reza farid hosseini

Asthma is a common and major allergic disease in the world. We aimed to investigate the impact of supplements with vitamin D, folic acid, selenium, zinc, and copper in patients with moderate to severe asthma.

In this clinical trial study 70 patients above six years old with moderate to severe asthma, were divided into two groups, randomly; one group received daily Asmavit syrup, 10 ml (Asmavit, Vitabiotics Ltd, London, UK), and the other group received daily 1000 IU vitamin D3 drops (Asmavit, Vitabiotics Ltd, London, UK) for two months along with ordinary treatment for asthma. Clinical and physical examinations, immunological and biochemical tests were carried out for each patient before and after the treatment.

The mean age of patients was 39.9± 14.7 years old, and the mean disease duration was 8.8 ± 9.8 years. A significant increase in lung function, asthma control, and quality of life score tests was observed in both groups after the treatment (P< 0.05). There was no significant difference in cytokines expression levels before and after the treatment with vitamin D3 or Asmavit (P> 0.05). Serum levels of selenium and folic acid before treatment were correlated with disease severity, while post-treatment vitamin D levels significantly increased FEV1 (P> 0.05). Oxidative stress levels reduced in both groups, with greater reduction in the vitamin D group (P< 0.05).

Supplements, particularly vitamin D, when combined with standard asthma treatment, may effectively improve clinical symptoms and enhance the quality of life for asthmatic patients.

Allergic and non-allergic rhinitis are chronic upper airway inflammatory diseases. Iota carrageenan is an herbal extract of red algae used as a prophylactic treatment for rhinitis in the common cold and other viral infections. This study was designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Iota carrageenan in the treatment of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis. 

60 patients with allergic and non-allergic rhinitis clinical symptoms were randomly divided into carrageenan and placebo (control) groups. The Standard Sino-Nasal Outcome Questionnaire 22 (SNOT-22) and Rhino Juniper Mini Conjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (Mini-RQLQ) were completed for each patient before and after receiving the drug. Smear of nasal secretions and rhinomanometry were also performed for all studied participants. 

The mean score of SNOT-22 in the study group was 43.3 and 23.7 in the first and fourth weeks after therapy. The mean score of Mini RQLQ was 36.3 and 19.3 at the same time points (P< 0.001). SNOT-22 (P= 0.002) and Mini RQLQ (P= 0.005) scores showed a statistically significant decrease in the study group compared to the control group. The decrease in the eosinophil count and rhinomanometry results following treatment in both groups was statistically insignificant. 

Our findings showed a positive effect for carrageenan over placebo in the management of both non-allergic and allergic rhinitis in symptom control. However, non-allergic rhinitis patients’ symptoms may improve better with this drug.

As a common disease among people of almost any age, allergic rhinitis has many adverse effects such as lowering the quality of life and efficiency at work or school. Considering these conditions and the collection of large amounts of data, the present research was conducted on allergic rhinitis and asthma patients' data to extract the common symptoms of these diseases using cluster analysis and the k-means algorithm.

The present cross-sectional research was conducted in Mashhad city. The inclusion criteria were affliction with one or two respiratory allergy diseases diagnosed by an allergy specialist through clinical history taking and physical examination. A researcher-made checklist was used in the present study for data collection. Then, the K-means algorithm's cluster analysis model was conducted to extract clusters (WEKA software (3, 6, 9)).

Overall, 1,231 patients met the inclusion criteria. The result of the Cluster analysis consisted of  1: Cluster 1 in allergic rhinitis consisted of 702 patients, and cluster 2 consisted of 382 patients. 2: 46 asthma patients were assigned to cluster 1 and 23 to cluster 2. 3: Also, 60 asthma and allergic rhinitis patients were assigned to cluster 1 and 19 to cluster 2. The most common symptoms in all patients were rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal congestion, and itchy nose.

