Differences in Reporting the Ragweed Pollen Season Using Google Trends across 15 Countries.

BACKGROUND: Google Trends (GT) searches trends of specific queries in Google, which potentially reflect the real-life epidemiology of allergic rhinitis. We compared GT terms related to ragweed pollen allergy in American and European Union countries with a known ragweed pollen season. Our aim was to assess seasonality and the terms needed to perform the GT searches and to compare these during the spring and summer pollen seasons. METHODS: We examined GT queries from January 1, 2011, to January 4, 2017. We included 15 countries with a known ragweed pollen season and used the standard 5-year GT graphs. We used the GT translation for all countries and the untranslated native terms for each country. RESULTS: The results of "pollen," "ragweed," and "allergy" searches differed between countries, but "ragweed" was clearly identified in 12 of the 15 countries. There was considerable heterogeneity of findings when the GT translation was used. For Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia, the GT translation was inappropriate. The country patterns of "pollen," "hay fever," and "allergy" differed in 8 of the 11 countries with identified "ragweed" queries during the spring and the summer, indicating that the perception of tree and grass pollen allergy differs from that of ragweed pollen. CONCLUSIONS: To investigate ragweed pollen allergy using GT, the term "ragweed" as a plant is required and the translation of "ragweed" in the native language needed.

Randomized controlled trial of a ragweed allergy immunotherapy tablet in North American and European adults.

BACKGROUND: In North America and Europe, millions of patients experience symptoms of allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis (AR/C) on exposure to ragweed pollen. The disease burden can be significant, with most patients relying on symptomatic medications without disease-modifying potential. However, novel sublingual immunomodulatory treatment options may potentially play an important role if efficacy and side effect profiles allow the convenience of self-administration. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated an allergy immunotherapy tablet (AIT; SCH 39641/MK-3641) for treatment of ragweed-induced AR/C in the first large randomized, double-blind multinational trial of this therapeutic modality for ragweed allergy. METHODS: Adults (n = 784) with short ragweed-induced AR/C were randomly assigned to approximately 52 weeks of daily self-administered ragweed AIT of 1.5, 6, or 12 units of Ambrosia artemisiifolia major allergen 1 (Amb a 1-U) or placebo. Subjects could use as-needed allergy rescue medication. Symptoms and medications were recorded daily. The primary efficacy end point was total combined daily symptom/medication score (TCS) during peak ragweed season. Safety was monitored through adverse event diaries maintained through study duration. RESULTS: During peak ragweed season, ragweed AIT of 1.5, 6, and 12 Amb a 1-U reduced TCS by 9% (-0.76; P = .22), 19% (-1.58; P = .01), and 24% (-2.04; P = .002) compared with placebo. During the entire season, ragweed AIT of 1.5, 6, and 12 Amb a 1-U reduced TCS by 12% (-0.88; P = .09), 18% (-1.28; P = .01), and 27% (-1.92; P < .001) compared with placebo. Treatment was well tolerated; no systemic allergic reactions occurred. CONCLUSIONS: In this trial, ragweed AIT of 12 Amb a 1-U was effective and tolerable with a safety profile that permitted daily self-administration of ragweed allergen immunotherapy.

Hungarian adaptation and launch of the 2019 ARIA care pathways of allergic rhinitis in Hungary / A 2019. évi ARIA kezelési irányelvek magyar adaptációja és a hazai alkalmazás lehetoségei allergiás rhinitisben.

