Modified parameters of allergy after immunotherapy

MALDONADO AM; CARIDDI LN; ALANIZ F

Congreso; XXI World Allergy Congress; 2009

Background: Most allergic patients, after a year of allergen -specific immunotherapy, show improvement in the frequency and intensity of the symptoms. The objective was to demonstrate that allergen -specific immunotherapy has modulating effects on clinical, cellular and molecular parameters, of allergy. Methods: The study included 35 asthmatic allergic patients and 10 healthy controls from 5 to 14 years of age Peak expiratory flow, skin reactivity, cytogram of nasal smear eosinophilia was conducted. β- hexosaminidase enzyme release assays and Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells cultures stimulated with specific allergens, were realized. Total IgE, sCD23 and IL-13 were measured in serum and IFN- γ, in culture supernatants. The patients ’ parents signed an agreement authorizing the studies carried out with a sample corresponding to an aliquot of the blood extracted for blood cytology and other routine examinations. This study was approved by the Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Institutional Review Board. Results: In all the cases a reduction in the frequency and intensity of the asthma attacks and a decrease in medical consultations and antiallergic drug consumption were observed . There were increases in the volumes of peak expiratory flow, p < 0.002. Skin reactivity was reduced in 75% of the cases, p < 0.0001. Nasal smear eosinophilia fell, in 72% of the cases, p < 0.0001. A decrease was observed in allergen specific β- hexosaminidase enzyme released, p < 0.0001. After a year of allergen- specific immunotherapy, the cellular expansion produced by the specific allergen was similar in 40% of the cases to that of cultures without stimulus. A decrease was observed in the average levels of lgE and sCD23, p < 0.0005. IL-13 serum levels did not vary in patients treated with allergen-specific immunotherapy . IFN-γ values were smaller in allergic patients in comparison with the controls, p < 0.02. IFN -γ synthesis did not vary after a year of allergen -specific immunotherapy . Conclusions: The allergen -specific immunotherapy administered via subcutaneous route for a year demonstrated therapeutic effectiveness in asthmatic children with changes in multiple parameters: clinical, cellular and molecular.