EFFICIENCY OF PHARMACOTHERAPY IN ALLERGIC RHINITIS, AS EVALUATED BY DECREASED CONCENTRATIONS OF FREE HEMOGLOBIN IN NASAL SECRETIONS

Abstract. Forty four patients with persistent allergic rhinitis and sensitization to the house dust mites were observed. All the patients have been examined in conformity with international diagnostic standards. The first group of observation included fifteen patients who received intranasal therapy by flutikasone propionate nasal spray at a dose of 200 mkg once a day for two weeks. The second group of observation included fourteen patients who received 10 inhalations of Affinoleukin® (a lyophilized complex of low molecular weight proteins from human leukocyte membranes with glycine), as aerosol, at a single dose of 2 units. Fifteen non-treated patients comprised a group of comparison. Eosinophil counts and concentrations of free hemoglobin (by immunometrical method in co-agglutination reaction) were made in nasal secretions twice (before treatment and two weeks later). It was found that the increase of free hemoglobin levels, as well as increase in eosinophil count in nasal secretions represents a symptom typical of exacerbation in persistent allergic rhinitis and reflects severity of disease. The therapy led to significant clinical improvement, decrease in free hemoglobin levels and eosinophil counts in nasal secretions, corresponding to clinical effect of both therapeutic modes of topical pharmacotherapy, resp., in 73% and 79% of the patients with persisting allergic rhinitis. Decrease in free hemoglobin level has allowed for the first time to reveal the immunotherapeutic efficiency of treatment with Affinoleukin® aerosol during exacerbations of persisting allergic rhinitis.