Prevalence of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease in patients with asthma in Turkey: A cross-sectional survey

Background: There are no country-based data focused on aspirin (ASA)-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) in Turkey. Objective: To assess the prevalence of AERD in adult patients with asthma. Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered via face-to-face interview by a specialist in pulmonology/allergy at seven centres across Turkey. Results: A total of 1344 asthma patients (F/M: 1081/263: 80.5%/19.5%, mean age: 45.7±14.2 years) were enrolled. Atopy rate was 47%. Prevalence of allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis/rhinitis, and nasal polyposis (NP) were 49%, 69% and 20%, respectively. Of 270 patients with NP, 171 (63.3%) reported previous nasal polypectomy and 40 (25%) had a history of more than three nasal polypectomies. Aspirin hypersensitivity was diagnosed in 180 (13.6%) asthmatic patients, with a reliable history in 145 (80.5%), and oral ASA provocation test in 35(19.5%) patients. Clinical presentations of ASA hypersensitivity were respiratory in 76% (n = 137), respiratory/cutaneous in 15% (n = 27), and systemic in 9% (n = 16) of the patients. Multivariate analysis indicated that a family history of ASA hypersensitivity (p: 0.001, OR: 3.746,95% CI: 1.769-7.929), history of chronic rhinosinusitis/rhinitis (p: 0.025, OR: 1.713, 95% CI:1.069- 2.746) and presence of NP (p < 0.001, OR: 7.036, 95% CI: 4.831---10.247) were independent predictors for AERD(AU)

Prevalence of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease in patients with asthma in Turkey: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: There are no country-based data focused on aspirin (ASA)-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) in Turkey. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of AERD in adult patients with asthma. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was administered via face-to-face interview by a specialist in pulmonology/allergy at seven centres across Turkey. RESULTS: A total of 1344 asthma patients (F/M: 1081/263: 80.5%/19.5%, mean age: 45.7 ± 14.2 years) were enrolled. Atopy rate was 47%. Prevalence of allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis/rhinitis, and nasal polyposis (NP) were 49%, 69% and 20%, respectively. Of 270 patients with NP, 171 (63.3%) reported previous nasal polypectomy and 40 (25%) had a history of more than three nasal polypectomies. Aspirin hypersensitivity was diagnosed in 180 (13.6%) asthmatic patients, with a reliable history in 145 (80.5%), and oral ASA provocation test in 35 (19.5%) patients. Clinical presentations of ASA hypersensitivity were respiratory in 76% (n=137), respiratory/cutaneous in 15% (n=27), and systemic in 9% (n=16) of the patients. Multivariate analysis indicated that a family history of ASA hypersensitivity (p: 0.001, OR: 3.746, 95% CI: 1.769-7.929), history of chronic rhinosinusitis/rhinitis (p: 0.025, OR: 1.713, 95% CI: 1.069-2.746) and presence of NP (p<0.001, OR: 7.036, 95% CI: 4.831-10.247) were independent predictors for AERD. CONCLUSION: This cross-sectional survey showed that AERD is highly prevalent among adult asthmatics and its prevalence seems to be affected by family history of ASA hypersensitivity, history of rhinosinusitis and presence of NP.

Confirmed prevalence of food allergy and non-allergic food hypersensitivity in a Mediterranean population.

BACKGROUND: Until the present, no comprehensive studies evaluating the prevalence of food allergy and non-allergic food hypersensitivity (FA/NAFH) in adults have been done in Turkey or its surrounding countries. OBJECTIVE: This large population-based study was planned to identify the confirmed prevalence of adverse reactions to food in adults in Istanbul. METHODS: A total of 17 064 telephone numbers were randomly selected from both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul, and the 11 816 subjects who agreed to participate in the study were addressed with a questionnaire of eight items. Those who disclosed food-related complaints in this survey were called again and a similar questionnaire was repeated. The respondents who were suspected of having food allergy or food hypersensitivity were invited for a personal clinical investigation that included double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge tests. RESULTS: The lifetime prevalence of self-reported FA/NAFH was found to be 9.5% [1118/11 816; 95% confidence interval (CI): 8.94-10.00%]. After the clinical investigations, the point prevalence of FA/NAFH, which also included the 'possible FA/NAFH group', was found to be as low as 0.3% (30/11 816; 95% CI: 0.17-0.36%), and the FA/NAFH rates assessed by double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge tests were 0.1% (12/11 816; 95% CI: 0.05-0.18%) and 0.1% (11/11 816; 95% CI: 0.05-0.17%), respectively. The most significant factor influencing FA/NAFH was familial atopy (adjusted OR 4.3; 95% CI: 3.67-4.99), and the most related atopic disease was itching dermatitis/urticaria (adjusted OR: 3.9; 95% CI: 3.31-4.54). CONCLUSION: We may conclude that FA/NAFH in the Turkish population seems to be low when compared with Northern and Western European countries. This may be due to genetic, cultural or dietary factors, and further studies evaluating the reasons for this low prevalence of FA/NAFH in our population are needed.

Sarcoidosis after use of interferon for chronic hepatitis C: report of a case and review of the literature.

Although interferon has not been classified in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis, it may rarely lead to this disease during treatment of chronic hepatitis C. The case of a 36-year-old woman with chronic hepatitis C who developed sarcoidosis within 10 weeks of treatment with recombinant interferon-alpha2a and ribavirin is described and all seven similar cases published in English from 1989 to 2001 are discussed.