[Effect of natural allergens exposure on serum concentration of soluble form of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 in patients with seasonal airway allergy].

Unlabelled: Chronic inflammation is a feature of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis. Intercellular adhesion molecules, especially ICAM-1 and its soluble form sICAM-1 present in systemic liquids play an important role in allergic inflammation. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of natural pollen exposure to plants on serum sICAM-1 concentration in patients with different clinical expression of seasonal allergy and to determine the relation between concentrations of these molecules to clinical symptom score and nonspecific bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR).

[Correlation of serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor alpha, clinical course, ventilation and nonspecific bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients with isolated seasonal rhinitis and seasonal asthma].

Unlabelled: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) plays a central role in pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases including asthma and allergic rhinitis. Its capability for cell activation, chemotaxis and upregulation of adhesion molecule expression on surface of inflammatory cells suggests that TNF-alpha may be responsible for bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and clinical symptoms of atopic diseases.

The Aim: Relationships between serum concentration of TNF-alpha and clinical course as well as nonspecific BHR in patients with isolated seasonal rhinitis (SR) and seasonal bronchial asthma (SA) were assessed.

[Role of intra cellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and its soluble form (sICAM) in chronic airway inflammation].

Mucosal inflammation is the feature of both bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis with evident of tissue eosinophilia, mast cells, eosinophils and T-lymphocytes activation. The initial phase of cell recruitment is the margination and adhesion of leucocytes to the endothelium, prior to their transendothelial migration under a directed chemotactic stimulus. This adhesion occurs through specific ligand-receptor couplets involving leucocyte-endothelial adhesion molecules.

[Role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in allergic inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness].

TNF-alpha is a potent multifunctional cytokine that plays a central role in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. This proinflammatory cytokine is produced by a variety of cells in the airways and is released via the IgE-dependent activation of mast cells. The elevated levels of TNF-alpha can be detected in the airways, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and nasal lavage from asthmatic and rhinitic patients.

[Effect of fexofenadine--selective antagonist of histamine receptor (H1) on histamine-induced bronchoconstriction].

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of single and repeated fexofenadine (120 mg/day) doses on histamine-induced bronchoconstriction. Sixteen patients with mild, stabile asthma were examined. Bronchial reactivity was estimated as histamine dose (in mg/ml) causing a 20% FEV1 fall.