Active clinical trials for "Hypersensitivity"

Severe skin adverse drug reactions can result in death. Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) has the highest mortality (30-35%); Stevens-Johnson syndrome and transitional forms correspond to the same syndrome, but with less extensive skin detachment and a lower mortality (5-15%). Hypersensitivity syndrome, sometimes called Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS), has a mortality rate evaluated at about 10%. The aims of this project are (1) to compare the effect of treatment between systemic steroid and anti-TNF-α. Including skin healing time, beginning of re-epithelialization time, internal organ recovery time, mortality rate, adverse events and (2) to investigate the molecular mechanism of severe cutaneous adverse reaction after anti-TNF-α treatment.

Cat allergy is an increasingly prevalent condition, affecting 10-15% of patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Cat-PAD is a novel, synthetic, allergen derived peptide desensitising vaccine currently being developed for treatment of cat allergy. At present, the efficacy of immunotherapy (peptide or otherwise) can only be established at the conclusion of therapy. No reliable predictive biomarkers of clinical efficacy currently exist. Identification of surrogate biomarkers of clinical efficacy, would facilitate clinical development of peptide immunotherapy vaccines, in addition to providing an improved understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of efficacy, thus providing new leads for therapeutic intervention.

The goal of this study will be to increase the reaction threshold (desensitization) of peanut allergic children using peanut sublingual immunotherapy and to determine if the nonreactive state of the immune system persists after treatment has been discontinued (tolerance).

In recent decades, the incidence of subjects presenting reactive skin has considerably increased in industrialized countries. Probiotics are live microorganisms which, when ingested in sufficient amounts, have beneficial effects on human health. The mechanism underlying the effect of probiotics involves, in part, regulation of the composition and/or metabolic activity of the intestinal microbiota.. It is postulated that following interaction of probiotics with the intestinal epithelium, associated intestinal cells become activated and consequently mediators are released into the blood circulation. Mediators, activated intestinal epithelial cells and possibly bacterial fractions might reach the skin through the bloodstream where they potentially could exert effects.The objective of this study was to assess the effects of probiotics on reactive skin symptoms. The strain Lactobacillus paracasei NCC2461 was tested alone and in combination with the strain Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001 in a randomized, double-blind study. The two strains were selected for their immune-modulatory properties demonstrated in in vitro and other preclinical studies as well as in a pilot clinical trial. Ninety-six women presenting reactive skin were randomized to 3 groups: placebo (n = 32), L. paracasei NCC2461 alone (n = 32) and L. paracasei NCC2461 + B. longum NCC3001 (n = 32). The supplements were administered by the oral route for 58 days (1010 CFU/day). The objective of the clinical trial was to determine, in vivo, the effect of food supplements on reactive skin symptoms (as measured by skin sensitivity and the reconstruction of barrier function post-repeated tape stripping). The secondary objectives were to determine the effect of the food supplements on leg skin dryness and facial skin roughness and the associated biochemical, immunological and microbiological factors. Accordingly, the subjects' skin sensitivity was determined by the capsaicin test. The reconstruction of barrier function was determined by measuring the trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) post-repeated stripping using a SERVOMED evaporimeter. A clinical score for skin dryness and roughness was assigned by a dermatologist. The subjects also assessed their leg and facial skin dryness themselves. Each analysis was conducted at the various time points. In parallel, assessment of the skin moisturizing factors and serum inflammatory and immune-regulatory cytokines were performed. Finally, key components of the intestinal microbiota were analyzed.

Grass pollen allergens are recognised as a major cause of allergic diseases in humans and animals. Worldwide, at least 40% of allergic patients are sensitised to grass pollen allergens and between 50-90% of hayfever or seasonal allergy sufferers are allergic to grass pollen. ToleroMune Grass is a novel, synthetic, allergen-derived peptide desensitising vaccine, currently being developed for the treatment of grass allergy. This study will look at the efficacy, safety and tolerability of three doses of ToleroMune Grass in grass allergic subjects following challenge with with grass in an Environmental Exposure Unit (EEU).

Background and Rationale For patients with Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergy, the current management includes identification of the causative food and avoidance. Specifically, among young children, cow's milk allergy is the most common food allergy, occurring in as many as 2-3%. Given the prevalence of milk and the difficulty to avoid it in the diet, the investigators aim to investigate the safety and efficacy of oral immunotherapy for cow's milk allergy. Main Objective The primary objective is to study the efficacy of milk oral immunotherapy. Target Population Children aged six to 17 years with a history of cow's milk allergy will be recruited from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Allergy clinical offices for the investigators study.

The Primary Objective of the study is to develop a customized regimen for oral immunotherapy that reflects what the subject is allergic in a clinically significant way (i.e., the offending food allergen is defined as a food allergen with a positive skin test or positive specific IgE and a positive DBPCFC). Therefore, the investigators prefer that both single and multiple food allergy subjects are included in the study.

In vitro studies reveal immunomodulatory effects of probiotic bacteria that are strain-dependent. Differential immunomodulatory in vitro capacities can not be extrapolated directly to in vivo efficacy. Thus, in vitro screening should be followed by comparative analysis of the selected immunomodulatory probiotic strains in an in vivo setting. Birch pollen allergy is one of the most common forms of respiratory allergy in European countries, and recognized by a Th2-skewed immune system. Five Lactobacillus strains will be evaluated for their immunomodulatory properties in birch pollen sensitive subjects outside the hay fever season. A double-blind placebo-controlled parallel study will be performed in which subjects with a proven birch pollen allergy will consume one of 5 different probiotic yoghurts containing 4 L. plantarum strains and 1 L. casei strain or a placebo yoghurt. Blood samples are collected at the start and after 4 weeks. Immune parameters are determined in serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures (hPBMC) derived from these subjects.

The purpose of this study is to examine the pharmacokinetic parameters of chlorpheniramine in children and adolescents.

Peanut allergy is known to cause severe anaphylactic reactions.The goal of this proposal is to produce a new treatment that would benefit subjects who have peanut allergy by lowering the risk of anaphylactic reactions (desensitization), and changing the peanut-specific immune response in subjects who have peanut allergy (tolerance).