Rhinitis and Asthma

Rhinitis and asthma are familiar diseases which often have a common allergic component. In recent years, our understanding of the basic inflammatory mechanisms has improved considerably, as has pharmacotherapy. Rhinitis is usually treated by otolaryngologists, while asthma is treated by chest physicians. This book presents rhinitis and asthma research together to give an integrated review of current knowledge of the two diseases, both of which occur in the airway mucous membrane and which have similar pathophysiology. Individual chapters examine anatomy, pathology, inflammatory changes, mediator sustances, neuropeptides, airway secretions, regulations of IgE antibody synthesis, the role of virus diseases, investigational methods, and the relatively little understood interaction between the upper and lower airways. This book is intended for ENT specialists, respiratory diseases, and allergists.