Overall, Salsola kali was the most common allergen in allergic rhinitis and asthma patients. Also, the most common symptoms in patients are rhinorrhea, sneezing, itchy nose, and nasal congestion. This study can help physicians diagnose allergic rhinitis and asthma in geographical areas with a high prevalence of Salsola kali.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is known as a life threatening disease, worldwide. In this study the role of HTLV-1 infection was evaluated on cardiac involvement in an endemic region of northeastern Iran. Serologic and molecular tests for HTLV-1 infection were carried out in subjects who had coronary angiography. A real-time PCR, TaqMan method, to quantify HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL), and routine hematological and biochemical tests were performed for study subjects. Twenty nine patients were HTLV-1+CAD+ and 13 cases were HTLV-1+CAD-. Although, there were no significant differences for risk factors like FBS, HDL, triglyceride, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (Cbp, Dbp), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (WL), cholesterol  (P=0.003), and LDL (P=0.007) levels, and monocyte count (P=0.05) had meaningful differences. The mean HTLV-1 PVL in HTLV-1+CAD+ subjects was 992.62±120 which was higher compared with HTLV-1+CAD- group (406.54±302 copies/104 PBMCs). Moreover, HTLV-1 PVL in males (833±108) was lower compared with females (1218±141 copies/104 PBMCs) (P=0.05). Patients with HTLV-1-PVL of more than 500 copies/104 had more diffused atherosclerosis plaque than patients with less than 500 (OR=6.87, 95% CI=1.34-35.05; P=0.016). Furthermore, patients with diffused coronary atherosclerosis had significantly higher levels of HTLV-1 PVL than patients with middle, proximal, and normal location of coronary sclerotic lesions (P<0.05). Taken together, in endemic area, HTLV-1 infection, more likely is a facilitating factor for heart complications and the high HTLV-1 PVL might affect CAD manifestations.

Substance P (SP) is a neurotransmitter emitted from neurons that plays a role in the pathogenesis of itching conditions including chronic urticarial (CU). The present research aims to investigate the serum level of S.P among CU patients and compare them with healthy subjects and explore how it correlates with the severity of urticaria. The present research was conducted on 87 CU patients who visited the allergy clinic of Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran from October 2017 to June 2018. Besides, 86 healthy subjects were recruited as the control group. Background information of patient was collected including age, sex, duration of the disease and the co-occurrence of angioedema. S.P serum level was measured in two groups by ELISA method. In the patients group, the autologous serum skin test (ASST) was performed along with the urticaria evaluation questionnaire include Urticaria Activity Score 7 (UAS7), Urticaria Control Test (UCT) and Chronic Urticaria Quality of Life (CU-Q2OL). Among the patients, the SP serum level showed to be about two times higher than the healthy subjects (p˂0.001). SP showed to be increased as patients’ age grew (p=0.010). In patients with a positive ASST, SP level was higher (p=0.012). No correlation was found between SP and the presence of angioedema among patients. There was no correlation between the SP serum level and the scores obtained from urticaria evaluation questionnaires. SP among CU patients was higher than healthy subjects. SP was also higher among female, older and positive ASST patients. The SP value was not correlated with the severity of urticaria, angioedema. In conclusion, Using SP antagonist drugs could be a potential treatment for chronic urticaria.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common hypersensitivity disease worldwide. Immunotherapy has been performed as the best treatment for years. This study aimed to study the gene expression pattern of immune system cells following an accelerated rush immunotherapy protocol (ARIT) in patients with AR. Fifteen patients with AR (15–55 years old) resident in Mashhad, Iran, with positive prick test to regional aeroallergens (weed mix, grass mix, tree mix, and Salsola) enrolled in this study. All patients were treated for three months with 3-day ARIT protocol between July 2015 and August 2016. Clinical symptoms and quality of life were recorded by two questioners. The expression levels of FOXP3, TGF-β, IL-10, IL-17, IL-4, and IFN-γ genes in patient’s peripheral blood mononuclear cells were evaluated by SYBR Green real-time RT-PCR technique. The severity of disease and quality of life showed significant improvement following ARIT (P-value<0.05). Gene expression of IFN-γ and IL-10 was increased whereas TGF-β and IL-4 down-regulated, following ARIT, but these changes were not significant. However, gene expression of FOXP3 and IL-17 was significantly increased after intervention when compared with the baseline (P-value< 0.002). Significant up-regulation of FOXP3 and IL-17 genes, additionally, a significant improvement in the clinical signs following ARIT might be related to increases in HLA-DR- and FOXP3+ Treg population at the initiation phase of ARIT. Employing the flow cytometry technique to study the phenotype of these cells is suggested for future studies.

