Discontinuing venom immunotherapy: extended observations.

Background: Our studies of discontinuing venom immunotherapy after at least 5 years have led to the conclusion that the residual risk of a systemic reaction to a sting was in the range of 5% to 10% in adults, and no severe or life-threatening reaction occurred with 270 challenge stings in 74 patients after 1 to 5 years without venom immunotherapy.

Objective: The objective of this study was to extend our observation of patients who discontinue venom immunotherapy over 5 to 10 years and to determine which patients are at higher risk for a reaction.

Methods: Patients who discontinued venom immunotherapy were surveyed for 3 consecutive years to determine the frequency of systemic reactions to field stings and the fate of venom sensitivity.

Natural history of Hymenoptera venom sensitivity in adults.

Background: Epidemiologic studies of Hymenoptera venom allergy in adults show a prevalence of positive venom skin test results, RASTs of 15% to 25%, or both, but most such individuals have had no systemic reactions to stings. The clinical significance and natural history of this apparently common sensitivity is uncertain.

Objective: We sought to determine the natural history of venom sensitization by observing the rate of decrease or increase in sensitivity in normal adults over 5 to 10 years.

Discontinuing venom immunotherapy: outcome after five years.

Background: The clinical and immunologic consequences of discontinuing venom immunotherapy are not well-defined. To determine which patients can safely stop treatment, we accepted all volunteers who had completed at least 5 years of maintenance venom immunotherapy regardless of the severity of the historical sting reaction, the persistence of venom skin test sensitivity, or any other variable.

Methods: Sting challenge was performed every 1 to 2 years after therapy was stopped; and venom-specific skin tests were performed, and IgE antibody levels were measured.

Frequency of adverse systemic reactions after fluorescein angiography. Results of a prospective study.

Intravenous fluorescein angiography is a commonly performed and extraordinarily valuable diagnostic procedure. The frequency of adverse reactions after angiography has varied considerably in previous reports. In a prospective study of 2789 angiographic procedures in 2025 patients, the authors found that the percentage of adverse reactions depended strongly on the patient's angiographic history.

Newborn basal forebrain lesions disrupt cortical cytodifferentiation as visualized by rapid Golgi staining.

We have previously shown that neonatal lesions of the basal forebrain cholinergic afferents result in transient cholinergic depletion concomitant with abnormal morphogenesis of cerebral cortex in Balb/CByJ mice (Höhmann et al., 1988). Here, we have utilized the rapid Golgi method to further characterize these previously observed abnormalities.