Læknablaðið : fylgirit - 01.08.2002, Side 18

ABSTRACTS / 21 ST NORDIC CONGRESS OF ALLERGOLOGY
with birch pollen allergy, during the birch season compared to off-
season, using gender and age-matched healthy controls.
Three men and six women, mean age 40 years, allergic to birch
pollen, verified by skin prick test and serum IgE antibodies, were
included. The duodenal biopsies obtained in the end of the birch
pollen season and six months later, were studied by immuno-
staining for IgE, MBP, CD3, CD4 and CD8.
During the pollen-season significantly increased infiltration of
IgE-bearing cells was shown, compared to off-season (p=0.008) and
with controls in season (p=0.002), but not off-season (ns). The
MBP+ cells were elevated in season (p=0.008) and also compared
to controls in season (p=0.009), but not off-season (ns). Increased
infiltration of T-cells, (p=0.008), were found in the birch pollen
season compared with patients off-season and with controls in
season, CD3+ (p=0.0005), CD4+ (p=0.002), CD8+ (p=0.0007).
CD8+ T-cells were still elevated (p=0.02) in patients compared to
healthy controls off-season, while CD3+ and CD4+ cells were
normal (ns).
Our results showed a significant increase of IgE-carrying mast
cells, eosinophils and T-cells in the Gl-mucosa in patients with birch
pollen allergy, indicating an ongoing local allergic response. The
clinical importance of the duodenal inflammation seen in these
patients is uncertain, but our study gives evidence for the interplay
between the airways and the gut.
0 11 - Characterisation of nasal nitric oxide in patients
with allergic rhinitis
Palm JlzAlving K', Lundberg J1
‘Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, :Dept. of
Otorhinolaryngology, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Nitric oxide (NO) is present in the human nasal airways and has
been suggested to originate primarily in the paranasal sinuses.
Several studies have attempted to assess nasal NO Ievels quanti-
tatively in allergic rhinitis. However, there seem to be differences in
the results obtained, some studies showing an increase while other
showing no difference. We therefore wanted to investigate this
further, using two methods for nasal NO measurements at three
flow rates of air. We studied the NO output (nl/min) at 0.5,3 and 9
1/min in nasally aspirated and nasally exhaled (into a nose mask,
using a single breath method) air of 18 patients with steroid-naive
allergic rhinitis during pollen season and 18 controls. Using the
aspiration method, the NO output (Mean ± S.D) was 160±75 versus
153±36 nl/min at 0.5 1/min, 211±103 versus 198±45 at 3 1/min and
271±217 versus 232±62 at 9 1/min. Thus, we found an increase with
flow in NO output, but no significant difference between patients
and controls at any modality. Notably, the variation in individual
values was markedly greater in patients than in controls. We con-
clude that we found no difference in nasal NO output, whereas
there was a greater inter-individual variation in nasal NO output in
patients with allergic rhinitis compared to controls. This greater
spread may be due to variation in mucosal thickening obstructing
the paranasal sinus ostiae and in mucosal enzymatic NO produc-
tion.
0 12 - Bakers’ rhinitis and its relation to bronchial
reactivity: I. Sensitization to environmental allergens in
Norwegian bakeries
Storaas V, Aasen TB', Greiff L2, Steinsvaag SK', Florvaag E'
'Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; 2Lund University Hospital,
Lund, Sweden
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the
prevalence of work-related symptoms in 6 bakeries in Bergen,
Norway, as well as the prevalence of sensitisation to environmental
allergens in the baking industry, and the exposure-levels of flour-
dust. Furthermore we wanted to relate these findings to nasal and
bronchial reactivity tests. Tltis was the second phase in a cohort-
study, and from the originally 208 employees, 197 were possible to
enroll into this phase.
Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 183 (93%) for total
IgE, specific IgE (common aeroallergens and baking-allergens),
and histamine release test, and skin prick test was executed.
Results: All together 30% of the present cohort were sensitized to
one or more of the baking-allergens. The most frequent causes of
sensitization were different species of storage mites. Every fifth
baker was sensitized either to Acarus Siro, Lepidoglyphus Destruc-
tor or Tyrophagus Putrescentiae. Less than half of those sensitized
to a storage mite were also sensitized to the common house-dust
mite Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus. Furthermore, 12% were
sensitized to wheat and 7% to a-amylase. The group of wheat-
sensitized constituted also those sensitized to rye (10%). 13 of the
22 wheat-sensitized were also sensitized to the grass pollen timothy.
None of the present cohort were sensitized to the mould Clados-
porium Herbarium, only 3 to Soya bean, and 5 (2,7%) to German
cockroach.
Conclusions: We conclude that a large proportion of bakers (20%)
are sensitized to a storage mite. Other major sensitizing allergens
being wheat (12%), and alpha-amylase (7%).
0 13 - Bakers’ rhinitis and its relation to bronchial
reactivity: II. Work-related symptoms and flour-dust
exposure
Storaas V, Ardal L', Florvaag E', Greiff L2, Steinsvaag SK', Aasen
TB‘
'Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; 2Lund University Hospital,
Lund, Sweden
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the
prevalence of work-related symptoms in 6 bakeries in Bergen,
Norway, as well as the prevalence of sensitisation to environmental
allergens in the baking industry, and the exposure-levels of flour-
dust. Furthermore we wanted to relate these findings to nasal and
bronchial reactivity tests.
Methods: This was the second phase in a cohort-study, and from the
originally 208 employees, 197 were possible to enroll into this
phase. Of these 180 (91%) answered a questionnaire and 181 (92%)
were interviewed. Exposure to flour-dust was measured by per-
sonal-borne Gelrnan- and Respicon-cassettes. The employees were
grouped according to their present and earlier work-tasks, bakery,
night or day shift.
18 Læknablaðið/Fylgirit 46 2002/88