The oldest literature that mentioned the immunity was related to the plague of Athens in 430 BC. The germ theory had more influence on the description of the discrimination between self and non-self which is the core concept of immunology. Allergic diseases were known from 2,000 years ago while Rhazes wrote the first medical monograph about seasonal allergic rhinitis. In Iran, Dr. Mohammad Kermanshahi introduced the basic concepts of serology in 1900. The first Department of Serology was established at Tehran University, Faculty of Medicine in 1951 by Prof. Dr. Hassan Mirdamadi. After that, immunology entered into the cellular and molecular period. Prof. Mohammad Ali Maleki established the first Iranian Society of Allergy and then Prof. Abolhassan Farhoodi found the first Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at Tehran University. In this paper, we review the role of famous Iranian scientists and physicians in the progress of modern immunology and allergy from a historical perspective.

Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) is one of the primary immunodeficiencies that its patients can develop its symptoms since infancy till senility; however, it usually manifests between the age of 15 and 40 years. It is characterized by low antibody levels and recurrent infections.  Individuals with CVID are more prone to autoimmune diseases and malignancy. We presented a 17-year-old girl with a documented CVID, who was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and prophylactic antibiotics.  She suffered from CVID from the age of 13 to the study time. She was hospitalized due to illness, fever, and severe dyspnea. Her chest X-ray revealed cardiomegaly; thus, high-resolution thorax CT scan and echocardiography were performed which revealed pericardial effusion. No underlying autoimmune diseases were detected in our assessments. Significant clinical, radiographic and physiological improvements were achieved after conducting an appropriate therapy. The patient was followed for two years and showed no clinical and laboratory findings in respect to autoimmune diseases. In our case, the pericardial effusion was present without any evidence of autoimmunity. Cardiac manifestation and complications are rare in CVID patients in the absence of an autoimmune disease; however, they should be considered.

Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is an IgE-mediated inflammatory disorder with high morbidity rates. The eitiology of this disease is understood to occur from a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. T helper type 2 cells have been shown to have a crucial role in atopic disease due to their production of the cytokines, intelukin (IL)-13 and IL-4, involved in inflammation. Research has shown single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the IL-13 and IL-4 genes to be associated increased levels of IgE and with allergic diseases such as, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. Specifically, the rs2243250 SNP of IL-4 and the rs20541 SNP of IL-13 have been shown to be associated with AR.

A case-control study was designed to investigate the relationship between the two SNPs rs2243250 and rs20541 with the incidence of AR. The SNPs were examined in patients with AR and healthy controls (86 patients and 86 controls). Blood samples were collected and DNA was extracted to evaluate the SNPs by RFLP-PCR.

Recessive analysis model of the IL-13 gene (GG vs. AA+AG) revealed that the GG genotype was more common in AR patients (P=0.36) )OR=0.8 [81% CI 0.38-1.6]). For the IL-4 gene (TC vs. TT+CC), the TC genotype was more common in AR patients (P = 0.0022)) OR=0.71 [60% CI 1.41-5.02]). Furthermore, in the IL-4 gene, the 590 T>C polymorphism had a significant association with AR. However, no association was found between AR and the IL-13 rs20541 polymorphism.

Our findings suggest that the IL-13 polymorphism (rs20541, Exo 4, G>A, Arg130Gln) and IL-4 polymorphism (rs2243250= C-590T, promoter, T>C) are co-associated with AR and sensitivity to aeroallergens. However, this study used a cohort of AR patients and healthy controls from the northeast of Iran. Given the influence of ethnicity and environment on genetics, further investigation is needed to elucidate the role of SNPs in IL-4 and IL-13 in AR among different populations.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most important psychiatric disorders in the world. There is evidence suggesting the role of inflammatory mediators such as chemokines in the etiology of BD. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the gene expression of CCL2, CCL3, and CXCL8 in patients with BD and compare them to healthy controls. A total of 48 patients with confirmed BD and 48 healthy controls enrolled in this study. All patients were recruited from April to August 2016 at Ibn‑Sina Psychiatric Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. RNA was extracted from the whole blood samples and then cDNA was synthesized. Gene expression of CCL2, CCL3, and CXCL8 was measured using SYBR® Green real‑time polymerase chain reaction. The difference of delta‑CT values between patients and healthy controls was compared with the independent samples t‑tests. CCL2 and CXCL8 genes expressed at higher levels in patients with BD as compared to healthy controls, but not significant. On the contrary, we found lower expression levels for CCL3 gene in our patients compared to healthy controls, but the difference was not statistically significant. Our findings do not show an association between the gene expression of CCL2, CCL3 and CXCL8 and BD. Increasing the sample size and evaluation on the gene expression of other chemokines in depression and mania phases of BD might be helpful to get a better conclusion.

