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Biomedical subjects

W C Light

Publications and source records attributed to W C Light.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Effect of progressive muscle relaxation on the objective symptoms and subjective responses associated with asthma.

Our findings suggest that PMR can increase an asthmatic's ability to cope with asthma, by enabling him or her to exert greater control over the symptoms associated with the disease. Findings of this study also offer insight into patient responses and give direction to the approaches needed in the individual treatment and education of asthmatics. Findings of this study also suggest that proper patient selection may be of importance when using self-management or behavior modification techniques in asthma. Maximum profit from future use of PMR in the behavioral treatment of asthma might be achieved by identifying patients who are characterized as moderate or high in panic-fear. They will receive the greatest benefit from this treatment modality.

Adult↗

Unusual reactions following insect stings. Clinical features and immunologic analysis.

Fifteen patients were studied who had unusual reactions following insect stings. These included serum sickness, neurologic disease, renal disease, and delayed hypersensitivity-type reactions. The clinical features are briefly outlined. Measurements were made of serum venom-specific IgE and IgG antibodies. These antibodies were present in some patients and in these instances suggested an immunologic pathogenesis for the reactions. Alternative etiologies for the unusual reactions are also discussed.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Clinical application of measurements of serum level of bee venom-specific IgE and IgG.

Bee venom--specific IgE and IgG antibodies were measured in the serum of beekeeepers, bee-allergic persons, and normal persons infrequently stung without adverse effects. Beekeepers, who are stung frequently and relatively "immune" to bee stings, are characterized by high serum levels of IgG- and low serum levels of IgE-specific antibodies. Bee-allergic individuals have high titers of bee venom--specific IgG. Following a bee sting, allergic individuals develop a rising titer of IgE antibodies, accompanied occasionally by a rise in IgG antibodies. Therapy with whole bee body extracts fail to effect IgE or IgG antibody titers. During the course of venom immunotherapy IgG-specific antibodies are stimulated and IgE-specific antibodies continue to decline. These observations suggest that: (1) bee sting allergy is a function of bee venom--specific IgE; (2) bee sting immunity is a function of bee venom--specific IgG; and (3) bee venom is an appropriate therapeutic antigen.

Antibodies↗

Immunological studies of the effect of whole body insect extracts in the treatment of stinging insect allergy.

Specific IgE antibodies and total antibodies reacting with bee venom and yellow jacket venom were measured in sequential serum samples of insect-sensitive individuals. Venom-specific IgE decreased as a function of time and was not significantly affected by treatment with whole body extracts. There was no stimulation of total antibodies reacting with bee venom phospholipase A2 (PLA) following treatment with whole bee body extracts. These studies suggest that as measured by these parameters, whole body insect extracts used in the usual recommended doses are immunologically ineffective antigens.

Antibody Specificity↗

Studies of the antigenicity and allergenicity of phospholipase A2 of bee venom.

The antigenic and allergenic properties of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and whole bee venom were compared by measuring the IgG and IgE antibody responses in animals and man. Precipitating antibodies raised in rabbits and reaginic and other antibodies raised in mice reacted about equally with both bee venom and PLA. The majority of human sera containing bee venom-specific IgE also contained PLA-specific IgE, although in somewhat lower titers. Similarly, most human sera with significant amounts of total antibodies reacting with bee venom also had antibodies reacting with PLA. Histamine and SRS-a release from leukocytes of sensitive patients followed challenge with whole bee venom and PLA in the majority of instances. However, mediator release from several patients' cells was obtained with bee venom only. These studies suggest that although PLA is a major allergen and antigen in bee venom, significant exceptions in patients' reactivity may limit its potential diagnostic and therapeutic usefulness.

Allergens↗

Stinging insect allergy: changing concepts.

Immunologic advances promise changes in the approach to diagnosis and treatment of Hymenoptera stings. Results of skin tests with venom show good correlation with those of in vitro tests (histamine release and radio-allergosorbent test [RAST]). Similar comparisons of whole-body extract (WBE) skin tests with in vitro tests show poor correlation. Treatment emphasis must currently be placed on sting prevention and on medical treatment. The only material now available commercially for immunotherapy is WBE. Circumstantial evidence suggests some benefit from immunotherapy with WBE, but immunologic data do not support this observation.

Adult↗

Comparison of the allergenic properties of bee venom and whole bee body extract.

The allergenic properties of bee venom and whole bee body extract were compared by in vivo and in vitro tests. The majority of patients with known bee sting sensitivity had positive intracutaneous skin test reactions with bee venom and had bee venom specific IgE in their sera. Of seventeen patients with ppsitive bee venom skin tests, nine had positive tests with whole bee body extract. Of thirty sera containing elevated levels of bee venom specific IgE obtained from untreated patients, fourteen sera contained whole body specific IgE but in much lower titres. In RAST inhibition experiments using both bee venom and whole bee body extract as coupling antigens, bee venom was a more potent inhibiting antigen than whole body extract. From these experiments we conclude that bee venom is a more potent allergen than whole bee body extract.

Animals↗

Clinical and immunological studies of beekeepers.

Thirty-four beekeepers were interviewed and their blood assayed for the presence of antibodies reacting with bee venom, bee venom phospholipase A (PLA), and whole bee body extract. Following a bee sting, most beekeepers experienced only minimal local tissue reaction. Their serum contained high levels of total antibodies (primarily IgG) reacting to bee venom and phospholipase A. These antibody titres correlated with the frequency of bee stings. Bee venom and PLA specific IgE antibodies were present in serum of some beekeepers. Beekeepers who had experienced allergic reactions were characterized by low total antibody and high venom specific IgE antibody titres. Bee body IgE antibodies were found in varying degree and did not correlate with levels of venom IgE antibodies. There was no difference in the titres of bee body IgE in the sera of beekeepers with and without systemic reactions. The data suggest that allergic reactions are mediated by venom specific IgE and immunity is at least in part a function of other antibodies, probably primarily IgG.

Bee Venoms↗