Comparison of Preseasonal and Coseasonal Allpyral with Depo-Medrone in Summer Hay-fever

Three hundred patients with grass pollen hay-fever, with or without pollen asthma, were given one of three forms of treatment: preseasonal or coseasonal alum-precipitated pyridine extracted grass pollen (Allpyral) or methylprednisolone acetate in slow-release form (Depo-Medrone). Significant improvement was obtained with preseasonal Allpyral and with Depo-Medrone, but the degree of improvement obtained with coseasonal Allpyral fell within the limits of placebo response.Nevertheless, it is considered that the definite suppression of the pituitary-adrenal function which results from the use of a long-term steroid is not justified in a benign condition such as hay-fever.