bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nedocromil sodium 2% eye drops for twice‐daily treatment of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis: a Swedish multicentre placebo‐controlled study in children allergic to birch pollen
Authors: MÖLLER C. , BERG I.‐M. , BERG T. , KJELLMAN M. , STROMBERG L. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryThis was a multicentre, double‐blind, randomized group comparative study in which 77 children, aged 6–16 years, received 2% nedocromil sodium eye drops and 72 received placebo, one drop into each eye twice daily. The treatment period was 4 weeks, covering the peak birch pollen season. Prior to the start or the season, patients who had mended the clinic the previous 2 years because of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) to birch pollen, entered a one week baseline period during which symptoms were assessed, diary cards completed, and routine sampling of blood and urine earned out. The double‐blind treatment period then commenced at the onset of the birch pollen season. Patients parents kept daily diary record cards of eye symptom severity and concomitant therapy. Conjunctivitis was mild in both treatment groups but nedocromil sodium was more effective than placebo in controlling symptoms. During the 2–3 weeks of peak pollen counts, this therapeutic effect was statistically significant for itching (P <0–01), watering (P <0.05) and total symptom score (P <0.01), but was not significant for grittiness (P= 0.08) or redness (P = 0.06). Global opinions of efficacy showed no difference between treatments, due to a high placebo effect (however, the diary card data indicated a significant improvement with nedocromil sodium). We therefore conclude that nedocromil sodium 2% eye drops, administered twice daily, is an effective treatment for SAC in children.
Human nasal absorption of 51Cr‐EDTA in smokers and control subjects
Authors: GREIFF L. , WOLLMER P. , ANDERSSON M. , PERSSON C. G. A. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryPassive exposure to cigarette smoke has emerged as a significant risk factor in the development of asthma and allergic airways disease. The pathogenetic mechanisms are not known, but increased absorption across the airway epithelial lining has been suggested as one possible mechanism of this effect of cigarette smoke. This study examines the absorption‐permeability of the nasal epithelial lining in cigarette smokers and non‐smokers. For comparison, the effect of a detergent, dioctylsodium sulfosuccinate (DS), is also examined. A solution containing 51Cr‐EDTA (51‐chromium labeled ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid) (mol. wt. 372 Da) was instilled and maintained in the nasal cavity in six smokers and 12 non‐smokers for 15min. Urine was collected for 24 h after the instillation. The accumulated amount of excreted 5lCr‐EDTA was measured and expressed as millilitre nasal instillate. In six non‐smokers the procedure was repeated when DS has been added to the instillate. The median recovered amount of 51Cr‐EDTA in smokers 0.07 ml (range 0.04‐0.32) was not significantly different from that in non‐smokers 0.16 ml (0.01‐1.22). The recovered amount of 51Cr‐EDTA increased from a median of 0.18 ml (0.01‐1.22) to 1.13 ml (0.53‐1.80) after addition of the detergent (P= 0.028). We conclude that the nasal airway absorption‐permeability is not increased in smokers. Hence, passive exposure to cigarette smoke may not produce an impairment of airway barrier functions.
Identification of allergens from the mite Blomia tropicalis
Authors: CARABALLO L. , PUERTA L. , MARTÍNEZ B. , MORENO L. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryIn some tropical areas the mite Blomia tropicalis is a clinically important allergenic component of house dust, inducing specific IgE immune response in patients with allergic respiratory diseases such as asthma and rhinitis. The identification of allergens of this mite is necessary to obtain appropriate reagents for diagnostic and treatment procedures. We carried out this study using immunoblotting to detect the allergens of B. tropicalis. Our results demonstrate that this mite has one major allergen (11–13kDa) and three other important allergens with about 50% binding (64, 36 and 33 kDa). Therefore, B. tropicalis should be regarded as an important source of allergens in the house dust in tropical areas, besides those derived from other mites.
