Background: Mucociliary clearance is one of the most important protective functions of the airway. Previous studies, checking the influence of allergic rhinitis (AR) on mucociliary clearance time (MCT), were made on small patient groups and brought contradictive results. Objectives: The aim of the study is to confirm whether AR in children influences MCT. Methods: The examined group consisted of 842 AR children. A total of 96 children with no history of allergy rhinitis served as a comparative group. All patients underwent saccharin and skin prick tests and tests for blood eosinophilia, nasal eosinophilia, vitamin D3 serum concentration, total and specific IgE serum concentration. Results: Nasal MCT was significantly longer in AR patients (mean ± SD: 10.5 ± 5.65 min) compared to controls (mean ± SD: 7.25 ± 4.3 min). Percentage of eosinophils in nasal smears in patients was significantly higher compared to controls and a weak, but significant positive correlation was observed between the percentage and MCT (r > 0.10, p < 0.008). Patients with intermittent and persistent moderate/ severe AR had significantly longer MCT and higher eosinophilia in nasal smears compared both to patients with intermittent and persistent mild RA and controls. No correlation was observed between MCT and: participant’s age, total serum IgE, vitamin D3 serum concentration, absolute number or percentage of eosinophils in blood, prick test results or duration of illness. Conclusions: AR affects the mucociliary clearance in children, and its deterioration is related to more severe rhinitis with higher intensity of local nasal inflammation, reflected in nasal smear eosinophilia.

Background: In May 2021, there was an incident regarding giving patients AstraZeneca vaccines stored improperly. They were stored at room temperature (21 degrees centigrade) for 18 h, 12 h longer than the producer recommends. Aim of the study: The paper aims to contribute to the body of knowledge concerning the efficacy and safety of the ChAdOx1-S (AstraZeneca) vaccine concerning the requirements for cold supply chain specification. Patients and methods: Improperly stored vaccines were given to 44 patients, and 39 of them decided to take part in the study. The Control group consisted of 56 people vaccinated on the same days by the same medical teams, using properly stored medicines. Results: The concentration of anti-S1 SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein IgG antibodies did not differ significantly between the groups. Examined group median 70 kU/L (20;100). Control group median 66 kU/L (32.75;100), p = 0.751. We did not observe any COVID-19 infections in either the control or examined group for half a year after the incident. People from each group reported that local and systemic adverse events occurred directly after the first and second doses. In the control group, one case of spontaneously subsiding face edema and joint pain was observed. There were no severe or fatal adverse events. There were no significant differences between the groups, besides the fatigue, after the second dose. Conclusion: AstraZeneca vaccine ChAdOx1-S stored at 21 degrees centigrade for 18 h before vaccination has the same safety profile (p < 0.05) and the same efficacy (p < 0.05) as the vaccines stored in conditions recommended by the producer.