Advances in rhinitis: Models and mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize studies highlighting recent advances in rhinitis-related research in the past 2 years.

DATA SOURCES: Original research articles were procured and examined from the Rhinitis and Upper Airway Disease section of the 2015 to 2017 Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology issues. Additional original research articles were identified from PubMed and Google Scholar using the following search terms: allergic rhinitis, rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, environmental exposure unit, and nasal allergen challenge. Only research articles published in the past 2 years were procured.

STUDY SELECTIONS: Articles conducting research in allergic rhinitis (AR) or chronic rhinosinusitis or using controlled allergen challenge facilities or the nasal allergen challenge model were selected.

RESULTS: Studies in the past 2 years have focused on using skin prick tests and early-life phenotyping to predict AR development in children. They also have elucidated the role of a subset of CD4+ T cells, basophils, and mast cells in non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, a relatively new chronic rhinosinusitis subtype in the Asian population. Several advances have been made in understanding the role of several cytokines and peripheral cell mitochondrial function in AR using controlled allergen challenge facilities and direct nasal allergen challenges.

CONCLUSION: Findings from the recent literature highlight the utility of early-life predictors of AR in possibly targeting high-risk groups for prophylactic interventions. Studies also emphasize the use of controlled allergen challenge facilities and the nasal allergen challenge model as robust experimental models to study AR pathogenesis.