Effect of Cortisone on Passively Induced Skin Hypersensitivity in Man

Summary (1) Positive Prausnitz-Küstner reactions were consistently demonstrated in volunteers passively sensitized with sera from 2 hypersensitive donors treated with cortisone. (2) Positive Prausnitz-Küstner reactions were similarly demonstrated in cortisone treated volunteers passively sensitized with sera of the cortisone treated donors. (3) There was no significant difference in the Prausnitz-Küstner reactions of those volunteers tested before and during treatment with cortisone. (4) It may be concluded that under the conditions of the experiments described, cortisone does not influence passively induced skin hypersensitivity in man.