3 Double-blind Study of the Use of Transfer Factor (TF) Combined With Sublingual Immunotherapy in Management of Patients With Allergic Rhinitis in Mexican Population

Abstract

BackgroundAllergic diseases affect 20% of world population and allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most common, alone or associated with asthma. Antigen-specific immunotherapy has been world-desensitizing type studied showing that it is capable of modifying the natural history of the disease through changes in the immune response increasing the role of clones of lymphocytes T helper type I (LTh1) and inhibiting the activity of type 2 (LTh2). Dialyzable leukocyte extract or transfer factor (TF) has shown the same stimulatory effect.ObjectiveEvaluate the synergistic effect of TF associated with SLIT in patients with RA.Material and MethodsWe studied 94 patients with RA. We included randomized into 2 groups (47 each one) both received antigen-specific sublingual immunotherapy (SLITAE) and also in group 1 was given oral TF Unit at one 200 mg monthly for 3 months, and group 2 placebo. We used a control group only to compared the normal results. All patients underwent complete blood count (BHC), immunoglobulins, quantification of cell-type lymphocyte CD3, CD4, CD8, interleukin (IL2, IL4, IL5, IL10, TNF and IFN). The nasal symptoms were evaluated monthly for 3 months, with test score symptoms questionary 4 (TSSQ4) and auto-evaluation by scale Linker.ResultsWe studied 94 AR patients (50% women and 50% men, range age between 5 and 40 years). Indoor antigens (mites, house dust and cockroach) were the main cause of allergy. Allergic patients had more eosinophiles and IgE than the healthy controls (P < 0.05). The number of CD8+ lymphocytes was slightly reduced in group 2 after treatment (P < 0.05), whereas the amount of IL-4 and IFN ƒnwere increased in both groups (P < 0.005) and the amount of IL-10 was significantly increased in group 1 (P < 0.01) after treatment. Clinical evaluation was with initial TSSQ4 of 11.6 before handling and 5.1 (44%) after, with significant improvement (P < 0.0001) and Likert score was reduced 69% than the star the treatment.ConclusionsThe TF along with SLITAE in the treatment of patients with RA did not alter the clinical improvement induced by SLITAE alone for 3 months of treatment, but the combination increased production of IL 10 and production of IFNg.