Tromsø Birch Rust Allergy Study. Allergy to Birch Rust, a Possible Explanation to Seasonal Airway Allergy During Autumn?

Allergy Clinical Trial

— Tro-BRA  

Official title:

Tromsø Birch Rust Allergy Study. Allergy to Birch Rust Fungi, a Possible Explanation to Seasonal Airway Allergy During Autumn? A Pilot Study With 30 Patients With Suspected Allergy to Birch Rust and 15 Non-allergic Controls.

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04322838
• Other study ID #: 62924 (REK)
• Status: Recruiting
• Start date: August 1, 2020
• Est. completion date: December 1, 2021

Study information

• Verified date: April 2021
• Source: University Hospital of North Norway
• Contact: Martin Sørensen, PhD
• Phone: +4790107879
• Email: martin.sorensen[@]unn.no
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

In this project we study if spores from birch rust fungi (Melampsoridium Betulinum = MB) may be the eliciting allergen in patients with seasonal airway allergy during autumn in North Norway. Patients with suspected allergy to MB are compared with non-allergic controls using data about allergic disease and daily allergic symptoms during autumn. Daily spread of MB spores are compared with daily variations in allergic symptoms. Sensitization to MB and MB allergy are tested with skin prick test, specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) in serum, nasal provocation test and basophil activation test (BAT).

Description:

It is unknown why patients experience seasonal airway allergy during autumn in Norway, when there is no spread of pollen. Some old studies indicate that rust fungi on other plants may act as allergens to humans (1-6). In Norway, some patients report typical symptoms of allergic rhino-conjunctivitis and asthma from August to October which stops when temperature falls below zero (Celsius). Based on several patient experiences we hypothesize that MB may cause seasonal airway allergy during autumn. In this pilot study we will compare 30 patients with suspected allergy to MB with a control group of 15 non-allergic individuals. All 45 participants will answer the MeDALL (mechanisms of the development of allergy) questionnaire (7) about allergic diseases and daily register allergic symptoms (8) in the period from 1st of August to 15th of October 2020. Daily variations in symptoms will be compared with daily variations in spread of MB spores registered in pollen traps. Sensitization to MB will be tested with skin prick test and specific IgE in serum and allergy to MB with nasal provocation test and basophil activation test (BAT).

Identification of allergens and production of MB extracts for testing will be performed by Luxembourg institute of Health (LiH)(9-12) and BAT by Oslo University hospital (13-14)

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 45
• Est. completion date: December 1, 2021
• Est. primary completion date: December 1, 2021
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 75 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Self reported seasonal airway allergic symptoms during autumn

Exclusion Criteria:

• Perennial airway allergic symptoms without worsening during autumn

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Allergy
• Hypersensitivity
• Hypersensitivity, Immediate

Intervention

Diagnostic Test:
• MeDALL questionnaire for allergic diseases
Questionnaire about allergic symptoms and disease
• Registration of allergic symptoms
Daily registration of allergic symptoms from eyes, nose and lungs on scale from 0-10 and daily registration of use of anti allergic medication from 1st of August to 15th of October.
• Skin Prick Test
Diagnostic skin test for sensitization to allergens
• Specific IgE in serum
Diagnostic test for sensitization to allergens in serum
• Nasal provocation test
Diagnostic test for allergic rhinitis. Patients and controls are exposed to an allergen with a nasal spray. Allergic reactions are measured with Linder score and Pean Nasal Inspiratory Flow (PNIF)
• Basophil Activation Test
Basophil leukocytes are extracted from full blood and exposed to 6 different doses of allergen and activation of basophils are measured.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Norway	University Hospital of North Norway	Tromsø

Sponsors (3)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University Hospital of North Norway	Luxembourg Institute of Health, Oslo University Hospital

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Norway, 

References & Publications (14)

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Cadham,F.T., Asthma due to grain rusts. Jama, 1924, 83(1):p.27.

