Air pollution and rhinitis.

Rhinitis arises from either allergic or non-allergic inflammation of the nasal mucosa, characterized by the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the tissue and nasal secretions, along with structural alterations in the nasal mucosa. The pathways through which air pollution affects rhinitis may diverge from those affecting asthma. This article aims to review the effects of diverse air pollutants on the nose, the correlation of climate change and pollution, and how they aggravate the symptoms of patients with rhinitis.

Thunderstorm allergy and asthma: state of the art.

Thunderstorm-triggered asthma (TA) can be defined as the occurrence of acute asthma attacks immediately following a thunderstorm during pollen seasons. Outbreaks have occurred across the world during pollen season with the capacity to rapidly inundate a health care service, resulting in potentially catastrophic outcomes for allergic patients. TA occurs when specific meteorological and aerobiological factors combine to affect predisposed atopic patients with IgE-mediated sentitization to pollen allergens.

Treating severe allergic asthma with anti-IgE monoclonal antibody (omalizumab): a review.

Increased asthma severity is not only associated with enhanced recurrent hospitalization and mortality but also with higher social costs. Several cases of asthma are atopic in nature, with the trigger for acute asthma attacks and chronic worsening of inflammation being allergens inducing an immune, IgE mediated response. Anti-inflammatory treatments are effective for most of asthma patients, but there are subjects whose disease is incompletely controlled by inhaled or systemic corticosteroids and these patients account for about 50% of the healthcare costs of asthma.

Climate change and air pollution: Effects on pollen allergy and other allergic respiratory diseases.

The observational evidence indicates that recent regional changes in climate, particularly temperature increases, have already affected a diverse set of physical and biological systems in many parts of the world. Allergens patterns are also changing in response to climate change and air pollution can modify the allergenic potential of pollen grains especially in the presence of specific weather conditions. Although genetic factors are important in the development of asthma and allergic diseases, their rising trend can be explained only by changes occurring in the environment and urban air pollution by motor vehicles has been indicated as one of the major risk factors responsible for this increase.

A relapse of near-fatal thunderstorm-asthma in pregnancy.

Thunderstorm-related asthma is a dramatic example of the allergenic potential of pollen antigens. Pollen allergic patients who encounter the allergenic cloud of pollen during a thunderstorm are at higher risk of having an asthma attack. Relapse is also possible and we describe here the first case of relapse of near fatal thunderstorm-asthma occurred in a 36 years old, 20 weeks pregnant woman affected by seasonal asthma and sensitized to allergens released by Parietariapollen.

Social networks and bronchial asthma.

Purpose Of Review: To focus on both positive and negative aspects of the interaction between asthmatic patients and the social networks, and to highlight the need of a psychological approach in some individuals to integrate pharmacological treatment is the purpose of review.

Recent Findings: There is evidence that in some asthmatic patients, the excessive use of social networks can induce depression and stress triggering bronchial obstruction, whereas in others their rational use can induce beneficial effects in terms of asthma management.

Summary: The increasing asthma prevalence in developed countries seen at the end of last century has raised concern for the considerable burden of this disease on society as well as individuals.

Social networks: a new source of psychological stress or a way to enhance self-esteem? Negative and positive implications in bronchial asthma.

The Internet and, in particular, social networks are an increasingly important part of daily life for both adolescents and adults who maintain a virtual relationship with others sharing interests and goals. Very often, they disclose more about themselves online than they do in person. However, cyberbullying and cyberostracism can be problematic for adolescents and sensitive individuals, who might be negatively affected by social networks.

Climate change, migration, and allergic respiratory diseases: an update for the allergist.

Local climate changes can impact on a number of factors, including air pollution, that have been shown to influence both the development and attacks of allergic respiratory diseases, and thus, they represent an important consideration for the allergist. Migration involves exposure to a new set of pollutants and allergens as well as changes in housing conditions, diet, and accessibility to medical services, all of which are likely to affect migrants' health. This review provides an update on climate change, migration, and allergy and discusses factors for consideration when making recommendations for local allergy service provision and for assessing an individual patient's environmental exposures.

Effects of climatic changes and urban air pollution on the rising trends of respiratory allergy and asthma.

Over the past two decades there has been increasing interest in studies regarding effects on human health of climate changes and urban air pollution. Climate change induced by anthropogenic warming of the earth's atmosphere is a daunting problem and there are several observations about the role of urbanization, with its high levels of vehicle emissions and other pollutants, and westernized lifestyle with respect to the rising frequency of respiratory allergic diseases observed in most industrialized countries.There is also evidence that asthmatic subjects are at increased risk of developing exacerbations of bronchial obstruction with exposure to gaseous (ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide) and particulate inhalable components of air pollution.

Treating moderate-to-severe allergic asthma with anti-IgE monoclonal antibody (omalizumab). An update.

Increased asthma severity is not only associated with enhanced recurrent hospitalisation and mortality but also with higher social costs. Most cases of asthma are atopic in nature, with the trigger for acute asthma attacks and chronic worsening of inflammation being allergens inducing an immune response through immunoglobulins of IgE class. Currently antiinflammatory treatments are effective for most of asthma patients, but there are subjects whose disease is incompletely controlled by inhaled or systemic corticosteroids and these patients account for about 50% of the healthcare costs of asthma.

Respiratory allergy induced by exclusive polysensitization to serum albumins of furry animals.

