Sublingual immunotherapy tablets in monosensitized and polysensitized adults with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.

Most patients with allergic rhinitis/conjunctivitis (AR/C) are sensitized to more than one allergen. An ongoing question is the efficacy of single-allergen immunotherapy in patients who are polysensitized. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of grass, ragweed, tree, and house-dust mite (HDM) sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablets in adults with AR/C who are mono- or polysensitized.

Allergy immunotherapy for allergic fungal respiratory diseases.

Allergy immunotherapy (AIT) with fungal extracts is not as straight forward as that with other inhalants. The complexities relate to the number of airborne fungal spores, the limited data on the exposure to the spores of individual species of fungi and their clinical importance, the poor quality of the fungal allergen extracts that are available for the diagnosis and treatment, and the lack of controlled studies establishing dosing and efficacy of AIT with fungal extracts except for Alternaria. The objective was to review what is known with regard to the role of fungi in causing allergic respiratory diseases as well as the evidence that exists for the role of AIT as a treatment for these conditions.

The Art of Immunotherapy.

Selection of a patient with rhinitis/conjunctivitis or asthma for allergy immunotherapy (AIT) requires several decisions. First, does the patient's sensitization, pattern of exposure to an allergen, and degree of exposure to that allergen reasonably suggest a causal relationship? Does the level and duration of symptoms warrant the cost and inconvenience of immunotherapy, or is the patient motivated by the disease-modifying potential of AIT? If AIT is selected, is the choice to be greater safety and convenience with sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablets, but with treatment probably limited to 2 or 3 allergens, or for subcutaneous immunotherapy where multiple allergen therapy is the rule and efficacy may be somewhat greater, at least initially, or does the physician go off-label into the unknowns of liquid SLIT? Are there extracts of sufficient potency to achieve likely effective doses? How does the physician deal with large local or systemic reactions, with gaps in treatment, with pollen seasons, and the use of premedication or cautionary prescription of epinephrine autoinjectors? How can adherence to AIT be improved? These and other questions are addressed in this paper.

The Art of Dosing for Subcutaneous Immunotherapy in North America.

Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is a long-established treatment option for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Proper dosing of the allergens is critical for the efficacy and safety of SCIT. Of the hundreds of liquid allergen extracts in the United States, effective and well-tolerated SCIT dosing has only been established for a small number.

Extrapolating Evidence-Based Medicine of AIT Into Clinical Practice in the United States.

Allergy/immunology specialists in the United States prescribing allergy immunotherapy (AIT) have placed a heavy value on practical experience and anecdotal evidence rather than research-based evidence. With the extensive research on AIT conducted in the last few decades, the time has come to better implement evidence-based medicine (EBM) for AIT. The goal of this review was to critically assess EBM for debated concepts in US AIT practice for respiratory allergies in the context and quality of today's regulatory standards.

Curcumin does not significantly affect immediate skin tests.

Curcumin has been shown to decrease allergic symptoms and biomarkers in some animal and human studies. Our study aimed to determine if curcumin affects immediate skin-prick testing. We enrolled 34 participants sensitized to select antigens.

The return of the mixed respiratory bacterial vaccine.

Orally or sublingually administered lysates of mixed respiratory pathogenic bacteria have been used in Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world, but not the United States, since the mid 1950s, first to prevent recurrent respiratory tract infections, later to prevent wheezing and asthma exacerbations associated with respiratory infections, and, more recently, for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. The apparent success of this treatment contrasts with the negative experience of treating with injections of similar mixed respiratory bacterial vaccines (MRBV or BV) to prevent asthma exacerbations associated with respiratory infections that was once common practice but abandoned ∼50 years ago. Textbooks and articles on the use of injected BVs to prevent asthma exacerbations associated with respiratory infections were reviewed, including a number of, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled (RDBPC) studies the results of which were predominantly negative that contributed to the abandonment of this treatment.

Future directions in allergen immunotherapy.

Both subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) are effective clinically against allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma, and modify the underlying immunologic abnormalities. Despite this, many patients who could benefit from receiving SCIT and SLIT do not because of concerns about safety and the inconvenience in receiving SCIT, and the long duration of treatment with both, 3-4 years being required for lasting benefit. Attempts to improve the efficacy and safety, and to shorten the course of allergen immunotherapy have taken many approaches.

Standardized allergen extracts for allergen immunotherapy.

Nineteen U.S. allergen extracts were standardized by the U.

To mix or not to mix in allergy immunotherapy vaccines.

Purpose Of Review: European and US allergists generally do not agree on the approach to subcutaneous allergy immunotherapy in patients with multiple allergies. The North American approach is to treat with a mixture that contains all the allergen extracts to which the patient has evident clinical sensitivity, whereas the European approach is to select for treatment the one or at the most two allergens that are clinically most important for the patient.

Recent Findings: Recent society guidelines continue to recommend these differing practices of treating the polyallergic patient and reviews of prescribing practices indicate these divergent recommendations are followed in Europe and the USA.

