Advances in Immunotherapy for Allergies Presented

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 20 Mar 2005 - 0:00 PDT

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Sublingual Immunotherapy Saefe In Children Under 5 -

Italian researchers have showed that sublingual immunotherapy is safe in children below the age of five, according to findings presented today at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) in San Antonio.

Immunotherapy is the treatment that modifies the response of the immune system to allergens. It is considered a cornerstone in the management of respiratory allergy. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), which is administered in the form of drops underneath the tongue, has been widely utilized in Europe for the past 10 years. However, immunotherapy by injection, also known as allergy shots, is the preferred route of administration in the United States and is not recommended for children under age of five.

Giovanni Passalacqua, MD, from the University of Genoa, Italy, and colleagues, observed 126 children under the age of five to determine if sublingual immunotherapy was a safe and effective form of treatment. After two years of SLIT treatments, a total number of approximately 39,000 doses were administered, resulting in only nine side effects in seven children, none of which were severe.

Researchers determined that the sublingual route of administration was safe and effective in children under age 5. They noted that the rate of side effects found in this study were similar to those in adult and adolescent patients.

SUBLINGUAL IMMUNOTHERAPY EFFECTIVE IN MITE-INDUCED RESPIRATORY ALLERGY

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) provided a significant clinical benefit in patients whose allergies were triggered by dust mites. These findings were presented today at the 2005 AAAAI Annual Meeting in San Antonio.

Carlo Lombardi, MD, South Orsola Hospital in Brescia, ITALY, and colleagues performed a three-year evaluation of SLIT, looking at the effects on symptoms and the quality of life on 68 patients suffering from mild rhinitis and/or asthma that was triggered by dust mites. The patients were divided into two groups - one receiving only standard medications, and the other group received SLIT in addition to their standard medications.

In the patients who received SLIT, researchers observed a significant reduction of nasal obstruction, itching and cough, and a decreased need for medications for symptom relief. They also discovered that the patients who received SLIT made fewer trips to the physician's office and missed fewer days of work than those patients treated with only standard allergy/asthma medication.

RESEARCHERS SHOW IMMUNE MECHANISMS AFTER SLIT TREATMENT

Through an animal model, researchers were able to demonstrate the effectiveness of sublingual immunotherapy in blocking the binding of IgE antibodies. These findings were presented today at the 2005 AAAAI Annual Meeting in San Antonio.

Jens Kildsgaard, PhD, and colleagues from ALK-Abello, studied the immune mechanisms involved after sublingual immunotherapy treatments for allergy. They administered sublingual doses of Timothy grass pollen extract to allergic mice.

After analyzing the lung and nasal washes of the mice, they found: * SLIT generated increased levels of allergen specific antibodies (IgA) * No allergen specific IgE was detected, indicating that pulmonary inflammation was absent

The animal model demonstrated that sublingual immunotherapy is able modulate the allergic immune response. They found that SLIT provides a "blocking" effect, which is caused by the binding of allergen specific non-IgE antibodies to the allergen, thereby reducing IgE activity.

These studies were presented at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). The AAAAI is the largest professional medical specialty organization in the United States representing allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic disease. Allergy/immunology specialists are pediatric or internal medicine physicians who have elected an additional two years of training to become specialized in the treatment of asthma, allergy and immunologic disease. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has over 6,000 members in the United States, Canada and 60 other countries. The AAAAI serves as an advocate to the public by providing educational information through its Web site, http://www.aaaai.org, and its Physician Referral and Information Line, 1 (800) 822-2762.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)
555 East Wells St., Ste 1100
Milwaukee, WI 53202
United States
Phone 414-272-6071
Fax 414-272-6070
http://www.aaaai.org
http://www.aaaai.org

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