Chemoprophylaxis with erythromycin stearate or amoxycillin in patients with chronic bronchitis--effects on cellular and humoral immune functions.

Twenty-six patients aged between 27 and 71 years with chronic bronchitis were divided into a control group of 6 and two groups of 10 patients each who received either erythromycin stearate or amoxycillin 1500 mg/d for 2 weeks and 1000 mg/d for 12 weeks thereafter. Immunological function tests were performed before starting chemotherapy and thereafter at 2 weeks and 14 weeks. Clinical evaluations and lung function tests showed no significant changes in any of the groups during the study period. In the control group no changes in cellular and humoral immune functions were noted. In the group receiving amoxycillin decreased responses of lymphocytes to the mitogen phytohaemagglutinin were observed after 14 days. In the erythromycin-treated group, increased polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMNL) motility and mitogen-induced transformation were observed at 14 days but these increases were not statistically significant. In this group the markedly depressed PMNL migration found in 3 individuals before treatment improved considerably. These results indicate that chemotherapy and chemoprophylaxis with either amoxycillin or erythromycin stearate do not compromise the host immunodefences.

Ascorbic acid in bronchial asthma.

Sixteen White children with bronchial asthma were divided into two groups; one received standard anti-asthma chemoprophylaxis (SAC) and the other SAC supplemented with 1 g ascorbic acid (Redoxon) given as a single daily dose for a 6-month period. In 10 patients the effects of ascorbic acid on exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) were assessed by comparing the pre-ascorbic acid results with those obtained 2 1/2 hours after the intravenous injection of 1 g ascorbic acid. Immunological investigations performed on the two groups were assessment of polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMNL) motility, phagocytosis and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction and measurement of secretory IgA, serum immunoglobulin and total haemolytic complement levels and levels of the components C3 and C4, alpha 1-antitrypsin, antistreptolysin O (ASO), C-reactive protein and antibodies to certain respiratory viruses. These investigations were performed before and 1, 3 and 6 months after the commencement of therapy. Radio-allergosorbent testing for sensitivity to four common allergens was carried out at the outset and after 6 months of therapy. Injection of ascorbic acid had no detectable effects on the degree of EIB. Slight but not significant immunological changes were observed in the SAC group over the 6-month study period. However, in the SAC plus ascorbic acid group significantly improved PMNL motility and decreased ASO levels and reduced (although not to a significant extent) IgE levels and titres of antibodies to the respiratory viruses were observed.

An evaluation of nephelometry and complement-based tests for the detection of circulating immune complexes.

Sera from 20 normal adult control subjects and 28 patients suffering from various diseases which may be associated with an immune complex disorder were investigated, using three different techniques for detection of circulating immune complexes (CICs). The sera from the patients were assigned expected positive or negative ratings by the clinicians according to clinical and laboratory criteria. This information as well as the diagnoses was withheld until the results of immune complex determinations were available. The three tests used to detect CICs were laser nephelometry (LN), 125I-C1q binding and measurement of the C3 breakdown product C3c. Serum levels of the complement components C3 and C4 were assessed on the serum specimens from the patients. Results obtained from normal control sera showed that 18 of the 20 and all 20 were negative with the C1q binding technique and LN respectively. Of 16 sera for which a positive result was expected, 5 (31,3%) and 14 (87%) were positive when examined by the C1q binding technique and LN respectively; C3c determination produced no positive results. No false-negative results were obtained with the C1q binding and C3c tests, but 2 out of 16 (13%) results obtained with the LN test were false negative. LN is a rapid, sensitive test for the detection of CICs.