Stress vulnerability in patients with drug allergy--psychological aspects revealed from some personal studies.

Previous studies revealed the fact that patients with allergic-type reactions to drugs display very frequently psychical disturbances, possibly in relation to the large amount of stress perceived by them. Some of these patients with psychiatric comorbidity show a disproportionate reaction, manifested as extensive psychosomatic disturbances, mimicking the psychic and somatic symptoms of a previous anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reaction, when a new drug or even when placebo preparations are given. The neurotic symptoms, very frequently encountered in patients with allergic-type reactions to drugs (including asthma patients) appear to be secondarily-induced by the anxious experience of the drug-provoked accident.

Bronchial asthma with psychogenic trigger.

The authors present several personal studies in accordance with other published data which contest the existence of purely psychogenic bronchial asthma, as it was considered 30-50 years ago. Although psychological stimuli could trigger the occurrence of attacks of bronchial asthma, they are not an exclusive etiological factor (Iamandescu, 1980, 1985). In the context of large groups of asthma with allergic or other etiology, forms of asthma that are triggered by an additional psychogenic factor could be identified.

Asthma in children and adolescents: socio-economic and psycho-somatic considerations.

Bronchial asthma, despite the theoretical and experimental medical progress, remains the most frequently seen chronic disease of the children and has a heavy impact on global morbidity and mortality. The inadequate psychological approach to the asthmatic child and his family can be responsible for this failure in asthma control. We present here the psychosomatic characteristics of the child with asthma and his parents.

Changes of some parameters of humoral and cellular immunity in allergy to pollen.

The study of some parameters of humoral and cellular immunity in 45 pollinosis patients and 18 healthy controls, showed a deficit of humoral immunity reflected in a decrease of the IgA and IgG mean values and an increase of the IgM mean values (coefficient of correlation (r): r IgA/IgG = 0.912; r IgM/IgG = -0.316).

Clinical study on value and limitations of subcutaneous immunotherapy (specific hyposensitization) in allergic asthma to house dust mite, based on a personal algorithm of selection.

Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SI) was administered to 148 patients (76 males, 72 females; aged 6-48 years) with allergic asthma to house dust and mites (D. pteronyssinus). Skin tests were positive to both allergens.