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ABSTRACT The fruits of Xanthium strumarium L (Asteraceae) have been used extensively in China for treatment of various diseases such as allergic rhinitis (AR), tympanitis, urticaria and arthritis or ozena. [...]

Abstract Asthma and allergic rhinitis are two of the most common manifestations of allergy. The conditions have similar aetiologies, and genetic and environmental influences. There is increasing evidence that asthma [...]

Although soy isoflavone has been suggested to have both immune-enhancing and immune-suppressive effects, the effects of soy isoflavone intake on allergic disorders are unclear. A cross-sectional study indicated that a high intake of soy isoflavone is associated with a decreased risk of allergic rhinitis. We aimed to prospectively examine the relationship between soy isofiavone intake and risk of cedar pollinosis, the most common seasonal allergic rhinitis in Japan. The study was conducted in a population-based cohort of Japanese men and women. Each subject's usual diet, including soy isoflavone intake, was determined with the use of a validated FFQ in 1992. In 2002, a total of 11,229 persons who were 35-69 y old and had no history of cancer or allergic diseases at the baseline responded to a follow-up questionnaire asking about 4 symptoms related to cedar pollinosis. Cox hazard regression model was used to determine the association between soy isoflavone intake and the risk of cedar pollinosis. During the 10-y follow-up, 931 of these subjects reported that they had cedar pollinosis. There was no significant association between soy isoflavone intake and risk of cedar pollinosis in men and women after controlling for covariates. For the highest compared with the lowest quartile of soy isoflavone intake, hazard ratios were 1.07 (95% CI: 0.81-1.42) in men and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.68-1.15) in women. These data did not support an association between soy isoflavone intake and risk of cedar pollinosis.

The management of a case of a patient with long standing hay fever who has been recommended corticosteroid injection to control the problem is discussed.

Summary This article discusses the pathophysiology and management of patients with allergic rhinitis. The author relates the condition to asthma, which is often experienced by those with allergic rhinitis. Keywords [...]

A small, placebo-controlled clinical trial in which patients who were allergic to ragweed were immunized with a six-injection regimen of the AIC vaccine before the first ragweed season and evaluated during the next two ragweed seasons. The study provides preliminary evidence that a six-injection regimen of AIC reduces allergic rhinitis symptoms during the ragweed season and the clinical effects of AIC appear to be associated with the induction of long-lasting immune modulation.

A few studies have shown that untreated seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) may have unfavorable effects on performance. However, prior research has employed tasks of limited or moderate difficulty (e.g., verbal learning) or has focused on visual-motor efforts (e.g., driving a vehicle). The present research compared performance in the absence (asymptomatic) versus presence (symptomatic) of rhinitis, using the validated strategic management simulation (SMS). Obtained data indicated that whenever task-demands were contextual (e.g., cued by the environment), no differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic conditions were obtained. Whenever task-demands were more difficult, untreated seasonal allergic rhinitis decreased effectiveness. To avoid loss of productivity and limit decrements in quality of life, treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis with medications without sedating effects appears of value.

Objective. To determine the incremental effect of allergic rhinitis on health care resource use in children with asthma. Design. Population-based historical cohort study. Setting. Data in a general practice database in the United Kingdom during 1998 to 2001. Patients. Children 6 to 15 years old with asthma and with [greater than or equal to] asthma-related visits to a general practitioner (GP) during a 12-month follow-up period. Main Outcome Measures. Asthma-related hospitalizations, GP visits, and prescription drug costs during the 12-month follow-up period for patients with and without comorbid allergic rhinitis. Results. Of 9522 children with asthma, 1879 (19.7%) had allergic rhinitis recorded in the GP medical records. Compared with children with asthma alone, children with comorbid allergic rhinitis experienced more GP visits (4.4 vs 3.4) and more of them were hospitalized for asthma (1.4% vs 0.5%) during the 12-month follow-up period. In multivariable regression analyses, comorbid allergic rhinitis was an independent predictor of hospitalization for asthma (odds ratio: 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.41-3.91) and was associated with increases in the number of asthma-related GP visits (mean increase: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.52-0.54) and asthma drug costs (mean increase [pounds sterling]: 6.7; 95% CI: 6.5-7.0). The association between allergic rhinitis and higher costs of prescriptions for asthma drugs was independent of asthma severity, measured indirectly by the intensity of use of asthma drugs. Conclusions. Children with comorbid allergic rhinitis incurred greater prescription drug costs and experienced more GP visits and hospitalizations for asthma than did children with asthma alone. A unified treatment strategy for asthma and allergic rhinitis, as recommended by the Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma initiative, might reduce the costs of treating these conditions. Pediatrics 2005;115:129-134; asthma, allergic rhinitis, children, medical resource use., ABBREVIATIONS. ED, emergency department; GP, general practitioner; SABA, short-acting [beta]-agonist; CI, confidence interval. Asthma and allergic rhinitis are both common childhood illnesses that place a substantial burden on health care [...]

Objective. To compare active acupuncture with sham acupuncture for the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis among children. Methods. Subjects with persistent allergic rhinitis were recruited from the pediatric outpatient clinic. They were randomized to receive either active acupuncture or sham acupuncture. Main outcome measures included daily rhinitis scores, symptom-free days, visual analog scale scores for immediate effects of acupuncture, daily relief medication scores, blood eosinophil counts, serum IgE levels, nasal eosinophil counts, patients' end parents" preferences for treatment modalities, and adverse effects. Results. Eighty-five patients were recruited from the pediatric outpatient clinic at Kwong Wah Hospital, in Hong Kong. Thirteen patients withdrew before randomization; 35 patients (mean age: 11.7 [+ or -] 3.2 years) were randomized to receive active acupuncture for 8 weeks, and 37 patients (mean age: 11 [+ or -] 3.8 years) were randomized to receive sham acupuncture for 8 weeks. Acupuncture was performed twice per week for both groups. Both the assessing pediatricians and the patients were blinded. There were significantly lower daily rhinitis scores and more symptom-free days for the group receiving active acupuncture, during both the treatment and follow-up periods. The visual analog scale scores for immediate improvement after acupuncture were also significantly better for the active acupuncture group. There was no significant difference in the following outcome measures between the active end sham acupuncture groups: daily relief medication scores, blood eosinophil counts, serum IgE levels, and nasal eosinophil counts, except for the IgE levels before and 2 months after acupuncture in the sham acupuncture group. No severe adverse effects were encountered. Numbness, headache, and dizziness were found in both the active and sham acupuncture groups, with no difference in incidence, end the effects were self-limiting. Conclusions. This study showed that active acupuncture was more effective than sham acupuncture in decreasing the symptom scores for persistent allergic rhinitis and increasing the symptom-free days. No serious adverse effect was identified. A large-scale study is required to confirm the safety of acupuncture for children. Pediatrics 2004;114:1242-1247; acupuncture, allergic rhinitis, rhinitis, children, pediatric, trial, randomized, controlled trial, complementary therapy., Allergic rhinitis is a common condition, and its prevalence seems to be increasing. (1-4) The prevalence of school-aged children with allergic rhinitis in Hong Kong is 35% to 44%. (5,6) [...]

Mattress and pillow covers that are impermeable to dust mites may not be effective in treating hay-fever, according to a study of 232 people. Even though the impermeable covers reduced the amount of dust mite allergen in the mattress, it did not improve the patients' hay-fever symptoms.

Objective. Fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray (FP) at the highest recommended doses does not affect hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in adults or older children, but its potential effects in children younger than 4 years have not been previously studied. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated the effects of FP on HPA axis function measured by 12-hour urinary-free cortisol levels in children 2 to 3 years of age. Methods. Patients ages 2 to 3 years with symptoms of allergic rhinitis were administered FP 200 tag/day (FP200 QD) or vehicle placebo for 6 weeks. Results. The FP200 QD group (n = 33) was equivalent to the placebo group (n = 32) in mean change from baseline in the primary safety measure of 12-hour creatinine-corrected urinary-free cortisol concentration (geometric mean difference [standard error; SE] for placebo--FP200 QD = 0.96 [1.20]; 95% confidence interval 0.66, 1.39) at the end of the treatment period. The adjusted geometric mean change from baseline value was 0.98 for FP200 QD (SE = 1.14) and 0.94 for placebo (SE = 1.15); a value of 1.0 reflects no change from baseline. Cough and fever were the most common adverse events reported in either group. Conclusions. FP200 QD was equivalent to placebo with respect to effects on HPA axis function measured by 12-hour urinary-free cortisol in 2- and 3-year-old patients. FP200 QD was well-tolerated in these very young children with allergic rhinitis., ABBREVIATIONS. HPA, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal; FP, fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray; FP200 QD, fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray 200 [micro]g/day; SD, standard deviation; SE, standard error. Well-tolerated and effective, intranasal corticosteroids are [...]

Introduction Antihistamines are among the most commonly used medications by allergists and dermatologists worldwide. They are used to treat indications such as rhinitis, urticaria, seasonal allergies, and pruritus, and their [...]

The treatment of hay-fever, asthma, anaphylactic shock, atopic eczema, urticaria, and angioedema are reviewed. Innovative treatments include new forms of immunotherapy using hypoallergenic isoforms and T-cell peptide epitopes, DNA vaccines, monoclonal antibodies against IgE, and drugs that inhibit interleukin-4.

Grass-pollen immunotherapy for three or four years can prevent hay-fever in many patients. Researchers evaluated the incidence of hay-fever in 16 patients who had received grass-pollen immunotherapy for three or four years but then stopped the treatment. The rate of hay-fever symptoms and antihistamine use did not differ in these patients from 16 patients who continued to receive immunotherapy. Hay-fever symptoms and antihistamine use were also much lower than in a similar group of patients who never received immunotherapy.