Current Standards of Care & Advances in Immunotherapy

A Roundtable Discussion:

References     

Underlying the discussion were two seminal publications:  Allergen Immunotherapy: A Practice Parameter Third Update¹ and Sub-Lingual Immunotherapy:  World Allergy Organization Position Paper 2009.² Other research cited by the roundtable participants during the discussion are footnoted and included below. 

1. Cox L, Nelson H, Lockey R, et al. Allergen immunotherapy: a practice parameter, third update. J  Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011;127(1):S1-S55.
2. Bousquet J, Cox LS, Durham SR, et al.  Sub-lingual immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization Position Paper.  Allergy 2009;64(91):1-59.
3. Braganza SC, Acworth JP, McKinnon DR, Peake JE, Brown AF.  Paediatric emergency department anaphylaxis: different patterns from adults. Arch Dis Child. 2006;91(2):159–63.
4. Pajno GB, Barberio G, De Luca F, Morabito L, Parmiani S. Prevention of new sensitizations in asthmatic children monosensitized to house dust mite by specific immunotherapy. A six-year follow-up study. Clin Exp Allergy. 2001;31(9):1392-7.
5. Purello-D’Ambrosio F, Gangemi S, Merendino RA, et al.  Prevention of new sensitizations in monosensitized subjects submitted to specific immunotherapy or not. Å retrospective study. Clin Exp Allergy. 2001;31(8):1295-302.
6. Muller U, Hari Y, Berchtold E. Premedication with antihistamines may enhance efficacy of specific-allergen immunotherapy.  J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001;107(1):81-6.
7. Majak P, Rychlik B, Pułaski L, et al. Montelukast treatment may alter the early efficacy of immunotherapy in children with asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;125(6):1220-7.
8. Nielsen L, Johnsen CR, Mosbech H, Poulsen LK, Malling HJ. Antihistamine premedication in specific cluster immunotherapy: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1996;97(6):1207-13
9. Ohashi Y, Nakai Y, Murata K.  Effect of pretreatment with fexofenadine on the safety of immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinitis. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2006;96:600-5
10. Bernstein DI, Epstein T, Murphy-Berendts K, Liss GM.  Surveillance of systemic reactions to subcutaneous immunotherapy injections: year 1 outcomes of the ACAAI and AAAAI collaborative study. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2010;104(6):530-5.
11. Roy SR, Sigmon JR, Olivier J, et al.  Increased frequency of large local reactions among systemic reactors during subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy.  Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2007;99(1):82-6.
12. Tankersley MS, Butler KK, Butler WK, Goetz DW. Local reactions during allergen immunotherapy do not require dose adjustment. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000;106(5):840-3.
13. Nelson BL, Dupont LA, Reid MJ. Prospective survey of local and systemic reactions to immunotherapy with pollen extracts. Ann Allergy. 1986;56(4):331-4.
14. Nelson HS, Nolte H, Creticos P, et al. Efficacy and safety of timothy grass allergy immunotherapy tablet treatment in North American adults. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011;127(1):72-80, 80.e1-2.
15. Blaiss M, Maloney J, Nolte H, et al. Efficacy and safety of timothy grass immunotherapy tablets in North American children and adolescents. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011;127(1):64-71.
16. Nasser S, Vestenbaek U, Beriot-Mathiot A, Poulsen PB. Cost-effectiveness of specific immunotherapy with Grazax in allergic rhinitis co-existing with asthma. Allergy. 2008;63(12):1624-29.
17. Marogna M, Spadolini I, Massolo A, Canonica GW, Passalacqua G. Long-lasting effects of sublingual immunotherapy according to its duration: a 15-year prospective study.  J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;126(5):969-75.
18. Ciprandi G, Cadario G, Di Gioacchino GM, et al.  Sublingual immunotherapy in children with allergic polysensitization.  Allergy Asthma Proc.  2010;31(3):227-31.
19. Senna G, Lombardi C, Canonica GW, Passalacqua G. How adherent to sublingual immunotherapy prescriptions are patients? The manufacturers’ viewpoint. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;126(3):668-9
20. Vita D, Caminiti L, Ruggeri P, Pajno GB. Sublingual immunotherapy: adherence based on timing and monitoring control visits.  Allergy. 2010;65(5):668-9.
21. Ott H, Sieber J, Brehler R, et al. Efficacy of grass pollen sublingual immunotherapy for three consecutive seasons and after cessation of treatment: the ECRIT study. Allergy. 2009;64(1):179-86.
22. Cox LS, Larenas-Linnemann DE, Nolte H, et al.  Sublingual immunotherapy: a comprehensive review. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006;117(5):1021-35.
23. Novembre E, Galli E, Landi F, et al.  Coseasonal sublingual immunotherapy reduces the development of asthma in children with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004;114(4):851-7.
24. Alvarez-Cuesta E, Bousquet J, Canonica GW, et al.  Standards for practical allergen-specific immunotherapy.  Allergy. 2006;61(82):1-20.
25. Agostinis F, Forti S, Di Berardino F. Grass transcutaneous immunotherapy in children with seasonal rhinoconjunctivitis. Allergy. 2010;65(3):410-11.
26. Senti G, Graf N, Haug S, et al. Epicutaneous allergen administration as a novel method of allergen-specific immunotherapy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009;124(5):997-1002.
27. Immunotherapy International Conference, October 2010, Taormina, Sicily.
28. Senti G, Prinz Vavricka BM, Erdmann I, et al. Intralymphatic allergen administration renders specific immunotherapy faster and safer: a randomized controlled trial.  Proc Nat Acad Sci USA. 2008;105(46):17908-12.
29. Hankin CS, Cox LS, Wang Z, Bronstone A.  Does allergen-specific immunotherapy provide cost benefits for children and adults with allergic rhinitis? Results from large-scale retrospective analyses jointly funded by AAAAI and ACAAI.  J Allergy Clin Immunol.  2011;127:AB73.  Abstract 274.
30. Wang Z, Hankin CS, Cox L, Bronstone A.  Allergen immunotherapy significantly reduces healthcare costs among U.S. Adults with allergic rhinitis: a retrospective matched cohort study jointly funded by the AAAAI and ACAAI.  J Allergy Clin Immunol.  2011;127:AB159.  Abstract 569.

Topics:
 

• Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT)
• Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)
• Other immunotherapy delivery methods (intranasal, epicutaneous and intralymphatic)
• The current and future role of the allergist in immunotherapy

Perspectives Article published in the November 2011 issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.