title: Elevated B cell-activating factor (BAFF) in children with allergic rhinitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the possible role of B cell-activating factor (BAFF) in children with allergic rhinitis (AR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four AR children and 20 normal children were enrolled in this study and nasal lavage and serum were collected. The nasal and serum levels of BAFF were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The relationship between serum BAFF and immunoglobulin A (IgA) was evaluated in AR children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that the nasal and serum levels of BAFF were significantly increased in AR children compared with controls (p<0.05). The nasal and serum levels of BAFF in AR children were significantly associated with disease severity (p<0.05). Moreover, the level of serum BAFF was negatively related to serum IgA level (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show BAFF expression was significantly increased and related to disease severity, indicating BAFF may be implicated in new treatment modalities for AR children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wenlong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Changzhi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, China; Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Miaomiao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lifeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: 69128534@qq.com.
authors.forename: Renzhong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: allergyli@163.com.
authors.forename: Huabin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human
keywords: Allergic rhinitis; B cell-activating factor; Children; Disease severity; Immunoglobulin A