Study vaccine ineffective against cypress pollen allergy.(Brief Article)

2002 OCT 9 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An attempt to develop a vaccine for cypress pollen allergy did not yield a sucessful immunotherapy, researchers in France report.

"Cupressaceae pollen allergy is a world-wide pollenosis but immunotherapy has rarely been tested," noted P. Demoly and colleagues. "Immunotherapy is usually allergen-specific but new forms may be targeted towards immunoglobulin E (IgE)."

The scientists conducted a "randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study" in 60 patients "to assess the efficacy of a vaccine made of keyhole lampet hemocyanin (KLH)-conjugated decapeptide from the Fcepsilon4 domain of the IgE in cypress pollinosis.

The patients "were included on a suggestive clinical history, positive skin tests and nasal challenge to cypress pollen extract," explained Demoly's team. "Three intramuscular injections of the vaccine (250 micrograms) or placebo were administered monthly with a booster injection 5 to 8 weeks later. The primary end-point criterion was the threshold dose inducing a positive nasal challenge. The secondary end-point was the symptom-medication scores measured when cypress pollen grains were over 50 grains/m[superscript]3."

The ...