Systemic enzyme therapy in the treatment of children with recurrent infections of respiratory tract
Vokálová I.
Systemic enzyme therapy in the treatment of children with recurrent
infections of respiratory tract. VOX PEDIATRIAE 2003, Vol. 2., No.
9, pp. 29 – 30. [Czech]
The article summarizes a four-year-experience with use of systemic
enzyme therapy in the treatment of recurrent respiratory diseases in
children.
Efficacy of Wobenzym in the treatment of recurrent respiratory
infections was studied in children treated during 1997-1999 in the
pediatric and allergology and clinical immunology practice. 30
children, aged 3-15 years, showing a high sickness rate and
deviation of at least one of the tested immune parameters (reduced
IgA, IfM, IgG, CD3 or elevated IgE) were included into the study.
The most frequent diagnoses were recurrent bronchitis (15 children),
proven asthma bronchiale (6 children), and recurrent laryngitis (4
children) accompanied by rhinitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and
otitis. 9 children suffered additionally from atopic eczema.
Children received Wobenzym at the daily dose of 1 coated
tablet per 6 kg body weight. Daily dose was divided into 2-3
subdoses. Treatment started in autumn and lasted for 6 months. Prior
to the start of Wobenzym treatment children underwent basic
laboratory examinations, smears from nose and throat, ORL
examination, and screening for basic parameters of cellular and
humoral immunity.
Wobenzym treatment led to a reduction of recurrence and dyspnea
attacks in patients suffering from recurrent bronchitis. Moreover,
frequency of acute respiratory infections as well as number and
severity of dyspnea attacks decreased also in children with proven
asthma. In case of recurrent laryngitis patients there were
basically no more laryngeal dyspnea attacks observed, whereas prior
to the Wobenzym treatment nearly every banal respiratory infection
resulted into such attack. Even if the disease occurred, it’s
severity was mild and administration of corticoids, so far necessary
at each laryngitis attack, was not necessary anymore. In children
with atopic eczema, a marked improvement of skin condition was
observed and outlasted for several months after end of Wobenzym
therapy.
Before treatment, elevated levels of IgE were found in 50 %
patients. Wobenzym therapy resulted in reduction of primarily
elevated IgE levels in 93 % patients. IgA level before treatment was
elevated in 33 % of patients. Wobenzym treatment led to a IgA
normalization in 60 % patients. In 30 % patients IgA level
increased, although it did not reach the normal values, yet.
Furthermore, clinical documentation of another 109 patients treated
with Wobenzym in 1999-2001 was evaluated aiming to study the
efficacy of Wobenzym in the treatment of recurrent respiratory
diseases. Study group consisted of children up to 10 years – 74 %
(42 % children up to 6 years, 32 % children 6-10 years), 13 %
children and youth 10-18 years, 13 % patients older than 18 years.
The most frequent immunological deviations were elevation of IgE
levels (41 % patients) and decreased IgA levels (20% patients).
Patients used mainly Wobenzym, in some cases Phlogenzym. Treatment
duration was 6 months. Children used Wobenzym at the recommended
dosage, usual daily dose for adults was 3x 4-5 coated tablets. Daily
dose of Phlogenzym for adults was 3x2 tablets. In children,
Phlogenzym was preferred in the treatment of laryngitis.
Daily dose of Phlogenzym for children was 1 tablet per 10 kg body
weight. Systemic enzyme therapy resulted in reduction of both
frequency and severity of diseases. Therefore, associated
prescription of antibiotics was also significantly reduced.
Regarding the laboratory results, reduction or normalization
of IgE values was found in 47 % enzyme-treated patients; lowered IgA
levels were adjusted in 64 % patients. Very interesting were the
results concerning ECP (eosinophil cationic protein) – a marker of
atopic inflammation. Elevated ECP levels were measured in 20
patients (20 %) before start of enzyme treatment. After the
treatment, decrease of elevated ECP levels was found in 18 out of 20
patients.
Summary of findings for individual diagnoses:
Recurrent tonsillitis – children repeatedly suffering from
tonsillitis and using antibiotics were first treated with
combination of antibiotics and Wobenzym. If the laboratory
examination performed at disease recurrence did not prove a
streptococcal tonsillitis, only Wobenzym and antipyretics were
administered. Tonsillitis course was gradually palliated, frequency
of disease attacks decreased and in number of patients disappeared
completely.
Recurrent laryngitis – systemic enzyme therapy suppressed
laryngeal dyspnea and through its immunoregulatory effect caused
lowering of sickness rate. Phlogenzym was often preferred in
combination with basal treatment.
Atopic eczema – positive effect of Wobenzym was reached by a
systemic effect on inflammatory process. However, an improvement of
skin condition was observed after long term (3 months)
treatment accompanied by further dietetic and regimen
measures. Improvement outlasted after discontinuation of therapy.
Asthma bronchiale – systemic enzyme therapy was a suitable
supplementary treatment, it reduced frequency of acute diseases and
often enabled to reduce a dosage of inhalation corticoids.
It can be concluded that systemic enzyme therapy represents a novel
therapeutic modality helping in the treatment of children showing a
high sickness rate.