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Objective An association between allergic disease and depression has been consistently reported, but whether the key mediating ingredients are predominantly biological, psychological, or mere artifacts remains unknown. In the current study, we examine the hypothesized relationship between allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) status and changes in allergy symptoms with worsening in depression scores in depressed sensitized individuals.

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 31, 509–515 Summary Background Aeroallergens have been implicated in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic oesophagitis. Aim To determine whether a seasonal variation exists in the diagnoses of eosinophilic oesophagitis and whether there is a correlation with seasonal pollen count. Methods A retrospective review was performed from January 2006 to November 2008 to identify eosinophilic oesophagitis patients. Cases were classified by endoscopic date. Daily pollen counts for grass, trees and weeds were obtained from a certified counting station. Per cent of eosinophilic oesophagitis cases were collated seasonally and compared with mean pollen counts for grass, trees and weeds during the same time period. Results A total of 127 eosinophilic oesophagitis cases were identified (median age 41, range 19–92 years, 84% men). The highest percentage of cases (33.0%; Binomial P = 0.022) was diagnosed in the spring, while the least percentage (16%; Binomial P = 0.0.010) occurred in the winter. There was a significant association between per cent eosinophilic oesophagitis cases diagnosed seasonally and mean grass pollen count (rs = 1.000, P

for each feature). EE patients also had significantly higher epithelial scores (mean of 7.33 as compared to 0.52 in GERD, p