The effect of a 2% solution of disodium cromoglycate in hayfever. Results of a double blind study with particular reference to the serum IgE level and the specific reagins against pollen of timothy grass

A 2% aqueous nasal spray of disodium chromoglycate (DSCG) was tested in 35 patients with hayfever in a double blind study. The condition of 13 out of 18 subjects who received the active substance improved while only 3 of the 17 given placebo experienced symptomatic relief. Evaluation of patient diary cards on which the patients kept a daily record of their symptoms showed that on 4 randomly selected days the condition of the DSCG group was better than that of the control group. In addition, the DSCG group ingested a significantly lower number of antihistamines than the control group. Due to prolonged pollen exposure both total IgE levels and circulating specific antibodies against Timothy grass, measured with the radio allergo sorbens test (RAST), were on the average higher in both groups after 4 wk of treatment. In other words, local application of DSCG does not appear to influence IgE synthesis. A future comparative study of patients with equally high IgE RAST titers at the beginning of treatment (meaning the same degree of hypersensitivity) and exposure to similar pollens in their environment, would be interesting.