Croce MA, da Costa Manso ER, Gambale W, Takayama L, Oliveira Andrade CE, Pereira Pinto JH, Morato Castro FF, Croce J. Sensitization to the fungus Hemileia vastatrix (coffee leaf rust). Allergy. 2001 Jul;56(7):684-7. — View Citation

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Gupta, D.A., Environmental and occupational respiratory diseases - 1033. Rust fungi of plants and high IgE levels in asymptomatic workers of a stored food grains godown: a possible relationship. World Allergy Organization Journal, 2013. 6(suppl 1):p.32.

Hoffmann HJ, Santos AF, Mayorga C, Nopp A, Eberlein B, Ferrer M, Rouzaire P, Ebo DG, Sabato V, Sanz ML, Pecaric-Petkovic T, Patil SU, Hausmann OV, Shreffler WG, Korosec P, Knol EF. The clinical utility of basophil activation testing in diagnosis and monitoring of allergic disease. Allergy. 2015 Nov;70(11):1393-405. doi: 10.1111/all.12698. Epub 2015 Sep 8. Review. — View Citation

Hohmann C, Pinart M, Tischer C, Gehring U, Heinrich J, Kull I, Melén E, Smit HA, Torrent M, Wijga AH, Wickman M, Bachert C, Lødrup Carlsen KC, Carlsen KH, Bindslev-Jensen C, Eller E, Esplugues A, Fantini MP, Annesi-Maesano I, Momas I, Porta D, Vassilaki M, Waiblinger D, Sunyer J, Antó JM, Bousquet J, Keil T; MeDALL Study Group. The development of the MeDALL Core Questionnaires for a harmonized follow-up assessment of eleven European birth cohorts on asthma and allergies. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2014;163(3):215-24. doi: 10.1159/000357732. Epub 2014 Mar 1. — View Citation

Horner WE, Lopez M, Salvaggio JE, Lehrer SB. Basidiomycete allergy: identification and characterization of an important allergen from Calvatia cyathiformis. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1991;94(1-4):359-61. — View Citation

Kuehn A, Codreanu-Morel F, Lehners-Weber C, Doyen V, Gomez-André SA, Bienvenu F, Fischer J, Ballardini N, van Hage M, Perotin JM, Silcret-Grieu S, Chabane H, Hentges F, Ollert M, Hilger C, Morisset M. Cross-reactivity to fish and chicken meat - a new clinical syndrome. Allergy. 2016 Dec;71(12):1772-1781. doi: 10.1111/all.12968. Epub 2016 Jul 15. — View Citation

Kuehn A, Hilger C, Lehners-Weber C, Codreanu-Morel F, Morisset M, Metz-Favre C, Pauli G, de Blay F, Revets D, Muller CP, Vogel L, Vieths S, Hentges F. Identification of enolases and aldolases as important fish allergens in cod, salmon and tuna: component resolved diagnosis using parvalbumin and the new allergens. Clin Exp Allergy. 2013 Jul;43(7):811-22. doi: 10.1111/cea.12117. — View Citation

Schiener M, Hilger C, Eberlein B, Pascal M, Kuehn A, Revets D, Planchon S, Pietsch G, Serrano P, Moreno-Aguilar C, de la Roca F, Biedermann T, Darsow U, Schmidt-Weber CB, Ollert M, Blank S. The high molecular weight dipeptidyl peptidase IV Pol d 3 is a major allergen of Polistes dominula venom. Sci Rep. 2018 Jan 22;8(1):1318. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-19666-7. — View Citation

Simon-Nobbe B, Denk U, Pöll V, Rid R, Breitenbach M. The spectrum of fungal allergy. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2008;145(1):58-86. Epub 2007 Aug 20. Review. — View Citation

Sørensen M, Kuehn A, Mills ENC, Costello CA, Ollert M, Småbrekke L, Primicerio R, Wickman M, Klingenberg C. Cross-reactivity in fish allergy: A double-blind, placebo-controlled food-challenge trial. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017 Oct;140(4):1170-1172. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.03.043. Epub 2017 May 4. — View Citation

Waldbott, G.L.A., M.S., Rust and Smut, Major causes of respiratory allergy. Ann Intern Med., 1940. 14(2):p.215-224

* Note: There are 14 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Allergy to Birch rust fungi	Allergic symptoms during spread of Birch rust spores and positive sensitization and nasal provocation test to birch rust fungi.	1st of August to 15th of October 2020