OTOLARYNGOLOGY
Pharmacotherapy for Allergic Rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis affects millions of Americans and the numbers continue to increase. Fortunately, there exists a wide array of pharmacotherapeutic options with relatively safe side effect profiles for the management…
Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis
Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis is a phenotype of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, characterized by type 1 hypersensitivity to fungi, eosinophilic mucin with fungal hyphae in sinus secretions, and propensity for…
Nasal Polyps: Pathogenesis and Treatment Implications
Nasal polyps (NPs) represent a common clinical end point for a myriad of inflammatory disease processes involving the paranasal sinuses. Chronic rhinosinusitis is the most common cause for NPs, but…
Role of Allergy in Sleep-Disordered Breathing
Sleep-related symptoms are extremely common in patients with allergic rhinitis. Sleep impairment is likely a major contributor to the overall disease morbidity, direct and indirect health care costs, and the…
The Role of Allergy in Otitis Media with Effusion
The role of allergy in chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) is controversial. New evidence from cellular biology and immunology explain the basics of allergic reactions and allow more accurate…
Allergic and Immunologic Features of Ménière’s Disease
Ménière’s disease (MD), which by definition is idiopathic, has been ascribed to various causes, including both inhalant and food allergies. Patients with MD report higher rates of allergy history and…
Diagnosis of Inhalant Allergies: Patient History and Testing
In the United States, roughly 20% to 25% of the general adult population is afflicted by some form of chronic allergic respiratory disease, making allergy one of the most commonly…
Physical Findings in Allergy
Allergies are typically diagnosed based on detailed history elicited from a patient. Confirmation of the diagnosis by allergy skin or in vitro testing is sometimes also helpful. The authors discuss…
Immunology of Allergy
Knowledge of the immune system is advancing rapidly. This review provides an update on the allergy players—the cells and major mediators—and the form and function of each; discusses how these…
