SAN ANTONIO, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Budesonide nasal washing may decrease symptoms and antibiotic use in patients with chronic hyperplasic sinusitis with nasal polyposis (CHS/NP), according to new research presented today at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) in San Antonio.
CHS/NP is commonly unmanageable to treatments such as intranasal steroid sprays and saline nasal washes. Dorothy Cheung, MD, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, studied the use of budesonide nasal washings in patients with CHS/NP resistant to traditional therapy. Researchers examined the frequency of antibiotic and steroid use, symptom score, and rhinoscopy findings before and after the intervention.
All patients had a symptom score reduction during treatment with budesonide nasal washing. Researchers also noted the number of antibiotics prescribed also was reduced compared to 6 months prior to treatment. In addition, budesonide nasal washings allowed weaning of oral steroids.
Proper storage of epinephrine for anaphylaxis
Epinephrine in prefilled syringes may not be stable at certain temperatures and humidity, according to a study presented today at the 2005 AAAAI Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
Epinephrine is the drug of choice in the first aid treatment of anaphylaxis. Keith Simons, PhD, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada and colleagues took syringes containing a 0.3 mg dose of epinephrine and stored them at the same temperature with different humidity and light conditions for 5 months.
The findings of the study showed that storage of the syringes at low temperature plus low humidity appeared to compromise stability more than high temperature plus high humidity. They also noted that the syringes retained a 0.3 mg does of epinephrine dose for only 2 months in a hot, dry environment.
Proper treatment improves quality of life in children with rhinoconjunctivitis
Children with rhinoconjunctivitis showed significant improvement in their quality of life after three months of treatment, according to new research presented today at the 2005 AAAAI Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
Nitayada Siriwaradon, MD, and colleagues from Chulalonglorn University Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, assessed the quality of life in 209 children, - aged 5-18 years, with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Parents of children aged 5-11 were asked to complete a questionnaire, while children aged 12-18 completed the questionnaires themselves. After three months, the children reported statistically significant improvement in all areas of the questionnaire. The highest improvement was found in nasal symptoms, sleep and emotional feelings.
Although symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis are not life threatening, they can have detrimental effects on the physical, psychological and social aspects of children’s lives, significantly decreasing their quality of life. With the prevalence of allergies increasing, these findings show that the quality of life in patients can increase with proper treatment.
New findings on childhood anaphylaxis
New research on the risks of biphasic reactions in children with anaphylaxis was presented today at the 2005 AAAAI Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
A biphasic anaphylaxis reaction is one in which the immediate anaphylaxis symptoms are followed by a sluggish period of two to four hours, only to be followed by a recurrence of the symptoms, sometimes more severe than the initial symptoms and signs.
S.S Mehr, MD, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, and colleagues conducted a retrospective case note study of children who presented an anaphylatic reaction in the emergency department at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, over a five-year period.
Researchers discovered that 11% of the children in the study had a biphasic reaction. Of these, 5% were anaphylactic and 6% were generalized allergic. The study showed that children who developed biphasic reactions required greater number of adrenaline doses and had fluid boluses more frequently for treatment of the initial anaphylaxis, compared to children with unphysical reactions.
Chronic rhinosinusitis: What constitutes standard of care?
According to a study presented today at the 2005 AAAAI Annual Meeting in San Antonio, allergy consultation in the management of chronic rhinosinusitis may be underutilized, causing an increase in surgeries.
Syeda Rubina Inamdar, MD, Medicine, University of Mississippi, and colleagues reviewed records of 3,063 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. Of those, 662 patients were referred for otolaryngology consultation and 309 were referred to an allergist.
Twenty percent of the patients referred to an otolaryngologist underwent surgery for their chronic rhinosinusitis, compared to only 12% of those referred to an allergist. The study also noted that 39 patients underwent surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis without being prescribed an intranasal or oral corticosteroid, which may have helped avoid surgery.
Successful treatment of fire ant anaphylaxis with anti-IgE therapy
Researchers reported the first successful treatment of imported fire ant anaphylaxis with omalizumab, today at the 2005 AAAAI Annual Meeting in San Antonio.
Imported fire ant is a significant health problem in the southern United States. The venom from fire ants contains several allergenic proteins, which can cause anaphylaxis in allergic individuals. Amee Majmundar, MD, and colleagues from the University of Texas Southwestern demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of anti-IgE therapy with omalizumab in a 32-year-old woman suffering from fire ant allergy after initial immunotherapy treatment failed to resolve her symptoms.
Omalizumab is an injectable medication for allergic asthma, similar to immunotherapy. It blocks the receptors in the body that cause an allergic reaction. After eight monthly doses of omalizumab, the patient underwent two successful intentional sting challenges, suffering no systemic reactions.
These studies were presented at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). The AAAAI is the largest professional medical specialty organization in the United States representing allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic disease. Allergy/immunology specialists are pediatric or internal medicine physicians who have elected an additional two years of training to become specialized in the treatment of asthma, allergy and immunologic disease. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has over 6,000 members in the United States, Canada and 60 other countries. The AAAAI serves as an advocate to the public by providing educational information through its Web site, http://www.aaaai.org/ , and its Physician Referral & Information Line, 1 (800) 822-2762.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
CONTACT: John Gardner, jgardner@aaaai.org , or Katie Tetzlaff,ktetzlaff@aaaai.org , both of AAAAI, +1-414-272-6071