Increase of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in Swedish schoolchildren between 1979 and 1991
Authors: ÅBERG N. , HESSELMAR B. , ÅBERG B. , ERIKSSON B. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryBackground: A previous study has shown a twofold increase in prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) in Swedish recruits during the 1970s. The increase was higher in more northerly colder regions. Objectives To follow up the previously found trend to increasing prevalences with time as well as the climatic variations within the country.Methods: The prevalences of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema were assessed using two questionnaire studies, 12 years apart (1979 and 1991) with identical questions about the diseases. The study comprised representative samples of children from the Göteborg area on the south‐western coast (in 1979: 7‐year‐olds, n= 4255, in 1991: 7‐year‐olds, n= 1649) and in Kiruna, a mining town in the northernmost inland mountains (in 1979: 7‐year‐olds, n= 427, in 1991: 7‐9‐year‐olds, n= 832). In 1991 there was also a personal interview and a skin‐prick test (SPT) on subsamples.Results: The prevalence of all these diseases present over the last year had roughly doubled over the 12‐year period. On both occasions, most symptoms were more prevalent in the northern area. In 1991, the prevalence of one or more symptoms in Goteborg was 23.8% and 32.5% and in Kiruna 29.9% and 44.8% in the questionnaire and the interview, respectively.Conclusion: Asthma, AR and eczema increase continuously in prevalence in Sweden and the climatic distribution of the prevalences suggests possible major risk factors to be found in a closed indoor climate.
Sensitivity to two major allergens (Cry j I and Cry j II) in patients with Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) pollinosis
Authors: HASHIMOTO M. , NIGI H. , SAKAGUCHI M. , INOUYE S. , IMAOKA K. , MIYAZAWA H. , TANIGUCHI Y. , KURIMOTO M. , YASUEDA H. , OGAWA T. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryBackground: Japanese cedar (Cryptmeria japonica: CJ) pollinosis is one of the most important allergic diseases in Japan. Recently, the second major allergen (Cry j II) was isolated from CJ pollen. There have been no prevalence studies of sensitivity to Cry j I and Cry j II among a large number of patients with pollinosis.Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of sensitivity to Cry j I and Cry j II. We measured specific IgE antibodies to these allergens in the sera of 145 patients. Furthermore, comparison of the sensitivity to Cry j I and Cry j II was examined by the hisiamine release assay.Methods: Specific IgE antibodies to Cry j I and Cry j II were assayed by a fluorometric ELISA. Allergen‐specific histamine release was measured by a radioimmunoassay kit,Results: More than 90% of 145 patients had specific IgE antibodies to both allergens. the remainder had specific IgE to either one or the other. There were seasonal changes in the level of specific IgE. The changes in the levels of anti‐Cry j II IgE antibodies were parallel to those of anti‐Cry j I IgE. The histamine release assay with leucocytes from the patients demonstrated that the allergenic potency of the two allergens is almost the same.Conclusion: Cry j II is an as important a major allergen as Cry j I.
Terfenadine exerts antiallergic activity reducing ICAM‐1 expression on nasal epithelial cells in patients with pollen allergy
Authors: CIPRANDI G. , PRONZATO C. , RICCA V. , VARESE P. , GIACCO G. S. DEL , CANONICA G. W. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryBackground: Rhinoconjunetivitis caused by pollen allergy is characterized by typical signs and symptoms and mucosal infiltration by inflammatory cells during the pollen season. It has recently been demonstrated that the adhesion molecule system is deeply involved in cell‐to‐cell interaction during the inflammatory response which follows allergic reactions.Objective: The aim of the present study (placebo‐controlled, double‐blind, randomized) was the evaluation of the antiallergic activity of Terfenadine in the model of the allergic rhinitis due to natural pollen exposure.Methods: Two groups of patients with pollen allergy were enrolled in this study. Ten patients were treated with Terfenadine (120mg/die) for 7 days and 10 with placebo. Evaluation criteria were: (a) clinical: signs and symptoms (recorded daily in a dian card by patients): (b) cytological: inflammatory cell count (neutrophils, eosinophils, metachromatic cells) from nasal lavage at T0 and T7; (c) immunocytochemical: ICAM‐1/CD54 expression on nasal epithelial cells at T0 and T7; and (d) mediators dosage (ECP‐MPO) on nasal lavage at T0 and T7.Results: As opposed to the placebo group, patients treated with Terfenadine showed a significant improvement of both symptoms (P< 0.022) and signs P< 0.001), a significant reduction of inflammatory cells infiltrate (P< 0.005), of ECP levels (P < 0.002) and ICAM‐I expression on nasal epithelial cells (P < 0.005).Conlusions: In conclusion, these data demonstrate that Terfenadine exerts antiallergic activity since it is able to reduce inflammatory cell infiltrate and downregulates ICAM‐1 expression.
