Statistical Analysis in Allergy and Immunology: A Review With Practical Examples.

Statistical analysis plays a critical role in biomedical research, ensuring that data are interpreted appropriately and that conclusions are both valid and reproducible. In allergy and immunology, where studies increasingly rely on complex data structures and analytical approaches, clarity on biostatistical methods is essential to support transparency and scientific rigor. However, inconsistent statistical reporting and misuse of analytical techniques remain persistent challenges in the field.

Frequency of obstructive sleep apnea in patients with asthma or allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) are prevalent respiratory diseases that often coexist with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The objective of this study was to evaluate whether asthma or AR are associated with a higher frequency of OSA.

Methods: We performed a systematic review including cross-sectional and cohort studies that evaluated adult participants with and without asthma or AR and reported OSA diagnosed via polysomnography.

Daily digital biomarkers in the follow-up and clustering of patients with asthma.

Background And Research Question: We aimed to assess whether levels of digital biomarkers can reflect monthly patterns of asthma control.

Study Design And Methods: We performed a longitudinal study on patients with asthma and comorbid rhinitis who filled ≥26 days of data in a month in the MASK-air® app and who reported at least 1 day of treatment with an inhaled corticosteroid with or without a long-acting β-agonist (ICS ± LABA). We applied k-means cluster analysis to define clusters of months according to daily asthma control and medication use.

Characterizing genetic adaptations and plastic stress responses within a transcontinental North American keystone species.

Local adaptation can lead to the intraspecific variation in a species' genetic makeup, shaping both its physiological and morphological traits as well as its molecular responses. In this study, we assessed variation in key functional leaf traits, such as stomata density, carbon and nitrogen content, cuticular wax composition and leaf shapes, within the transcontinental North American Populus tremuloides Michaux (quaking aspen) by sampling individuals from its four major genetic lineages. We also performed a small-scale common garden experiment with imposed higher temperature and drought stress during which we sampled for transcriptomes using RNAseq and performed physiological measurements to obtain insights into the intraspecific responses among aspen lineages to such abiotic stressors.

Intranasal Treatments for Allergic Rhinitis in Preschool- and School-Age Children: Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: Intranasal medications are considered a first-line treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR).

Objective: We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) comparing the efficacy and safety of intranasal antihistamines (INAH), intranasal corticosteroids (INCS), and their fixed combination (INAH+INCS) for the treatment of AR in children.

Methods: We searched four electronic bibliographic and three clinical trial databases for randomized controlled trials assessing the use of INAH, INCS, and INAH+INCS in children (aged <18 years) with seasonal or perennial AR.

ARIA-Italy managing allergic rhinitis and asthma in a changing world: The role of the Pharmacist.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma are common respiratory disorders that often occur together, affecting quality of life and increasing healthcare expenses of patients. These chronic illnesses are often managed without medical supervision, creating distinct challenges. A lack of resources can limit regular follow-up, which in turn promotes disease mismanagement and an increased reliance on self-medication, including the inappropriate use of corticosteroids and nasal decongestants.

Comparison of Three Treatment Strategies in Mild Asthma: A Carbon-Utility Analysis.

Background: The main types of commercially available inhalers for the management of asthma include dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs). The environmental impact of pMDIs, due to hydrofluorocarbon propellants, is a growing concern.

Objective: To conduct a carbon-utility analysis in mild asthma, comparing the clinical efficacy of DPIs versus pMDIs alongside their associated environmental impacts.

Long-Term Temporal Divergence in Post-Drought Resilience Decline Between Deciduous and Evergreen Tree Species.

Severe drought increasingly threatens the resilience, productivity, and distribution of forest biomes worldwide. Understanding the evolution of tree drought resilience over the past century, along with its geographical and taxonomic relationships, is essential for predicting future forest dynamics. Using a tree-ring database from Canadian forests, encompassing 40,147 trees across 4558 plots and 23 species, we analyzed temporal and spatial patterns of drought resilience.

[Ambitions and main conclusions of the conference "Global health, local decisions" organized by the Digital Health Network].

Health is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". Health must therefore be considered in its entirety. To begin with, however, it is vital to move swiftly from the concept of holistic health to its practical implementation.

Evaluation of recently proposed thresholds to define spirometry bronchodilator response.

https://bit.ly/40wh723.

A Novel Approach to Consider Planetary Health in Guideline Development: A GRADE Approach Using the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) 2024-2025 Guidelines as a Case Study.

