Adverse effects of benzalkonium chloride on the nasal mucosa: allergic rhinitis and rhinitis medicamentosa.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G K Scadding.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Topical corticosteroids are an effective treatment for nasal polyposis and other conditions associated with rhinitis. There is evidence that asthma, otitis media with effusion, and acute sinusitis may all benefit from such therapy. Fluticasone propionate (FP) drops have been shown to reduce polyp size, and to improve nasal inspiratory flow, while avoiding the side-effects of, for example, topical betamethasone therapy. In small children with allergic rhinitis, fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray (FPANS) has been shown to be significantly more effective than ketotifen in relieving night and daytime symptoms, and nasal blockage. There is also preliminary evidence of efficacy in obstructive sleep apnoea and acute sinusitis. The advent of FP, with its low propensity to cause systemic side-effects, makes it possible to use topical corticosteroid therapy safely for prolonged periods to treat many inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
Patient and physician perspectives on the impact and management of perennial (PAR) and seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) were studied. In all, 2139 subjects were questioned about their medical conditions, severity and frequency of symptoms and satisfaction with treatment. A group of general practitioners (GPs) were also invited to discuss their experiences in the management of rhinitis. In this UK survey, allergic rhinitis was more common than asthma, hypertension, skin rashes, eczema and diabetes. The prevalence of SAR and PAR was 15% and 2%, respectively. Sneezing and runny nose were the most common symptoms and GPs were the main contact for advice and treatment (54% of patients). Symptoms were well-controlled in 32% of patients. Allergic rhinitis affected work, home and social life in 29%, 34% and 30% of patients, respectively. The GPs considered PAR to be more difficult to treat than SAR, and GP and patient level of satisfaction in the treatment of PAR was low. This suggests that education of patients and physicians on the benefits of allergen avoidance, and the selective use of the highly effective therapies available on prescription could improve the level of satisfaction with therapy. Adherence to current guidelines on the management of rhinitis could lead to an effective, structured treatment plan for patients.
The authors provide definitions for the different forms of pediatric rhinosinusitis, with an enumeration of the main symptoms and signs. They also provide the indications for CT scan examination and microbiological investigations. In addition, they emphasize the importance of concomitant systemic disease, such as allergy and immunological disorders. The adequate medical management, which is mandatory before any surgery, is considered and discussed, and the indications for surgery are provided.
BACKGROUND: Allergen challenge in allergic rhinitis patients leads to local eosinophilia and Th2-type cytokine expression. Natural exposure to grass pollen is additionally characterized by epithelial mast-cell infiltration. We hypothesized that perennial allergic rhinitis is also associated with T-cell and eosinophil infiltration of the nasal mucosa, local Th2-type cytokine expression, and increased numbers of nasal epithelial mast cells. METHODS: Nasal biopsies from perennial allergic rhinitis patients and controls were analysed by immunocytochemistry for different cell populations and in situ hybridization for cytokine mRNA-expressing cells. RESULTS: Perennial allergic rhinitis was associated with increased numbers of submucosal CD3+ T cells (P=0.05), EG2+ activated eosinophils (P=0.01), and CD68+ macrophages (P=0.01) compared to controls. Epithelial, but not submucosal, tryptase-positive mast cells were also elevated in rhinitics compared to controls (P=0.01). The numbers of cells expressing interleukin (IL)-5 were higher (P=0.01) and the numbers of cells expressing IL-2 were lower (P=0.04) in rhinitic patients than controls. There were no significant differences for either IL-4 or interferon-gamma between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Perennial allergic rhinitis is characterized by mast-cell migration into the epithelium; submucosal infiltration by T cells, eosinophils, and macrophages; and an imbalance in local T-cell cytokine production in favour of enhanced IL-5 and reduced IL-2 expression.
Aspirin-sensitive rhinitis is characterized by severe perennial nasal congestion and discharge. The study questioned whether this disease, like immunoglobulin E-mediated rhinitis, might be associated with local recruitment and activation of T-lymphocytes, mast cells and eosinophils with parallel increases in "T-helper2-type" cytokines. Nasal biopsies from 10 patients with aspirin-sensitive rhinitis and 12 healthy controls subjects were studied. Nasal mucosal sections were examined by immunohistochemistry in order to determine cell phenotypes and by in situ hybridization to detect cells expressing messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for cytokines. In aspirin-sensitive rhinitis there were increases in total (CD3+) (p=0.05) and activated (CD25+) T-cells (p=0.007), total (major basic protein (MBP) positive) (p=0.004) and activated (monoclonal antibody which recognizes the cleaved form of eosinophil cationic protein (EG2) positive) eosinophils (p=0.003), tryptase+ mast cells (p=0.04) and CD68+ macrophages (p=0.002). Neutrophils and cells expressing human leukocyte antigen-DR were no different. Marked increases were observed in the numbers of interleukin (IL)-5 mRNA+ cells (p=0.004) in aspirin-sensitive patients, whereas lower numbers of IL-4 mRNA+ cells were observed, with a trend for a difference from controls (p=0.07). No differences were observed for either IL-2 or interferon-gamma. In conclusion, in aspirin-sensitive rhinitis there is intense inflammation of the nasal mucosa characterised by T-lymphocytes, eosinophils and mast cells. The predominance of macrophages and disproportionate increase in interleukin-5 compared to interleukin-4 messenger ribonucleic acid expression suggests that factors other than "allergic" mechanisms may be important in this disease.
