The paradigm of how we manage allergic rhinitis is shifting with a growing understanding that it is a complex process, requiring a coordinated effort from healthcare providers and patients. Pharmacists are key members of these integrated care pathways resolving medication-related problems, optimizing regimens, improving adherence and recommending therapies while establishing liaisons between patients and physicians. Community pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals to the public and allergic rhinitis is one of the most common diseases managed by pharmacists. Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines developed over the past 20 years have improved the care of allergic rhinitis patients through an evidence-based, integrated care approach. In this paper, we propose an integrated approach to allergic rhinitis management in community pharmacy following the 2019 ARIA in the pharmacy guidelines.

Cationic antimicrobial peptides represent a promising therapeutic option against multidrug-resistant bacteria for the treatment of local infections. However, due to their low stability and potential toxicity, there are limited possibilities for their application in clinical practice. In this study, different poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) microparticles (MPs) loaded with citropin 1.1 (CIT) were investigated in order to demonstrate the effect of the polymer microstructure on the encapsulation efficiency (EE) and kinetics of the peptide release from the newly developed devices. The characteristics of the new systems in terms of surface morphology, particle size, EE and zeta potential analysis, as well as the haemolytic activities of the peptide were investigated. The in vitro release kinetics of CIT from the MPs was also investigated. CIT loading was favoured by a high content of negative charged linear polymer chains in the PCL structure. The presence of non-charged, amorphous macrocycle domains results in faster degradation of the PCL matrix. Depending on the crystallinity of the PCL, the peptide release exhibited a near-zero-order or near-first-order profile with no “burst release”. The results indicated that CIT-loaded PCL MPs could potentially be a promising drug delivery system (DDS) for the treatment of local infections.

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of zinc or copper and polyphenolic compounds on the 8-isoprostaglandin F_2α concentration in the serum and urine of rats with mammary cancer (adenocarcinoma) induced with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]antracene. The research focused on the kinetics of alterations in urinary 8-isoPGF_2α at the early stage of carcinogenesis as well as the influence of dietary factors on the process. The impact of selected compounds on the intensity of DMBA - induced carcinogenesis was also assessed. Administration of DMBA, a compound that inducers mammary tumors in experimental animals, increased the serum and urinary 8-isoPGF_2α levels in study rats. In the rat model, diet supplementation with zinc, combined with selected polyphenolic compounds (resveratrol or genistein) yielded a statistically significant decrease in the rat serum and urinary biomarker concentration with a simultaneously significant stimulation of carcinogenesis. The results indicate that there is an inverse correlation between the intensity of DMBA-induced carcinogenicity and the level of 8-isoPGF_2α in urine and serum of rats.

Due to the scale of the phenomenon, food allergies constitute a significant health problem and significantly impair the quality of life of patients. Differential diagnostics, including skin tests, sIgE detection tests, basophil and mast cell activation tests as well as double-blind...

Thanks to their valuable assessment possibilities (subjective complaints and changes in nasal patency during the examination), nasal provocation tests may serve as an alternative tool for oral food challenges in the future. However, this test requires successive attempts to regulate its methodology in order to develop a standardized lyophilisate form and determine the threshold dose for a positive result. The study objective was to present the methodological foundation for nasal food allergen provocation tests induced by freeze-dried powdered chicken egg whites. A control group of 25 individuals with no history of allergy to chicken eggs or any other allergy was included in the study. Optical rhinometry and visual analog scales were used to assess the response of nasal mucosa to local allergen challenges. Minor variations in nasal flows, as measured by optical rhinometry, were observed in the provocation tests. The mean optical density measurements (as measured regardless of the allergen dose used) varied from positive to negative values and vice versa, e.g., amounting to 0.018 OD (standard deviation 0.095) at 15 min and −0.011 OD (standard deviation 0.090) at 30 min. No significant differences were observed concerning the perceived nasal discomfort using the visual analog scale. Due to the absence of nasal mucosal reactivity, nasal challenge is an excellent methodological tool for implementing food allergen tests.

Wstęp Wysoka zmienność wirusa SARS-CoV-2 oraz ciągły wzrost zachorowań przyczynia się do nieustannego monitorowania oraz oceny ewolucji SARS-CoV-2 przez Światową Organizację Zdrowia (WHO). Obecnie największe zainteresowanie badaczy wzbudza wariant SARS-CoV-2 Omikron (B.1.1.529). Pierwszy przypadek zakażenia tym wariantem został wykryty w Botswanie 11.11.2021 r., a kilka dni później w Honkongu. Wariant omikronowy SARS-CoV-2 szybko rozprzestrzenił się na całym świecie wskutek dużej liczby mutacji w obrębie białka kolca, które odgrywa kluczową rolę we wnikaniu do komórek i unikaniu odporności przez SARS-CoV-2. Diagnostyka COVID-19 opiera się na testach molekularnych oraz na szybkich testach antygenowych. Zdaniem większości badaczy nie wszystkie testy antygenowe posiadają odpowiednią czułość diagnostyczną, pozwalającą na wykrywanie zakażeń omikronowych. Cel Celem niniejszej pracy jest ocena czułości diagnostycznej szybkiego testu antygenowego firmy BioMaxima do wykrywania wariantu Omikron wirusa SARS-CoV-2. Materiał i metody Materiał do oceny wyselekcjonowano z wymazów pochodzących od pacjentów, u których potwierdzono zakażenie wariantem Omikron wirusa SARS-CoV-2. Wymazy były pobierane z jamy nosowo-gardłowej. W wyselekcjonowanej grupie pacjentów wykonano szybki test antygenowy za pomocą SARS-CoV-2 Ag Rapid Test firmy BioMaxima. Wyniki Uzyskana w badaniu czułość diagnostyczna na poziomie 92,50% ocenianego testu antygenowego wskazuje na wysoką wykrywalność zakażenia wariantem Omikron wirusa SARS-CoV-2. Potwierdza to również wysoka dodatnia wartość predykcyjna na poziomie 100%. Wyniki niniejszego badania wskazują, iż szybki test antygenowy firmy BioMaxima spełnia kryteria pozwalające na zastosowanie go do wykrywania zakażeń wariantem Omikron wirusa SARS-CoV-2. Wnioski Oceniany test wykazuje bardzo dobrą czułość diagnostyczną w stosunku do wariantu Omikron wirusa w zakresie CT między 18–27. Warto ponadto zwrócić uwagę, iż wszystkie pozytywne wyniki testu molekularnego w zakresie CT powyżej 28 po przebadaniu testem antygenowym były ujemne, co jest zgodne z zaleceniami WHO oraz Polskiego Towarzystwa Epidemiologów i Lekarzy Chorób Zakaźnych.