Ragweed Immunotherapy in Adult Asthma

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 334; no. 8; pp. 501 - 507
• Main Authors: Creticos, Peter S, Reed, Charles E, Norman, Philip S, Khoury, Jane, Adkinson, N. Franklin, Buncher, C. Ralph, Busse, William W, Bush, Robert K, Gadde, Jyothi, Li, James T, Richerson, Hal B, Rosenthal, Richard R, Solomon, William R, Steinberg, Paul, Yunginger, John W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 22.02.1996
• Subjects: Adult; Allergies; Ambrosia; Asthma; Asthma - etiology; Asthma - immunology; Asthma - therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchial Provocation Tests; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Desensitization, Immunologic - adverse effects; Desensitization, Immunologic - economics; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulins - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Pneumology; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - complications; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - therapy; Seasons; Skin Tests; Treatment Outcome; United States; North America; America; United States > US; Minnesota; Baltimore Maryland; Human; Immunopathology; Allergy; Costs; Desensitization; Respiratory disease; Asthma; Treatment; Immunotherapy; Adult; Pollen; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Public health
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199602223340804

The efficacy of allergen immunotherapy in allergic rhinitis has been repeatedly demonstrated, and the technique is widely used. 1,2 Immunotherapy in allergic asthma continues to be controversial, however, despite studies of immunotherapy with grass pollen, ragweed pollen, cat dander, and dust mites that have consistently shown objective reductions in the sensitivity of people with allergic asthma, as measured by skin tests and bronchial challenges with allergen extracts. 1,2 Immunotherapy induces IgG protective antibodies, down-regulates T-cell responses, and inhibits inflammatory responses to challenges with allergens. 3,4 In people who are allergic to cats, it also reduces responses to cat allergen or to live cats. . . .