Sublingual-swallow immunotherapy with standardized 3-grass pollen extract: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is accepted as a safe and effective route for the treatment of grass pollen allergy, but clarification of its clinical and biological efficacy requires more study.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and compliance of SLIT with a standardized 3-grass pollen extract in patients with grass pollen seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, with or without mild asthma.

Methods: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind study included 127 patients (aged 12-41 years; mean age, 24.

Skin reactions to intradermal neuromuscular blocking agent injections: a randomized multicenter trial in healthy volunteers.

Background: Numerous reports confirm the performance of intradermal tests for the diagnosis of anaphylaxis during anesthesia; however, there is controversy over their diagnostic value regarding the newer neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs).

Methods: One hundred eleven healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to receive intradermal injections of two NMBAs, at five increasing concentrations. A concentration was considered as a reactive concentration when it led to a positive reaction in more than 5% of the subjects.

Specific immunotherapy with standardized latex extract versus placebo in latex-allergic patients.

Background: Allergy to natural rubber latex proteins continues to be an important medical problem among health care professionals, but also in multioperated children. Clinical manifestations range from urticaria to angioedema, rhinoconjunctivitis, bronchial asthma and anaphylactic shock.

Methods: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of a 12-month latex-specific immunotherapy in sensitized patients, most often health care workers.

The effect of montelukast on rhinitis symptoms in patients with asthma and seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate montelukast 10 mg daily as treatment for allergic rhinitis in patients with symptomatic allergic rhinitis and active asthma during the allergy season.

Methods: This was a multicenter study of 831 patients (ages 15 years-85 years) with seasonal allergen sensitivity, active symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis, and active asthma. Following a single-blind, placebo run-in period of 3 days-5 days, patients were randomized to oral montelukast 10 mg (n = 415) or placebo (n = 416) daily during the 2-week, double-blind, active-treatment period.

The en 455-3 modified lowry assay does not yield a reliable estimate of the allergenicity level of latex gloves with low total protein content.

Background: Estimation of the allergenicity of latex gloves by measurement of total extractable protein content with the modified Lowry method is not satisfactory. Therefore, complementary methods that are accurate, sensitive, and clinically relevant are needed. The Competitive Immunoassay for Antigenic Latex Proteins (CIALP) method described in a previous study could be a reliable complementary method for estimating the allergenicity of latex gloves.

Mizolastine in primary acquired cold urticaria.

Background: Treatment of primary acquired cold urticaria (CU) is quite difficult because of variable clinical effectiveness and side effects of classic antihistamines.

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of mizolastine, an antihistaminic with antiallergic properties, versus placebo in primary acquired CU.

Methods: This study was a phase II, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study of mizolastine (10 mg, once daily) versus placebo in 28 patients with primary acquired CU.

Emerging principles for the design of promiscuous HLA-DR-restricted peptides: an example from the major bee venom allergen.

Mechanisms underlying successful immunotherapy of allergic patients operate at the level of CD4+ helper T cells. T cell epitopes from allergens may thus constitute interesting molecules for immunotherapy, provided they are efficient for all patients and are not recognized by IgE. In an attempt to define such peptides for allergy to bee venom, we have investigated the capacity of peptides encompassing the sequence of the major bee venom allergen to stimulate PBMC from allergic patients and to react specifically with their IgE.

Mizolastine provides effective symptom relief in patients suffering from perennial allergic rhinitis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study versus loratadine.

Background: Mizolastine is a nonsedating H1 histamine receptor antagonist with additional antiallergic properties currently marketed in Europe for the treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) and urticaria.

Objective: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mizolastine in PAR compared with loratadine and placebo.

Methods: After a 1-week placebo run-in period, 428 adult PAR patients received placebo (146 of 428), mizolastine 10 mg (141 of 428), or loratadine 10 mg (141 of 428) once daily for 28 days.

Acetaminophen (paracetamol)-induced anaphylactic shock.

Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is a widely prescribed analgesic-antipyretic drug. Adverse allergic reactions to this drug are rare. We report a case of anaphylactic shock due to acetaminophen.