title: CD-sens: a biological measure of immunological changes stimulated by ASIT.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) in allergic rhinitis and asthma is the only treatment that effects the long-term development of these diseases. Basophil allergen threshold sensitivity, CD-sens, which is a valuable complement to resource-demanding clinical challenge tests, was used to monitor the initiation of ASIT induced allergen 'blocking activity'.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients IgE-sensitized to timothy (n = 14) or birch (n = 19) pollen were started on conventional (8-16 weeks) or ultra rush ASIT, respectively, and followed by measurements of CD-sens, allergen binding activity (ABA) and serum IgG4- and IgE-antibody concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD-sens decreased during the early phase of ASIT-treatment. In parallel, ABA increased and correlated significantly with the increasing levels of IgG4 antibody concentrations. High dosages of allergen were more effective while mode of dosing up did not seem to matter. No change was seen in basophil reactivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD-sens and ABA, in contrast to basophil reactivity, seem to be promising tools to monitor protective immune responses initiated by ASIT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Clinical Immunology and Allergy Unit, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nopp
authors.forename: L O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Cardell
authors.forename: S G O
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oman
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D001491:Basophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D029662:Betula / Q000276:immunology*; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E