Recent developments and highlights in rhinitis and allergen immunotherapy

Background:The nasal allergen challenge (NAC) is a useful tool for the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis (AR) and local allergic rhinitis (LAR) and might serve to design and monitor allergen immunotherapy. Nevertheless, data about its safety and reproducibility are scarce.Objective: To investigate the safety and reproducibility of NAC in pediatric and adult rhinitis patients with/without asthmatic symptoms, and in healthy controls. Methods:A retrospective evaluation of the NACs conducted in our Unit for 2005-2017 and monitored by acoustic rhinometry and nasal-ocular symptoms was performed to analyze the safety of two methods for allergen application (metered spray & micropipette) and NAC protocols (NAC with single or multiple allergens/session [NAC-S & NAC-M]). The adverse events (AEs), spirometry values, and rescue medication required for AE were recorded. The reproducibility was examined by a prospective analysis of three repeated NAC-S performed at 1-2-month interval in AR, LAR and nonallergic rhinitis patients, and in healthy controls. Results: A total of 11 499 NACs were performed in 518 children and 5830 adults.Only four local AE occurred, and 99.97% of NACs were well tolerated. The reproducibility and positive and negative predictive values of three consecutive NAC-S performed in 710 subjects were 97.32%, 100%, and 92.91%, respectively. There were no false-positive results in the 710 analyzed subjects. Safety and reproducibility were comparable between the methods of allergen application and the rhinitis phenotypes. Conclusion:The NAC is a safe and highly reproducible diagnostic test ready to be used in the clinical practice in both children and adults with or without asthma. K E Y W O R D Slocal allergic rhinitis, nasal allergen challenge, reproducibility, safety Abbreviations: AE, adverse event; AIT, allergen immunotherapy; AR, allergic rhinitis; DP, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; EAACI, European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology; FEV1, forced respiratory volume in the first second; HC, healthy control individual; IQR, interquartile range; LAR, local allergic rhinitis; NAC-M, NAC with multiple allergens per session; NAC, nasal allergen challenge; NAC-S, NAC with a single allergen per session; NAR, nonallergic rhinitis; NHR, nasal hyperreactivity; NPV, negative predictive value; PPV, positive predictive value; sIgE, allergen-specific IgE; SPT, skin prick test; Vol 2-6 cm, volume 2-6 cm of each nostril.Eguiluz-Gracia and Testera-Montes contributed equally to this paper.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Safety and reproducibility of nasal allergen challenge

Eguiluz‐Gracia

Testera‐Montes

González

et al. 2019

“…126,127 At present, CR is The omics revolution was one of the major driving forces of recent developments that enabled investigation of almost everything at the molecular level of proteins, lipids, and small molecules including innumerable DNA and RNA sequencings with a hypothesis-free approach simplistically subclassified as allergic rhinitis (AR) and nonallergic rhinitis (NAR). 128 Although phenotyping of rhinitis has important consequences in the treatment of the entity, 129 the presently employed phenotypes cannot meet the needs of precision medicine;…”

Section: Allergic Rhinitis and Nonallergic Rhinitismentioning

confidence: 99%

Future research trends in understanding the mechanisms underlying allergic diseases for improved patient care

Breiteneder

Diamant

Eiwegger

et al. 2019

Self Cite

101

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. AbstractThe specialties of allergy and clinical immunology have entered the era of precision medicine with the stratification of diseases into distinct disease subsets, specific diagnoses, and targeted treatment options, including biologicals and small molecules.This article reviews recent developments in research and patient care and future trends in the discipline. The section on basic mechanisms of allergic diseases summarizes the current status and defines research needs in structural biology, type 2 inflammation, immune tolerance, neuroimmune mechanisms, role of the microbiome and diet, environmental factors, and respiratory viral infections. In the section on diagnostic challenges, clinical trials, precision medicine and immune monitoring Zuzana Diamanthttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0133-0100Thomas Eiwegger https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2914-7829Wytske J. Fokkens https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4852-229X

“…It is being increasingly recognized as the way forward in improving patient care for those with chronic conditions. In the airway, a prime example of precision medicine is allergen immunotherapy . It is tailored to each individual's sensitization profile; there are reliable biomarkers to predict success of therapy; it potentially prevents development of asthma and sensitization to new allergens; and it requires active participation of the patient in his care.…”

Section: Precision Medicine In Crsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel findings in immunopathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis and their role in a model of precision medicine

Ong

Wang

2019

Self Cite

Our understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is continuously evolving. The traditional description of CRS in terms of two phenotypes based on the presence or absence of nasal polyps belies the underlying intricate immunopathophysiological processes responsible for this condition. CRS is being increasingly recognized as a disease spectrum encompassing a range of inflammatory states in the sinonasal cavity, with non-type 2 inflammatory disease on one end, type 2 inflammatory, eosinophil-heavy disease on the other and an overlap of both in different proportions in between. Abundance in research on the immune mechanisms of CRS has revealed various new endotypes that hold promise as biomarkers for the development of targeted therapies in severe, uncontrolled CRS. The introduction of precision medicine to manage this chronic, complex condition is a step forward in providing individualized care for all patients with CRS. In this review, the latest research on the pathophysiology of CRS with a focus on potential novel biomarkers and treatment options over the last 2 years are summarized and integrated into a suggested model of precision medicine in CRS. K E Y W O R D S biomarkers, chronic rhinosinusitis, endotypes, immunopathophysiology, precision medicine