[Efficacy of specific immunotherapy in the treatment of children and youngsters suffering from atopic dermatitis Part II. Evaluation of skin reactivity and concentration of serum antigen specific immunoglobulin E directed against selected airborne allergens]

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) still remains a difficult clinical problem in terms of effective therapy. The aim of our study was to evaluate efficacy of specific immunotherapy performed with Novo-Helisen Depot allergy vaccines in the group of 36 children and youngsters with atopic dermatitis allergic to house dust mites (24 persons) and grass pollen allergens (12 patients), for the time period of 3 years. Skin reactivity (skin prick tests) and serum concentrations of antigen specific IgE were monitored in the course of treatment. The control group consisted of 20 patients with atopic dermatitis and IgE-mediated airborne allergy who were treated with conventional methods. Specific immunotherapy resulted in negativization of skin prick tests results and decrease of serum antigen specific IgE concentrations. On the contrary in the control group there was no tendency for negativization of skin prick tests and we observed an increase of serum concentration of antigen specific IgE directed against grass pollen allergens. Specific immunotherapy seems to be an effective therapeutic approach in selected cases of atopic dermatitis.