Socioeconomic status has direct impact on asthma control: Turkish adult asthma registry.

Background: Asthma is one of the most common causes of chronic respiratory disease, and countries with low socioeconomic status have both a high prevalence of asthma and asthma-related death.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to determine socioeconomic levels of asthmatic patients according to a national database and investigate the effects of social markers on disease control in our region.

Methods: This is an analysis of data from 2053 adult asthma patients from a multicentre chart study in Turkey.

Trends in prescribing montelukast in patients with asthma in real-life: Results from the Turkish adult asthma registry.

Montelukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA) approved for the treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis, is widely used, though real-world data on its application in asthma management remain limited. This registry-based study evaluated the use of montelukast in adult asthma patients, examining demographic and disease characteristics, asthma control status, asthma phenotypes, presence of atopy, and treatment regimens. Among 2053 patients analyzed, 61.

Factors influencing the prescription of add-on long-acting muscarinic antagonists in real-world asthma management: Insights from a national registry.

Current guidelines recommend adding long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) in patients with uncontrolled asthma, despite the use of moderate to high doses of inhaled steroid-long-acting beta agonists (ICS/LABA). This study aims to analyze the factors related to the prescription of add-on LAMA in clinical practice for asthma patients, shedding light on physicians' preferences. This study included adult asthma patients on add-on LAMA and ICS/LABA monitored for at least one year in a national registry comprising 2053 asthmatics.

Asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap: Results from a national-multicenter study.

Introduction: Patients with asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap (ACO) have a greater disease burden than those with COPD or asthma alone. In this study, it was aimed to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical features of ACO because there are limited national data in Türkiye.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted in a cross-sectional design in nine tertiary-care hospitals.

Changing patterns in the epidemiology of drug allergy.

Drug allergy (DA) remains a complex and unaddressed problem worldwide that often deprives patients of optimal medication choices and places them at risk for life-threatening reactions. Underdiagnosis and overdiagnosis are common and due to the lack of standardized definitions and biomarkers. The true burden of DA is unknown, and recent efforts in data gathering through electronic medical records are starting to provide emerging patterns around the world.

Stepwise Approach in Asthma Revisited 2023: Expert Panel Opinion of Turkish Guideline of Asthma Diagnosis and Management Group.

Introduction of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) has been the cornerstone of the long-term management of asthma. ICSs either alone or in combination with long-acting beta-2 agonists have been shown to be associated with favorable asthma outcomes. However, asthma control is still reported to be below expectations all around the world.

Diagnostic utility of basophil CD203c expression in β-lactam allergy.

A diagnosis of immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediated reactions to β-lactam (BL) antibiotics is still challenging because of the limited availability of skin-prick test (SPT), and standardization issues, particularly with newer BLs, are still ongoing. Because encouraging data are increasingly emerging in the use of basophil activation tests in the diagnosis of IgE-mediated drug hypersensitivity reactions, in this study, we aimed to determine CD203c expression, a basophil surface marker, in the diagnosis of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to BL antibiotics. This study included two groups of subjects.

Picturing asthma in Turkey: results from the Turkish adult asthma registry.

Introduction: National data on asthma characteristics and the factors associated with uncontrolled asthma seem to be necessary for every country. For this purpose, we developed the Turkish Adult Asthma Registry for patients with asthma aiming to take a snapshot of our patients, thereby assigning the unmet needs and niche areas of intervention.

Methods: Case entries were performed between March 2018 and March 2022.

Comparison of 300 mg versus 600 mg daily maintenance doses of aspirin treatment after desensitization in N-ERD: A three-year multicentre experience.

Aspirin treatment after desensitization (ATAD) is effective in preventing nasal polyps recurrence as well as respiratory symptoms in patients with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-exacerbated respiratory diseases (N-ERD). However, there is no consensus on effective daily maintenance doses in ATAD. Therefore, we aimed to compare the effects of two different maintenance doses of aspirin on clinical outcomes for 1-3 years of ATAD.

What happens to basophils and tryptase, LXA and CysLTs during aspirin desensitization?

Introduction: Aspirin desensitization (AD) is an effective treatment in patients with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)-exacerbated respiratory disease (NERD) by providing inhibitory effect on symptoms and polyp recurrence. However, limited data is available on how AD works. We aimed to study comprehensively the mechanisms underlying AD by examining basophil activation (CD203c upregulation), mediator-releases of tryptase, CysLT, and LXA, and LTB receptor expression for the first 3 months of AD.

Aspirin desensitization following endoscopic sinus surgery is effective in patients with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug exacerbated respiratory disease.

Introduction: Aspirin desensitization (AD) is effective in relieving asthma and sinonasal outcomes in patients with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD). So far, only a limited number of studies evaluated the effect of AD prospectively in a controlled manner in N-ERD. It is also a current approach to recommend endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) before AD.

Allergies and COVID-19 vaccines: An ENDA/EAACI Position paper.

Background: Anaphylaxis, which is rare, has been reported after COVID-19 vaccination, but its management is not standardized.

Method: Members of the European Network for Drug Allergy and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology interested in drug allergy participated in an online questionnaire on pre-vaccination screening and management of allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, and literature was analysed.