Allergen immunotherapy is an effective treatment for allergic rhinitis. Conventional immunotherapy takesat least 5 to 6 months to reach the maintenance dosage; nonetheless, rush immunotherapy accelerates to reach the maintenance dose several months earlier. However, the safety and efficacy of this treatment has not been widely investigated. The objective of the present study was to determine the efficacy of subcutaneous rush immunotherapy in the patients with perennial allergic rhinitis after a year from treatment.   This study was carried out on a total of 15 patients with allergic rhinitis who received rush immunotherapy and were evaluated for the quality of life and clinical symptoms improvement with Sino-Nasal Outcome Test Questionnaire (SNOT-22) and Mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) before and after a year from treatment. Moreover, specific weed mix Immunoglobulin E (IgE) was measured before and after a year from treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 16) (P0.001).   Rush immunotherapy is an effective treatment in the patients with allergic rhinitis. It seems to be an alternative treatment in cases that need more rapid treatment. However, it is recommended to carry out other studiesonthe control group.

Primary immunodeficiency (PID) is a group of more than 400 distinct genetic disorders affecting both children and adults. As signs and symptoms of PID are usually heterogeneous and unspecific, diagnosis and follow-up of these patients can be challenging based on the available human resources and laboratory facilities.In order to reach a distinct national protocol and due to little evidence to guide appropriate or univer-sal guidelines to improve the current status of management of the disease, the Iranian PID network designed a consensus appropriate for regional resources. This review summarizes this PID guideline based on the importance of different clinical complications and the level of medical authority visiting those at the first line. Moreover, for each complication, appropriate interventions for improving ap-proach are mentioned.

The quality of extracts used in the skin prick test directly influences the interpretation of the test. Accordingly, the outcomes and effectiveness of immunotherapy for the management of IgE-mediated allergies depend on the quality of the extracts used. Excipients, which are pharmacologically inert ingredients, are intentionally added to the active ingredients. The aim of this study was to address optimum excipients for stability Platanus (P.) orientalis extract. In this study the excipients examined were l-lysine (20 mM), l-cysteine (20 mM), albumin (0.5%), sorbitol (2%), sucrose (750 mM), trehalose (20 mM), D-mannitol (2% w/v), urea (100 mM) and Tween-20 (0.1%). Their effects on P. orientalis extract stability were analyzed using an inhibition enzyme linked immune assay at 37 ᵒC. A mixture of lysine (20 mM), trehalose (20 mM), and D-mannitol (2% w/v) conferred the greatest stability on the P. orientalis extract. The P. orientalis extract stability was increased by a mixture of lysine (20 mM), trehalose (20 mM), and D-mannitol

Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) is the most common chronic worldwide bacterial infection in humans in all of ages and the majority of Chronic Urticarial patients also carry H. Pylori. The purpose of the present study was to studied H. pylori eradication in the treatment of chronic urticaria in comparison with classic treatment on two treatment groups.

participants were 120 Chronic Urticaria patients with H. Pylori infected and positive Urease Breath Test (UBT) who refer to Quaem Hospital in Mashhad. Participants were randomly assigned two groups, control group received classic treatment of Urticaria (H1 & H2 Blockers) and investigation group was additional treatment by triple drug therapy (20 mg of Robeprazole twice daily, 500 mg of Clarithromycin twice daily, and 1gr of Amoxicillin twice daily during 14 days). Within one, three & six months after therapy symptoms were separately analyzed in two groups by using urticaria severity score.

