Objektivierung des Therapieerfolges einer spezifischen Immuntherapie bei Gräserpollenallergie*

Abstract

So far it has not been possible to clearly objectify the success of a specific immunotherapy. The aim of the study is to determine which immunological parameters and which clinically biological observations can be used in order to verify a therapeutic success. In four different groups of patients suffering from grass pollen allergy, different specific immunotherapies were carried out pre-seasonally. Continuous observations of patients symptoms together with continuous measurements of the concentration of pollen in the air, of the usual whereabouts of the respective patients, as well as the determination of specific IgE and IgG antibodies before and after the immunotherapy, and the observation of the IgD titre were used as basis of assessment of the efficacy of the specific immunotherapy. Statistical evaluation showed that only the pollen-exposure measurement as compared to the complaints of the individual patients can yield exact information on the therapeutic success. The immunological parameters, in particular the determination of the specific IgG antibodies, are not statistically related to the actual therapeutic efficacy.