Introduction The COVID‐19 pandemic dramatically disrupts health care around the globe. The impact of the pandemic on chronic urticaria (CU) and its management are largely unknown. Aim To understand how CU patients are affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic; how specialists alter CU patient management; and the course of CU in patients with COVID‐19. Materials and Methods Our cross‐sectional, international, questionnaire‐based, multicenter UCARE COVID‐CU study assessed the impact of the pandemic on patient consultations, remote treatment, changes in medications, and clinical consequences. Results The COVID‐19 pandemic severely impairs CU patient care, with less than 50% of the weekly numbers of patients treated as compared to before the pandemic. Reduced patient referrals and clinic hours were the major reasons. Almost half of responding UCARE physicians were involved in COVID‐19 patient care, which negatively impacted on the care of urticaria patients. The rate of face‐to‐face consultations decreased by 62%, from 90% to less than half, whereas the rate of remote consultations increased by more than 600%, from one in 10 to more than two thirds. Cyclosporine and systemic corticosteroids, but not antihistamines or omalizumab, are used less during the pandemic. CU does not affect the course of COVID‐19, but COVID‐19 results in CU exacerbation in one of three patients, with higher rates in patients with severe COVID‐19. Conclusions The COVID‐19 pandemic brings major changes and challenges for CU patients and their physicians. The long‐term consequences of these changes, especially the increased use of remote consultations, require careful evaluation.

The overarching goals of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) are to enable European citizens to lead healthy, active and independent lives whilst ageing. The EIP on AHA includes 74 Reference Sites. The aim of this study was to transfer innovation from an app developed by the MACVIA-France EIP on AHA reference site (Allergy Diary) to other reference sites. The phenotypic characteristics of rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity in adults and the elderly will be compared using validated information and communication technology (ICT) tools (i.e. the Allergy Diary and CARAT: Control of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Test) in 22 Reference Sites or regions across Europe. This will improve the understanding, assessment of burden, diagnosis and management of rhinitis in the elderly by comparison with an adult population. Specific objectives will be: (i) to assess the percentage of adults and elderly who are able to use the Allergy Diary, (ii) to study the phenotypic characteristics and treatment over a 1-year period of rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity at baseline (cross-sectional study) and (iii) to follow-up using visual analogue scale (VAS). This part of the study may provide some insight into the differences between the elderly and adults in terms of response to treatment and practice. Finally (iv) work productivity will be examined in adults.

Omalizumab is effective for the control of urticaria recalcitrant to antihistamines in different populations globally. The ratio of total serum IgE 4-week/baseline ≥2 can predict response with a high likelihood. In observational real-life trials, doses have been adjusted on an individual basis: in some populations, up to two-thirds of the patients can be controlled with 150 mg/month; however, others are still not controlled with 300 mg/month. In these, 150 mg bimonthly could be tried, before up-dosing to 450 mg/month. On the long run (up to 3 years) omalizumab kept its efficacy. In many patients, dosing intervals could be augmented (6-8 weeks, some even more). After a 12-month treatment, about 20% showed long-term remission without relapse. Some biomarkers are being detected. Adjusting omalizumab doses in urticaria patients could enhance efficacy (shortening dosing interval and/or augmenting dose) and save costs (after 12 months: extending dosing interval and/or reducing dose).

Asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis (AD) are interrelated clinical phenotypes that partly overlap in the human interactome. The concept of "one-airway-one-disease," coined over 20 years ago, is a simplistic approach of the links between upper-and lower-airway allergic diseases. With new data, it is time to reassess the concept. This article reviews (i) the clinical observations that led to Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA), (ii) new insights into polysensitization and multimorbidity, (iii) advances in mHealth for novel phenotype definitions, (iv) confirmation in canonical epidemiologic studies, (v) genomic findings, (vi) treatment approaches, and (vii) novel concepts on the onset of rhinitis and multimorbidity. One recent concept, bringing together upper-and lower-airway allergic diseases with skin, gut, and neuropsychiatric multimorbidities, is the "Epithelial Barrier Hypothesis." This review determined that the "one-airway-one-disease" concept does not always hold true and that several phenotypes of disease can be defined. These phenotypes include an extreme "allergic" (asthma) phenotype combining asthma, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis.

MASK‐air ® , a validated mHealth app (Medical Device regulation Class IIa) has enabled large observational implementation studies in over 58,000 people with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma. It can help to address unmet patient needs in rhinitis and asthma care. MASK‐air ® is a Good Practice of DG Santé on digitally‐enabled, patient‐centred care. It is also a candidate Good Practice of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development). MASK‐air ® data has enabled novel phenotype discovery and characterisation, as well as novel insights into the management of allergic rhinitis. MASK‐air ® data show that most rhinitis patients (i) are not adherent and do not follow guidelines, (ii) use as‐needed treatment, (iii) do not take medication when they are well, (iv) increase their treatment based on symptoms and (v) do not use the recommended treatment. The data also show that control (symptoms, work productivity, educational performance) is not always improved by medications. A combined symptom‐medication score (ARIA‐EAACI‐CSMS) has been validated for clinical practice and trials. The implications of the novel MASK‐air ® results should lead to change management in rhinitis and asthma.