As to the age factor, no significant difference was found (P-value: 0.863). However, the average age with regard to gender, was significantly higher in men (P-value: 0.006).The majority of patients who had been exposed to combination drug treatment, were significantly better cured than the group exposed to classic treatment lonely (P-value

Addition of this treatment for eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with chronic urticaria, could be more effective than the classic H1and H2 blockers alone for resolution of symptoms.

The prevalence of atopic diseases has increased in recent decades dramatically. The most common aeroallergens in Northeastern Iran have not been fully defined. Define the most common aeroallergens in allergic patients based on the skin prick test (SPT) was aimed in this investigation.
This cross-sectional study enrolled 1,006 allergic patients (aged 1–86 years) from October 2010 to February 2014 referred to the Allergy clinics of Mashhad University of Medical Science. After completing a checklists including demographic information, the SPT was performed according to the patients’ history of aeroallergen sensitivity.
Patients with symptoms of asthma allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria were enrolled . 97% of patients had a positive skin test to at least one aeroallergen. The most prevalent allergens were Russian thistle (Salsola kali) (50.2%), ash (Fraxinus excelsior) (36.7%), grass mix (29.1%), tree mix (21.6%), and pigweed mix (19.5%). Common allergens in patients with different symptoms of allergic disorders were as follows: asthma (Russian thistle, grass mix, ash, tree mix, and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus); allergic rhinitis (Russian thistle,ash, grass mix, tree mix, and pigweed mix); urticaria (Russian thistle, ash, grass mix, pigweed mix, and tree mix) and atopic dermatitis (Russian thistle, grass mix, ash, tree mix, and pigweed mix). In the spring, the most prevalent allergens were Russian thistle, ash, grass mix, tree mix, and pigweed mix. In the summer, Russian thistle, ash, grass mix, tree mix, and pigweed mix accounted for the most prevalent allergens. During the autumn, Russian thistle, ash, grass mix, pigweed mix and lamb’s quarter were the most common aeroallergens, while in the winter, Russian thistle, ash, grass mix, pigweed mix, and tree mix were shown to be the most common aeroallergens.
Determination of the most common aeroallergens in this area is unavoidable in the diagnosis and management of allergic disorders. Understanding the prevalence of the most common aeroallergens such as Russian thistle in 50.2% of people or other common aeroallergens can help patients and specialists to more easily identify suspected allergens, reduce costs, and support immunotherapy of allergic patients in this area. Moreover, it is helpful in avoiding pollens or cross-reactions.

The development of allergic rhinitis (AR) is caused by the interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental factors. In this study, the association between GATA3 single nucleotide polymorphisms and AR in an Iranian population was identified.
This case-control study was performed on 86 patients with AR and 86 healthy subjects. This study aimed to evaluate a potential association between two GATA3 SNPs, rs1269486 and rs2229360, and AR. Blood samples were collected and DNA was extracted for the evaluation of these SNPs by RFLP-PCR.
A statistically-significant association was found between rs1269486 and AR (P SNP rs1269486 of GATA3 was associated with AR and sensitivity to aeroallergens in our population. Because of the significance of this gene in AR, studying the association between GATA3 polymorphisms and AR is recommended for other populations.

Fungi are regarded as one of causal factors of respiratory allergies and are a serious threat to public health in indoor environments. Before conclusively identifying fungi as the major causative agent of all or some types of rhinitis, we should have a good knowledge of the fungal flora of the nasal cavity and indoor building environments of healthy subjects.. The aim of this study was to determine the presence and relative abundance of fungal flora in the nasal cavity and bedroom of healthy subjects in Mashhad city, north east of Iran..Patients and A group of fifty healthy volunteers without a history of respiratory system diseases were selected. Samples from the nasal cavity and different parts of the bedroom including indoor air, pillow, mattress, blanket, dust of the bed, dust of the shelf and dust of the air duct were collected and cultured. The fungi were identified by standard mycological techniques.. The most common fungi isolated from all samples were Aspergillus, Penicillium, Yeast, Alternaria and Cladosporium. Stemphylium, Ulocladium, Stachybotrys, Basidiobolus and Exophiala showed the least frequencies among the isolated fungi.. The presence of fungi in the nasal cavity and indoors of healthy subjects in this study suggests that fungi should be considered as health hazards. Furthermore, it is important and seems necessary to monitor indoor air quality and raise awareness of existing threats due to microorganisms, including fungi..

