Effect of Subcutaneous Immunotherapy on The Natural Course of Allergic Diseases in Pediatric Patients: A Real-Life Cohort

Abstract

Aim:Specific allergen immunotherapy (SIT) is the only disease-modifying therapy for allergic diseases. We aimed to examine the effect of subcutaneous specific allergen immunotherapy (SCIT) applications on the prognosis of asthma and allergic rhinitis in pediatric cases in real-life settings.Methods:The study was designed as a retrospective cohort study. Patients with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis aged between 5 and 18 years old were enrolled between 2010 and 2015. The groups who received SCIT and who did not receive were compared in terms of disease severity parameters in follow-up recorded in their files.Results:A total of 298 cases, among which 140 received subcutaneous specific allergen immunotherapy. The frequency of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and co-morbidity was similar between the two groups. In the first year of the follow-up, asthma symptoms severity was not significant between the two groups; however, both asthma and allergic rhinitis symptoms were significantly lower in the SCIT patients at the end of the third year of follow-up. While the follow-up rate for three years or more was 62% in the group that received subcutaneous specific allergen immunotherapy, it was 38% in the group that did not receive.Conclusion:These results showed that SIT is an effective treatment modality in real-life settings with low side effects in pediatric patients with uncontrolled asthma and allergic rhinitis despite medical treatment.

Keywords

• child
• subcutaneous
• immunotherapy
• asthma
• allergic rhinitis