ABSTRACT
Fifty-six Dermatophagoid farinae (D.f)-sensitive asthmatic children were hyposensitized by D.f-crude extract for two years. Serum total IgG subclass antibodies and D.f-specific IgE and IgG subclass antibodies were measured by ELISA before and after 2 years of treatment. The results showed that 1) After two years of treatment, there were significantly higher levels of total serum IgG1 in both responder and non-responder groups than those before treatment (p less than 0.01). The responder group also had significantly higher values of total IgG2 and IgG4 after immunotherapy (IT) (p less than 0.05), but not in the non-responder group. 2) The serum levels of D.f-specific IgG3 and IgG4 antibodies in responder group increased significantly after IT (p less than 0.05). On the contrary, the D.f-specific IgE and IgG1 IgG1 in the responder group were significantly lower than those before IT. No signi- in the responder group were significantly lower than those before IT. No signi-body titres before and after IT was found in non-responder group. 3) There was a significant correlation between the total IgG4 and D.f-specific IgG4 antibody (r = 0.634, p less than 0.01). The correlation coefficient was 0.634. No correlation was found between the other IgG subclass antibodies and D.f-specific IgG subclass antibodies. 4) Correlations between the levels of D.f-specific IgE and IgG subclass antibodies were highly significant both in IT-responder and non-responder groups. There was a significant correlation between the levels of D.f-specific IgG1 and IgG4 in non-responders, while no relationship was observed in the responder group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)