UNLABELLED BACKGROUND IL-31, a recently discovered member of the gp130/IL-6 cytokine family, is mainly expressed by human mast cells and T helper type 2 cells. IL-31 is a key trigger of atopic dermatitis. Recent studies also suggest a role of IL-31 in the pathogenesis of other allergic diseases including allergic rhinitis. In the present study we studied the release of IL-31 and IL-13 in all...

BACKGROUND Cat allergen is widely distributed in homes and schools; allergic sensitization is common. OBJECTIVE To develop a model of cat allergen nasal challenge to establish dose-response and time-course characteristics and investigate local and systemic biomarkers of allergic inflammation. METHODS Nineteen cat-allergic individuals underwent titrated nasal challenge, range 0.243 to 14.6 μ...

Background The Allergic Rhinitis Clinical Investigator Collaborative (AR-CIC) is a Canadian multi-center initiative with the primary goal of performing standardized nasal allergen challenge (NAC) to study the anti-allergic effects of novel therapeutic agents for allergic rhinitis (AR). The model further allows identification of potential mechanisms of allergic disease and biomarkers. In this st...

PURPOSE Extensive data support the influence of the upper airway on lower airway inflammation and pathophysiology in allergic disease. However, few studies have focused on allergic inflammation in the nose after an isolated lower airway allergen challenge, a situation that can exist clinically when human subjects breathe primarily through the mouth, as occurs when nasally congested. This study ...

BACKGROUND Several objective methods are used to assess the result of nasal allergen challenge. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of nasal nitric oxide (nNO) measurements with that of peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF), nasal lavage fluid beta-tryptase levels, and changes in cell count after nasal challenge with grass pollen. METHODS The study population co...

It has been recognized recently that theophylline possesses anti-inflammatory effects that could be of clinical interest in patients with airway inflammatory diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR). The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of theophylline on the nasal eosinophilic inflammatory response following allergen challenge in patients with AR. Fourteen subjects ...

Although human experimental studies have shown that gaseous pollutants enhance the inflammatory response to allergens, human data on whether combustion particulates enhance the inflammatory response to allergen are limited. Therefore, we conducted a human experimental study to investigate whether combustion particulates enhance the inflammatory response to aeroallergens. "Enhancement" refers to...

BACKGROUND Bilateral nasal allergen provocation usually produces more pronounced obstruction of one nasal passage. It was found that this could be related to the stage of the nasal cycle before the provocation. OBJECTIVE To discover whether the stage of the nasal cycle is decisive for asymmetry in congestive response observed during bilateral allergen nasal provocation. methods. Two bilateral...

OBJECTIVE Recent guidelines reveal that allergic rhinitis impairs quality of life. Neuropeptides play a central role in allergy-related nasal inflammation. The objective of this study was to analyze the release of neuropeptides (substance P, neurokinin A, and vasoactive intestinal peptide) in nasal lavage and their modification by intranasal fluticasone propionate as an established therapy in p...