[Evaluation of efficacy for Japanese cedar pollen-specific immunotherapy by lymphocyte proliferation test]

Peripheral mononuclear cells from 47 patients suffering from Japanese cedar pollinosis were stimulated with crude pollen extract of Cryptomeria Japonica (CJ) to evaluate the effect of CJ-specific immunotherapy. The stimulation index (SI) with crude pollen extract of CJ in the patients with excellent and good clinical outcome was significantly lower than those with poor outcome. The SI increased with the increasing symptoms in a dose dependent manner. In the patients under immunotherapy for long period, the good clinical outcome and low SI were gained. These results suggest that peripheral lymphocyte proliferation test should be a good objective indicator for allergen-specific immunotherapy.