Results: No death due to anaphylaxis to COVID-19 vaccines has been confirmed in scientific literature.

Diagnosis and management of the drug hypersensitivity reactions in Coronavirus disease 19: An EAACI Position Paper.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory tract infection caused by a novel human coronavirus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, leads to a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic cases to patients with mild and severe symptoms, with or without pneumonia. Given the huge influence caused by the overwhelming COVID-19 pandemic affecting over three million people worldwide, a wide spectrum of drugs is considered for the treatment in the concept of repurposing and off-label use. There is no knowledge about the diagnosis and clinical management of the drug hypersensitivity reactions that can potentially occur during the disease.

Towards a more precise diagnosis of hypersensitivity to beta-lactams - an EAACI position paper.

A recent survey of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Drug Allergy Interest Group (DAIG) on how European allergy specialists deal with beta-lactam (BL) hypersensitivity demonstrated a significant heterogeneity in current practice, suggesting the need to review and update existing EAACI guidelines in order to make the diagnostic procedures as safe and accurate, but also as cost-effective, as possible. For this purpose, a bibliographic search on large studies regarding BL hypersensitivity diagnosis was performed by an EAACI task force, which reviewed and evaluated the literature data using the GRADE system for quality of evidence and strength of recommendation. The updated guidelines provide a risk stratification in BL hypersensitivity according to index reaction(s), as well as an algorithmic approach, based on cross-reactivity studies, in patients with a suspicion of BL hypersensitivity and an immediate need for antibiotic therapy, when referral to an allergist is not feasible.

A EAACI drug allergy interest group survey on how European allergy specialists deal with β-lactam allergy.

An accurate diagnosis of β-lactam (BL) allergy can reduce patient morbidity and mortality. Our aim was to investigate the availability of BL reagents, their use and test procedures in different parts of Europe, as well as any differences in the diagnostic workups for evaluating subjects with BL hypersensitivity. A survey was emailed to all members of the EAACI Drug Allergy Interest Group (DAIG) between February and April 2016, and the questionnaire was meant to study the management of suspected BL hypersensitivity.

Controversies in Drug Allergy: Radiographic Contrast Media.

The risk for developing immediate or delayed hypersensitivity reactions to radiocontrast media (RCM) interferes with the diagnosis and treatment of a number of patients requiring imaging diagnostic methods for many common diseases. A group of experts met in Orlando, Florida, in March 2018 to analyze the similarities and differences in the management of RCM reactions in different areas of the world. This paper presents a summary of the recommendations provided by this consensus group, highlighting controversial issues and unmet needs that require further research.

Smoking attitudes of the patients with allergic rhinitis: a comparison with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Are there differences when only upper airways are involved?

Introduction: Despite the well documented relationship between lower airway diseases and smoking, there are limited data about smoking and allergic rhinitis (AR). In this study, we aimed to document the smoking behaviour and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure of the patients with AR in comparison with patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and healthy controls (HC).

Materials And Methods: Demographics and disease characteristics were recorded from case files whereas smoking history, childhood and current exposures to ETS, as well as the smoking behaviors were investigated by a self reported questionnaire.

Omalizumab in non-allergic Asthma: A report of 13 cases.

Background: There are limited data regarding the effectiveness of omalizumab in patients with non-allergic asthma.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and functional effectiveness of omalizumab in patients with non-allergic asthma.

Methods: The study was a single-center, retrospective chart review of patients with non-allergic asthma who were treated with add-on omalizumab between February 2014 and March 2016.

Does the medical diagnosis of occupational asthma coincide with the legal diagnosis?

Objective: The incidence of occupational asthma (OA) is increasing worldwide. In this study, we first aimed to document the rate of diagnosis of OA among patients who were referred to our clinic from the Social Security Institution and the factors that affected diagnosis; secondly, we aimed to assess the consistency of the medical and legal diagnoses.

Methods: The study involved 132 consecutive patients who were referred to our clinic for the evaluation of OA between 2010 and 2015.

Evaluation of drug provocation test-related anxiety in patients with drug hypersensitivity.

Background: Drug provocation tests (DPTs) are important in the treatment of patients with drug hypersensitivity (DH), but they carry certain hypersensitivity reaction risks, which lead to procedure-related concerns in patients.

Objective: To investigate DPT-related anxiety and its effect on long-term use of tested drugs.

Methods: The study included patients who underwent DPT from July 1, 2009, to July 1, 2012.

[Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome].

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common lung diseases characterized by chronic airway inflammation and airway obstruction. Among patient with COPD and asthma; there is a group of patients with an overlap between clinical, functional characteristics and airway inflammation patterns, named "Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome" (ACOS). ACOS is a syndrome characterized by reversible but persistant airflow limitation (postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC < 70%) which has some features of both asthma and COPD.

Omalizumab in the treatment of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis: One center's experience with 14 cases.

Background: Omalizumab has been a valuable option for patients with severe allergic asthma, but there are only case reports regarding effectiveness of omalizumab in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA).

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and functional effectiveness of omalizumab in patients with asthma and ABPA in long-term follow-up.

Methods: The study was conducted as a retrospective chart review of patients with ABPA who were treated with omalizumab injections between December 2008 and June 2014.