Összefoglaló. Az allergiás betegségekben szenvedo emberek száma világszerte, köztük Magyarországon is növekszik. Az egészségügyi ellátórendszerek azon dolgoznak, hogy minél hatékonyabban tudják felhasználni a rendelkezésre álló forrásokat. Az Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) szervezet célja az allergiás náthában szenvedo betegek ellátásának javítása, szakmai ajánlások készítése, aktualizálása. Ennek egyik módja integrált betegellátási utak kidolgozása. Célunk ezek hazai elérhetové tétele, az ajánlások széles köru elterjesztése az Európai Unió (EU) többi tagállamához hasonlóan Magyarországon is. Az ARIA más nemzetközi innovatív szervezetek bevonásával olyan integrált betegellátási utakat fejlesztett ki, amelyek allergiás nátha, esetleg társbetegsége, az asztma esetén támogatják a kezelést. Ezeket újgenerációs irányelvek kidolgozása útján alkották, amelyekhez felhasználták a mobiltechnológiából és pollenkamra-vizsgálatokból származó valós evidenciákat is. A gyógyszeres terápia optimalizálásához a vizuális analóg skálán alapuló, úgynevezett Mobil Légúti Figyelo Hálózat algoritmusát digitalizálták, és valós evidenciák felhasználásával tovább finomították. Allergén immunterápiára az ARIA a világon elsoként dolgozott ki integrált betegellátási utakat 2019-ben. A kezelési irányelvekhez való adherenciaszint alacsony, a betegek a tüneteik erossége alapján módosítják a kezelést. A flutikazon-propionát-azelasztin kombináció hatása erosebb az intranasalis kortikoszteroidokénál, míg az utóbbi hatásosabb az oralis H1-antihisztaminoknál. A mobiltelefonokban tárolt elektronikus napló vagy más 'mobile health' (mHealth) eszközök használata segíti a betegek kiválasztását allergén immunterápiára. Az ARIA által javasolt algoritmus megfelelonek mutatkozott az allergiás rhinitis kezelésére, ezért ezek az irányelvek bekerülnek integrált betegellátási utakba, és részét fogják képezni az EU Egészségügyi és Élelmiszer-biztonsági Foigazgatósága digitalizált, személyközpontú gondozási anyagainak. Az allergén immunterápia hatékony az inhalatív allergének által okozott allergiás betegségekben, alkalmazását azonban korlátozni kell gondosan válogatott betegekre. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(49): 2059-2071. Summary. The number of allergic patients is increasing all over the world, also in Hungary. Delivering effective and cost-effective health care is essential for all health care systems. ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma) aims to improve the care of patients who suffer from allergic rhinitis by setting up guidelines and updating them. Development of ICPs (integrated care pathways) can play an essential role in attaining this goal. Our aim is to make ICP-s developed by ARIA available also in Hungary, as is already the case in other countries of the European Union (EU). Together with other international initiatives, ARIA has worked out digitally-enabled ICPs to support care in allergic rhinitis and comorbid asthma. ICPs are based on new-generation guidelines using RWE (real-world evidence) from chamber studies and mobile technology. The MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel NetworK) algorithm - based on visual analogue scale - was digitalized to support pharmacotherapy, and was refined by using RWE. ARIA was the first to develop ICPs for allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in 2019. Based on MASK data, patients did not follow guidelines and their adherence to treatment was poor. Patients would modify their treatments, depending on the disease control. The effect of fluticasone propionate-azelastine combination is superior to intranasal corticosteroids which are superior to oral H1-antihistamines. Electronic diaries obtained from cell phones and other 'mobile health' (mHealth) devices help select patients for AIT. The ARIA algorithm for AR was found appropriate and no change is necessary. These guidelines will inform ICPs and will be included in the DG Santé digitally-enabled, person-centred care system. AIT is an effective treatment for allergic diseases caused by inhaled allergens. Its use should, however, be restricted to carefully selected patients. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(49): 2059-2071.

Emedastine difumarate versus loratadine in chronic idiopathic urticaria: a randomized, double-blind, controlled European multicentre clinical trial.

