allergic rhinitis with high pollen exposure in grasslands of northern China.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of epidemiologic and physician-diagnosed pollen-induced AR (PiAR) in the grasslands of northern China and to study the impact of the intensity and time of pollen exposure on PiAR prevalence. METHODS: A multistage, clustered and proportionately stratified random sampling with a field interviewer-administered survey study was performed together with skin prick tests (SPT) and measurements of the daily pollen count. RESULTS: A total of 6043 subjects completed the study, with a proportion of 32.4% epidemiologic AR and 18.5% PiAR. The prevalence was higher in males than females (19.6% vs 17.4%, P = .024), but no difference between the two major residential and ethnic groups (Han and Mongolian) was observed. Subjects from urban areas showed higher prevalence of PiAR than rural areas (23.1% vs 14.0%, P < .001). Most PiAR patients were sensitized to two or more pollens (79.4%) with artemisia, chenopodium, and humulus scandens being the most common pollen types, which were similarly found as the top three sensitizing pollen allergens by SPT. There were significant regional differences in the prevalence of epidemiologic AR (from 18.6% to 52.9%) and PiAR (from 10.5% to 31.4%) among the six areas investigated. PiAR symptoms were positively associated with pollen counts, temperature, and precipitation (P < .05), but negatively with wind speed and pressure P < .05). CONCLUSION: Pollen-induced AR (PiAR) prevalence in the investigated region is extremely high due to high seasonal pollen exposure, which was influenced by local environmental and climate conditions.

Trigeminal neuralgia caused by a choroid plexus papilloma of the cerebellopontine angle: case report and review of the literature.

This report describes a 59-year old woman with a rare choroid plexus papilloma of the cerebellopontine angle presenting with trigeminal neuralgia. The patient was admitted complaining of a 12-year history of paroxysmal lancinating pain throughout the right side of her face. Treatment with carbamazepine, Chinese medicine and a peripheral neurectomy had not relieved the pain. At operation, a 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 cm neoplasm was found in the cerebellopontine angle, which was firmly adherent to the roots of the seventh and eighth cranial nerves and the brainstem. There was no apparent tumour bulk or vascular compression around the trigeminal nerve root entry zone. Subtotal tumour excision and selective partial rhizotomy were performed. The patient's facial pain gradually resolved. Involvement of the trigeminal nucleus in the brainstem by the cerebellopontine angle tumour is suggested as the possible cause for trigeminal neuralgia in this case.

[Determination of rutin and quercetin in mulberry leaves by high performance capillary electrophoresis].

Rutin and quercetin are the main effective components of mulberry leaves with the functions of controlling the increase of fat in serum and controlling the formation of arterio-sclerosis. In this article a high performance capillary electrophoretic(HPCE) method was used to separate and determine rutin and quercetin in mulberry leaves collected from different periods, different places and different kinds in Xinjiang. Electrophoretic conditions were as follows: a capillary tube (75 microns i.d. x 57 cm (effective length, 50 cm)), with 10 mmol/L dihydrogen sodium phosphate-20 mmol/L sodium borate containing 15% methanol as the running buffer (pH 8.62) and an applied voltage of 20 kV, at 25 degrees C, detected at a wavelength of 245 nm. Under the optimum conditions, rutin and querctin were separated successfully from other components within 12 minutes. The corrected peak areas of rutin and quercetin increased linearly with the increase of their concentrations in the range of 4.4 mg/L-28.8 mg/L and 1.8 mg/L-145.8 mg/L respectively. The corresponding regression equations for rutin and quercetin were Y = 71.60 rho + 30.51 (r = 0.9991) and Y = 315.17 rho - 929.70 (r = 0.9949) respectively, and the recoveries were 95.64% and 99.36%. The analytical results demonstrate the method is simple, quick and well reproducible, and can be used as a reliable tool for the quality control of mulberry leaves.