HTLVI-1 is the first human retrovirus with limited endemic regions in the world. The epidemiological studies have shown that the genetic background and immune response to the virus have a significant role in HTLV-I-associated diseases. Among the genes are involved in HTLV-I infection, the role of human leukocytes antigen (HLA) have been studied in different population. In the present study we examined the association between HLA-DQB1 alleles and HTLV-I infection in HAM/TSP patients, HTLV-I carriers and healthy controls in north east of Iran, Mashhad. The blood samples of 16 patients with HAM/TSP, 20 HTLV-1 carriers, and 30 healthy individuals were taken and DNA was extracted by salting out method. HLA-DQB1 typing was performed using PCR-SSP method and the frequency of HLA-DQB1 alleles were compared by Fischer Exact Test. There was a significant difference between HAM/TSP patients and healthy controls in the frequency of HLA-DQB1*07 (P=0.004, RR=7). Furthermore, we found that possession of HLA- DQB1*02 or HLA-DQB1*05 increased the risk of disease 1.5 times. The data presented here suggest that both HLA-DQB1*07 and HLA-DQB1*06 are associated with disease development.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence, frequency and comparison of Aspergillus spp. in nasal cavity and bedroom of healthy volunteers and patients with allergic rhinitis. In this cross-sectional study, a group of patients with allergic rhinitis (N=50) were selected based on positive skin prick test. Healthy volunteers were chosen to be in the comparison group by matching in age, gender, and no history of respiratory system disease. Samples from nasal cavity and different parts of bedroom were collected and cultured. Cultured Aspergillus spp. was identified by standard mycological techniques. The most common species isolated from all samples of healthy volunteers was A. flavus (88%), followed by A. niger (76%) and A. fumigatus (74%). A. flavus (56%) was the predominant species isolated from all samples of patients, followed by A. niger (34%) and A. fumigatus (6%). A. flavus was the most prevalent species of Aspergillus both healthy volunteers and patients. The presence of Aspergillus in homes does not necessarily imply a cause and effect relationship with illness, but we speculate that A. flavus may be a major source of aeroallergens along with A. niger and A. fumigatus; and should alert physicians and healthcare professionals to do more vigorous environmental testing.

Asthma results from the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. ADAM33 gene on chromosome 20p13 is associated with asthma and airway hyperresponsiveness. This is a case-control study, where four SNPs S1 (rs3918396), T1 (rs2280091), T2 (rs2280090), V4 (rs2787094) of ADAM33 gene have been assessed in patients with allergic asthma and normal controls (95 patients and 86 normal). Blood samples of these participants have been genotyped by PCR and the RFLP method. There was no association between asthmatic patients and polymorphisms of alleles, genotypes and haplotypes of the ADAM33 gene. When categorizing the asthmatic patients in severe, moderate and mild groups, associations in the subcategories of asthmatic patients were found. There were associations between polymorphisms of C allele of T1 SNP with severe asthmatic patients and G allele of V4 SNP with moderate asthmatics respectively (P=0.006, P=0.01). There was a significant association between sensitivity to mite and polymorphism of C allele of T1 SNP (P=0.02). Besides, there was a significant association between sensitivity to weeds and genotype GG of V4 SNP (P=0.05). Polymorphisms of ADAM33 gene might be associated with severe asthma and sensitivity to aeroallergens in northeast of Iran, but further studies are needed to determine the polymorphisms in this area and other regions of our country.

The role of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-3, and IL-6 in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has long been reported in literature. In this case-control study, the concentrations of these cytokines in altered T lymphocytes, as well as serum vitamin B12, have been compared in terms of factors such as, age, the clinical course and the patients’ disease risk.40 patients who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria of AD were selected and an age- and gender-matched control group was recruited. The participants’ cognitive performance was measured according to the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) and Clinical Dementia Ratio (CDR). The levels of cytokines were measured in supernatants of lymphocytes culture, using assays of ELISA and atomic absorption.Higher levels of IL-6 and IFN-γ were found more in the altered T lymphocytes of the AD patients rather than in the control individuals. Furthermore, a marginal significant difference was found between the TGF-β levels of the two study groups. Regression analysis of CDR score and cytokines showed the inverse significant correlation between CDR score and IFN-γ levels. Furthermore, the relation between MMSE scores and IFN-γ was significant, meaning that by increasing MMSE score, IFN-γ level was significantly increased.This study suggests that the levels of IL-6 and IFN-γ are significantly increased in altered T lymphocytes of AD patients, as compared to those who are not inflicted with AD, and that they are related to the patient’s age. Also, IFN-γ is related to the severity stage of the AD.

