pulmicort and Conjunctivitis--Allergic

Although allergen avoidance can lead to significant improvements in symptoms of allergic rhinitis, there are very few studies in this area. Sunglasses could be effective for protection of eyes from pollen as a cheap, comfortable, and simple avoidance option for allergens. The aim of this study is to determine if wearing sunglasses can decrease ocular symptoms.. Ocular symptomatic patients (39 total) who had a confirmed history of seasonal rhinitis by skin prick tests and negative skin prick tests for perennial allergens were included in the study. The duration of the study was 4 weeks with 3 required visits. At the onset of the 1-week run-in period, patients were randomized and divided into 2 groups. Group I (n = 18) received topical aqueous nasal budesonide regularly and loratadine once daily as a rescue medication. Group II (n = 21) wore sunglasses during daytime as an addition to this medication. Subjective data included a daily diary recording nasal and ocular symptom scores and antihistamine need during the study period.. Sunglasses significantly reduced ocular symptoms (p = 0.002) and use of antihistamines (p = 0.009).. Sunglasses are an inexpensive and simple treatment for patients with allergic conjunctivitis.

Topics: Adult; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Budesonide; Conjunctivitis, Allergic; Eye Protective Devices; Female; Histamine H1 Antagonists, Non-Sedating; Humans; Loratadine; Male; Pollen; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

To assess change in symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and performance ability before, during, and after treatment with budesonide in a group of Olympic and Paralympic athletes with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (SAR/C).. Because budesonide has already been proven to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment of SAR/C(1), an open-label treatment format was used.. The study was community-based with participating athletes preparing for Olympic competition.. Olympic and Paralympic athletes were screened for the presence of SAR/C using history and positive skin test results for pollen allergens.. All were offered treatment with intranasal budesonide, applied to each nostril, once daily for eight weeks.. Symptom and medication diaries were completed before treatment and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. Similarly, Quality of Life (QOL) was measured with the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire. As a secondary outcome measure, the ability to train and compete was assessed using a performance diary.. Of the 236 athletes eligible for the study, 145 (61%) agreed to participate. Forty-six percent of the athletes who were dispensed treatment did not return questionnaires. For those returning questionnaires, scores between baseline (week 0) and weeks 4 and 8 were calculated for total symptoms, QOL, and performance scores. There were statistically significant improvements in symptoms, QOL, and performance scores in athletes who used intranasal budesonide.. SAR/C is a common condition and has demonstrable negative effects on athletes. Better education of coaches and athletes is necessary to ensure that the condition is correctly diagnosed and treated, with safe, effective, permitted medication.

Topics: Administration, Intranasal; Adult; Air Pollution; Analysis of Variance; Australia; Budesonide; Conjunctivitis, Allergic; Female; Humans; Male; Pollen; Psychomotor Performance; Quality of Life; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal; Seasons; Severity of Illness Index; Sports; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment Outcome

Both specific immunotherapy (SIT) and nasal steroid (NS) have been shown to effectively reduce symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Although a number of investigators have convincingly shown anti-inflammatory effects of both treatments in separate studies, few comparative studies have been performed.. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of preseason SIT with a standardized allergen extract and NS in seasonal allergic disease (rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma).. We examined 41 patients allergic to birch pollen, 21 with rhinoconjunctivitis and 20 with both rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma; they were treated in a randomized, double-blinded comparative study with birch SIT and NS (budesonide 400 microg daily). Bronchial hyperresponsiveness was measured before and during the season. Changes in eosinophil number, eosinophil cationic protein, and eosinophil chemotactic activity (ECA) in peripheral blood were investigated.. Symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis increased significantly less in the NS-treated patients than in the SIT-treated patients during the final 2 weeks of the season (P = .03 and P = .04, respectively). Seasonal peak expiratory flow values decreased significantly only in the NS-treated patients (P = .01). In the NS-treated patients, bronchial hyperresponsiveness increased significantly during the season (P = .0001); however, SIT treatment prevented seasonal PC(20) increase in the asthmatic patients. Measurement of blood eosinophils, eosinophil cationic protein, and eosinophil chemotactic activity demonstrated significant seasonal increase only in the NS-treated asthmatic patients.. Treatment with NS was more effective than short-course preseason SIT in reducing symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis; however, the 2 therapies were equivalent in terms of the need for rescue medication. SIT prevented seasonal increase in bronchial hyperresponsiveness, eosinophil number, eosinophil cationic protein, and eosinophil chemotactic activity only in asthmatic patients. The mechanisms underlying bronchial hyperresponsiveness developing during allergen exposure in rhinitis might be different from those operating in asthma.