The aim of this study was to determine the long-term efficacy and safety of mizolastine, a new second-generation antihistamine with European approval, in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. In this study, 141 patients were treated with once-daily mizolastine 10 mg or 15 mg in a 5-month open-label extension of a 1-month double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, which assessed once-daily mizolastine 10 mg. Mizolastine significantly reduced the nasal subscore (sneezing, rhinorrhoea, itch; end-baseline +/- SD, -2.5 +/- 6.3), nasal obstruction (-1.2 +/- 2.6) and rhinoscopy scores (-1.3 +/- 2.6), and improved ocular and total nasal scores after 6 months' treatment. Improvement was maintained for the duration of the study with no loss of drug efficacy. Adverse effects were mild with no specific effects associated with prolonged use. These results clearly demonstrate that mizolastine is effective and well tolerated in the long-term treatment of perennial allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. The significant clinical improvement in nasal blockade may reflect mizolastine's histamine/5-lipoxygenase dual inhibition.
The first line of treatment for allergic rhinitis must be identification and avoidance as far as possible of the relevant allergens. This is rarely completely successful and so pharmaceutical treatment is also needed. Antihistamines are effective in allergic rhinitis, which comprises approximately 80% of rhinitis found in children and 30% in adults. Antihistamines antagonize the effect of histamine at the H1 receptor and their major clinical effects are related to this. They are effective against rhinorrhoea, itch and sneezing but have little effect on nasal obstruction. Clinical trials show between 36% and 80% of patients experiencing good to excellent symptom relief (approximately twice that induced by placebo), in seasonal allergic rhinitis; between 55% and 86% of patients experience moderate to excellent symptom relief in perennial allergic rhinitis. Meta-analysis reveals that antihistamines are inferior to corticosteroids in allergic rhinitis therapy. Antihistamines are generally well tolerated, although serious cardiac dysrhythmias have occurred with terfenadine and astemizole. Their place in therapy is probably as sole agent in mild, intermittent rhinitis and in combination with topical corticosteroids in more severe disease not controlled by corticosteroids alone.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
OBJECTIVES: To (1) provide definitions for the different forms of pediatric rhinosinusitis, with an enumeration of the main symptoms and signs; (2) provide indications for microbiological, allergic, and immunologic assessment as well as for imaging studies; (3) suggest standard medical management with judicious use of antimicrobial agents; and (4) discuss indications for surgery. DATA SOURCES: Clinical studies and literature data relevant to the different topics of pediatric rhinosinusitis. CONCLUSIONS: Rhinosinusitis in children is a multifactorial disease in which the importance of several predisposing factors changes with increasing age. Continued study to obtain a better understanding of the disease and carefully controlled comparative evaluations of medical and surgical therapies are suggested.
BACKGROUND: Mizolastine is a new, nonsedating antihistamine with additional anti-inflammatory properties, providing relief in allergic rhinitis and urticaria. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of 10 mg o.d. mizolastine given to patients with perennial allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. METHODS: This double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 257 patients suffering from the disease for more than 10 years. They were allocated, after a 1-week placebo run-in, to receive mizolastine (n = 133) or placebo (n = 124) for 4 weeks. RESULTS: Mizolastine-treated patients showed significantly greater alleviation of nasal symptoms, with a mean decrease of 36% compared with pretreatment score, compared to a mean decrease of 10% in placebo patients (P < 0.001). Nasal blockade responded favorably to mizolastine compared to placebo and was associated with a significant reduction in rhinoscopy findings (P = 0.030). Likewise, the mean ocular symptom score decreased 40% in mizolastine-treated patients compared to 7% in the placebo group (P < 0.003). The safety profile of mizolastine was satisfactory and similar to that of placebo. CONCLUSIONS: In patients suffering from perennial allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, mizolastine is a safe and potent treatment. Mizolastine's pronounced effect on nasal blockade could possibly be linked to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The new, low-range Ferraris pocket peak flow meter was compared with the well established low-range mini Wright peak flow meter for measuring peak flow rates in children. The peak flow meters were compared by performing three forced expirations using each meter, in 50 children. On average the pocket peak flow meter gave higher readings than the mini Wright, by a mean of 15 l/min. The peak flow rates obtained by the two meters were highly correlated (P < 0.001, r = 0.882 n = 50). In conclusion, the Ferraris pocket peak flow meter is easy and comfortable to use, giving reproducible measurements of peak flow in children.
Hyposmia is a neglected symptom in patients with rhinitis. We studied 25 patients presenting with perennial rhinitis. Fifteen patients expressed hyposmia as a significant symptom. University of Pennsylvania smell identification test (UPSIT) and visual analogue scales (VAS) were used to score the symptoms of hyposmia, nasal obstruction and nasal discharge before and after six weeks treatment with betamethasone sodium phosphate drops. Those patients with initial symptoms of hyposmia significantly improved their UPSIT scores (p = 0.00009) and their VAS scores for hyposmia (p = 0.00133). Despite a significant decrease in the sensation of nasal obstruction, the non-hyposmics showed no increase in UPSIT scores after betamethasone therapy. There was no clear correlation between UPSIT results and other symptom scores. The judicious use of betamethasone drops in the treatment of rhinogenic hyposmia can be recommended.
There is a need for a quick and inexpensive smell identification test. A six odour multiple choice smell test derived from Le Nez du Vin, a winetaster's kit, is described. One hundred and thirty-two subjects assessed a mean of 5.28 +/- 1.18 odours correctly. There was a significant difference between those who considered themselves to have a normal sense of smell (n = 91), mean score 5.52 +/- 0.76, and those who thought themselves hyposmic (n = 41), mean score 4.76 +/- 1.68. (P < 0.001). No significant differences could be detected between the scores of smokers and non-smokers, nor those of males and females. Twenty-one patients performed both the Nez du Vin and University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) in random order. Results of the two tests showed good correlation (r = 0.79, P < 0.001).