Treatment with hot, humid air reduces the nasal response to allergen challenge

Ten subjects with asymptomatic seasonal allergy, outside of their allergy season, underwent allergen provocation following 1 hour of exposure to air at either 20 degrees C and 30% relative humidity (RH) or air at 37 degrees C and 90% RH. The ipsilateral changes following antigen challenge were compared under the two conditions. Conditioning of the nose to 37 degrees C, 90% RH reduced total histamine release (7.9 +/- 1.8 ng vs 4.2 +/- 1.3 ng; p < or = 0.05), sneezes (6 +/- 2 vs 3 +/- 1; p < or = 0.05), pruritus (score of 17.4 +/- 6.0 vs score of 2.0 +/- 1.8 out of a total score of 100, p < or = 0.01), nasal airway resistance (1.4 +/- 0.8 kPa/L/sec vs 0.2 +/- 0.1 kPa/L/sec; p < or = 0.05), human serum albumin levels (389.6 +/- 53.4 micrograms vs 242.2 +/- 37.9 micrograms; p < or = 0.05), and congestion (score of 23.8 +/- 4.8 vs score of 10.6 +/- 5.4 out of a total score of 100, p < or = 0.01). It had no effect on the volume of secretions (p = 0.8), lactoferrin levels (p = 0.3), or rhinorrhea (p = 1.0). Thus air at 37 degrees C and 90% RH partially reduces the early response to antigen. Its effects are greatest on histamine release, the vascular response, and neural responses, with no effect on the glandular response. The mechanisms underlying these effects are unknown.