Allergic rhinitis is the most common type of allergic disease among population. Its accurate treatment is very important for cutting of allergic march. On the other hand, gasteroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common gastrointestinal problems among allergic patients mainly asthmatic cases. It might conflict treatment. Despite of asthma, a few studies have been conducted on the impact of GERD treatment on allergic rhinitis symptoms. In this study, we assessed GERD treatment and its effects on improving of allergic rhinitis patients with GERD. In a prospective cross-sectional study, March - September 2012, 103 consecutive patients with persistent moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis enrolled. For allergic rhinitis patients with GERD 20 mg omeperazole once daily for 6 weeks prescribed, empirically. Conventional allergy treatment continued and finally the allergic rhinitis symptoms were assessed clinically and recorded before, 5th, 10th and 30th days of omeprazole treatment period. Our study included 103 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis who were divided into GERD (n=33, 38%) and non-GERD (n=70, 68%) groups with the mean age 28 and 25.7 years, respectively. The first group developed significant improvement for GERD symptoms on days 5, 10 and 30 after beginning of therapy (P=0.03). No association was found between GERD treatment and relief of allergic symptoms or TNSS improvement (P>0.05). Data analyzed by Epi info (ver 7) and SPSS software (ver 11.5), and by Chi squeare test and paired T test. P lower than 0.05 was considered as significant. This study showed no significant association between empirical treatment of GERD and improvement of allergic symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis. However, further studies with a larger sample size might be needed.

Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) characterized by oral IgE-mediated symptoms، which is caused by cross-reactivity between proteins in pollens، fresh fruit and vegetables. OAS is presents in 40% to 80% of Allergic rhinitis patients. Association between oral allergy syndrome and duration of seasonal allergic rhinitis is not well known. Early treatment of Patients with OAS caused improvement in quality of life and relief of their symptoms. In this prospective cross-sectional study between March 2012 to September 2012، 103 consecutive patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis were entered to this study. Their sensitizations to common aeroallergens were confirmed by skin prick test (SPT) by three mm more than negative control. According to food allergy history and prick-to-prick test results، we considered 63 of 103 patients for single-blind oral food challenge test. Data analyzed bty SPSS software (ver 11. 5)، and by Chi squeare test and paired T test. P-value lower than 0. 05 was considered as significant. Among studied cases، 63 patients (61. 2%) with 28. 8±10. 6 years old had OAS and 40 (38. 8%) with 26. 8±13. 2 years old not OAS. We found that there was significant difference between duration of seasonal allergic rhinitis in OAS group (7±5. 9 years) and non-OAS group (5±4 years) (P=0. 03، CI=0. 03-0. 04). This syndrome was more in women and patients who had concomitant asthma and allergic conjunctivitis but statistical association was not significant. This study showed that all of the patients with hay fever do not develop OAS. Duration of seasonal allergic rhinitis was associated significantly with oral allergy syndrome. However، further studies with more sample size and double-blind placebo controlled methods might be needed.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a third leading cause of death. In this case control study, we prepared 5 cc bloods from the antecubital vein of 100 COPD patients and 40 healthy individuals as control group. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression protein level was measured by ELISA in both groups. We found that concentration of VEGF in blood serum of patients with COPD 189.9±16pg/ml) was significantly higher than the control group (16.4±3.48pg/ml) (p<0.001). While VEGF serum level in emphysematous patients wasn’t significantly different with control group (p=0.07). Furthermore VEGF serum level in COPD patients was proportionally increased with severity of disease (p<0.001). Besides all COPD patients, regardless of their smoking status, were experienced significantly higher levels of VEGF than healthy ones (p=0.001; z=4.3). Our results suggest VEGF serum concentration as the sensitive index for severity and activity of COPD and its prognosis.