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On Top of Atopy
Clinical Therapeutics/Volume 35, Number 5, 2013
Editor-in-Chief’s Note On Top of Atopy Atopic diseases are varied and often missed by even astute clinicians. Atopy is derived from the Greek word atopos, meaning out of place or out of the way.1 In medicine, it refers to localized, immunoglobulin E–mediated responses to a variety of antigens that include, but are not limited to, environmental antigens (eg, pollens), chemicals, and foods. Familial patterns are common but not consistently present. Manifestations are varied and include asthma, rhinitis, and skin and gastrointestinal problems. Arthur Coca first used the term atopy in his paper on the classification of hypersensitivity reaction written with Robert Cooke.2 Coca founded the Journal of Immunology and later became medical director of Lederle Laboratories from 1931 to 1949. Lederle is important in the history of clinical therapeutics for its discovery of agents such as triamcinolone, methotrexate, and tetracycline. First marketed as Aristocort® and later as Kenalog®, triamcinolone has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. In this issue, our Topic Editor for Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology, Theoharis C. Theoharides, MS, PhD, MD, focuses on some new atopic diseases (including the role of inflammation in their pathogenesis) that do not fit within the established definition of atopy because they do not involve immunoglobulin E. I am particularly pleased to announce that Dr. Theo, as many call him, was just elected to the Rare Diseases Hall of Fame for 2013.3 The Mastocytosis Society nominated him for this distinction, and we at Clinical Therapeutics extend our congratulations. Atopic diseases are poorly understood by many clinicians. We invite our readers to submit their research and commentaries to extend our coverage of this important topic. Richard I. Shader, MD Editor-in-Chief
REFERENCES 1. Coca AF, Cooke RA. On the classification of the phenomena of hypersensitivities. J Immunol. 1923;8:163–182. 2. Greek word study tool. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?1⫽a%29topi%2Fa&la⫽greek&prior⫽pare/xein. Accessed April 15, 2013. 3. US Rare Disease Day. Rare Disease Research Hall of Fame. http://rarediseaseday.us/meet-the-community/researche-hall-offame/. Accessed April 15, 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinthera.2013.04.005
May 2013
541
Editor-in-Chief’s Note On Top of Atopy Atopic diseases are varied and often missed by even astute clinicians. Atopy is derived from the Greek word atopos, meaning out of place or out of the way.1 In medicine, it refers to localized, immunoglobulin E–mediated responses to a variety of antigens that include, but are not limited to, environmental antigens (eg, pollens), chemicals, and foods. Familial patterns are common but not consistently present. Manifestations are varied and include asthma, rhinitis, and skin and gastrointestinal problems. Arthur Coca first used the term atopy in his paper on the classification of hypersensitivity reaction written with Robert Cooke.2 Coca founded the Journal of Immunology and later became medical director of Lederle Laboratories from 1931 to 1949. Lederle is important in the history of clinical therapeutics for its discovery of agents such as triamcinolone, methotrexate, and tetracycline. First marketed as Aristocort® and later as Kenalog®, triamcinolone has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. In this issue, our Topic Editor for Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology, Theoharis C. Theoharides, MS, PhD, MD, focuses on some new atopic diseases (including the role of inflammation in their pathogenesis) that do not fit within the established definition of atopy because they do not involve immunoglobulin E. I am particularly pleased to announce that Dr. Theo, as many call him, was just elected to the Rare Diseases Hall of Fame for 2013.3 The Mastocytosis Society nominated him for this distinction, and we at Clinical Therapeutics extend our congratulations. Atopic diseases are poorly understood by many clinicians. We invite our readers to submit their research and commentaries to extend our coverage of this important topic. Richard I. Shader, MD Editor-in-Chief
REFERENCES 1. Coca AF, Cooke RA. On the classification of the phenomena of hypersensitivities. J Immunol. 1923;8:163–182. 2. Greek word study tool. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?1⫽a%29topi%2Fa&la⫽greek&prior⫽pare/xein. Accessed April 15, 2013. 3. US Rare Disease Day. Rare Disease Research Hall of Fame. http://rarediseaseday.us/meet-the-community/researche-hall-offame/. Accessed April 15, 2013.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinthera.2013.04.005
May 2013
541