42292
document
The effect of oral steroids with and without vitamin D3 on early efficacy of immunotherapy in asthmatic children . BACKGROUND The possibility of additional strategies to enhance the effectiveness of specific immunotherapy ( SIT ) is highly attractive . AIM The aim of our study was to assess the influence of oral corticosteroids and oral corticosteroids combined with vitamin D ( 3 ) on the early clinical and immunological effects of SIT . METHODS It was a randomized , double-blind , placebo-controlled trial conducted in 54 asthmatic children allergic to house dust mites . Intervention was based on receiving a single dose of oral steroid , with or without vitamin D ( 3 ) , or placebo only on the day of the build-up phase of SIT . RESULTS After 12 months of SIT , the median daily inhaled corticosteroid ( ICS ) dose , which controls the symptoms of asthma , was reduced by 25 % in the steroid group . However , a 50 % reduction of the median daily ICS dose was observed in the control group . The clinical effects of SIT were not affected in the steroid+D ( 3 ) group . Concomitantly , we found that intervention with prednisone significantly impaired the induction of T regulatory lymphocytes . Importantly , the clinical and immunological effects of SIT were not affected by intervention with steroids administered with vitamin D ( 3 ) . CONCLUSIONS Our study failed to show a beneficial effect of oral corticosteroids on allergen-specific immunotherapy . We observed that the combined administration of a corticosteroid drug and allergen extract suppressed the early clinical and immunological effects of SIT and that vitamin D ( 3 ) prevented this 'adverse ' influence of steroids .
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Intervention_Pharmacological
steroids with and without vitamin D3
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Intervention_Pharmacological
corticosteroids
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Intervention_Pharmacological
oral corticosteroids combined with vitamin D ( 3 )
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Intervention_Pharmacological
single dose of oral steroid , with or without vitamin D ( 3 )
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Intervention_Control
placebo
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Intervention_Pharmacological
steroid
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Intervention_Pharmacological
combined administration of a corticosteroid drug and allergen
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Outcome_Physical
median daily inhaled corticosteroid ( ICS ) dose
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Outcome_Physical
median daily ICS dose
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Outcome_Physical
induction of T regulatory lymphocytes
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Participant_Condition
asthmatic
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Participant_Age
children .
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Participant_Sample-size
54
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Participant_Condition
asthmatic
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Participant_Age
children
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Participant_Condition
allergic to house dust mites