Raymond G. Slavin

The upper and lower airways: the epidemiological and pathophysiological connection.

The upper and lower airways do not exist as anatomically and functionally distinct areas. There are important relationships between both the nose and the paranasal sinuses and asthma. Both allergic rhinitis and rhinosinusitis may impact bronchial asthma. The patient with rhinitis should be observed carefully for the development of asthma, and those with asthma should be considered to have either rhinitis or rhinosinusitis.

The tale of the allergist's life: a series of interesting case reports.

The practicing allergist has the unique opportunity to see an extraordinary variety of fascinating patients. Identifying the precise cause of the patients complaints makes for a satisfying intellectual endeavor. This is exemplified by the description of nine cases seen in a university allergy clinic. The cases include uncommon pets such as monkey, hedgehog, and iguana; occupational allergens such as slime mold and nematodes; household exposure to spider and lady bugs; and recreational exposure to earthworms and algae. Instituting environmental control measures results in a gratifying response in the patient.

Decreased incidence of stings in venom-sensitive patients following venom immunotherapy

We re-questioned 23 patients from our Venom Referral Clinic after three or more years of venom immunotherapy to determine whether venom immunotherapy makes venom-sensitive patients less susceptible to future stings. They were asked the same questions regarding stings, including: The number of stings in the previous 2 years, insects involved, time spent out of doors per week, and avoidance techniques. The number of patients stung in the previous 2 years dropped from 87% to 30%. Furthermore, the mean number of stings in 2 years per subject was 1.30 compared to 2.26 prior to these patients receiving venom immunotherapy. The average number of hours spent out of doors for this group of patients increased from 16.7 hrs per week to 18.9 hrs per week. Therefore, these patients were stung less frequently despite spending somewhat more time out of doors. We conclude that the process of desensitization during venom immunotherapy makes venom-sensitive patients less susceptible to future stings.

Clinical aspects of allergies to animals: overview and definition.

After many years of neglect, sensitivity to animals is receiving the attention it deserves. In this symposium, a number of advances in this area will be reported, including more precise characterization of antigens, improved diagnostic techniques, better methods of determining the atmospheric load of antigen, and more effective ways of management all directed to bringing this important problem under control.