How important is proper dosing for subcutaneous and sublingual allergy immunotherapy?

Results of surveys report that allergists use a wide range of doses for allergy immunotherapy; however, results of randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled studies suggest that the range of the optimum effective dosing is relatively narrow. To review studies that established effective or less than fully effective doses for allergy immunotherapy. Studies were reviewed that established effective and ineffective subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy doses.

The evolution of allergy immunotherapy.

Objective: The objective of this review is to trace the evolution of the art and science of allergy immunotherapy (AIT).

Data Sources: Original reports relating to the evolution of the concept of respiratory allergy and its specific treatment were identified by following references in journal articles, review articles, and allergy textbooks from the mid-20th century to the present.

Study Selections: Studies highlighting substantial milestones in the evolution of the practice of allergy immunotherapy were included.

Allergy immunotherapy: Future directions for the 2020s.

Allergy immunotherapy (AIT), whether administered as subcutaneous immunotherapy or as sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), is an effective treatment for sensitization to inhalant allergens. There remain, however, some important unresolved issues, such as the need for compelling evidence for or against the efficacy of treatment with multiple unrelated allergen extracts and optimal dosing with SLIT-liquid preparations. Both methods of AIT involve prolonged periods of treatment to achieve persisting benefit.

Clinical Practice of Allergen Immunotherapy for Allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis and Asthma: An Expert Panel Report.

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) reduces symptoms and medication use associated with allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis and allergic asthma. Although several AIT guidelines exist, there remain unanswered questions about AIT that are relevant to everyday practice. Our objective was to prepare an evidence-based overview addressing the practical aspects of AIT in clinical practice based on published evidence and the experience of international experts in the field.

Efficacy and Safety of Ragweed SLIT-Tablet in Children with Allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Background: Ragweed sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablet reduces symptoms and symptom-relieving medication use in adults with allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis (AR/C) but has not been evaluated in children.

Objective: This international, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of ragweed SLIT-tablet in children with AR/C.

Methods: Children (N = 1025; 77.

Allergy immunotherapy for inhalant allergens: Strategies to minimize adverse reactions.

Allergy immunotherapy (AIT), both subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), is an effective and safe treatment for allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma due to inhalant allergens. However, there are many variables in how it is administered. To review the evidence that suggests the optimal practice(s) to minimize adverse reactions to AIT.

Allergy immunotherapy for inhalant allergens: Strategies to improve efficacy.

Allergy immunotherapy (AIT), both subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), is an effective and safe treatment for allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma due to inhalant allergens. However, there are many variables in how it is administered. To review the evidence that suggests the optimum practices to enhance the efficacy of AIT.

Ragweed allergy immunotherapy tablet MK-3641 (Ragwitek®) for the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is among the most common chronic conditions affecting both children and adults. It is the cause of significant morbidity from the symptoms and interference with sleep. It results in major impairment of performance both at school and at work.

Recent advances in allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis affects 20 to 30% of adults in both the United States and Europe and perhaps a somewhat higher percentage of children. In addition to nasal and ocular symptoms directly related to the allergic process, interference of these symptoms with sleep leads to daytime sleepiness and impaired quality of life. Patients miss work because of symptoms but an even greater problem is interference with work productivity, or presenteeism, which has been reported to be the biggest contributor to the total economic cost of allergic rhinitis.

Immunotherapy for house-dust mite allergy.

Background: Since the discovery of house-dust mites (HDM) in the 1960's, allergy immunotherapy trials that used extracts of these mites have been conducted, first by subcutaneous (SCIT) and later by the sublingual (SLIT) route. When reviewed in 2013, published studies of HDM immunotherapy were found to often be characterized by small sample size, widely varying doses, and poorly defined disease severity and outcomes. These trials were thought to to support the efficacy of HDM subcutaneous allergy immunotherapy but the evidence for efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy was less firm.

SQ house dust mite sublingual immunotherapy tablet subgroup efficacy and local application site reaction duration.

Background: Allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis (AR/C) is common, necessitating evaluation of SQ house dust mite (HDM) sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)-tablet efficacy in various subgroups.

Objective: To evaluate 12 SQ-HDM efficacy and safety across subgroups, and the onset, duration, and recurrence of local application site reactions.

Methods: Subgroup (age, sex, race, asthma status, and allergen sensitization) efficacy was assessed using pooled data from 2 previously described trials of daily 12 SQ-HDM vs placebo for AR/C (n = 2,138).

International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Allergic Rhinitis.

Background: Critical examination of the quality and validity of available allergic rhinitis (AR) literature is necessary to improve understanding and to appropriately translate this knowledge to clinical care of the AR patient. To evaluate the existing AR literature, international multidisciplinary experts with an interest in AR have produced the International Consensus statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Allergic Rhinitis (ICAR:AR).

Methods: Using previously described methodology, specific topics were developed relating to AR.