[Effects of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen-specific immunotherapy on the prognosis of asthmatic children].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) on the prognosis of asthmatic children.


METHODS
Sixty-five children with established diagnosis of allergic asthma to dust mite were enrolled in this study, of whom 42 children received treatment with standardized SIT for 12 month and the other 23 served as the control group with inhaled corticosteroids according to Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). The serum levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were detected and the pulmonary functions examined before and after the one-year treatment in all the patients.


RESULTS
After the one-year treatment with SIT, the asthmatic children showed obviously reduced serum levels of IL-4, significantly increased IFN-gamma levels and the IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio (P<0.05), and markedly improved pulmonary functions (FVC, pre-FEV1% and pre-PEF%) (P<0.05). In the control group, the children exhibited significantly increased IFN-gamma levels and IFN-gamma/ IL-4 ratio (P<0.05) without obvious reduction of serum IL-4 levels or pulmonary function improvement (P>0.05). With comparable basic pulmonary functions in the two groups before the treatment, the children in SIT group showed significantly greater improvement in the pulmonary functions than those in the control group after the one-year treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The one-year treatment with SIT can significantly improve the pulmonary functions of children with allergic asthma, and this effect is attributed to the regulation of Th1/Th2 cell balance and inhibition of asthmatic airway remodeling by SIT.
Chen
Zhuang-Gui
ZG
Department of Pediatrics, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. chenzhuanggui@126.com
Chen
Yan-Feng
YF
Li
Ming
M
Ji
Jing-Zhi
JZ
Chen
Fen-Hua
FH
Chen
Hong
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma