Mucosal histamine content and histamine secretion in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and allergic enteropathy.

Histamine exhibits various biological effects in inflammatory and immunological reactions. To further define its potential role in allergic enteropathy and inflammatory bowel disease, both gut mucosal histamine levels and histamine release from endoscopic biopsy samples were measured. Tissue histamine content resulted from addition of the released amount of histamine and the remaining part of tissue histamine. The results demonstrate highly elevated mucosal histamine levels of the large intestine in allergic enteropathy. In inflammatory bowel disease histamine content and secretion were found to be significantly increased particularly in affected mucosa of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis than in unaffected tissue or in healthy controls. These findings give strong evidence that mast cell mediators like histamine play a role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Mucosal histamine is thus concluded to contribute to the immuno-inflammatory reactions of the intestine found in these disease states and to reflect the degree of colonic inflammation in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Levocabastine nasal spray better than sodium cromoglycate and placebo in the topical treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis.

The efficacy and safety of the nasal administration (twice in each nostril, four times a day) of levocabastine (0.5 mg/ml) were compared with those of sodium cromoglycate (20 mg/ml) and placebo in a 2-week, parallel, double-blind trial in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. At the end of treatment, 89% of patients in the levocabastine-treated group rated their treatment as globally good or excellent as compared with 32% (p = 0.003) of sodium cromoglycate-treated and 35% (p = 0.002) of placebo-treated patients. According to the investigators' ratings, the severest nasal symptom and ocular complaints responded better to levocabastine than to cromoglycate (p = 0.05 and p = 0.03) or placebo treatment (p = 0.03 and p = 0.001). Visual analogue scale ratings in patients' diaries indicated that at the end of therapy, nasal symptoms were less severe in the levocabastine-treated group than in the sodium cromoglycate-treated (p = 0.03) or placebo-treated group (p = 0.001). Total symptom severity as a percentage of the theoretical maximum symptom severity during the treatment period was lower for levocabastine than for sodium cromoglycate (p = 0.06) or placebo (p = 0.004) for the severest nasal symptom (35% versus 47% and 76%), sneezing (the most frequent symptom) (27% versus 42% and 67%), and itchy nose (18% versus 37% and 67%). The percentage of days at which nasal symptoms were entirely absent was markedly higher in the levocabastine-treated (33%) than in the sodium cromoglycate-treated (9%; p = 0.006) or placebo-treated (3%; p = 0.001) group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Cefixime therapy in sinusitis]. / Die Cefiximtherapie bei Sinusitiden.

In a clinical study, 40 patients suffering from acute, recurrent or chronic sinusitis were treated with cefixime. The duration of therapy ranged from seven to 15 days. The dosage was 200 mg bid. In all patients cure or a marked improvement of clinical symptoms was noticed. Ten patients suffered gastrointestinal side effects which were classified as mild to moderate; however, all the patients received a full treatment course.

Clinical efficiency of neobiphyllineR-studies on lung function and serum levels after rectal application of a combination of methyl-xanthines.

In a group of 12 patients suffering from reversible airways obstruction, lung function data and serum levels were studied before and after rectal application of a combination of methyl-xanthines (400 mh theophylline, 600 mg diprophylline, 600 mg proxyphylline). The follow-up over a period of 10 hours showed an immediate bronchodilator effect of the mixture within 30 minutes to 1 hour; bronchodilation was still detectable after an interval of 10 hours. The improvement in lung function correlated with the serum levels. No side effects were noted after rectal administration of the drugs.

The formation of allergens during the development of rye pollen (secale cereale).

During pollen development loading of pollen grains of rye with allergen(s) takes place in the anther. Young microspores after meiosis have no allergenic activity. Under greenhouse conditions rye pollen becomes allergenically active about 6 days before release of pollen grains from the anther.

[Diagnostic and therapeutic implications of allergic processes in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (author's transl)]. / Allergologische Diagnostik und Therapie des Morbus Crohn und der Colitis ulcerosa.

At the present time most authors do not believe, that allergic processes do play a role in the etiology of Crohn's disease or of ulcerative colitis. Data are presented however demonstrating a pathogenic role of mould fungus allergens in these diseases. Diagnostic and therapeutic implications of these results are discussed.

[Bronchodilator effect of methylxanthine derivatives (author's transl)]. / Zur bronchodilatatorischen Wirkung von Methylxanthinderivaten.

The bronchodilator effect of theophylline ethylenediamine was compared with that of a combination of the methylxanthines theophylline, diprophylline and proxyphylline, after administration of slow-release capsules. At an initial dose of twice two capsules the two drug preparations produced similar, therapeutically significant, effects. When reducing the dose to twice one capsule, during long-term treatment, there was a clinically and statistically significantly greater bronchodilator effect among those patients receiving the combined methylxanthine preparation.

[Importance of mould allergens in chronic recurrent gastrointestinal diseases (author's transl)]. / Bedeutung der Schimmelpilzallergene bei chronisch-rezidivierenden gastrointestinalen Erkrankungen.

This report deals with allergological, diagnostic and therapeutic methods in gastrointestinal allergic diseases with special consideration of mould allergens. Possibilities of using these methods in Crohn's disease and in ulcerative colitis are being discussed.

Inhibitory effect of beta-adrenergic stimulants on the histamine reaction of the human skin. II. Studies with several derivatives in regard to the dosage used and reaction depending on time.

In 56 volunteers the inhibitory effects of the beta-adrenergic stimulants fenoterol, salbutamol, isoproterenol, orciprenaline, terbutaline, epinephrine and phenylephrine were studied. There was a difference between the substances in regard to the applied dose and duration of inhibitory effect. The latter parameter particularly depended on the hydrosolubility of the individual substances. Fenoterol and salbutamol had a very low solubility and a very strong and long-lasting effect. The possibly stronger adhesive power of these drugs in the tissue according to their poor solubility and the site of action in the reactive systems of the skin are discussed giving preference to the vascular system over the mast-cells and cAMP.

Pyroglyphid mites, xerophilic fungi and allergenic activity in dust from hospital mattresses.

Dust from mattresses of different composition and age was analysed for mites, xerophilic fungi and allergenic activity. The mites of the genus Demodex were the most abundant (58.2 per cent). Also pyroglyphid mites occurred commonly (36.6 per cent). Pyroglyphid mites were present in small numbers (mean: 1 specimen/0.2 g of dust) in 12 out of the 17 older polyester-foam mattresses. The 11 cotton-horsechair mattresses and the newly used polyester-foam mattresses (three tested) were without them. The dust from the cotton-horsehair mattresses had a significantly higher allergenic activity than from those of polyester-foam. Xerophilic fungi were isolated in three out of 31 mattresses. The species isolated belonged to the genus Aspergillus and Eurotium. E. repens occurred most frequently. Disinfection of mattresses was suggested to have a negative influence on the occurrence of mites and fungi.