title: [The use of serum and nasal eosinophilic cationic protein in the evaluation of the effectiveness of immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the use of eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) as an indicator of clinical efficiency of specific immunotherapy (SIT) in patients with allergic rhinitis sensitive to house dust mites.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specific immunotherapy was administered to 49 patients (20 males, 29 females; mean age 34.2 years; range 16 to 66 years) with perennial allergic rhinitis. Nasal secretion and serum ECP levels were measured before, at the 6th month of, and two years after completion of, treatment. Comparisons were made within the patient group and with a control group of 16 healthy subjects (10 males, 6 females; mean age 23 years; range 17 to 26 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pretreatment nasal ECP levels were significantly higher than those found after the treatment (p<0.001). Nasal ECP levels measured before SIT were significantly different from those of the control group (p<0.05). However, serum ECP levels did not differ significantly between the two groups (p>0.05). Serum ECP levels in the patient group tended to decrease with treatment (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that, in addition to the symptoms and clinical findings, nasal ECP measurement may be a reliable and suitable laboratory method to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Cerrahpaşa Medicine Faculty of Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. tahamiler@isbank.net.tr
authors.forename: Rauf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tahamiler
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yener
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canakçioğlu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D004391:Dust; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008925:Mites; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein