ERJ
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (14)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Groneberg, D.A.
Right arrow Articles by Fischer, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Groneberg, D.A.
Right arrow Articles by Fischer, A.
Eur Respir J 2003; 22:986-991
Copyright ©ERS Journals Ltd 2003

Aspirin-sensitive rhinitis-associated changes in upper airway innervation

D.A. Groneberg1,2, W. Heppt1, P. Welker2, C. Peiser2, Q. Thai Dinh2, A. Cryer1, M. Zweng3, C. Witt4 and A. Fischer2

1 Dept of Otorhinolaryngology, Karlsruhe Teaching Hospital, University of Freiburg, Karlsruhe, 2 Division of Allergy Research, Dept of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, Charité, Humboldt-University, Berlin, 3 Dept of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, University of Hannover, Hannover, 4 Dept of Medicine, Charité Campus Mitte, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany

CORRESPONDENCE: A. Fischer, Division of Allergy Research, Dept of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, Charité Campus Virchow, Biomedical Research Center OR-3, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353, Berlin, Germany. Fax: 49 30450559951. E-mail: axel.fischer@charite.de

Keywords: aspirin, neuropeptides, rhinitis

Received: September 17, 2002
Accepted June 22, 2003

This study was supported by German Research Community and Federal Ministry for Education and Research (01 GC 0002) grants.

Aspirin-sensitive rhinitis is the manifestation of aspirin intolerance in the upper respiratory tract. The disease represents a pseudoallergy against aspirin or related nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. As a major immunomodulatory role for airway innervation has been proposed in airway inflammatory diseases, the present study assessed changes in human nasal mucosa innervation in patients with aspirin-sensitive rhinitis in comparison to a control group.

Immunohistochemistry for protein gene product 9.5, tachykinins, calcitonin gene-related peptide, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and neuropeptide tyrosine was performed on cryostats sections of nasal mucosa and neuropeptide containing nerves were examined independently using a score grading.

In comparison to the control, the aspirin-sensitive rhinitis group had a significant increase of VIP-like immunoreactivity in mucosal nerve fibres. In contrast to constant numbers of mast cells, highly significant increases in the numbers of eosinophils were found in the group of aspirin-sensitive rhinitis patients.

In summary, the present quantification of neuropeptide-immunoreactivity of mucosal nerves demonstrated differences in the human nasal mucosa innervation between nonrhinitic and aspirin-sensitive rhinitic individuals. These differences may reflect a pathophysiological role of upper airway innervation in pseudoallergic reactions.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2003 by the European Respiratory Society.