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R W Fox

Publications and source records attributed to R W Fox.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Chronic urticaria: mechanisms and treatment.

Chronic urticaria (CU) is a vexing clinical syndrome. The clinician is challenged by the patient's symptoms. The experienced physician can evaluate the CU patient and prescribe effective treatment. The following review emphasizes the autoimmune mechanisms of CU. Despite this new insight into the pathogenesis of CU, many cases are still categorized as idiopathic. CU patients are a heterogenous group of patients who require an individualized approach to evaluation and management.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

House dust mite allergy in Florida. Mite survey in households of mite-sensitive individuals in Tampa, Florida.

This study evaluated the prevalence of positive house dust mite skin tests in a population of atopic individuals and identified the mite species present in mattress and house dust samples in homes of the Tampa Bay area. Four hundred consecutive individuals were evaluated for respiratory complaints and skin tested with standardized extracts of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) and Dermatophagoides farinae (Df). Two hundred forty individuals (60%) had a positive skin test to the mite extracts. Dust samples were collected in 40 homes of mite-allergic individuals and analyzed by light microscopy. Mite species were found in 53 of the 60 dust samples (20 mattresses and 40 carpets). Mite numbers ranged from 110-6200 mites/g of mattress dust and from 120-5500 mites/g of carpet dust. Eleven different mite species were identified and Blomia tropicalis (Bt), not previously identified in the United States, was found in 30% of the samples. Dp and Df wee the predominant species. These observations suggest that house dust mite allergy is common in the Tampa Bay area and that the house dust mite fauna comprises several mite species besides Dp and Df. Prospective studies in progress are designed to confirm the role of different mite species in house dust mite allergy.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Update on urticaria and angioedema (hives).

The update on urticaria involves new concepts on the pathogenesis and the treatment of severe hives that are unresponsive to conventional treatments. A newly described autoantibody IgG against IgE receptor has been identified in some severe chronic urticaria patients. Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating agents are being used with increasing frequency by academic faculty and other physicians in severe chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU).

Angioedema↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chronic sinusitis in children.

Chronic sinusitis is now recognized as a common clinical syndrome in adults and children. An astute physician can diagnose chronic sinusitis during the physical exam, but fiber-optic rhinoscopy and x-rays (plain films and computerized tomography) are required to confirm this diagnosis, evaluate the severity of the sinusitis and determine follow-up treatment. Appropriate treatment plans are prescribed for an adequate duration to eliminate infection and inflammatory components of the pathologic process of the sinuses involved. Antibiotics, decongestants, and inhaled or systemic corticosteroids are required in the treatment of patients with chronic sinusitis. When combined with close clinical follow-up, successful resolution is expected. Surgical intervention is needed in the medically refractory and symptomatic cases, or when complications develop. The frequent diagnosis of chronic sinusitis in the past 1-2 decades is, in part, due to the enhanced awareness and clinical skills of the treating physicians, but other concerns about environmental influences such as frequent respiratory tract infections in childhood and air quality issues are considered potentially important.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