Aeroallergen Monitoring by the National Allergy Bureau: A Review of the Past and a Look Into the Future.

Monitoring aeroallergens has a long history within the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. The Aeroallergen Network of the National Allergy Bureau is composed mainly of members of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, whose objectives are to enhance the knowledge of aerobiology and its relationship to allergy, increase the number of certified stations, maintain the standardization and quality of aerobiology data, improve the alert and forecast reporting system, and increase ties with other scientific entities inside and outside the United States. The public has a keen interest in pollen counts and pollen forecasts, as do many health professionals in the allergy community.

Immunomodulatory Actions of Cannabinoids: Clinical Correlates and Therapeutic Opportunities for Allergic Inflammation.

Endogenously produced cannabinoids as well as phytocannabinoids broadly exhibit anti-inflammatory actions. Recent emergence of cannabis for multiple medical issues combined with reports on potent immunomodulatory actions of distinct components has underscored the therapeutic potential of cannabis. Although synthetic cannabinoids that are based on structural similarities to the existing class of cannabinoids have been on the rise, their application in therapeutics have been limited owing to toxicity concerns.

Comparison of cytokine mediators in type 2 inflammatory conditions on the skin and ocular surface.

Purpose Of Review: As the conjunctiva is embryologically modified skin, ocular surface involvement can be observed in several atopic skin diseases. The purpose of this review is to highlight and compare the roles of type 2 cytokines in the skin and ocular surface, and their resulting disorders.

Recent Findings: Although there have been extensive studies identifying various type 2 cytokine pathways in the skin, there is limited analyses of pathways assessed on the ocular surface.

Comparison of structural components and functional mechanisms within the skin vs. the conjunctival surface.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this review is to highlight and compare the structural and functional differences between the ocular surface and the skin. The goal is to further understand how these components interact from an immunobiological standpoint, which may inform future therapeutic uses.

Recent Findings: Treatment agents, such as Dupilumab and Apremilast are traditionally indicated for integumentary conditions, such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, respectively.

Assessment of receptor affinities of ophthalmic and systemic agents in dry eye disease.

Purpose Of Review: To explore our current understanding of receptor profiles acted upon by medications used to treat dry eye disease (DED).

Recent Findings: Research into histaminic and muscarinic receptor affinities for drugs targeting the ocular surface has not kept up with bench research pertaining to the receptor profile of the ocular surface. These insights are necessary for better evaluation of medications used in DED and other allergic disorders.

Psychosocial impact of ocular surface allergic inflammatory disorders.

Purpose Of Review: Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis is one of the most common ocular surface allergic inflammatory conditions seen in primary care that impacts patient's quality of life. Allergic conjunctivitis is increasingly being recognized as its own symptom complex that negatively impacts patient's quality of life separate from allergic rhinitis. This article reviews the psychosocial impact of ocular surface allergic inflammatory disorders (namely seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, ocular allergy, perennial allergic conjunctivitis, and atopic keratoconjunctivitis) on adult and pediatric populations.

Use of allergen immunotherapy for treatment of allergic conjunctivitis.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the literature pertaining to the use of allergen immunotherapy for treatment of allergic conjunctivitis with an emphasis on recent developments.

Recent Findings: Both subcutaneous (SCIT) and sublingual (SLIT) immunotherapy continue to show efficacy in treating allergic conjunctival disease, subcutaneous more than sublingual. Adverse effects of sublingual therapy continue to be reported since the FDA's approval of SLIT tablets in 2014.

Ocular allergy: update on clinical trials.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this article is to provide an update on the advances made through recent clinical trials regarding the treatment of the signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis and its associated conditions.

Recent Findings: Recent studies have demonstrated significant advancement in the various forms of immunotherapy treatments. Nutritional interventions such as probiotics have surfaced as a viable complementary treatment option.

Seasonal ocular allergy and pollen counts.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of the article is to provide a historical overview of literature regarding pollen sensitization and ocular allergy with an emphasis on developments that have occurred over the past 5 years.

Recent Findings: Currently, pollen studies have examined the molecular and cellular pathways involved in initiating allergic conjunctivitis to find targets for therapeutics. Studies have also documented the threshold, linear increase and plateau point in the relationship between pollen levels and allergic conjunctivitis symptoms.

Clinical implications of mast cell involvement in allergic conjunctivitis.

The conjunctiva is a common site for the allergic inflammatory response due to it being highly vascularized, having constant exposure to environmental pollutants and allergenic pollens and having a unique conjunctival associated lymphoid tissue. The primary morbidity of anterior surface conjunctival disorders that include allergic conjunctivitis and tear film disorders is associated with its high frequency of involvement rather than its severity, although the more chronic forms can involve the cornea and lead to sight-threatening conditions. Ocular allergy is associated with IgE-mediated mast cell activation in conjunctival tissue leading to the release of preformed mediators including histamine and proteases and subsequent de novo formation of lipid-derived mediators and cytokines that trigger a cascade of cellular and molecular events leading to extensive migration and infiltration of inflammatory cells to the ocular surface.

Asthma, oculonasal symptoms, and skin test sensitivity across National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

Background: The increasing prevalence of allergies and asthma has been reported. However, the progression of the prevalence of allergy (the "allergic diathesis progression") has not been examined over time from skin test positivity to oculonasal symptoms to the development of asthma.

Objective: To investigate the change in the prevalences and associations of positive skin test reactions, oculonasal symptoms, and asthma during the Second and Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES II and NHANES III, respectively).

Ocular and nasal allergy symptom burden in America: the Allergies, Immunotherapy, and RhinoconjunctivitiS (AIRS) surveys.

Previous nationwide surveys of allergies in the United States have focused on nasal symptoms, but ocular symptoms are also relevant. This study determines the effects of ocular and nasal allergies on patients' lives. Telephone surveys of randomly selected U.