Local production of IgE and other immunologic mediators in nasal lavage fluid in allergic rhinitis patients before and after the specific immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus

• Grant number: 11/11192-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: January 01, 2012
• End date: December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Clóvis Eduardo Santos Galvão
• Grantee: Clóvis Eduardo Santos Galvão
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Adriana Teixeira Rodrigues

Abstract

Allergic rhinitis is important both for the lower quality of life and as a risk factor for the de-velopment of asthma and/or the worsening of asthma control but also for the direct and indirect costs it causes. The nasal mucosa is the site of development of symptoms because it is constantly exposed to the environment. The IgE is most important marker of allergy, but its presence can be related to sensitization and not necessarily the presence of the allergic disease. Local production of IgE in the nasal mucosa has been described by several authors who demonstrated that atopic individuals produce a higher number of IgE compared with non-atopic. One of the recommended treatments for allergic rhinitis is specific immunotherapy, recognized as the only treatment able to alter the natural course of the disease and reverse the sensitization to the administered allergens. However, to date no studies have evaluated the effect of specific immunotherapy in the local production of IgE in the nasal mucosa and the clinical significance of this effect. This study aims to describe the changes in local production of total and specific IgE and spe-cific IgG4 in the nasal mucosa after specific allergen immunotherapy, seeking to associate these changes with improvement of symptoms and the presence of immunological alterations described in the literature when the immunotherapy is properly performed. The selected patients will be assessed by nasal lavage studies, collection of peripheral blood and in vivo tests for detection of specific IgE before the start of treatment. After a period of 6 months of specific immunotherapy (corresponding to the build up phase) for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus these assessments will be repeated and compared between the two periods. (AU)