[The results of extra diagnostic methods in patients allergic to dust mites treated by specific immunotherapy].

BACKGROUND: In addition to allergen elimination, specific immunotherapy remains the only recognized causal treatment of allergic diseases. Nevertheless, there are no commonly accepted parameters and tests allowing for the evaluation and prediction of its efficacy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of readily available supplemental allergy tests and to attempt to associate those findings with the outcome of therapy for desensitized patients.

METHODS: This study was conducted in a group of 22 patients receiving specific immunotherapy for perennial allergic rhinitis to dust mites. The results of skin prick tests, sIgE levels, nasal eosinophilia levels as well as specific nasal provocation tests measured by acoustic rhinometry were compared prior to desensitization and two years following the therapy. The control group comprised 17 allergic patients treated without immunotherapy.

RESULTS: Apart from the confirmation of immunotherapy efficacy, a positive correlation between its results and the results of the nasal provocation test (correlation coefficient r = 0.85) were demonstrated in this study. No relationship was however found between the obtained result and the results of skin prick tests (r = 0.57) and serum sIgE levels (r = 0.59) or nasal eosinophilia (r = 0.57). The result of acoustic rhinometry corresponded well with clinical manifestations observed in nasal provocation tests.

CONCLUSIONS: The specific nasal provocation test is an easy method that may be used for monitoring the efficacy of immunotherapy, and acoustic rhinometry is a good method for measuring its results.