Specific IgE anti-ragweed antibodies (IgEAR) were measured over two years in two groups of highly sensitive @entity1 treated (immunized) with either ragweed extract or placebo and in a third group of placebo-treated, relatively insensitive @entity1 . The IgEAR on the @entity1 ' basophils were assessed by ragweed antigen E (AgE)-induced @entity112 release; blocking (IgG) antibodies were measured by their ability to inhibit AgE induced @entity112 release. These data were evaluated against the clinical severity of ragweed hay @entity221 in each @entity1 . WE FOUND THAT: (a) In placebo treated @entity1 IgEAR usually declined gradually prior to the ragweed season and were boosted by environmental exposure to ragweed pollen. (b) In immunized @entity1 the IgEAR rose at the beginning of treatment, but fell as immunotherapy proceeded; by the end of the second year the levels had decreased in 18/19 @entity1 . (c) The increase in blocking antibody during immunotherapy correlated significantly (P < 0.05) with the decrease in serum IgEAR. (d) Judged by their sensitivity to AgE induced @entity112 release, IgEAR on basophils correlated significantly with IgEAR in the serum of untreated @entity1 (P < 0.01). (e) The highly sensitive placebo treated @entity1 ' symptom scores were significantly correlated with their IgEAR in serum (P < 0.01) and with the sensitivity of their basophils to AgE-induced @entity112 release (P < 0.01). Neither correlation was observed in the relatively insensitive @entity1 . (f) In the treated group the IgEAR measurements predicted neither the degree of their illness nor their clinical improvement We conclude tha IgE antibody measurements may be useful in the assessment of the severity of reaginic @entity566 in highly sensitive @entity1 . Its use in modestly sensitive @entity1 requires @entity1 requires further study, as does the inverse association between IgE and IgG antiragweed antibodies.

IgE antibody measurements in ragweed hay XXXX . Relationship to clinical severity and the results of immunotherapy.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity566 :: ('MESH:D006967', 'Disease') :: ['allergy'] @entity221 :: ('MESH:D005334', 'Disease') :: ['fever'] @entity112 :: ('MESH:D006632', 'Chemical') :: ['histamine']
@entity221 :: (MESH:D005334,Disease) :: ['fever']
