Double-blind, placebo-controlled immunotherapy with mixed grass-pollen allergoids. II. Comparison between parameters assessing the efficacy of immunotherapy.
Specific immunotherapy is effective in alleviating symptoms in grass pollen-induced rhinitis, but there are no clear data demonstrating a correlation between symptom-medication scores and objective parameters. Twenty-five patients taking part in a double-blind, placebo-controlled immunotherapy with mixed grass pollen-formalinized allergoids were studied. All patients had the same investigations. Symptom-medication scores were significantly (p less than 0.005, Mann-Whitney U test) reduced in the treated group by comparison to the placebo-treated patients. Nasal challenges performed with threefold increasing numbers of orchard grass-pollen grains demonstrated that patients treated with allergoid tolerated a significantly (p less than 0.005, Wilcoxon W test) greater number of grains after treatment, whereas there was no mean difference in the placebo-treated patients. There was a significant (p less than 0.005, Spearman rank-correlation) correlation between nasal challenges and symptom scores during the season. The skin prick test end point was significantly (p less than 0.001, Wilcoxon W test) reduced after treatment in the allergoid-treated group and remained unchanged in the placebo-treated group. There was a significant (p less than 0.001) correlation between the skin prick test end point and symptom scores during the season. Serum grass-pollen IgG titrated by a solid-phase radioimmunoassay with Staphylococcus A protein was significantly (p less than 0.01, Wilcoxon W test) increased after treatment with allergoid, but there was no significant correlation between IgG titer and symptom scores during the season. Serum grass-pollen IgE increased (p less than 0.04, Wilcoxon W test) in the treated group but there was no correlation with symptom scores.
Bousquet
J
J
Clinique des Maladies Respiratoires, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, France.
Maasch
H
H
Martinot
B
B
Hejjaoui
A
A
Wahl
R
R
Michel
F B
FB
D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D009299:Nasal Provocation Tests; D006109:Poaceae / Q000276:immunology*; D011058:Pollen; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000628:therapy*; D012882:Skin Tests; D013997:Time Factors
D000485:Allergens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G