Mobile health app for monitoring allergic rhinitis and asthma in real life in Lithuanian MASK-air users.

BACKGROUND: MASK-air® is an app whose aim is to reduce the global burden of allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. A transfer of innovative practices was performed to disseminate and implement MASK-air® in European regions. The aim of the study was to examine the implementation of the MASK-air® app in Lithuanian adults in order to investigate (i) the rate of acceptance in this population, (ii) the duration of app use and (iii) the evaluation of the app after its use. METHODS: In a longitudinal study, Lithuanian adults with AR and/or asthma were recruited by allergists. They were informed about how to use MASK-air® and were followed closely. They were reviewed after one to 3 months to evaluate satisfaction and were asked to continue using the app. RESULTS: Among the 149 patients recruited (37.2 ± 10.4 years), 52.4% had rhinitis alone, 42.9% had rhinitis, asthma and/or conjunctivitis multimorbidity, and 2.7% isolated asthma. According to the MASK-air® baseline questionnaire, 88.3% of patients considered that their symptoms were troublesome. Data were available for 102 (68.4%) patients. The duration of app usage in patients ranged from 1 to 680 days (median, 25-75 percentile: 54, 23.2-151 days). Forty-two (41.1% of patients who were reviewed) patients agreed to share their opinion on MASK-air® . Most users of the app were satisfied, from 46.5% thinking their allergy was treated more successfully to 90.4% recommending this app to other allergy sufferers. DISCUSSION: When recommended by physicians, MASK-air® was used for a longer period of time.

Differentiation of COVID-19 signs and symptoms from allergic rhinitis and common cold: An ARIA-EAACI-GA2 LEN consensus.

BACKGROUND: Although there are many asymptomatic patients, one of the problems of COVID-19 is early recognition of the disease. COVID-19 symptoms are polymorphic and may include upper respiratory symptoms. However, COVID-19 symptoms may be mistaken with the common cold or allergic rhinitis. An ARIA-EAACI study group attempted to differentiate upper respiratory symptoms between the three diseases. METHODS: A modified Delphi process was used. The ARIA members who were seeing COVID-19 patients were asked to fill in a questionnaire on the upper airway symptoms of COVID-19, common cold and allergic rhinitis. RESULTS: Among the 192 ARIA members who were invited to respond to the questionnaire, 89 responded and 87 questionnaires were analysed. The consensus was then reported. A two-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in the symptom intensity between the three diseases (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This modified Delphi approach enabled the differentiation of upper respiratory symptoms between COVID-19, the common cold and allergic rhinitis. An electronic algorithm will be devised using the questionnaire.

Mobile technology offers novel insights into the control and treatment of allergic rhinitis: The MASK study.

BACKGROUND: Mobile health can be used to generate innovative insights into optimizing treatment to improve allergic rhinitis (AR) control. OBJECTIVES: A cross-sectional real-world observational study was undertaken in 22 countries to complement a pilot study and provide novel information on medication use, disease control, and work productivity in the everyday life of patients with AR. METHODS: A mobile phone app (Allergy Diary, which is freely available on Google Play and Apple stores) was used to collect the data of daily visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for (1) overall allergic symptoms; (2) nasal, ocular, and asthma symptoms; (3) work; and (4) medication use by using a treatment scroll list including all allergy medications (prescribed and over-the-counter) customized for 22 countries. The 4 most common intranasal medications containing intranasal corticosteroids and 8 oral H1-antihistamines were studied. RESULTS: Nine thousand one hundred twenty-two users filled in 112,054 days of VASs in 2016 and 2017. Assessment of days was informative. Control of days with rhinitis differed between no (best control), single (good control for intranasal corticosteroid-treated days), or multiple (worst control) treatments. Users with the worst control increased the range of treatments being used. The same trend was found for asthma, eye symptoms, and work productivity. Differences between oral H1-antihistamines were found. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the usefulness of the Allergy Diary in accessing and assessing behavior in patients with AR. This observational study using a very simple assessment tool (VAS) on a mobile phone had the potential to answer questions previously thought infeasible.

Yeast-generated virus-like particles as antigens for detection of human bocavirus 1-4 specific antibodies in human serum.

Human bocaviruses (HBoV) are non-enveloped, single-stranded DNA viruses, classified into the genus Bocavirus in the family Parvoviridae. Self-assembled virus-like particles (VLPs) composed of the major capsid protein VP2 of HBoV1-4 and mosaic VLPs composed of both VP2 and VP1 capsid proteins of HBoV1 were generated in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and used to detect HBoV-specific IgG in human serum. Recombinant HBoV VLPs were similar to native HBoV particles in size and morphology. The prevalence of HBoV infection in a group of Lithuanian patients with clinical symptoms of respiratory tract infection was studied using purified yeast-generated VLPs as antigens in a competitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA). After depletion of cross-reactive antibodies, the seroprevalence of HBoV1 was 44.2 % and the seroprevalence of HBoV2-4 was 35.7 %. Mosaic VLPs consisting of HBoV1 VP1 and VP2 proteins showed a stronger reactivity with HBoV1 IgG-positive human serum specimens, and two equivocal serum specimens were reinterpreted as positive. Thus, mosaic VLPs offer a more sensitive tool for HBoV1 serology than currently available serodiagnostics tests based on VP2 VLPs. In conclusion, yeast S. cerevisiae represents an efficient expression system for generating recombinant HBoV1-4 VLPs of diagnostic relevance.

