What is allergic rhinitis?

Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) is an immune reaction to allergens such as pollen, dust mites, pets, or mold. It commonly causes sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, and itchy eyes or throat.

Can allergies make asthma worse?

Yes. Poorly controlled nasal allergies often worsen asthma symptoms and can lead to increased coughing, wheezing, nighttime symptoms, and asthma flare-ups.

How are allergies and asthma diagnosed?

Diagnosis may include a detailed medical history, allergy testing (such as skin or blood tests), and lung function testing to identify triggers and guide treatment.

Are allergy shots effective for allergies and asthma?

For selected patients, allergy immunotherapy can reduce allergy symptoms, decrease medication needs, and help improve asthma control over time.

When should I see a specialist for asthma or allergies?

You should consider specialty care if symptoms persist despite treatment, rescue inhalers are used frequently, or asthma or allergies interfere with sleep or daily activities.

Publications

The many faces of systemic mastocytosis.

Ispas L, Henriksen RA, Metzger WJ.

This short review article will augment the reader’s knowledge of mast cell physiology and will offer an overview of current information on the pathophysiology, heterogeneity, and treatment of human mastocystosis.

Towards an FDA-cleared basophil activation test.

Alpan O, Wasserman RL, Kim T, Darter A, Shah A, Jones D, McNeil D, Li H, Ispas L, Rathkopf M, Perez E, Siri D, O’Connor M, Plassmeyer M, Romito K, Pettibone C, O’Reilly S, Sønder SU, Marti G.

Food allergy is a global health problem affecting up to 10% of the world population. Accurate diagnosis of food allergies, however, is still a major challenge in medical offices and for patients seeking alternative avenues of diagnosis. A flawless test to confirm or rule out a food allergy does not exist.

Validation of inducible basophil biomarkers: Time, temperature and transportation.

Kim T, Yu J, Li H, Scarupa M, Wasserman RL, Economides A, White M, Ward C, Shah A, Jones D, Rathkopf M, Frye K, Aybar A, Shayegan S, Enav B, Ispas L, Loizou D, Fitzhugh D, Tracy J, Friedlander J, Jacobs Z, Matz J, Golden D, McNeil D, McCann W, Copenhaver C, Factor J, Gupta R, Alpan O, Plassmeyer M, Sønder SU.

The short stability window of several hours from blood collection to measuring basophil activation has limited the use of flow cytometry-based basophil activation assays in clinical settings. We examine if it is possible to extend this window to 1 day allowing for shipment of samples between laboratories.