Allergen-specific immunotherapy: State of the art

Abstract

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) was born in 1911 and great progress has been made over the last 110 years, from the invention of subcutaneous and sublingual administration to new strategies. It can be applied in respiratory allergies, such as rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma, with even long-term effects in the use of drugs, symptoms, hospitalizations and prognosis. Many protocols are described in venom allergy, but it is not yet established which is the best and further studies are needed to guide personalized treatment. The use in food allergies is growing, it determines immunological changes in a long-term process, with results that are different between adulthood and pediatric age. Sensitization to allergenic molecules is a gradual process that starts from one or a few molecules, often asymptomatic, to a polymolecular sensitization through a “molecular spreading”. New strategies in AIT have been proposed in recent years, such as the use of adjuvants and modifications of allergens, while biomarkers that allow optimization of treatment with AIT are continually being studied.

Keywords

• Allergen-specific immunotherapy
• Rhinitis
• Asthma
• Venom allergy
• Food allergy