Abstract
Background:
Children with an atopic predisposition are presumed to have persistent Th2 dominance
and thus develop allergic diseases.
Methods:
A total of 45 children who fell to atopic dermatitis and/or intermittent asthma or
mild persistent asthma between 2002 and 2007 were enrolled and retrospectively analyzed.
Twenty-four children were administered oral treatment with the immunopharmacological
drug suplatast tosilate (CAS 94055-76-2) at a dose of 3 mg/kg twice daily. Twentyone
of the control group were not administered oral suplatast tosilate but treated with
other drugs. Blood was collected before and after administering suplatast tosilate
or other drugs, and Th1 cells, Th2 cells, the Th1/Th2 ratio, the total IgE levels,
and the eosinophil count were measured.
Results:
In the suplatast tosilate group, Th1 cells increased to 7.9 (1.2–19.8)% from 5.5 (1.1–13.5)%
(Wilcoxon P < 0.05), while the Th2 cells showed a decrease from 1.3 (0.5–6.5)% to
1.6 (0.4 – 2.9)%, but the differences were not significant. The Th1/Th2 ratio increased
significantly from 4.1 (0.9–7.4) to 5.6 (1.3– 15.5) (shifting to Th1 dominance) in
the suplatast tosilate group (Wilcoxon P < 0.05), while it shifted to Th2 dominance
in the control group (increased from 4.5 (2.2–12.2) to 5.7 (1.6–11.8)) but did not
show significant difference.
Conclusions:
The Th1/Th2 ratio increased significantly after administration of suplatast tosilate,
shifting to Th1 dominance. Therefore suplatast tosilate improves Th2 dominance and
may inhibit subsequent progression of allergy over the long term.
Key words
Allergy and immunology - Asthma - Dermatitis - Pediatric allergy - Suplatast tosilate
- Th1/Th2 balance
