A double blind study on immunotherapy with chemically modified honey bee venom: monomethoxy polyethylene glycol-coupled versus crude honey bee venom.
24 patients with honey bee sting allergy were treated with either honey bee venom (HBV) or monomethoxy polyethylene glycol-coupled HBV (PEG-HBV) in a double blind trial. Both treatments induced a strong increase in HBV-specific IgG antibodies in most patients. Immunotherapy with PEG-HBV was much better tolerated than that with HBV. Conversely, patients on HBV did considerably better during a sting challenge with a living honey bee. Only 4 developed a large local and one a mild systemic reaction compared to 7 large local and 3 moderate to severe systemic reactions in the PEG-HBV-group. A higher maintenance dose of PEG-HBV may still be well tolerated but prove more effective at reexposure.
D000328:Adult; D001514:Bee Venoms / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000628:therapy*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use
D001514:Bee Venoms; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C028210:monomethoxypolyethylene glycol