Characterization of allergenic components from house dust mite Dermatophagoides siboney. Purification of Der s 1 and Der s 2 allergens
Authors: FERRÁNDIZ R. , CASAS R. , DREBORG S. , EINARSSON R. , BONACHEA I. , CHAPMAN M 
Published: April 2006

Background
Allergic reactions to house dust miles of the genus Dermatophagoides play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma and other atopic diseases. Dermatophagoides siboney has been described as a species from Cuba. Together with D. pteronyssinus and Blomia tropicalis, it is frequently found in house dust from homes of asthmatics.Objective
The aim of this study was to investigate the allergenic composition from the house dust mite D. siboney.Methods
The charactcrization of D. siboney extract was performed by SDS‐gPAGE and immunoblotting. Purification of individual components was performed by affinity ehromatography.Results
At least 16 components between 13 and 98 k Da stained by Coomassie Blue were found. Using a panel of 35 sera from a topic mile sensitive patients 13 components reacted to different extent with patient IgE. Two components, 25 and 14 kDa, bound to specific IgE strongly and frequently, i.e. 80 and 91% of the patients, respectively. Affinity ehromatography using crossreacting monoclonal antibodies to group 1 and 2 allergens resulted in purified preparations of 25 and 14 kDa proteins, which showed IgE‐binding with the majority of the human sera when tested by immune‐dot.Conclusion
Based on the IgE binding profile of D. siboney and on the capacity to react with crossreacting monoclonal antibodies for groups I and 2, it is proposed to name these two allergens, 25 and 14 k Da, Der s 1 and Der s 2, respectively.
Collaborative study on the genetics of asthma in Germany
Authors: WJST M. , WICHMANN H. E. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryIn several clinical centres in Germany (Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and others) a collaborative study on the genetics of asthma is being performed. It started at the beginning of 1995, when 100 nuclear families with two or more affected siblings were recruited. The participants are being characterized by interview information, methacholine challenge, peak flow variability, skin‐prick test, total and specific IgE.
Mast cell distribution and neutral protease expression in acute and chronic allergic conjunctivitis
Authors: BADDELEY S. M. , BACON A. S. , McGILL J. I. , LIGHTMAN S. L. , HOLGATE S. T. , ROCHE W. R. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryAllergic eye disease has a variety of clinical manifestations including seasonal atopic conjunctivitis (SAC), perennial atopic conjunctivitis (PAC), atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC). and atopic blepharoconjunctivitis (ABC). We have investigated the number, distribution and protease expression of mast cells in normal and diseased conjunctiva with the use of immunohistochemistry in water‐miscible resin sections. The median mast cell densities in normal subjects were 17mm ‐2 in the bulbar substantia propria and 9mm‐2 in tarsal substantia propria. Mast cells were absent from the normal conjunctival epithelium at both sites. Mast cell densities were increased in the bulbar substantia propria in SAC, AKC and ABC. Tarsal substantia propria showed a significant increase in mast cells in ABC and AKC disease states. Mast cells express a range of proteases which varies according to their anatomic site. Mast cells in connective tissue are described to contain tryptase, chymase. cathepsin‐G and carboxypeptidase‐A, whereas mucosal mast cells contain only tryptase. In the diseased conjunctiva there was a marked reduction in proteases other than tryptase in the intraepithelial mast cells. There were also significant reductions in protease expression other than tryplase in the bulbar substantia propria in AKC and ABC. There appear to be specific alterations in the distribution of mast cells in the sub‐categories of allergic eye disease. The distinction between mucosal and connective tissue mast cell pheno‐types is not clear‐cut and may depend on the functional state of the mast cells in relation to the microenvironment.
