Allergic, infectious and inflammatory diseases of the airway

The group's research generally deals with chronic rhinosinusitis and allergic diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Several research projects are ongoing.

The incidence of chronic sinusitis is about 10% in Europe and leads to a reduction in the quality of life for the patient. The disease is characterized by varying degrees of nasal congestion, nasal discharge, impaired sense of smell, pressure sensation and pain for more than 3 months. Sometimes nasal polyps occur with the disease. The cause of the disease is not clear and various factors seem to be important. 

About 70-80% of patients with pollen allergy are significantly improved after allergen immunotherapy (AIT), while for others it has marginal or no effect. The reason for this variation is unclear and it would be of great benefit to be able to predict patient's and allergen related treatment effect and risk factors more precisely. Early prognostic markers would be valuable as treatment continues for several (3-5) years; one should be able to interrupt or modify the treatment for people where the prospect of success is poor. Research project is about why not all pollen allergic patients respond to AIT which represents the only curative therapy of allergic diseases that can suppress the complaints not only during the treatment but also after its termination.