It is difficult to analyse the relationship between bronchial responsiveness and the severity of asthma since each alone is difficult to assess. Asthma is a heterogeneous condition with many patterns of expression, and clinical methods used to assess its severity have their limitations. Problems also arise in interpreting the results of bronchial provocation tests and methodological differences...

The prevalence and associations of bronchial hyperresponsiveness were investigated in a general practice population. The sample was obtained by using every 12th patient on the practice age-sex register, replacing non-responders with corresponding age and sex matched individuals from up to two further 1 in 12 samples. The response rate was 43%; 366 patients were studied. Doubling concentrations ...

BACKGROUND A 3-year course of specific immunotherapy (SIT) in children with hay fever to grass and/or birch pollen significantly reduced the risk of developing asthma. To investigate the long-term preventive effect, we performed a follow up--2 years after termination of immunotherapy. METHODS A total of 183 children, aged 6-14 years with grass and/or birch pollen allergy could be investigated...

BACKGROUND Chronic urticaria (CU) is a skin disorder characterized by long-lasting release of histamine, and sometimes leukotrienes, from both mast cells and basophils. Although both these substances are potent inductors of contraction of airway smooth muscle, pulmonary function and airway hyperresponsiveness have not been systematically investigated in patients with CU. OBJECTIVE To assess p...

CD69 expression on eosinophils is observed in asthma and has been proposed as a marker of eosinophil activation. The role of allergens in the in vivo regulation of CD69 expression on eosinophils, however, remains incompletely understood. It was therefore investigated whether CD69 expression on eosinophils can be induced by allergen provocation in vivo. Ten allergic asthmatics were studied by se...

A previous study suggested that the long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist salmeterol (SM) had inhibitory effects on bronchial mucosal inflammation 6 hours after allergen exposure. To further evaluate the influence of SM on allergen-induced airway inflammation. We studied, in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over trial, 16 mild asthmatic patients who had a dual asthmatic response to allergen inh...

A 48 year old male farmer had recurrent episodes of dyspnoea, shortness of breath, and wheezing after being in his plastic greenhouse when the fungicide tetrachloroisophthalonitrile had been sprayed. A bronchial provocation test with a control challenge and a patch skin test confirmed that his asthma was induced by tetrachloroisophthalonitrile.

Abbreviations: DSCG: Disodium Cromoglycate; BPT: Bronchial Provocation Test; SPT: Skin Prick Test; BU: Biologic Unit; FVC: Forced Vital Capacity; FEV1: Forced Expiratory Value in 1 Second; IAR: Immediate (Early) Asthmatic Response; LAR: Late Asthmatic Response; DLAR: Dual Late Asthmatic Response (a combination of IAR and LAR); DYAR: Delayed Asthmatic Response; DDYAR: Dual Delayed Asthmatic Resp...

OBJECTIVE To assess airway hyperresponsiveness to 4.5% hypertonic saline solution in comparison to that obtained through challenge with other bronchoconstriction agents and in relation to patient allergic sensitization. METHODS A cross-sectional, experimental study was conducted, initially involving 85 subjects. After exclusions, the final sample consisted of 62 patients, divided into two gro...

Both humans and their most important domestic animals harbor IgE and a similar IgE receptor repertoire and expression pattern. The same cell types are also involved in the triggering or regulation of allergies, such as mast cells, eosinophils or T-regulatory cells. Translational clinical studies in domestic animals could therefore help cure animal allergies and at the same time gather knowledge...