Aeroallergen immunotherapy associated with reduced risk of severe COVID-19 in 1095 allergic patients.

Introduction: Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) brings along changes in the immune system, restoring dendritic cell function, reducing T2 inflammation and augmenting the regulatory cell activation. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections, interferes with the immune system causing immune suppression during the first phase and over-activation in more advanced disease. We decided to explore the interaction of both in a real-world observational trial.

In the (sub)tropics allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma classification of allergic rhinitis is more useful than perennial-seasonal classification.

Background: Two different allergic rhinitis (AR) symptom phenotype classifications exist. Treatment recommendations are based on intermittent-persistent (INT-PER) cataloging, but clinical trials still use the former seasonal AR-perennial AR (SAR-PAR) classification. This study was designed to describe how INT-PER, mild-moderate/severe and SAR-PAR of patients seen by allergists are distributed over the different climate zones in a (sub)tropical country and how these phenotypes relate to allergen sensitization patterns.

Allergen sensitization linked to climate and age, not to intermittent-persistent rhinitis in a cross-sectional cohort study in the (sub)tropics.

Background: Allergen exposure leads to allergen sensitization in susceptible individuals and this might influence allergic rhinitis (AR) phenotype expression. We investigated whether sensitization patterns vary in a country with subtropical and tropical regions and if sensitization patterns relate to AR phenotypes or age.

Methods: In a national, cross-sectional study AR patients (2-70 y) seen by allergists underwent blinded skin prick testing with a panel of 18 allergens and completed a validated questionnaire on AR phenotypes.