In this report we describe un unusual case of exclusive allergic sensitization to furry animals, as a possible study model to speculate about different modalities ofsensitization to allergens of common and less common mammalian species. A 27-year-old woman referred in our Allergological Centre for the occurrence of conjunctival and severe respiratory symptoms after contact with several animals such as cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, cows etc. Patient underwent clinical and anamnestic evaluation including a detailed information on the modality of exposure to different furry animals.

Sharing knowledge is the key to success in a patient-physician relationship: how to produce a patient information leaflet on COPD.

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its prevalence is rising. In Italy, respiratory diseases are the third most common cause of death. The aim of the study is to produce a patient information leaflet (PIL) designed to educate patients about COPD in accordance with the best recommendations based on evidence and guidelines for the production of good quality written information, and to evaluate the impact of this intervention on the patients' knowledge of COPD.

Effects of climate change on environmental factors in respiratory allergic diseases.

A body of evidence suggests that major changes involving the atmosphere and the climate, including global warming induced by human activity, have an impact on the biosphere and the human environment. Studies on the effects of climate change on respiratory allergy are still lacking and current knowledge is provided by epidemiological and experimental studies on the relationship between asthma and environmental factors, such as meteorological variables, airborne allergens and air pollution. However, there is also considerable evidence that subjects affected by asthma are at an increased risk of developing obstructive airway exacerbations with exposure to gaseous and particulate components of air pollution.

A review of anti-IgE monoclonal antibody (omalizumab) as add on therapy for severe allergic (IgE-mediated) asthma.

Bronchial asthma is recognized as a highly prevalent health problem in the developed and developing world with significant social and economic consequences. Increased asthma severity is not only associated with enhanced recurrent hospitalization and mortality but also with higher social costs. The pathogenetic background of allergic-atopic bronchial asthma is characterized by airway inflammation with infiltration of several cells (mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes, and T-helper (Th)2 lymphocytes).

Allergenic pollen and pollen allergy in Europe.

The allergenic content of the atmosphere varies according to climate, geography and vegetation. Data on the presence and prevalence of allergenic airborne pollens, obtained from both aerobiological studies and allergological investigations, make it possible to design pollen calendars with the approximate flowering period of the plants in the sampling area. In this way, even though pollen production and dispersal from year to year depend on the patterns of preseason weather and on the conditions prevailing at the time of anthesis, it is usually possible to forecast the chances of encountering high atmospheric allergenic pollen concentrations in different areas.

A recombinant humanized anti-IgE monoclonal antibody (omalizumab) in the therapy of moderate-to-severe allergic asthma.

The pathogenetic aspect of allergic bronchial asthma is characterized by airway inflammation with infiltration of mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes and T-helper (Th)2 lymphocytes. Most cases of asthma are atopic in nature and aeroallergens such as those released by pollens, Dermatophagoides, moulds etc, act as sensitizer and trigger agents which induce immune response through immunoglobulin E (IgE). IgE is the key mediator of allergic inflammatory reaction and plays a central role in the pathogenesis of atopic-allergic diseases such as those of respiratory tract: rhinitis and bronchial asthma.

Thunderstorm-asthma and pollen allergy.

Thunderstorms have been linked to asthma epidemics, especially during the pollen seasons, and there are descriptions of asthma outbreaks associated with thunderstorms, which occurred in several cities, prevalently in Europe (Birmingham and London in the UK and Napoli in Italy) and Australia (Melbourne and Wagga Wagga). Pollen grains can be carried by thunderstorm at ground level, where pollen rupture would be increased with release of allergenic biological aerosols of paucimicronic size, derived from the cytoplasm and which can penetrate deep into lower airways. In other words, there is evidence that under wet conditions or during thunderstorms, pollen grains may, after rupture by osmotic shock, release into the atmosphere part of their content, including respirable, allergen-carrying cytoplasmic starch granules (0.

Treating Moderate-to-Severe Allergic Asthma with a Recombinant Humanized Anti-IgE Monoclonal Antibody (Omalizumab).

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways which is recognized as a highly prevalent health problem in both the developed and the developing world, with significant human and economic consequences.Allergy is acknowledged as a major risk factor for asthma. The pathogenetic aspects of allergic asthma are characterized by airway inflammation with infiltration of mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes and T helper type 2 lymphocytes, along with the isotype switching of B cells to generate immunoglobulins of the immunoglobulin E (IgE) class.

Role of anti-IgE monoclonal antibody (omalizumab) in the treatment of bronchial asthma and allergic respiratory diseases.

IgE molecules play a crucial role in allergic respiratory diseases and may cause chronic airway inflammation in asthma through activation of effector cells via high-affinity (FcepsilonRI) or low-affinity (FcepsilonRII) IgE receptors. Since the discovery of IgE antibodies our understanding of the mechanisms of allergy has improved to such an extent that we can differentiate allergic/atopic from intrinsic respiratory diseases. Therapeutic anti-IgE antibodies, able to reduce free IgE levels and to block the binding of IgE to FcepsilonRI without crosslinking IgE and triggering degranulation of IgE-sensitized cells have been developed.

Environmental risk factors and allergic bronchial asthma.

The prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases such as bronchial asthma has increased in recent years, especially in industrialized countries. A change in the genetic predisposition is an unlikely cause of the increase in allergic diseases because genetic changes in a population require several generations. Consequently, this increase may be explained by changes in environmental factors, including indoor and outdoor air pollution.