This is a prospective study. Approval was received on May 5, 2013 from the Ethical Board for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Turkey, and the Decision Reference Number 2013/153 was assigned. Written informed consent of all patients was obtained.
Diagnosis of AR was based on history, physical examination, and laboratory findings. The patients having applied for the adult allergy-immunology clinic in Tepecik Training Research Hospital and after medical history and physical examination, who were predicted to have AR, were administered skin prick test.
Allergic sensitization was demonstrated by the skin prick test. Skin prick tests were performed according to the EAACI guidelines for the most common inhalant allergens in Turkey, including house dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae), fungi (Aspergillus fumigatus, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarum, and Penicillium notatum), grasses (Lolium perenne, Fectuca pratensis, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, and Dactylis glomerata), weeds (Plantago lanceolata, Artemisia vulgaris, Rumex acetosa, Taraxacum vulgare, and Parietaria offıcinalis), and trees (Sambucus nigra, Populus alba, Ulmus scabra, Salix caprea, Fagus sylvatica, Carpinus betulus, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, and Olea europaea) with histamine and diluent control (Allergopharma Ltd, Reinbek, Germany) [18 (link)].
Allergic rhinitis clinic severity was demonstrated by the nasal symptom scores (NSS). NSS (sneezing, nasal obstruction, nasal itching, and watery nasal discharge; graded as 0 = none, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, and 3 = severe, up to a maximum of 12 points) were recorded for all patients during the pollen season, when their symptoms were at their worst.
In skin prick test, out of the patients detected to have sensitivity for only mite and olive tree pollen, those having symptoms for 2 years were included in the study. Patients known to have had any immunosuppressive treatment within the last 1 month, to have had antihistamine treatment within the last 10 days, to have smoked, to have any active infection, and to have another chronic disease such as chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, and cancer were excluded from the study.
AR patients were divided into two groups according to allergen sensitivities as seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) and perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR). Patients only with olive tree sensitivity and having seasonal symptoms were evaluated for SAR. Patients only with mite sensitivity and having year-long symptoms were included in the study for PAR.
Peripheral blood samples were taken for evaluation of serum cytokine level in the period with the highest symptom scores for both patient groups, and cytokine measurement was performed with ELISA method.
The control group consisted of volunteer people with similar age and gender range with patients, with no allergic and systemic disease history and with no drug use within the last one month. Skin prick tests of the control group were negative.
Diagnosis of AR was based on history, physical examination, and laboratory findings. The patients having applied for the adult allergy-immunology clinic in Tepecik Training Research Hospital and after medical history and physical examination, who were predicted to have AR, were administered skin prick test.
Allergic sensitization was demonstrated by the skin prick test. Skin prick tests were performed according to the EAACI guidelines for the most common inhalant allergens in Turkey, including house dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae), fungi (Aspergillus fumigatus, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarum, and Penicillium notatum), grasses (Lolium perenne, Fectuca pratensis, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, and Dactylis glomerata), weeds (Plantago lanceolata, Artemisia vulgaris, Rumex acetosa, Taraxacum vulgare, and Parietaria offıcinalis), and trees (Sambucus nigra, Populus alba, Ulmus scabra, Salix caprea, Fagus sylvatica, Carpinus betulus, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, and Olea europaea) with histamine and diluent control (Allergopharma Ltd, Reinbek, Germany) [18 (link)].
Allergic rhinitis clinic severity was demonstrated by the nasal symptom scores (NSS). NSS (sneezing, nasal obstruction, nasal itching, and watery nasal discharge; graded as 0 = none, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, and 3 = severe, up to a maximum of 12 points) were recorded for all patients during the pollen season, when their symptoms were at their worst.
In skin prick test, out of the patients detected to have sensitivity for only mite and olive tree pollen, those having symptoms for 2 years were included in the study. Patients known to have had any immunosuppressive treatment within the last 1 month, to have had antihistamine treatment within the last 10 days, to have smoked, to have any active infection, and to have another chronic disease such as chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, and cancer were excluded from the study.
AR patients were divided into two groups according to allergen sensitivities as seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) and perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR). Patients only with olive tree sensitivity and having seasonal symptoms were evaluated for SAR. Patients only with mite sensitivity and having year-long symptoms were included in the study for PAR.
Peripheral blood samples were taken for evaluation of serum cytokine level in the period with the highest symptom scores for both patient groups, and cytokine measurement was performed with ELISA method.
The control group consisted of volunteer people with similar age and gender range with patients, with no allergic and systemic disease history and with no drug use within the last one month. Skin prick tests of the control group were negative.
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