Antecedentes: En México, la inmunoterapia con alérgenos (ITA) y con veneno de himenópteros (VIT) se practica tradicionalmente combinando criterios de las escuelas europea y estadounidense; los dos tipos de extractos están comercialmente disponibles en México. Para una ITA adecuada es crucial un diagnóstico oportuno.Objetivo: Presentar GUIMIT 2019, Guía Mexicana de Inmunoterapia 2019, de base amplia, actualizada, que abarca temas de diagnóstico, indicaciones, dosificación, mecanismos, efectos adversos de la ITA y expectativas con esta modalidad de tratamiento.Método: Con la participación de múltiples grupos mexicanos de alergólogos, que incluían los centros formadores universitarios en alergia e inmunología, se desarrolló el documento de la guía según la metodología ADAPTE. Las guías de inmunoterapia de la European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology y del American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology se seleccionaron como guías fuente, ya que recibieron la puntuación AGREE-II más alta entre las guías internacionales disponibles; su evidencia conforma la base científica de GUIMIT 2019.Resultados: En GUIMIT 2019 se emiten recomendaciones fuertes o débiles (sugerencias) acerca de temas directamente relacionados con el diagnóstico in vivo o in vitro de las enfermedades alérgicas mediadas por IgE, la preparación y aplicación de ITA o VIT y sus efectos adversos; se incluye la revisión de las modalidades de ITA para el futuro. Todos los argumentos que se exponen fueron discutidos y votados con > 80 % de aprobación.Conclusión: Un grupo amplio y diverso de expertos en ITA y VIT emitió recomendaciones transculturizadas basadas en evidencia, que alcanzaron consenso; con ellas se pretende mejorar y homologar la práctica de la inmunoterapia en México.

BackgroundIn April 2017 the Mexican Asthma Guidelines (GUIMA) were published. Before the launch, physicians’ knowledge was explored related to key issues of the guideline.MethodsA SurveyMonkey® survey was sent out to board-certified physicians of 5 medical specialties treating asthma. Replies were analyzed per specialty against the GUIMA evidence-based recommendations. We present the treatment part here.ResultsA total of 364 allergists (ALLERG), 161 pulmonologists (PULM), 34 ENTs, 239 pediatricians (PED) and 62 general practitioners (GPs) replied to the survey and 247-83-14-135-37 respectively finished it. Spirometry is not routinely indicated when asthma is very probable by ALLERG 54%, PULM 47%, ENT 39%, PED 65%, GP 64%. A fictitious case proposed to the physicians with intermittent asthma was erroneously treated with ICS by ALLERG 9%, PULM 11%, ENT 28%, PED 10%, GP 11%. The mild persistent case received mistakenly ICS-LABA by ALLERG 25%, PULM 26%, ENT 33%, PED 27%, GP 23%. The first-line option for moderate persistent asthma was ICS(median dose) instead of ICS(low)+LABA for ALLERG 29%, PULM 25%, ENT 17%, PED 27%, GP 23% and in severe asthma maintenance treatment PULM20%, ALLERG-ENT-PED-GP 22-34% failed to indicate LABA. Concerning the guidelines’ recommendation to use one inhaler for maintenance & rescue in moderate-to-severe asthma, PULM45%, ALLERG-ENT-PED-GP 56-80% (p < 0.00001), erroneously indicated ICS-salmeterol could be used, instead of ICS-formoterol. Oral β2 or theophylline are no longer recommended, but PULM 37% and ALLERG-ENT-PED-GP 42-62% (p < 0.01) still indicate their use. In severe asthma 61-73% of physicians consider adding LTRA to the treatment; only PULM38%, OTHERS12-25% consider adding tiotropium (p < 0.001) and 3-17% consider adding omalizumab, both guideline recommended add-ons. As for asthma in pregnancy, most surveyed are not aware budesonide is the 1st line option ICS. Finally, 81-97% of the group-members recognized allergen immunotherapy, as a viable add-on, in line with GINA/GEMA/GUIMA recommendations.ConclusionsAn online survey could detect knowledge-gaps related to asthma treatment. Interestingly, surveyed physicians tended to over-treat the milder asthma cases, thus clearly leaving room for cost-savings. Caution should be taken in the promotion of the SMART (single-maintenance-and-reliever-treatment) approach, which can only be done with ICS-formoterol. Many physicians opt for other combinations not apt for this approach. Among all surveyed specialties there is ample room for improvement in mild and severe asthma management.

La mayoría de los pacientes con rinitis alérgica no recibe el manejo idóneo, sino que se automedica. MASK (Mobile Airways Sentinel Network) forma parte integral de un proyecto apoyado por la Unión Europea contra las enfermedades crónicas y enfocado al envejecimiento activo y saludable. Constituye la tercera fase de ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma), en la cual mediante una aplicación móvil en un dispositivo inteligente se intenta guiar al paciente en el control de su multimorbilidad, rinitis o conjuntivitis alérgicas o asma. La aplicación Diario de Alergia por MACVIA-ARIA es gratuita y está disponible para Android e iOS. Al descargarla al celular del paciente, a este se le piden datos de su perfil, patologías alérgicas y medicación; posteriormente, mediante una escala visual analógica se le invita a determinar el grado de afectación en nariz, ojos y bronquios y su influencia sobre su productividad laboral/escolar. Con los datos del Diario de Alergia se observa que existe un nuevo patrón de presentación: rinitis alérgica + conjuntivitis alérgica + asma, con mayor afectación, así como un alto nivel de automedicación: en general, el paciente toma medicación cuando presenta síntomas. La app se ha desplegado en 23 países, incluyendo varios países hispanohablantes.