SAFETY OF VENOMENHAL® VENOM IN MAINTENANCE HYMENOPTERA VENOM IMMUNOTHERAPY

• Main Authors: Mitja Košnik, Ema Mušič, Angelika Sager
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Medical Association 2001-10-01
• Series: Zdravniški Vestnik
• Subjects: allergen extracts; Hymenoptera venom allergy; immunotherapy; safety
• Online Access: http://vestnik.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/2553

<p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Background. Venomenhal® (V) is a new brand of</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Hymenoptera venom allergen for diagnosis and immunotherapy</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">of venom allergy. We studied the safety of switching the</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">patients treated with other brands of venom to V.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Methods. We performed duplicate skin prick tests with V and</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">ALK Reless® (R) venom extract (100 μg/ml) in 68 patients (50</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">males, 42 ± 15 years) on maintenance immunotherapy with</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">honey bee (26) or wasp (42) venom. On two consecutive maintenance</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">injection days 53 patients received in random order</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">either 100 μg of R or V venom.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Results. Weal diameter in skin prick tests (mean ± st.dev.) were</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">3.9 ± 1.1 mm (V) and 4.1 ± 1.0 mm (R) for bee venom (NS)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">and 3.4 ± 1.0 mm (V) and 3.9 ± 1.2 mm (R) for wasp venom (p</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">&lt; 0.01). Local reaction 30 minutes after maintenance injection</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">were 6.1 ± 1.7 cm (V) and 5.4 ± 2.5 cm (R) for bee venom</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">(NS) and 5.1 ± 1.8 cm (V) and 6.1 ± 1.8 cm (R) for wasp venom</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">(p &lt; 0.05).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">Late local reactions (LLR) and tiredness (T) on the day of injection</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">and 24 hours after injection were equally distributed</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">among both groups and were mild (LLR on the day of injection:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">38% of patients [V] vs. 43% [R]. LLR after 24 hours: 28%</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">[V] vs. 28% [R]. T on the day of injection: 21% [V] vs. 23% [R].</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">T after 24 hours: 0% [V] vs. 6% [R]).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Conclusions. V was at least as safe as A. There were no adverse</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">reactions due to switching from one brand to another. Slightly</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">but significantly smaller weal in skin prick tests and immediate</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">local reactions might be due to lesser potency or better</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium;">purification of V wasp extract.</span></p>