Overcoming severe adverse reactions to venom immunotherapy using anti-IgE antibodies in combination with a high maintenance dose.

Background: An omalizumab treatment and a high maintenance venom dose may both help to prevent recurrent systemic allergic reactions (SAR) to venom immunotherapy (VIT). The effectiveness of this combination therapy, however, is unclear.

Objective: We wanted to explore the possibility whether a temporary treatment with the anti-IgE antibody omalizumab combined with a VIT using an elevated maintenance dose of >100 μg venom may establish a permanent tolerance of maintenance VIT.

Predictors of clinical effectiveness of Hymenoptera venom immunotherapy.

Background: Treatment failure during venom immunotherapy (VIT) may be associated with a variety of risk factors, of which the relative importance is unknown.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the association of baseline serum tryptase concentration (BTC), mastocytosis in the skin (MIS) and of other parameters with the frequency of objective systemic reactions during in-hospital sting challenge (SC).

Methods: In this observational retrospective study, we enrolled 1532 patients (1609 cases due to double SC) with established honeybee or vespid venom allergy who had undergone VIT and a subsequent SC.