Allergies are becoming more and more prevalent, with systemic symptoms. With the increase of industrialization and changes in national lifestyle, the incidence of allergic diseases is increasing year by year in China, with children being the “hardest hit”. Allergy is an abnormal immune response caused by allergens, which is a systemic disease that can occur in different organs and parts of the body and produce different symptoms. Allergies that occur in the respiratory system include allergic rhinitis, allergic bronchitis, allergic asthma, etc., mainly manifested as sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, itchy nose, wheezing, breath-holding …… Allergies that occur on the skin include eczema, drug rash, urticaria, contact dermatitis, etc., manifested as various types of rashes, mostly with red, swollen and itchy Allergies that occur in the eyes are allergic conjunctivitis, the eyes will be red, swollen, itchy, and have sticky discharge …… Allergies that occur in the digestive tract will show symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, and abnormal bowel movements. Some severe allergies can occur with severe allergic reactions throughout the body such as skin flushing, choking, breathing difficulties, lowered blood pressure, blurred vision, fainting, and loss of consciousness. Causes, a combination of genetics and the environment The causes of allergies are complex, the result of a combination of genetics and the environment, but also inextricably linked to the increasing stress of life. Professor Yin Jia said that allergic diseases are not genetic diseases, but they have a certain genetic tendency. According to statistics, if one parent suffers from allergic diseases, the possibility of the child suffering from allergic diseases is about 30 percent; if both parents suffer from allergic diseases, the possibility of the child suffering from allergic diseases is up to 50 percent or more. In addition, the massive use of chemicals and the increasing environmental pollution have also caused a high incidence of allergies. Allergic diseases are also a kind of “affluent disease”, that is, the incidence rate of developed areas and urban population is higher than that of non-developed areas and villages; the incidence rate of high-income people is higher than that of low-income people. In addition, the incidence rate of young people is higher than that of middle-aged and old people …… Allergic reactions are often unnoticed and come around. When symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, itchy skin and red eyes occur, people usually go to dermatology, ophthalmology, respiratory medicine and ear, nose and throat, but often pass by the door of allergic reactions department. In fact, the Department of Allergology, also known as the Department of Allergic Reactions, is a specialized department for the treatment of allergic diseases, where doctors help patients find and treat allergens in order to reduce symptoms and control the disease. Allergens, the key to sensitization Director Yin said that allergens are antigens that can make people allergic and can be found almost everywhere, in the air, food, drinks, medications, and everyday products. According to the different ways of human exposure to allergens, allergens are usually divided into: inhalation allergens, including pollen, dust mites, mold, pet dander, etc.; food allergies, such as milk, eggs, cereals, beef and lamb, seafood, fruits, nuts, vegetables, etc.; contact allergens, including all kinds of cosmetics, hair dyes, drugs, organic solvents, etc.; drug allergens, including all of the above exposure methods, can be ingested, inhaled, contacted or injected into the body. Drug allergens, including all the above contact methods, can be ingested, inhaled, contacted or injected to cause sensitization and allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis caused by injection of penicillin, streptomycin, and heterologous serum. Among drug allergies, allergic reactions induced by the injection route are the most serious, so Professor Yin advocates that drugs should not be injected if they can be taken orally. Finding the right allergen is the key to treating allergies At present, most allergy patients usually only do treatment to relieve their symptoms, without finding the real cause of allergy, which leads to repeated aggravation and persistence. In fact, frequent allergies can only be solved at the root of the problem through allergen screening tests to find out which allergen is causing the allergic reaction. At present, there are two main clinical methods of allergen detection: allergen skin testing and serum-specific IgE testing, skin testing including intradermal testing and prick testing. The intradermal test is to make allergen preparations of substances that may cause allergy and inject them into the patient’s skin, if allergic, the skin test site will appear red and windy reaction. The prick test is to put allergen preparation drops on the skin of the patient’s inner forearm and use a special prick needle to make a puncture wound on the skin so that the allergic substance comes into contact with the body, and a positive result can trigger a local redness or wind-blown reaction to find out the allergen. Serological testing is done by drawing blood to find allergen-specific IgE antibodies to find allergens. Prof. Yin especially pointed out that in the clinical diagnosis of allergic diseases, especially in the determination of food allergy, one cannot easily conclude that one is allergic to a substance based on a positive IgE or positive skin test alone, but must closely combine clinical symptoms and the patient’s medical history to make a comprehensive judgment. Should I check for allergens in urticaria? For urticaria, Prof. Yin Jia also made a special note. According to Professor Yin, there are many causes of urticaria, dust