Oral hyposensitization therapy in Sugi pollinosis

Abstract

Comparative study on the clinical and immunological efficacy of oral and subcutaneous hyposensitization was investigated for Sugi pollinosis. Thirty adult patients with allergy to Sugi pollen were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: 15 of them by daily oral application of the crude freeze-dried Sugi pollen extracts, the remaining 15 by subcutaneous injection on a weekly basis until the maximum dose. Treatment started about 12 months before Sugi pollen season with the schedules for perennial hyposensitization in both groups. The two groups were well matched for usual severity of nasal symptoms. According to daily symptom score, assesment of the therapy effect was similar for both groups. However, nasal reactivity to Sugi pollen and eosinophils in nasal smear decreased more in the orally treated group than in the injection therapy group. The levels of serum Sugi-specific IgE antibody and histamine liberation from basophils appreciable decreased and also the increase of serum Sugi-specific IgG antibody was significantly seen in the orally treated group. No obvious side effect attributable to oral hyposensitization therapy was observed.