[Analysis of the level and significance of immunoglobulin free light chain in nasal secretion and in serum of patients with allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis].

OBJECTIVE: To test the immunoglobulin free light chain (FLC) from nasal secretion(s) and serum of patients with allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis for the purpose of exploring the possible immunological mechanism. METHODS: Sixty consecutive patients were selected between September and December in 2009, involving 30 patients with allergic rhinitis and 30 patients with non-allergic rhinitis, diagnosed by symptoms, signs, SPT and sIgE. Thirty volunteers was chosen as health control (HC). ELISA was used to detect the total IgE, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), mast cell tryptase (MCT), κFLC, λFLC in nasal secretion and serum. The data was statistically analyzed by SPSS 17.0 software. RESULTS: According to the VAS scores, the nasal symptoms of AR and NAR, including sneeze, nasal discharge, nasal obstruction and nasal itching were compared. There was no statistical difference (t value was 1.189, 0.741, 0.758, 0.797, respectively, P < 0.5); In serum, κFLC, λFLC, IgE, ECP & MCT were increased in NAR compared to HC (P < 0.05); λFLC was increased in NAR compared to AR group (P < 0.05), κFLC and ECP were increased in AR. There was no significant difference between AR and NAR (P < 0.05); In nasal secretion, κFLC, λFLC, IgE, ECP and MCT were increased in AR and NAR compared to HC, and the ECP and IgE were significantly increased in AR compared to NAR (P < 0.05). ; In nasal secretion, the FLCs revealed a significantly higher correlation with MCT (r value was 0.518 and 0.484, P < 0.01), and in serum revealed a significant correlation with ECP (r value was 0.343 and 0.342, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Immunoglobulin free light chain takes part in the path of physiological process of allergic rhinitis and non-allergic rhinitis with the immunological mechanism.

Overexpression of interleukin-l7 in tumor-associated macrophages is correlated with the differentiation and angiogenesis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-l7 (IL-17), which exerts strong pro-inflammatory effects, has emerged as an important mediator in inflammation-associated cancer. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between IL-17 and tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), and the correlation of the microvessel density in the development of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). METHODS: Histopathological observations and immunohistochemistry staining for IL-17, CD68, and CD34 were performed on 72 specimens (32 cases of LSCC, 20 cases of adjacent tissues of carcinoma as controls, and 20 cases of chronic hypertrophic laryngitis). Double immunohistochemical staining was done to determine which cells expressed IL-17. Real-time quantitative PCR determined the mRNA expression of IL-17. ELISA was used to detect the expression of the serum level of IL-17 in the three groups. RESULTS: The inflammation response had increased in LSCC. Overexpression of IL-17 and CD68 protein were seen in LSCC (P < 0.01). The expression of IL-17 was different between well and poorly differentiated LSCC (P < 0.01). The IL-17 expressing cells were mainly located in macrophages (CD68(+)/IL17(+)) as demonstrated by double immunohistochemical staining. IL-17 expression significantly correlated with high microvessel density (CD34(+)) in LSCC (P < 0.05). Relatively higher mRNA expression levels of IL-17 were seen in LSCC compared to the controls (P < 0.05). The serum expression of IL-17 was similar among the three groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: IL-17 was expressed by TAMs, and IL-17 may significantly correlate to the differentiation and angiogenesis in the development of LSCC.

[Efficacy and safety analysis with standardized mite allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy in 90 patients with allergic rhinitis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the three-year efficacy and safety with standardized dust mite subcutaneous immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinitis. METHODS: Ninety patients who were diagnosed as allergic to mite by skin prick test and serum IgE were include in the standardized allergen-specific dose-escalation regimen. Nasal symptom score (0-3) were collected before treatment and three years after treatment; VAS (visual analogue scale, 0-10) of all nasal symptoms and drug use score were collected every four months; frequency of local and systemic reactions were recorded in the duration of dose escalation and maintenance. RESULTS: Nasal blocking, sneeze, rhinorrhea and nasal itch were significantly improved after 3 years treatment (before treatment: 2[2;3], 2[2;3], 2[2;3], 2[1;2] ; after treatment: all were 0[0;0]; Z value were -8.310, -8.408, -8.377, -8.287, all P were 0.000). VAS of all nasal symptoms and drug use score decreased dramatically after escalation period (before treatment: 8.00[7.00;8.85], 2.00[1.50;2.00]; after treatment: 1.00[1.00;1.50], 0 [0;0]; Z value were -8.287, -8.248, P value 0.086, 0.744), and maintained afterwards (F value were 2.483, 0.296; P value were 0.086, 0.744). Ninety-eight case times (64.47%) local reactions mainly happened in maintenance period; the frequency of systemic reactions was 2.54%. CONCLUSION: The standardized specific allergen immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis is safe and effective.

[Survey on clinical characteristics of pediatric allergic rhinitis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical symptom, precipitating factor, associated symptom, family history and life quality of pediatric patients with allergic rhinitis, and to analyze the characteristic of clinical symptoms. METHODS: A questionnaire survey on pediatric AR patients since June 2008 to June 2010, one hundred and forty-eight pediatric AR patients were divided into 2 groups, group A (n = 43) included children aged from 3.2 to 6.0, group B (n = 105) included children aged from 6.1 to 14.8. The severity degree of clinical symptom was assessed by visual analogue scale. RESULTS: Preschool age children had more severe rhinocleisis, more severe cough and less rhinorrhea than school age children (χ(2) value were 29.194, 12.277 and 16.904, respectively, P < 0.05). According to the classification criteria of ARIA 2008, preschool children had more mild intermittent AR and less moderate-severe persistent AR than school age children (χ(2) value were 20.370 and 24.546, P < 0.05). The precipitating factor of common cold, fitment, climate, environment factors were 22.3% (33/148), 5.4% (8/148), 16.2% (24/148), 3.4% (5/148), the others was 4.7% (7/148), no obvious precipitating factor was 48.0% (71/148). The rate of parent or parents who had allergic disease history was 11.5% (17/148). Quality of sleep that 66.2% (98/148) were upset and 62.2% (92/148) had no cathexis. CONCLUSIONS: The preschool children have different clinical symptom characteristic from the school age children, and we got some clinical data of pediatric AR patients, those were beneficial to the diagnose and therapy of pediatric AR. The clinical data obtained in this study from pediatric AR patients are beneficial to the diagnosis and therapy of pediatric AR.

[Correlation analysis of two serum specific IgE test systems and skin prick test in allergic rhinitis patients].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between two serum specific IgE and skin prick test (SPT) for the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis. METHODS: Two hundred and sixteen patients were referred to the allergist for a suspected allergic rhinitis between June and October in 2009. Patients were classified as positive for inhalant allergy if they had a positive clinical history and a related positive SPT for the suspected inhalant allergen. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS13.0 software. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-eight patients had a positive SPT, comparing with the SPT, the diagnostic indexes (accuracy, sensitivity, specificity) of the ImmunoCAP system and the AllergyScreen system were 0.810 and 0.819, 0.872 and 0.780, 0.741 and 0.862 respectively. The accuracy was similar between the two systems (χ(2) = 0.112, P > 0.05). The ImmunoCAP system had a higher sensitivity (χ(2) = 7.361, P < 0.05). The AllergyScreen system had a higher specificity (χ(2) = 10.222, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This data supported the use of ImmunoCAP system and AllergyScreen system to identify potentially significant individual allergens in the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis. The ImmunoCAP system had a higher sensitivity. The AllergyScreen system had a higher specificity. The AllergyScreen system can be used as a complementary with the ImmunoCAP system.