Project description:Allergen immunotherapy is a promising treatment for allergic diseases that induce immune tolerance through the administration of specific allergens. In this study, we investigate the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in asthmatic patients with SAR-JCP and the dynamics of the parameters before and after treatment in a real-world setting. This was a prospective single-center observational study. Patients with asthma and SAR-JCP (n = 24) were recruited for this study and assessed using symptom questionnaires before SLIT and a year after the SLIT. In addition, a respiratory function test, forced oscillation technique, and blood sampling test were performed during the off-season before and after SLIT. The one-year SLIT for asthma patients with SAR-JCP significantly improved not only allergic rhinitis symptoms, but also asthma symptoms during the JCP dispersal season, and significantly improved airway resistance during the off-season. The change in the asthma control test and the visual analog scale score during the season before and after SLIT was negatively and positively correlated with the change in peripheral blood γδ T cells off-season before and after SLIT, respectively. It was suggested that improvement in asthma symptoms during the JCP dispersal season after SLIT was associated with reduced peripheral blood γδ T cells.
Project description:We have prepared this document, "Sublingual Immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization Position Paper 2013 Update", according to the evidence-based criteria, revising and updating chapters of the originally published paper, "Sublingual Immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization Position Paper 2009", available at http://www.waojournal.org. Namely, these comprise: "Mechanisms of sublingual immunotherapy;" "Clinical efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy" - reporting all the data of all controlled trials published after 2009; "Safety of sublingual immunotherapy" - with the recently published Grading System for adverse reactions; "Impact of sublingual immunotherapy on the natural history of respiratory allergy" - with the relevant evidences published since 2009; "Efficacy of SLIT in children" - with detailed analysis of all the studies; "Definition of SLIT patient selection" - reporting the criteria for eligibility to sublingual immunotherapy; "The future of immunotherapy in the community care setting"; "Methodology of clinical trials according to the current scientific and regulatory standards"; and "Guideline development: from evidence-based medicine to patients' views" - including the evolution of the methods to make clinical recommendations.Additionally, we have added new chapters to cover a few emerging crucial topics: "Practical aspects of schedules and dosages and counseling for adherence" - which is crucial in clinical practice for all treatments; "Perspectives and new approaches" - including recombinant allergens, adjuvants, modified allergens, and the concept of validity of the single products. Furthermore, "Raising public awareness about sublingual immunotherapy", as a need for our patients, and strategies to increase awareness of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) among patients, the medical community, all healthcare stakeholders, and public opinion, are also reported in detail.
Project description:Food allergy is a common condition for which the only currently approved treatments are avoidance of the allergenic food and the administration of emergency medications upon accidental exposure. Over the past 10 years, significant advances have been made in the field of food immunotherapy, with efforts focusing on allergen exposure via the oral mucosa. Oral immunotherapy (OIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) are the two modalities that have been most extensively studied, and this article will review recent advances in our knowledge of the efficacy and safety of these treatments.
Project description:Application of allergens onto the sublingual epithelium is used to desensitize allergic individuals, a treatment known as sublingual immunotherapy. However, the response of sublingual epithelial cells to house dust mite allergen and potential tolerance-promoting adjuvants such as Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands and calcitriol has not been investigated. In order to study this, primary sublingual epithelial cells were isolated from dogs and cultured in vitro. After 24-h incubation with a Dermatophagoides farinae extract, a Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extract, TLR2 ligands (FSL-1, heat-killed Listeria monocytogenes, Pam3CSK4), a TLR3 ligand (poly I:C), a TLR4 ligand [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)], and calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3), viability of the cells was analyzed using an MTT test, and their secretion of interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-10, CXCL8, and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Additionally, to evaluate its potential effect as an adjuvant, sublingual epithelial cells were incubated with calcitriol in combination with a D. farinae extract followed by measurement of CXCL8 secretion. Furthermore, the effect of D. farinae and calcitriol on the transcriptome was assessed by RNA sequencing. The viability of the sublingual epithelial cells was significantly decreased by poly I:C, but not by the other stimuli. CXCL8 secretion was significantly increased by D. farinae extract and all TLR ligands apart from LPS. Calcitriol significantly decreased CXCL8 secretion, and coadministration with D. farinae extract reduced CXCL8 concentrations to levels seen in unstimulated sublingual epithelial cells. Although detectable, TGF-β1 secretion could not be modulated by any of the stimuli. Interleukin 6 and IL-10 could not be detected at the protein or at the mRNA level. It can be concluded that a D. farinae extract and TLR ligands augment the secretion of the proinflammatory chemokine CXCL8, which might interfere with sublingual desensitization. On the other hand, CXCL8 secretion was reduced by coapplication of calcitriol and a D. farinae extract. Calcitriol therefore seems to be a suitable candidate to be used as adjuvant during sublingual immunotherapy.