Generation of recombinant metapneumovirus nucleocapsid protein as nucleocapsid-like particles and development of virus-specific monoclonal antibodies.

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a member of the Pneumovirinea subfamily within the Paramyxoviridea family. Since its discovery in 2001, hMPV has been isolated in several continents, which suggests its prevalence worldwide. hMPV resembles human respiratory syncytial virus with regard to disease symptoms and its ability to infect and cause disease in young infants as well as individuals of all ages. The aim of the current study was to construct an efficient high-level yeast expression system for the generation of hMPV nucleocapsid (N) protein and to develop monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) suitable for hMPV detection. The genome of hMPV was isolated from oral fluid of an infected patient by using specific primers and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). DNA sequence corresponding to the N protein gene was inserted into yeast expression vector under inducible GAL7 promoter. SDS-PAGE analysis of crude lysates of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae harbouring recombinant plasmid revealed the presence of a protein band of approximately 43 kDa corresponding to the molecular weight of hMPV N protein. Electron microscopy analysis of purified N protein revealed nucleocapsid-like structures with typical herring-bone morphology: rods of 20 nm diameter with repeated serration along the edges and central core of 5 nm. Recombinant hMPV N protein was reactive with human serum specimens collected from patients with confirmed hMPV infection. After immunization of mice with recombinant hMPV N protein, a panel of MAbs was generated. The specificity of newly generated MAbs was proven by immunofluorescence analysis of hMPV-infected cells. Epitope mapping using truncated variants of hMPV N revealed localization of linear MAb epitopes at the N-terminus of hMPV N protein, between amino acid residues 1 and 90. The MAbs directed against conformational epitopes did not recognize hMPV N protein variants containing either N- or C-terminal truncations. The reactivity of recombinant hMPV N protein with hMPV-positive serum specimens and the ability of MAbs to recognize virus-infected cells confirms the antigenic similarity between yeast-expressed hMPV N protein and native viral nucleocapsids. In conclusion, recombinant hMPV N protein and hMPV-specific MAbs provide new diagnostic reagents for hMPV infection.

CD4+CD25(high) Treg cells in peripheral blood during remission and exacerbation of allergic asthma in children.

AIM: To determine the percentage of CD4+CD25(high) Treg cells in peripheral bloodCD4+ T cells of allergic asthmatic children during disease remission and exacerbation. METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and serum samples were collected from 6- to 11-year-old children with mild-to-moderate allergic asthma (n = 34)and from healthy controls (n = 15). CD4+CD25(high) T cells in PBMC were detected by flow cytometry. Total and specific IgE in serum were analysed by enzyme-amplified chemiluminescence, and IL-2 was measured by ELISA. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in CD4+CD25(high) T-cell proportions between asthmatic children in exacerbation and remission as compared with controls.CD4+CD25(high) T-cell percentages were not correlated with total and specific IgE. IL-2 was elevated in both disease remission and exacerbation but did not correlate significantly with CD4+CD25(high) T-cell percentages. CONCLUSION: CD4+CD25(high) T-cell proportion in the peripheral blood of total CD4+T cells is not reduced in children with allergic IgE-mediated asthma and does not differ between disease remission and exacerbation.

Human rhinoviruses, allergy, and asthma: a clinical approach.

The prevalence of allergic diseases is increasing in Lithuania as in the world. The prevalence of allergic sensitization is often higher than 50% of the population. The "hygiene hypothesis" proposed that reduced immune-stimulation by infections may have resulted in the more widespread clinical expression of atopic disease. However, it alone does not provide an adequate explanation for the observed increase of allergic diseases. Human rhinovirus infections are the major infections with a worldwide distribution. Viral infections of the respiratory tract are the most common triggers of acute asthma exacerbations. These exacerbations are poorly responsive to current asthma therapies and new approaches to therapy are needed. The aim of this review is to present the current knowledge and clinical implications of human rhinovirus infection in allergy and asthma development and needs for further research. Recent evidence has shown that the immune responses to human rhinoviruses differ between asthmatic and nonasthmatic subjects. Novel insights into the mechanisms of virus-induced asthma exacerbations support the possibility that viral infections may be involved in the epithelial cells damage, inflammation, and airway hyperresponsiveness as well as in profibrotic response and induction of airway remodeling. The data of original investigations support the concept that the immune stimulation by rhinovirus infections contributes to the development of asthma, when an atopic host is infected with human rhinoviruses. Early rhinoviral wheezing is the predictor of subsequent asthma development in high-risk children. Synergistic effect of allergic sensitization, allergen exposure, and viral infection was suggested in the increased risk of hospitalization for asthma in both children and adults. Timing of allergen exposure may be important in a synergistic outcome. The increased susceptibility to rhinovirus infections was identified in atopic asthma. This review also presents the current options on the treatment and prevention of virus-induced asthma. Further studies are needed in order to differentiate between the response to viruses of healthy and atopic or nonatopic asthmatic children and adults. New research data may lead to novel strategies in treatment and prevention of asthma exacerbations as well as prevention of asthma induction.