Positive and negative AIT trials: What makes the difference?
DiscussionA clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of an agent. However, studies with potential effective compounds may fail because of methodical issues. Sometimes, they are the cause of discrepancies between successful phase II and unsuccessful phase III trials. To understand more about failure of s tudies, investigators and editors should be encouraged to publish negative trials. (Source: Allergo Journal International)
Source: Allergo Journal International - May 24, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Placebo effects in allergen immunotherapy: an experts ’ opinion
AbstractPlacebo effects are common in medicine. Randomised clinical trials help us to understand their magnitude in different therapies. There are particular problems with placebo effects in allergen immunotherapy (AIT) as it is difficult to blind the active treatment and the endpoints are largely subjective. This may explain why large placebo effects are often found in AIT trials. Patients receiving open label AIT get the benefit of the active and placebo components but it can be difficult to say how much benefit is due to the active component. The use of active placebos has been proposed but brings its own problems (ethi...
Source: Allergo Journal International - May 24, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Penicillin allergy – recommendations for diagnostic work up and patient management
ConclusionThe overall predictive value of combined in vitro and in vivo allergy testing with β‑lactam antibiotics is approximately 90%. However, subsequent controlled provocation testing is recommended in order to reliably exclude allergic hypersensitivity. (Source: Allergo Journal International)
Source: Allergo Journal International - May 22, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Novel vaccines targeting dendritic cells by coupling allergoids to mannan
AbstractAllergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the single disease-modifying treatment for allergy. Clinical trials show AIT to be safe and effective for many patients; however, it still faces problems related to efficacy, safety, long treatment duration and low patient adherence. There has been intensive research to develop alternative stra tegies, including novel administration routes, adjuvants or hypoallergenic molecules. Promising results are reported for some of them, but clinical progress is still moderate. Allergoids conjugated to nonoxidized mannan from Saccharomyces cerevisiae have emerged as a novel concep...
Source: Allergo Journal International - May 18, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Sesame allergies: clinical significance, diagnosis, and therapy
ConclusionBeside diagnostic measurements including skin tests, detection of IgE antibodies and oral provocation tests, the education of patients with sesame allergy is of particular importance. This serves, firstly, to prevent recurrence of allergen exposure and, secondly, should contain information on self-management in the case of repeated reactions. The value of oral tolerance induction and preventive measures such as early introduction as a dietary supplement remains to be clarified in the future. (Source: Allergo Journal International)
Source: Allergo Journal International - May 1, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Respiratory virus-induced heterologous immunity
ConclusionRespiratory-virus induced HI may have protective but also detrimental effects on the host. Respiratory viral infections contribute to asthma or autoimmune disease development, but on the other hand, a lack of microbial encounter is associated with an increasing number of allergic as well as autoimmune diseases. Future research might help identify the elements which determine a protective or detrimental outcome in HI-based mechanisms. (Source: Allergo Journal International)
Source: Allergo Journal International - May 1, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
German pollen calendar 4.0 – update based on 2011–2016 pollen data
(Source: Allergo Journal International)
Source: Allergo Journal International - May 1, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Vitamin A and D in allergy: from experimental animal models and cellular studies to human disease
ConclusionAnimal studies predict that vitamin A and D may also be attractive players in the control of allergy in humans. Whether these experimental observations can be translated to the human situation remains open, as results from clinical trials are controversial. (Source: Allergo Journal International)
Source: Allergo Journal International - May 1, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Long-acting muscarinic antagonists for the treatment of asthma in children —a new kid in town
ConclusionFurther studies into the use of tiotropium, especially in younger children, could be of interest for future treatment decisions. (Source: Allergo Journal International)
Source: Allergo Journal International - April 26, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Multicenter survey of restaurant staff ’s knowledge of food allergy in eastern France
ConclusionsDespite the new regulation, currently eating out in restaurants does not put consumers with food allergies in the position of making safe food choices. Our findings also suggest the necessity for continuing to provide both food allergy and mandatory training and/or to incorporate such training into generic courses on food hygiene. Although the knowledge of the respondents was overall good in our study, certain gaps in this knowledge could be dangerous for consumers with allergies. We believe that the greater the number of trained staff in restaurants, the lower the risk of providing unsafe meals to clients. (Sou...
Source: Allergo Journal International - April 12, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
German pollen calendar 4.0 – update based on 2011–2016 pollen data
(Source: Allergo Journal International)
Source: Allergo Journal International - March 28, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Respiratory virus-induced heterologous immunity
ConclusionRespiratory-virus induced HI may have protective but also detrimental effects on the host. Respiratory viral infections contribute to asthma or autoimmune disease development, but on the other hand, a lack of microbial encounter is associated with an increasing number of allergic as well as autoimmune diseases. Future research might help identify the elements which determine a protective or detrimental outcome in HI-based mechanisms. (Source: Allergo Journal International)
Source: Allergo Journal International - March 26, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Local bivalve allergens
ConclusionThis minireview will provide a better understanding of each allergen derived from local bivalves which subsequently will help in the understanding of the specific immunoglobulin E(IgE)-mediated immune response. (Source: Allergo Journal International)
Source: Allergo Journal International - March 16, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
Safe and effective hyposensitization in bakers suffering from year-round allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and allergic bronchial asthma caused by flour dust allergy
ConclusionBoth SIT and dual therapy represent an effective and well-tolerated treatment option in flour dust-allergic individuals. (Source: Allergo Journal International)
Source: Allergo Journal International - March 5, 2018 Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
