EFFECT OF CORTICOSTEROIDS ON SECRETORY IGE AND IGEA IN ALLERGIC RHINITIS

Allergic rhinitis is a symptom complex resultingfrom exposure to a specific antigen. Its prevelancemay amount up to 15% of the total population insome counteries and so it is one of the commonlyencountered conditions in the practice of otolaryng-ology.Steroids therapy either via t0pical applicationor systemic administeration is considered a benefi-cial symptomatic treatment especially in longstanding resistant cases. Many works had been doneto study the beneficial effects of steroid therapyin allergic rhini tis especially from the clinicalpoints of view, but there were very few studies toclarify the effects of steroids on the secretoryimmunoglobulins, namely IgE which mediates theallergic reaction and IgA which is responsible forthe local immunity.The present work was conducted on twentypatients suffering from nasal allergy. They weresubjected for detailed and thorough analysis oftheir complaints, full oto-rhinological examination,radiological examination of paranasal sinuses andcytological examination of nasal secretions fordetection of nasal eosinophilia •