Emedastine difumarate (2 mg b.i.d.) was compared to loratadine (10 mg o.d.) in a randomized, double-blind, multicentre trial for 4 weeks in 192 patients with idiopathic chronic urticaria. After one week of treatment significant differences were recorded: body skin involvement diminished to 0-10% in 57.1% of emedastine patients vs. 38.2% of loratadine patients (p = 0.0019) and 83.3% had a total urticaria symptom score of 0-1 vs. 64.5% with loratadine (p = 0.0134). After 4 weeks of treatment the efficacy of the two drugs was similar in terms of mean change in total urticaria symptom score (- 5.57 +/- 3.15 with emedastine - 5.67 +/- 3.26 with loratadine), proportion of symptom-free patients (52.4% vs. 54.5%), intensity of erythema, number of hives, size of the largest hive, extent of skin area involved and overall assessment of urticaria symptoms.Twenty-three emedastine patients (23.9%) and 17 loratadine patients (17.7%) experienced an adverse event. Nineteen events in 15 emedastine patients and 9 in 9 loratadine patients were related to treatment (p = 0.0294). Only one event caused discontinuation in both treatment groups. The most common adverse event was sleepiness (7 patients with emedastine and 2 with loratadine). Emedastine is well tolerated, and as effective as loratadine in the short-term treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria.

[Intranasal phototherapy for the treatment of allergic rhinitis]. / Intranasalis fototerápia az allergiãs rhinitis kezelésében.

INTRODUCTION: Allergic rhinitis is a frequent disease, accompanied by significant social-economic costs and a negative impact on the quality of life. Phototherapy has a profound immunosuppressive effect and is effectively used in the treatment of several immune mediated skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis. AIMS: The authors investigated the efficacy of intranasal phototherapy with a combination of low doses of ultraviolet-B, ultraviolet-A and visible light in allergic rhinitis. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in patients with a history of at least 2 years of moderate to severe ragweed-induced allergic rhinitis that was not controlled by anti-allergic drugs. Intranasal phototherapy was performed 3 times a week for 3 weeks. As placebo low intensity visible light was used. RESULTS: Phototherapy resulted in a significant improvement of clinical symptoms for nasal itching, rhinorrhea, sneezing and total nasal score. Scores for nasal obstruction slightly improved during phototherapy while a significant increased was found in the placebo group. In the overall efficacy assessment, both patients and investigators found phototherapy significantly more efficient than placebo. Phototherapy was well tolerated, the only side effect was the slight dryness of the nasal mucosa. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that intranasal phototherapy is effective for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, and opens up new opportunities for the treatment of immune-mediated mucosal diseases.

[Isolation of free DNA from archived serum samples suitable for molecular genetic studies]. / Molekuláris genetikai vizsgálatokra alkalmas "szabad" DNS izolálása archivált vérsavómintákból.

INTRODUCTION: Collected and archived serum samples could be important sources for genetic studies, once DNA suitable for molecular genetic studies could be obtained from them. METHODS: DNA was isolated from 54 archived sera samples, collected previously from the participants of a Hungarian allergy study, with commercially available isolation kit. The authors have determined the concentration of the isolated DNA (81.88 +/- 52.36 ng/ml) and the size of the isolated fragments was estimated using semiquantitative real-time PCR. Two primers were used producing two different fragment size, for the phospholipase 2A and the actin beta genes, and melting curve analyses was performed as quality control. RESULTS: The concentration of the phospholipase 2A product was 2.9798 +/- 5.4454 microg/microl and the actin beta gene was 0.0015 +/- 0.0011 microg/microl. The melting curve analysis served as a quality control for the determination of the size of PCR products. In the case of the phospholipase 2A all samples produced the 133 bp PCR fragments, except one, while in the case of actin beta gene only six sample showed the expected 178 bp product, all the others samples had smaller fragments. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the suitability of the DNA isolated from archived sera samples for further molecular biological studies (SNP analysis, mutation detection) and give an estimate for the product size of the isolated DNA. Sera samples have been collected years ago can be a good source of genetic information on different diseases.

Ethical issues and problems in clinical research.

In the paper some documents on clinical research have been presented. Declaration of Helsinki WHO documents are suggested as a basic papers in this field. Some "delicate" problems are pointed and discussed in question about placebo and "moral obligations".