Airway Inflammation and Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness in Rhinitic Children With or Without Asthma
Airway Inflammation and Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness in Rhinitic Children With or Without Asthma
This is a prospective observational study , to clarity the characteristics of airway
 inflammation, airway reactivity and airway resistance in rhinitic children with or without
 asthma and to explore the possible predictors in the progression of allergic rhinitis to
 asthma.
Children 6-15 years old with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma diagnosed by specialist
 physician are enrolled in the department of respiratory and otorhinolaryngology and
 pediatrics in Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease. According to presence of typical
 symptoms and signs, patients are divided into allergic rhinitis without asthma (AR group) ,
 allergic rhinitis concomitant asthma (AS+AR group), asthma without rhinitis (AS group). In
 addition, healthy students in a school are enrolled as normal control group. History of all
 subjects are collected, the following measurements are performed: skin prick test (SPT),
 peripheral blood cells five-classification test, serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and
 specific IgE of common inhalant allergens testing, nasal lavage and induced sputum cells
 classification ，pulmonary function test, bronchial provocation test using methacholine，airway
 resistance measured by impulse oscillation technique, the levels of
 eosinophil（ECP），eosinophil peroxidase（EPO）.Meanwhile myeloperoxidase （MPO）and
 eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) are measured in induced sputum ,in nasal lavage and in
 serum.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Clinical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis and/or asthma

 -  Sensitized to more than 1 common aeroallergens

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Respiratory infection 2 weeks prior to initial visit

 -  Children with nasal polyposis

 -  History of immunotherapy

 -  Unable to complete the test or had limited understanding

 -  Use of systemic corticosteroids 4 weeks prior to initial visit

 -  Nasal and inhaled corticosteroids 2 weeks prior to initial visit

 -  Leukotriene receptor antagonists 2 weeks prior to initial visit