[Evaluation of rapid injection immunotherapy by antigen specific IgE and IgG4 antibodies]

Ten children, aged 3 to 12 years old (mean 8), with house-dust-mite sensitive bronchial asthma were hospitalized and administered a course of rapid injection immunotherapy with house-dust (HD) antigen. In order to evaluate rapid injection immunotherapy, we examined total IgE, anti-HD IgE and IgG4 antibodies, anti-mite (Dermatophagoides farinae: DF) IgE antibodies, and anti-DF IgG4 antibodies in their sera serially from 56 to 80 weeks after rapid injection. The results were as follows: 1) All of their clinical courses were markedly improved by this immunotherapy. 2) Total IgE levels were unchanged. 3) Anti-HD IgE antibodies were decreased 5 weeks after rapid administration (p less than 0.01). And anti-DF IgE antibodies were also decreased (p less than 0.05). 4) Anti-DF IgG4 antibodies were increased more than twofold from 2 to 5 weeks after rapid administration (p less than 0.02). Rapid injection immunotherapy produced positive effects in some of the asthmatic children. This seemed to be attributable to the production of antigen specific IgG4 antibodies (said to be blocking antibodies) and the reduction of antigen specific IgE antibodies.