Topics: Administration, Intranasal; Adult; Allergens; Asthma; Blood Proteins; Bronchial Hyperreactivity; Budesonide; Conjunctivitis, Allergic; Double-Blind Method; Eosinophil Granule Proteins; Female; Humans; Immunotherapy; Male; Rhinitis; Ribonucleases

The efficacy and side effects of two approaches to the treatment of ragweed pollen-induced rhinoconjunctivitis were compared in a double-blind, parallel-group trial. Sixty ragweed-sensitive adults were randomized either to a course of four Pollinex-R hyposensitization injections during the 6 weeks before the ragweed-pollen season, or to budesonide aqueous nasal steroid spray, 400 micrograms daily, throughout the season. A double-dummy technique was used to achieve blinding. During the ragweed-pollen season, troublesome nasal symptoms were treated with terfenadine, 60 mg, when treatment was needed, up to 240 mg daily, and eye symptoms were treated with naphazoline eye drops, when treatment was needed, up to four times daily. Every day, subjects recorded the severity of nasal and eye symptoms and medication use in a diary. Fourteen of the subjects receiving Pollinex-R were unable to complete the course of injections because of systemic or large local reactions. Eight subjects withdrew during the pollen season because of severe rhinitis; all subjects had received Pollinex-R. Subjects in the budesonide-treated group had minimal nasal symptoms and used very little terfenadine, compared with subjects in the Pollinex-R-treated group (p less than 0.0001). Eye symptoms and eye drop use were similar in the two treatment groups. No clinically important side effects were reported by the subjects receiving budesonide. The results of this study suggest that aqueous budesonide nasal spray is markedly more effective than Pollinex-R in controlling symptoms of seasonal rhinitis while the side effects and inconvenience of immunotherapy are avoided.

Topics: Aldehydes; Allergens; Antigens, Plant; Budesonide; Conjunctivitis, Allergic; Desensitization, Immunologic; Double-Blind Method; Drug Combinations; Drug Therapy, Combination; Glucocorticoids; Glutaral; Humans; Injections; Nebulizers and Vaporizers; Plant Extracts; Pollen; Pregnenediones; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal; Skin Tests; Time Factors; Tyrosine

The family Dermestidae belongs to the order Coleoptera. Occupational allergy has been described in museum personnel. A 31-year-old male wool worker presenting rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma episodes probably linked to exposure to Dermestidae-infected wool was investigated.. Extracts prepared either from insect bodies or from dust from parasitized wool were used for skin prick testing (SPT), conjunctival and bronchial provocation tests and in vitro determinations.. SPT and provocation tests were positive to both extracts. PEFR measurement demonstrated the association between the patient's symptoms and occupational exposure to Dermestidae. Specific IgE to both extracts was detected and immunoblotting revealed several protein bands from 5 to 200 kDa that were reactive to IgE from the patient's serum.. Dermestidae exposure in wool workers when handling parasitized wool can be a cause of IgE-mediated rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma.

Topics: Adult; Albuterol; Allergens; Animals; Antibody Specificity; Asthma; Bronchial Provocation Tests; Bronchodilator Agents; Budesonide; Coleoptera; Conjunctivitis, Allergic; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Immunoblotting; Immunoglobulin E; Male; Molecular Weight; Occupational Diseases; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial; Skin Tests; Tissue Extracts; Wool