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Biomedical subjects

R Jarisch

Publications and source records attributed to R Jarisch.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Spontaneous histamine release in whole blood in patients before and after 4 months of specific immunotherapy.

Spontaneous histamine release (SHR) in whole blood was assessed before and after 4 months of specific immunotherapy (SIT) for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in 32 patients. Spontaneous histamine release was significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) in patients prior to immunotherapy compared with 20 controls. Spontaneous histamine release decreased significantly in patients after 4 months of specific immunotherapy (P < 0.04) and almost reached the same values as spontaneous histamine release in controls. Clinical success of treatment after 4 months was seen in 15 patients (improvement > or =50%), 10 of whom showed a significant decrease in spontaneous histamine release. Decrease of spontaneous histamine release after 4 months indicates the efficacy of specific immunotherapy already at an early stage of treatment. Assessment of spontaneous histamine release appears to be a useful and easily performable method for monitoring success of treatment of patients during specific immunotherapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Ethylmercuric chloride: the responsible agent in thimerosal hypersensitivity.

The causative agent of thimerosal allergy (sodium ethylmercury thiosalicylate) has not previously been thoroughly investigated. To evaluate whether the organic mercury component or the thiosalicylic acid molecule induces thimerosal sensitization, 23 patients positive to thimerosal were patch tested with ethylmercuric chloride, thiosalicylic acid and 8 different derivatives of mercury. To date, ethylmercuric chloride has not been tested in thimerosal allergy. 19/23 patients (82%) showed positive patch test reactions to ethylmercuric chloride. 4/23 patients negative to ethylmercuric chloride reacted positively to thimerosal 0.1% but not to thimerosal 0.05%. 8/23 patients (35%) also reacted to other mercurials. 20 controls negative to thimerosal showed negative patch test reactions to ethylmercuric chloride. Neither patients nor controls reacted to thiosalicylic acid. These results indicate that testing with thimerosal 0.1% leads to false-positive reactions and that the ethyl mercury component is the responsible agent in thimerosal allergy.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[The histamine-free diet].

Food intolerance is not IgE-mediated but caused by histamine. A diminished histamine degradation based on a deficiency of diaminoxidase is suspected to be the reason. The therapeutic efficacy of a histamine-free diet was evaluated in 100 patients with food intolerance and allergic diseases, who were required to avoid fish, cheese, hardcured sausage, pickled cabbage, wine and beer for 4 weeks. Considerable improvement was observed in 57 patients, 15 of whom had total remission. The most striking treatment results were obtained in food or wine intolerance (80% P < 0.05; treatment of choice), bronchial asthma (80%), headache (64%) and urticaria (58%). After ingestion of food rich in histamine clearcut recurrence of atopic eczema was seen in 50% of the patients affected. Histamine plays a major part in food and wine intolerance. Histamine in food causes worsening of symptoms in atopics and patients suffering from headache. The results obtained indicate a deficiency of diaminoxidase in patients with intolerance to food or wine. Histamine levels in alcoholic beverages should be displayed on the labels.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Assessment of histamine release from basophils in whole blood by benzylpenicilloyl poly-L-lysine in penicillin-sensitized patients.

Histamine release from basophil granulocytes in whole blood by benzylpenicilloyl poly-L-lysine (PPL) was investigated in 7 patients with penicillin allergy. All patients presented with systemic immediate hypersensitivity reactions after i.v. administration of penicillin G. Total histamine (of 7 patients) ranged from 27.5 ng/ml to 62.1 ng/ml (mean 43.2 ng/ml). The spontaneous histamine release ranged from 0.15% to 5.1% (mean 1.8%) of the total content. Addition of PPL in various concentrations resulted in values between 0.8 and 9.6%. Although PPL is a reliable allergen for prick- and intradermal testing in the diagnosis of penicillin allergy--demonstrating a histamine liberation in the skin--the in vitro experiment using the same allergen showed no histamine release above 10%. Using a threshold of 5% out of 7 patients, 4 (57%) would show a positive histamine release. Therefore it might indicate that in penicillin allergy a threshold of 5% must be used. In addition, basophils in whole blood and skin mast cells may be activated differently.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Cold urticaria as a model of mediator release: platelet factor 4, eosinophil cationic protein and histamine.

Platelet factor 4 (PF4) has previously been linked to precipitation of cold urticaria (CU). The aim of the study was to assess the liberation of PF4, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and histamine after cold challenge in patients with CU. Ten controls and 8 patients with CU verified by clinical data and cold challenge test were investigated. Assessment of histamine, ECP and PF4 were done using radioimmunoassays. In patients histamine increased after 10 min on the challenged arm (NS), PF4 increase was statistically significant (p less than 0.05) both in patients and controls. ECP release showed no significant changes. Treatment with doxepin results in clinical improvement, but no changes in mediator release were seen. Thus, in contrast to previous reports an increase of PF4 was seen both in controls as well as in patients. An involvement of ECP was not ascertained. Our data suggest that neither basophils, nor eosinophils or platelets are directly involved in cold urticaria and that mast cell-dependent mediators may be of greater relevance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Influence of the histamine control on skin reactivity in skin testing.

