Changes in airway inflammation following nasal allergic challenge in patients with seasonal rhinitis.
BACKGROUND
Seasonal allergic rhinitis could predispose to the development of chronic bronchial inflammation as observed in asthma. However, direct links between nasal inflammation, bronchial inflammation and airway responsiveness in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis and without asthma are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to analyse the changes induced by allergic nasal challenge outside the pollen season in airway responsiveness and bronchial inflammation of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.


METHODS
Nine patients were evaluated after either grass pollens or placebo nasal challenge in a randomized cross-over double-blinded trial. Nasal parameters were recorded hourly and airway responsiveness was assessed by methacholine challenge. Cytological examinations and cytokine measurements were performed in nasal lavage and induced sputum. Eosinophil activation was investigated by eosinophil-cationic protein expression and secretion.


RESULTS
Airway responsiveness was increased after allergic nasal challenge. Total eosinophils and eosinophils expressing eosinophil-cationic protein were increased in induced sputum after allergic nasal challenge. Both eosinophil number and eosinophil-cationic protein concentration in induced sputum were correlated to methacholine responsiveness.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that eosinophils participate to the bronchial inflammation in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis following allergic nasal challenge outside the pollen season and might explain changes in airway responsiveness.
Bonay
M
M
Unité 700 INSERM, Faculté Xavier Bichat, Paris Cedex, France.
Neukirch
C
C
Grandsaigne
M
M
Leçon-Malas
V
V
Ravaud
P
P
Dehoux
M
M
Aubier
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D009299:Nasal Provocation Tests; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012882:Skin Tests; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000485:Allergens; D016207:Cytokines