A validated mobile Allergen exposure chamber (AEC) is used to expose qualified study participants suffering from house dust mite (HDM) induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. A maximum of four individuals are exposed at a time under standardized conditions with a mixture of allergens from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae (each 50%, faeces and body allergens; doses of 250 μg/m3 air; 21°C, and 55% relative air moisture). After the first exposure, a dietary supplement lozenge, containing beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), iron, retinoic acid, zinc and polyphenols, is taken twice daily for a period of 12 weeks, followed by the second exposure. A minimum of thirty persons are challenged with HDM allergen. After entering the chamber there is an acclimatization phase of 20 minutes with no exposure. Exposure time starts after acclimatization in the chamber and is 120 minutes at each visit. Objective parameters are recorded every 30 minutes, and subjective parameters are recorded every 10 minutes over a period of 120 minutes. During the exposure a plateau (steady-state) of total nasal symptom score with a difference from baseline is measured in all participants for each of the two exposures with HDM.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
38
Subjects suffering from house dust mite (HDM) allergic rhinoconjunctivitis who are reacting positively to chamber exposure with HDM are reevaluated in the exposure chamber 3 months after taking food supplements.
ECARF Institute GmbH
Berlin, Germany
TNSS
Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS) in response to HDM exposure in an AEC at V1 (baseline AEC exposure) versus V3 (final AEC exposure). The TNSS is the sum of 4 nose symptoms (runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose, and blocked nose) on a scale of 0 to 3 (no symptoms, mild symptoms, moderate symptoms, and severe symptoms), leading to a maximum TNSS of 12.
Time frame: After 120 minutes of allergen challenge
TSS
Total Symptom Score in response to HDM exposure in an AEC at V1 (baseline AEC exposure) versus V3 (final AEC exposure). The TSS is the sum of 4 nose symptoms (runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose, and blocked nose), 3 eye symptoms (itchy eyes, watery eyes, and gritty feeling), 4 bronchial symptoms (wheezing, cough, breathlessness, and asthma), and 2 other symptoms (itchy palate, and itchy skin) on a scale of 0 to 3 (no symptoms, mild symptoms, moderate symptoms, and severe symptoms), leading to a maximum TSS of 39.
Time frame: Up to 120 minutes following allergen challenge
TESS
The Total Eye Symptom Score (TESS) is the sum of 3 eye symptoms (itchy eyes, watery eyes, and gritty feeling) on a scale of 0 to 3 (no symptoms, mild symptoms, moderate symptoms, and severe symptoms), leading to a maximum TESS of 9.
Time frame: Up to 120 minutes following allergen challenge
TBSS
The Total Bronchial Symptom Score (TBSS) is the sum of 4 bronchial symptoms (wheezing, cough, breathlessness, and asthma) on a scale of 0 to 3 (no symptoms, mild symptoms, moderate symptoms, and severe symptoms), leading to a maximum TBSS of 12.
Time frame: Up to 120 minutes following allergen challenge
VAS
Visual Analogue Scale: Before, every 30 minutes during and after the exposure patients grade the question on their well-being by putting a vertical line on a 10 cm line representing severity from 0 cm "very good" to 10 cm "very bad".
Time frame: Recorded at time zero (0) and every 30 minutes during exposure until 120 minutes
PNIF
PNIF (peak nasal inspiration flow) liter/minute.
Time frame: Recorded at time zero (0), and every 30 minutes during exposure until 120 minutes. An acclimatization phase of 20 minutes takes place in the chamber - so time point zero is when exposure starts after 20 minutes of acclimatization
PEF
PEF (peak expiratory flow) liter/minute.
Time frame: Recorded at time zero (0) and every 30 minutes during exposure until 120 minutes. An acclimatization phase of 20 minutes takes place in the chamber - so time point zero is when exposure starts after 20 minutes of acclimatization
FEV1
Forced expiratory volume in 1 second, before and after the exposure.
Time frame: Up to 120 minutes following allergen challenge
FEV1/FVC
Forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio, before and after the exposure.
Time frame: Up to 120 minutes following allergen challenge
Need for rescue medication and/or emergency treatment
Need for rescue medication and/or emergency treatment.
Time frame: up to 24 hours after AEC exposure
Adverse events with regard to the taken dietary supplement
Number of events and number of patients recording adverse events with regard to the taken dietary supplement. After completing the baseline AEC exposure at V1 the patients will enter the 3-month consumption period with the dietary supplement. Every patient will document potential AEs in the patient report form. In addition, the patient will be called every 4 weeks during the consumption period to follow up on potential AEs with the intake. The final safety phone call will be made 24 hours after the final AEC exposure.
Time frame: up to 24 hours after the final AEC exposure
Adverse events with regards to the allergen exposure
Number of events and number of patients recording late-phase reactions and/or adverse events with regards to the allergen exposure.
Time frame: up to 24 hours after AEC exposure
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