[Reduced allergen immunotherapy of grass pollinosis (author's transl)]

An excellent model for investigating the maximization of specific immunotherapy is grass pollen allergy. Treatment is more effective when the number of component antigens used are reduced. We know that rye and cocksfoot pollen carry major antigens of grass pollen. A controlled clinical study was carried out with 128 patients divided into 5 groups as follows: Group 1 - treatment with a mixture of 7 grass pollen extracts (Allpyral). Group 2 - treatment with a cocksfoot pollen extract (Allpyral). Group 3 - treatment with a rye pollen extract (Allpyral). Group 4 - treatment with a mixture containing 50% rye pollen and 50% cocksfoot (Allpyral). Group 5 - was control group without immunotherapy. In brief, groups 1 to 4 showed better results than group 5. Group 2-cocksfoot, group 3-rye and group 4-cocksfoot-rye showed significantly better results than group 1-7 grass pollen extract. When severe symptoms were present the group 4, rye-cocksfoot treatment was significantly better than the others. This example illustrates the fact that specific allergen use improves the success of immunotherapy. In grass pollen allergy treatment cocksfoot and rye are of particular importance.