Local nasal immunotherapy for ragweed-allergic rhinitis. III. A second year of treatment.

In 1979, pre-seasonal local nasal immunotherapy (LNIT) was found to be an effective treatment for ragweed hay fever. In 1980, this study was continued to evaluate the clinical and immunologic responses of a second year of LNIT. Patients received either pre-seasonal treatment with an unmodified ragweed extract (RW) or a polymerized ragweed extract (PRW), or no treatment.

Effect of prolonged venom immunotherapy on serum venom-specific IgE and IgG.

Serum venom-specific IgE and IgG were monitored in twenty-three patients receiving venom immunotherapy for more than 3 years. Two response patterns of IgE antibody were found. Following initiation of therapy, seven patients had a rise in serum venom-specific IgE, peaking at one year, then decreasing.

Multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of fluocortin butyl in perennial rhinitis.

Fluocortin butyl (FCB) is a newly synthesized corticosteroid with a high ratio of topical to systemic activity. FCB was studied in a multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of therapy of perennial rhinitis. The study was conducted between January and May 1981.

Modified rapid venom desensitization.

The clinical and immunologic response to a modified rapid (r) regimen of venom immunotherapy was evaluated and compared to a traditional (t) therapeutic regimen. Nineteen patients in the r group received a starting dose of 0.01 microgram and reached a maintenance dose of 50 micrograms in 7 weeks.

Local intranasal immunotherapy for grass-allergic rhinitis.

In a double-blind controlled study, local intranasal immunotherapy was evaluated for the treatment of grass pollenosis. On the basis of serum grass-specific IgE levels, 50 grass-allergic patients were randomly divided into three groups and treated with either an aqueous solution of mixed-grass extract, a formaldehyde-modified mixed-grass extract (allergoid), or a histamine solution (placebo). Intranasal solutions were administered in gradually increasing doses over a preseasonal 10 wk period, adverse local reactions from the aqueous grass extract were frequent during treatment.