The effect of changes in house dust mite allergen exposure on the severity of asthma
Authors: MARKS G. B. , TOVEY E. R. , GREEN W. , SHEARER M. , SALOME C. M. , WOOLCOCK A. J. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryTo measure the association between changes in house dust mite (HDM) allergen Der p I exposure and changes in the severity of asthma, we re‐analysed data from a clinical trial in which 34 HDM‐allergic subjects with asthma (18 women, mean age 35 years) were followed for between 3 and 12 months. The concentration of Der p I in fine dust from the bed, the bedroom floor and the living room floor was measured at 3‐monthly intervals along with assessment of subjects' spirometric function and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR, measured by histamine inhalation test). Daily symptom scores, morning peak expiratory flow rate and peak flow variability were measured throughout the study period. The mean Der p I concentration in the bed at baseline was 25.4 μg/g (95% CI: 15.8–40.6). During the course of the study large within‐subject fluctuations were observed in allergen concentrations and in the measurements of the severity of asthma. Changes in allergen concentration in the bed were significantly correlated with changes in AHR (P= 0.003) and symptom score (P= 0.04). Changes in allergen concentration in the living room floor were correlated with changes in symptom scores (P= 0.01). Although these correlations were significant the magnitude of the effect was relatively modest. We conclude that a large reduction in HDM allergen concentration, particularly in the bed, results in a modest reduction in AHR and improvement in symptoms in HDM‐allergic subjects with asthma.
Identification of profilin as an IgE‐binding component in latex from Hevea brasiliensis: clinical implications
Authors: VALUER P. , BALLAND S. , HARF R. , VALENTA R. , DEVILLER P. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryConsidering the high occurrence of profilin as an allergen in many plant species, the assumption was made that profilin might be an allergen in Hevea brasiliensis, a member of the latex producing Euphorbiaceae family. Using IgE‐binding inhibition by purified profilins we demonstrated that profilin is an IgE‐binding component in the cytosolic fraction of natural latex and, to a lower extent, in the rubber fraction. Thirty‐five out of 36 sera containing IgE to ragweed‐profilin reacted with profilin from latex, indicating structural homologies between profilins from latex and ragweed. A large percentage (59%) of these sera were found to be positive in CAP latex assay. The preincubation of these sera with purified ragweed profilin greatly inhibited the CAP latex. Because profilin is also present in banana extract, it is likely to be involved in cross‐sensitivity to banana and latex. In a group of 19 individuals allergic to latex only two had antiprofilin IgE antibodies. Profilin was barely detectable on glove extract immunoblots, whereas some sera from patients allergic to latex reacted with a 15 kDa allergen which was not profilin. Consequently, IgE antibodies to latex‐profilin is a questionable factor for sensitization of occupationally‐exposed patients; however, sensitization to profilin should be taken into account when interpreting the results of latex IgE antibody assays.
TNF α is localized to nasal mucosal mast cells and is released in acute allergic rhinitis
Authors: BRADDING P. , MEDIWAKE R. , FEATHER I. H. , MADDEN J. , CHURCH M. K. , HOLGATE S. T. , HOWARTH P. H. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryAllergic mucosal inflammation is characterized by tissue infiltration with eosinophils, and associated activation of mast cells and T lymphocytes. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha/cachectin is a candidate cytokine relevant to the pathogenesis of these events through its capacity to upregulate the expression of endothelial cell adhesion molecules, mediate granulocyte chemoattraction, and activate eosinophils, mast cells and T cells. To investigate the presence and localization of TNF α in the nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis, nasal biopsies from perennial rhinitic (n=13) and non‐rhinitic volunteers (n=11) were embedded in glycol methacrylate and immunostained with a monoclonal antibody directed against TNF α, and adjacent 2μm sections stained for tryptase, CD3 and eosinophil cationic protein. This identified positive immunostaining for TNF α in the submucosa of both the rhinitic and normal subjects (median cell counts 13 and 23 cells/mm2 respectively, P=0.24) with cellular localization to mast cells but not to T‐lymphocytes or eosinophils. In a subsequent study of seven atopic subjects, nasal allergen challenge produced increases in lavage levels of histamine and albumin, which was associated with significant release of TNF α as early as 2 min post‐allergen when compared with the saline control day (P=0.5). This difference was also apparent when studying the area under the curve both at 30 and 60 min post‐challenge t‐test (P=0.015 and 0.02 respectively). These findings which both locate immunoreactive TNF α to nasal mast cells and identify its release following in vivo exposure to allergen, provide evidence for mast cells as an important source of this cytokine in patients with allergic rhinitis.
