[A clinical evaluation of different schedules for specific immunotherapy and a comparative analysis of the changes in...

Based on an analysis of the results of specific immunotherapy (SI) (132 patients were treated according to the accelerated schedule and 420 to the conventional one) it is concluded that accelerated SI is more effective and is tolerated well by the patients. Comparative studies of immunity have shown that it underwent similar changes in both treatment schedules: the intensity of specific skin tests diminished; spontaneous and antigen-induced lymphocyte transformation in vitro decreased primarily at the expense of plasmacytes; antigen-induced cell suppression was enhanced more clearly as compared to nonspecific one; the percentage of the theophylline-sensitive E-RFC relatively increased; there were no alterations in the level of active and total E-RFC, in the lymphocyte response to PHA and in the content of total IgE in blood serum. Accelerated SI influences immunity to a greater degree. As compared to nonspecific tests, antigen-induced responses of lymphocytes are more informative as a criterion of the treatment efficacy. There is no distinct relation between the levels of antigen-induced and nonspecific suppression and IgE. There is a definite relation between the enhancement of antigen-induced suppression and the effect of SI. It is suggested that SI influences specific suppressor T-lymphocytes and directly influences B-lymphocytes, changing their spontaneous and specific activity.