Project description:BackgroundAllergy immunotherapy (AIT) is the only treatment for allergic rhinitis (AR) and/or allergic asthma (AA) with long-term efficacy. However, there are few real-life data on the progression of AR and/or AA in patients receiving AIT.ObjectivesTo assess the real-world, long-term efficacy of grass pollen sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablets in AR and their impact on asthma onset and progression.MethodsIn a retrospective analysis of a German longitudinal prescription database, AR patients treated with grass pollen SLIT tablets were compared with a control group not having received AIT. Multiple regression analysis was used to compare changes over time in rescue symptomatic AR medication use after treatment cessation, asthma medication use, and the time to asthma onset in the two groups.ResultsAfter applying all selection criteria, 2851 SLIT and 71 275 control patients were selected for the study. After treatment cessation, AR medication use was 18.8 percentage points lower (after adjustment for covariates, and relative to the pretreatment period) in SLIT tablet group than in the non-AIT group (P<.001). Asthma onset was less frequent in SLIT tablet group than in non-AIT group (odds ratio: 0.696, P=.002), and time to asthma was significantly longer (hazard ratio: 0.523; P=.003). After SLIT cessation, asthma medication use fell by an additional 16.7 percentage points (relative to the pretreatment period) in the SLIT tablet group vs the non-AIT group (P=.004).ConclusionsReal-world treatment of AR patients with grass pollen SLIT tablets was associated with slower AR progression, less frequent asthma onset, and slower asthma progression.
Project description:Background: The prolonged effect of allergen immunotherapy is unknown, especially in older patients. Objective: The three-year effect of sublingual allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) to grass pollen on elderly patients with allergic rhinitis was analyzed. Methods: Thirty-eight elderly patients (63.18 ± 3.12 yrs.) underwent AIT to grass pollen, were monitored for three years and were compared to a placebo group. AIT was performed with the use of an oral Staloral 300 SR grass extract (Stallergens Greer, London, UK) or a placebo. Symptoms and medication scores, represented by the average adjusted symptom score (AAdSS), the serum level of IgG4 to Phl p5 and the quality of life were assessed immediately after AIT and three years later. Results: After AIT, the AAdSS was significantly decreased and remained lower than in the placebo group during the three years after AIT. Serum-specific IgG4 against Phl p5 increased during the AIT trial in the study group. For the three years of observation after AIT, there were no significant changes in specific IgG4 levels against the analyzed allergens in comparison to the results immediately after AIT. The quality of life, based on the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire, was significantly decreased in patients who received AIT, from 1.83 (95%CI: 1.45-1.96) to 0.74 (95%CI: 0.39-1.92) (p < 0.05) to 0.82 (95%CI: 0.45- 1.04) three years after AIT. Conclusion: A prolonged positive effect after AIT to grass pollen was observed in elderly patients with allergic rhinitis. Further trials are needed to confirm this effect.
Project description:BackgroundThe aim of this cross-sectional survey was to compare the health-economic consequences for allergic rhinitis (AR) patients treated with sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) in terms of direct and indirect costs with a reference population of patients receiving standard of care pharmacological therapy.MethodsPrimary objective was to analyse the health-economic consequences of SLIT for grass pollen allergy in Sweden vs reference group waiting for subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). A questionnaire was mailed to two groups of AR patients.ResultsThe questionnaire was distributed to 548 patients, 307 with SLIT and 241 in reference group (waiting for SCIT). Response rate was 53.8%. Mean annual costs were higher for reference patients than SLIT group; € 3907 (SD 4268) vs € 2084 (SD 1623) p < 0.001. Mean annual direct cost was higher for SLIT-patients, € 1191 (SD 465) than for reference, € 751 (SD 589) p < 0.001. Mean annual indirect costs for combined absenteeism and presenteeism were lower for patients treated with SLIT, € 912 (SD 1530), than for reference, € 3346 (SD 4120) p < 0.001, with presenteeism as main driver.ConclusionsSLIT seems to be a cost-beneficial way to treat seasonal AR. This information might be used to guide future recommendations.
Project description:BACKGROUND:Few studies have directly compared the immunologic responses to specific subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). OBJECTIVE:We aimed to directly compare clinical efficacy and immunological responses between SLIT and SCIT in allergic rhinitis (AR) sensitized to house dust mites. METHODS:Sixty-seven patients (age 5-55 years) with moderate-severe Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der-p) and Dermatophagoides farinae AR with or without asthma were randomized (2:2:1) into SLIT (n = 27), SCIT (n = 26) and placebo (n = 14) groups. Symptom and medication scores, visual analogue score, serum Der-p specific immunoglobulin G4 (Der-p-sIgG4), CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and serum cytokines were measured. RESULTS:After 1-year treatment, a significant improvement of total rhinitis score (TRS), total rhinitis medication score (TRMS) and visual analogue score occurred in both SLIT and SCIT. There were no differences in clinical efficacy except for TRMS (p = 0.026) when SLIT and SCIT were directly compared. CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs had a trend towards upregulation in the 2 modes and inversely correlated with TRS (p = 0.024) only in SLIT. Der-p-sIgG4 significantly increased in SLIT and SCIT (p < 0.05), and it was 30 times higher in SCIT than SLIT after the treatment (p < 0.05). Serum interferon-γ significantly increased only in SCIT after 1 (p = 0.008), 6 (p = 0.007) and 12 (p = 0.008) months of treatment and inversely correlated with TRS (p = 0.032). CONCLUSION:While SCIT and SLIT have similar rates of clinical improvement, the 2 modes reveal heterogeneous changes of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs, sIgG4 and cytokines.