We followed 47 ragweed hay fever patients (not on immunotherapy) through a ragweed season by means of clinical evaluation and symptom scores. The radioallergosorbent test (RAST) and lymphocyte stimulation index (LSI) were done to determine their reliability as predictors of clinical symptomatology. Symptom scores of 10 or above, denoting at least moderate daily symptoms, occurred in 36 patients (80). Preseasonally, RAST class 2 or above was found in 34 patients (75), of whom 29 patients (64) had symptom scores of 10 or above. At that time, LSI was elevated in about 50 of the patients. Patients in RAST class 3 had the highest LSI as a group. Seasonal exposure boosted the LSI in 50 of the patients, whereas 25 were unchanged and 25 showed a decrease. The results suggest that neither RAST nor LSI are reliable predictors of clinical severity in ragweed pollenosis.
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