[The effect of specific immunotherapy on serum eotaxin level in patients with pollinosis: preliminary studies]

Eotaxin belongs to CC chemokines with selective activity for eosinophils and basophils. Specific immunotherapy (SIT) represents the only curative approach for allergic inflammation. The aim of this study was an evaluation of the effect of SIT on serum eotaxin level in patients with seasonal allergy. 40 patients (mean age 26 +/- 8.15 with seasonal allergy to birch, 25 with seasonal allergy to grasses) and 35 persons (mean age 27 +/- 8) of the control group took part in this study. Preseasonal immunotherapy (Allergovit, Germany) was performed in conventional schedule in patients with pollinosis. Clinical assessment of symptoms in season (score) was done by all of the patients studied. ELISA test was used to measure serum eotaxin level (pg/ml, kits from R&D) before, after immunotherapy, in pollen season and after season in patients with disease. There was observed increased eotaxin concentration in patients with allergy to birch (140.6 +/- 53.7) as compared to the eotaxin level in the control group (102.1 +/- 53.7) (p < 0.05). There was observed decreased eotaxin level after immunotherapy (115.9 +/- 49.9) (p < 0.05) in patients with allergy to birch, but no with allergy to grasses. When patients with clinical improvement were taken into account, the significant difference (p < 0.05) in eotaxin concentration was showed before (126.7 +/- 52.4) and after immunotherapy (102.5 +/- 44.8). The eotaxin level in pollen season of patients with clinical improvement was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased (116.5 +/- 54.3) as compared to the eotaxin level in patients without clinical improvement (139.8 +/- 46.3). The results suggest an involvement of eotaxin in pathomechanism of SIT. The effect depends on kind of allergen evaluated. Further longitudinal controlled investigations should establish the role measuring serum eotaxin level in the clinical evaluation of SIT.