Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most common form of rhinitis and the most common allergic disease in children and adults. Numerous clinical studies and daily practice indicate a pronounced negative effect of symptoms of AR on patients’ quality of life, their usual daily activity, cognitive functions, mood and sleep. The type and severity of individual symptoms can vary from patient to patient, and therapy should be directed to the overall control of the symptoms of AR. It is important to obtain reliable and comparable information regarding the severity of AR symptoms before, during and after the treatment, which can be assessed using a simple and accessible tool - a visual analogue scale (VAS). VAS validated for patients with AR allows to define a controlled, partially controlled and uncontrolled AR. The article proposes an algorithm for the treatment of AR, depending on the severity of the symptoms, assessed using VAS.

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are the basic medication providing long-term control of asthma. They have a significant antiinflammatory effect leading to decreased mortality, improved lung function, relief of symptoms, reduced exacerbation rate and improved quality of life. Different ICS molecules have different therapeutic index but they act equally in equipotent doses. The maximal effect of ICS is generally seen even in mild to moderate doses which are preferable for regular treatment. Adequate use of mild to moderate doses of ICS is typically accompanied by lower rate of adverse events but the risk of adverse events increase as the dose increase. Pharmacokinetic properties and mechanism of ICS action, potential systemic and local adverse events and ways to prevent their occurrence have been described in the article.

The aim of this study was to investigate efficacy and safety of inhalational treatment with Ruzam in 63 adult patients with persistent mild to moderate atopic bronchial asthma (BA). In this placebo controlled trial, clinical, functional and laboratory parameters were assessed at the end of 2-week treatment with Ruzam and in 6 months after the treatment. All patients also received inhaled corticosteroids. In patients treated with Ruzam, asthma symptoms, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and nitric oxide in the exhaled air decreased and morning PEF increased when compared to patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids plus placebo. During 6 months after the treatment, there were no asthma exacerbations in the Ruzam group and asthma was well-controlled in these patients. The patients treated with Ruzam significantly decreased a frequency of acute respiratory infections. In the control group ( n = 32), exacerbation frequency and asthma control level remained unchanged compared to baseline. Achieving clinical control of asthma in Ruzam group was accompanied by a significant reduction in concentrations of inflammatory markers (IFN-γ, ECP) in serum and in the induced sputum that could be used as a measure of systemic anti-inflammatory effect of Ruzam.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease with bronchial hyperresponsivenes causing recurrent episodes of wheezing, dyspnea, chest tightness and cough which typically occur at nighttime or early in the morning. These episodes are due to generalized airway obstruction which is commonly reversible spontaneously or with treatment. Asthma is mainly diagnosed clinically and should be based on the patient's symptoms and signs, lung function testing with investigations of bronchial obstruction reversibility, allergy testing and after exclusion of other diseases. The aim of asthma therapy is achievement and maintenance of asthma control that is maximal resolution of clinical symptoms of the disease.