We investigated the effect of the histamine control (1 mg/ml) on the results of skin prick and intradermal testing with bee and wasp venom. Skin tests were done on the patients' forearms: on the right arm the histamine control and the bee venom dilutions, on the left arm the wasp venom dilutions only, at distances of 4-5 cm. In intradermal testing 11 (9%) of 122 patients showed a positive wheal and flare reaction to the bee venom solution positioned next to the histamine control. The subsequent solutions in higher concentrations did not produce any skin reactions. The results of intradermal testing with bee venom did not occur in intradermal testing with wasp venom or in skin prick testing with both allergens. Our results show clearly that in skin prick tests a distance of 4-5 cm is sufficient to avoid false positive skin reactions. However, using the same distance in intradermal testing showed that histamine affects the skin reactions produced by adjacent allergen solutions. Therefore false positive results may occur.

Bee Venoms↗
PubMed1992

Cross-reactivity with Tagetes in Arnica contact eczema.

A 69-year-old patient, with known mercury and adhesive plaster allergy, developed facial dermatitis within 24 h of contact with arnica (Arnica). Skin testing showed positive reactions to arnica and, among various other plants of the Compositae, also to Tagetes sp. hybr. (marigold). Cross-reactivity between Tagetes and arnica has not previously been described.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[Quality control in the allergy laboratory--4 years "Allergy Ring Trial" in Austria].

In 1988 the Austrian Society for Allergology and Immunology initiated an external quality control program for the in vitro allergy diagnosis. In 12 mailings, 62 sera from allergic patients were sent to selected laboratories in order to determine total and antigen specific IgE according to the laboratory-specific methods. The values for total IgE varied considerably (73.9% were within +/- 1 SD, 94.3% within +/- 2 SD and 99.1% within +/- 2 SD, but only 0.9% beyond that). Sources of error were mainly attributable to inappropriate equipment and low quality reagents, but also bad test performance, with respect to personnel and the routines. In contrast, antigen specific IgE against pollen, mites, moulds, insect venoms, animal danders, drugs, parasites, environmental and food antigens revealed quite homogeneous results. Out of 1492 data, only 46 (3.1%) had to be declared as "wrong", and the variability of the RAST-classes was low. Whereas the quality of the reagents from all the different suppliers was not absolutely reliable at the beginning of the study, it improved considerably with time, as consequence of our complaints. The comparability of the methods for detecting total-IgE were non-satisfactory, whereas those for antigen specific IgE were generally good. The variety of methods employed (radio- and enzyme immunologic, fluoro- and nephelometric methods, etc.) should entail appropriate consequences, especially critical comparisons within one and the same laboratory; in addition, international standardization of the "normal" values should replace company-standards, and quality control programs for each test system before it is marketed should be mandatory. Our results confirm, that external control should be obligatory for any laboratory.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Allergens↗
PubMed1992

[Nonspecific immune stimulation with BCG in Herpes simplex recidivans. Follow-up 5 to 10 years after BCG vaccination].

The efficacy of a single intracutaneous BCG injection in prevention of recurrent herpes simplex (HS) was investigated in Tine-test-negative people. Most patients had a recurrence rate of HS of at least once per month. Between 1976 and 1983 109 patients were BCG-vaccinated (BCG sec Berna). Tine-test was negative in all subjects and converted to positive in 106 out of 109 patients after vaccination. Patients suffered from HS for many years and thus acted as their own controls comparing them before and after BCG. After vaccination all patients remained herpes-free for at least 4-6 months. In a separate study a follow-up up to 10 years was done. This showed a decreasing effect of BCG over the years with still 21 (19%) completely herpes-free patients after 3 years. 10 patients (9%) even had been free of herpes for more than 6 years. Reduction of frequency and duration of HS after BCG was statistically significant (p less than 0.01). Since the BCG vaccination can be assumed to be virtually without risk, a Tine-test followed by BCG vaccination should be considered as treatment of choice in patients with recurrent HS for prevention of recurrences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Clinical characteristics of patients with repeated systemic reactions during specific immunotherapy with hymenoptera venoms. A retrospective study.

In general, specific immunotherapy with hymenoptera venoms can be considered as safe, but occasionally there are patients who cannot reach the maintenance dose due to repeated systemic reactions (RSR) or who suffer from RSR during maintenance therapy. In a multicenter retrospective study comprising seven departments in Germany, Austria and Switzerland 23 patients with RSR were reported from approximately 3000 patients treated with hymenoptera venoms (bee and wasp venom to approximately equivalent frequency). From these, 22 were allergic to bee venom and only one to vespid venom. In general the clinical symptoms of RSR were milder than the initial reaction. But 4/23 (18%) exhibited cardiovascular reactions up to full shock. Neither anamnestic details, reactivity in skin tests or in vitro tests revealed a special pattern of patients with RSR. In some patients, however, an extremely high reactivity in the skin test was found and may indicate the possibility of further RSR.

Adolescent↗