mites, food, drugs, infections, autoimmune diseases, malignant tumors, endocrine disorders, and increased stress can all induce urticaria. Only 10% of the many patients with urticaria can find a clear trigger, and many people have had a transient attack of urticaria in their lifetime. If we have to look for a trigger as soon as we find urticaria, it may impose an unnecessary financial burden on the patient himself and the country. Prof. Yin asks every urticaria patient about all the above-mentioned relevant factors during consultation. If she can learn the causative factors through consultation, she will try to reduce the number of tests, but in cases where the patient herself is adamant or she deems it necessary, she will do a full examination to rule out the causative factors. Therefore, Prof. Yin Jia recommends that patients with less severe acute urticaria be treated symptomatically first and then undergo allergen testing and systemic systemic examination if symptoms worsen or recur for a long period of time. Professor Yin says that we can often find various causative factors for patients with urticaria, and that it is important to be very thorough in the consultation of patients with urticaria. Because of this, Professor Yin can see up to 10 initial patients and 10 follow-up patients per outpatient unit. Nine reagents approved, a new boon for patients The basis for diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases is allergenic agents. For a long time, due to the lack of allergic disease-specific diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and related allergen agents, many patients with allergic diseases could not be diagnosed and treated with desensitization. For this reason, based on the research of the older generation of experts in the Department of Allergology of Peking Union Medical College, Professor Yin Jia led the team of the Department of Allergology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, which took more than ten years to lead the research on the topic of “Establishment of Chinese Allergic Disease Diagnostic and Treatment System and Key Technology Research”, and took the lead in verifying the clinical value of specific diagnosis and immunotherapy of domestic allergen agents. At present, nine allergen preparations have been approved by Peking Union Medical College Hospital and approved by the Beijing Food and Drug Administration for transfer among hospitals in the capital, and will be approved by the State Drug Administration for transfer among major hospitals nationwide within the year. The nine preparations cover the most common allergens in life such as dust mites, molds, spring pollen, autumn pollen and pet dander. A large number of allergy patients in China will benefit from this. This subject was awarded the second prize of Beijing Science and Technology, the third prize of Chinese Medical Association, the prize of Translational Medicine Achievement of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and the first prize of medical achievement of Peking Union Medical College Hospital last year. Pollen allergy patients, treat after October Prof. Yin Jia pointed out that in August, Beijing enters the rainy season, and the humid and muggy environment is conducive to the growth of dust mites and molds, and patients allergic to dust mites and molds will have their symptoms aggravated at this time. From the beginning of autumn, patients allergic to artemisia, grass pollen and summer and autumn pollen enter the most difficult season of the year, and some patients with severe symptoms can develop asthma, which can seriously affect their lives and work. Professor Yin suggests that pollen allergy patients should wait until October when pollen symptoms are reduced before starting desensitization treatment. For some patients with milder symptoms of dust mite and mold allergy, desensitization treatment can also be started during this season if the asthma symptoms are well controlled. Desensitization therapy, also known as allergen-specific immunotherapy, involves making preparations of allergic substances in small to large doses and injecting them subcutaneously several times into the patient to make the body tolerant to the substance. The period of desensitization treatment is long, usually three to five years, and most patients experience relief from their symptoms after treatment. It is now believed that desensitization therapy can stop the natural progression of allergic rhinitis to asthma, and effective desensitization therapy can significantly reduce the dose of inhaled hormones and improve the quality of life of patients with asthma. Just as everything is mutually exclusive, many people will “clash” with specific foods, items and weather, and once they come into contact with them, they will trigger an allergic reaction, which may cause numbness in the mouth and itchy skin in mild cases, or may kill them in a short time. Prof. Yin Jia suggests that the first task for people with frequent allergies is to find the allergen and avoid contact; patients with a history of severe allergies should carry with them “life-saving medication” such as epinephrine and injection devices; children should be exposed to nature after birth, and if possible, grow up with pets, and use less disinfectant and detergents at home; frequent use of antibiotics should be avoided. frequent use of antibiotics. Patients with dust mite allergy should wash bedding frequently and dry and expose it to the sun; patients with mold allergy should pay attention to opening windows more often and cleaning moldy books and food in time; when it is sunny and windy, patients with pollen allergy should go out less and avoid strenuous exercise; patients with pet allergy are better off avoiding pets in their bedrooms; people with food allergy can also avoid it if they find allergenic foods “The trouble comes from the mouth”.