Podocarpus gracilior and Callitris verrucosa—newly identified allergens that crossreact with Cupressus sempervirens
Authors: BAR DAYAN Y. , KEYNAN N. , WAISEL Y. , PICK A. I. , TAMIR R. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryThirty‐six symptomatic patients, with positive skin reactions to Cupressus sempervirens pollen extract were skin‐tested with pollen extracts of Podocarpus gracilior and Callitris verrucosa, of these 17 (47%) had positive responses to P. gracilior, nine (25%) to C. verrucosa, and six (17%) to both. None of the non‐atopic healthy controls had positive reactions to either of the extracts. Radioallergosorbent test (RAST)‐inhibition studies were performed with pooled sera from three patients. Fifty per cent inhibition was obtained with 11 μg protein of C. sempervirens, 54μg of P. gracilior, and 71 μg of C. verrucosa; however, when pollen extract of Olea europaea, an unrelated allergen, was tested, 265μg protein were needed to obtain 50% inhibition. One‐dimension sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE) analysis of pollen extracts from the three species revealed that they had several very similar protein bands. Using Western blot analysis, several closely related IgE binding proteins were identified in the three species. It was concluded that the pollen grains of P. gracilior and of C. verrucosa are potentially allergenic. The presence of common allergenic proteins indicate partial crossreactivity with C. sempervirens.
Serum levels of interleukin‐4, soluble CD23 and IFNγ in relation to the development of allergic disease during the first 18 months of life
Authors: BORRES M. P. , EINARSSON R. , BJÖRKSTÉN B. 
Published: April 2006

SummarySerum levels of Interleukin (IL)‐4, Interferon (IFN)‐γ and soluble CD23 (sCD23) were analysed in a prospective study of 64 infants who were monitored from birth to 18 months of age. The findings were related to family history of atopy and the development of allergic disease in the infants. Low levels of IL‐4 were detected in 10 of 63 cord blood samples (median 0.14 and range 0.32 μg/1). The levels then increased, both in healthy and atopic infants, reaching a peak at either 6 or 9 months and then decreased up to 18 months of age. The children who developed atopic disease during the first 18 months of life had significantly higher IL‐4 median levels than those who did not, i.e. 0.24 (range 0.40) vs <0.10 μg/1 at 3 months, (P< 0.001), 0.40 (range 0.95) vs 0.13 (0.19) μg/1 at 6 months (P < 0.01), 0.46 (range 0.78) vs 0.10 (0.24) μg/1 at 9 months (P< 0.001) and 0.30 (range 1.38) vs 0.10 (0.36) μg/1 at 18 months (P< 0.001). The IFNγ levels were below the detection level, i.e. < 100 ng/1 in all but 49 of the 196 serum samples that were analysed. There was no significant relationship with clinical outcome, nor with S‐IgE levels. Soluble sCD23 levels increased in the infants with age. There was no association with either atopic disease, family history of allergic disease or IgE antibody levels. In conclusion, IL‐4 levels in serum, but not sCD23 and IFN7 are associated with allergic disease in infancy. Elevated levels were recorded before the onset of clinical symptoms. The findings support that atopic disease is associated with a primary abnormality of T‐cell function.
Allergenic relationship between taxonomically diverse pollens
Authors: PHAM N. H. , BALDO B. A. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryBackground
Skin tests and tests for IgE antibodies show that subjects are usually sensitive to a number of different pollens, frequently from taxonomically diverse species which are assumed to be allergenically non‐crossreactive. This suggests that the presence of IgE antibody‐reactivity to an individual pollen may not necessarily have resulted from contact with that pollen or even with a taxonomically closely related species.Objective
Since this has important consequences for allergen avoidance and desensitization of patients, we attempted to define allergenic relationships between diverse pollen species.Methods
Sera from subjects were examined in direct IgE antibody binding experiments and by quantitative inhibition, protein blotting and adsorption and edition studies.Results
Sera from subjects diagnosed as allergic to white cypress pine. Italian cypress. ryegrass or birch pollen were shown to have IgE antibodies that reacted with pollens from these four species and from cocksfoot, couch grass, lamb's quarter, wall pellitory. olive, plantain and ragweed. These reactions were confirmed in protein blotting and adsorption and elution studies where numerous IgE‐binding bands were detected in all 11 different pollen extracts with sera from each of the different allergic categories, further evidence of allergenic (i.e. IgE‐binding crossreactivity between the different pollens was provided by inhibition studies in which clear‐cut inhibitions of IgE binding to the different pollen allergen discs were obtained with comparable amounts of the different pollen extracts.Conclusion
We conclude that the presence of pollen reactive IgE antibodies may not necessarily be a true reflection of sensitizing pollen species.