A suggested quantitative evaluation of the degree of sensitivity of patients with ragweed pollinosis

Twenty patients with ragweed pollinosis without desensitization therapy showed a greater sensitivity than that found in another group of 20 ragweed sensitive patients who had had more than one year of such treatment.

Abstract

1. A quantitative method is presented whereby the response of the eye, nose, and bronchi to a specific antigen can be determined. 2. Twenty patients with ragweed pollinosis without desensitization therapy showed a greater sensitivity than that found in another group of 20 ragweed sensitive patients who had had more than one year of such treatment. 3. There was correlation between the history of clinical symptoms in a particular shock organ and the degree of sensitivity as shown by quantitative tests in the various tissues. 4. The methods, or future modifications of it, should be applicable to the study of various factors. Among these are variations in procedures in desensitization therapy, modified allergens, the effect of various nonspecific factors and nonspecific therapy and the establishment of safe levels at which to discontinue treatment.