title: Usefulness of suplatast tosilate, a Th2 cytokine inhibitor based on the Th1/Th2 ratio for allergic disease in children: a retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children with an atopic predisposition are presumed to have persistent Th2 dominance and thus develop allergic diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 45 children who fell to atopic dermatitis and/or intermittent asthma or mild persistent asthma between 2002 and 2007 were enrolled and retrospectively analyzed. Twenty-four children were administered oral treatment with the immunopharmacological drug suplatast tosilate (CAS 94055-76-2) at a dose of 3 mg/kg twice daily. Twenty-one of the control group were not administered oral suplatast tosilate but treated with other drugs. Blood was collected before and after administering suplatast tosilate or other drugs, and Th1 cells, Th2 cells, the Th1/Th2 ratio, the total IgE levels, and the eosinophil count were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the suplatast tosilate group, Th1 cells increased to 7.9 (1.2-19.8) % from 5.5 (1.1-13.5) % (Wilcoxon P < 0.05), while the Th2 cells showed a decrease from 1.3 (0.5-6.5) % to 1.6 (0.4-2.9) %, but the differences were not significant. The Th1/Th2 ratio increased significantly from 4.1 (0.9-7.4) to 5.6 (1.3-15.5) (shifting to Th1 dominance) in the suplatast tosilate group (Wilcoxon P < 0.05), while it shifted to Th2 dominance in the control group (increased from 4.5 (2.2-12.2) to 5.7 (1.6-11.8)) but did not show significant difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Th1/Th2 ratio increased significantly after administration of suplatast tosilate, shifting to Th1 dominance. Therefore suplatast tosilate improves Th2 dominance and may inhibit subsequent progression of allergy over the long term.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan. shigemi@dokkyomed.ac.jp
authors: Shigemi
authors: S
authors: Yoshihara
authors: Hironobu
authors: H
authors: Fukuda
authors: Osamu
authors: O
authors: Arisaka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001190:Arylsulfonates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D019999:Pharmaceutical Solutions; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058408:Th1-Th2 Balance / Q000187:drug effects*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D001190:Arylsulfonates; D016207:Cytokines; D019999:Pharmaceutical Solutions; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; C073028:suplatast tosilate