Recent Advances in Clinical Allergy and Immunology.

Allergic diseases are of great concern because of their high prevalence, which is still rising in several regions, their impact on patients' physical and psychological health, the huge burden they place on patients' quality of life, as well as the socioeconomic consequences that they cause. Recent research has provided new data on both genetic and environmental risk factors of atopic/allergic diseases. The application of new technologies such as "omics" has allowed a better understanding of the pathogenesis and has helped with the identification of therapeutic targets. Immense progress has been made in developing and applying novel, targeted therapies, for example for asthma and urticaria. Intensive efforts are being made to find biomarkers that help to classify patients, to identify their potential responsiveness to specific therapies, and to monitor the disease severity. Based on recent insights in the pathogenesis of food allergy and drug hypersensitivity, novel strategies for diagnostics, allergen avoidance, and induction of tolerance have been developed. Here, we summarize important findings in the field of clinical allergy and immunology with a special focus on asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergy, urticaria, angioedema, and drug hypersensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]