The concept of planetary health emphasizes the inherent connection between the health of humans and the health of the planet, on which human health depends. The planetary boundaries framework describes 9 planetary life support systems, including climate change and biodiversity, and defines a safer operating space for humanity. The health care sector, while striving to improve human health, contributes significantly to exceeding these planetary boundaries, for instance, through greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and waste generation.

Secondary Non-Response to Biologic Treatment in Patients with Severe Asthma.

Biologic therapies have revolutionized the management of severe asthma (SA), offering significant symptom control and reduced exacerbations for many patients. However, up to 25% of individuals do not show satisfactory responses to these treatments and are categorized as non-responders. Definitions of response and primary non-response to biologics in SA are well-established.

Factors that influence user adherence of the Mask-air® application.

Background: Monitoring adherence in chronic diseases remains a significant challenge. Allergic rhinitis (AR), one of the most common chronic conditions, serves as an excellent model for studying determinants of app use in monitoring adherence and health assessment during treatment. The Mask-air® app supports clinical decision-making by involving patients in symptom observation and promoting adherence to therapy.

[The first French fall prevention day for elderly people].

The First French Fall Prevention Day for Elderly People took place in Montpellier on October 1, 2024. This event highlighted the elderly people's interest in: i) public conference providing information on fall risk factors and general preventive measures; ii) workshops across the metropolitan area offering individual fall risk assessments, personalized advice based on identified risk levels and factors. It also highlighted healthcare professionals and training institutes interest in: i) information on the roles of various field actors in the care pathway for older individuals at moderate or high fall risk; ii) new organizational models and technologies developed to implement national and global fall prevention recommendations.

Clustering of intuitive eating and psychological health identifies subgroups associated with weight loss following semaglutide.

Objective: Obesity management requires personalized approaches. Using data from the Aviitam platform in France, this study aimed to do the following: 1) explore psychological and behavioral patterns through clustering techniques; 2) validate the robustness of these clusters; and 3) assess their association with weight-loss outcomes in severe obesity under semaglutide treatment.

Methods: Phase 1 included 989 adults with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m who completed validated questionnaires, including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2).

Impact of allergic symptoms on work productivity in allergic rhinitis: A MASK-air direct patient data study.

Background: Allergic rhinitis may impair work productivity. This study aimed to assess (i) the differential impact of allergic rhinitis symptoms on work performance, assessed by means of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) work; and (ii) the effect of asthma comorbidity on work productivity.

Methods: We assessed data from the MASK-air mHealth app of patients with allergic rhinitis.

Contrasting levels of transcriptome-wide SNP diversity and adaptive molecular variation among conifers.

Adaptive convergence can arise when response to natural selection involves shared molecular or functional mechanisms among multiple taxa. Conifers are archaic species of ancient origin with delayed sexual maturity related to their woody perennial nature. Thus, they represent a relevant plant group to assess if convergence from selection may have become disconnected between molecular and functional levels.

WAO - ARIA consensus on chronic cough: Executive summary.

Acute cough is a highly prevalent symptom in clinical practice. Chronic cough is a complex disease with significant impact on quality of life. The mechanistic pathways of chronic cough in cough-comorbid clinical phenotypes are elusive.

Impact of Demographic and Clinical Subgroups in Google Trends Data: Infodemiology Case Study on Asthma Hospitalizations.

Background: Google Trends (GT) data have shown promising results as a complementary tool to classical surveillance approaches. However, GT data are not necessarily provided by a representative sample of patients and may be skewed toward demographic and clinical groups that are more likely to use the internet to search for their health.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to assess whether GT-based models perform differently in distinct population subgroups.

Adherence to Treatment in Allergic Rhinitis During the Pollen Season in Europe: A MASK-air Study.

Background: Adherence to rhinitis treatment has been insufficiently assessed. We aimed to use data from the MASK-air mHealth app to assess adherence to oral antihistamines (OAH), intra-nasal corticosteroids (INCS) or azelastine-fluticasone in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Methods: We included regular European MASK-air users with self-reported allergic rhinitis and reporting at least 1 day of OAH, INCS or azelastine-fluticasone.

In perennial allergic rhinitis, RQLQ is improved similarly by Azelastine 0.15 and mometasone furoate.

Unlabelled: Some double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have shown that Azelastine (Aze) high dose (0.15%) was effective in seasonal (SAR) and perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR). However, there was no long-term comparison between Aze 0.

Assessment of the underreporting of rhinitis in patients with asthma: A MASK-air® real-world study.

Rhinitis is a common comorbidity in patients with asthma. However, the frequency of underreported rhinitis in asthma is not known. In this study, we aimed to assess the characteristics of patients with self-reported asthma and no self-reported rhinitis, as well as the extent of the underreporting of rhinitis.