BACKGROUND: The major complication of allergen immunotherapy is a severe reaction. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety of depigmented and glutaraldehyde-modified allergen extracts in a large group of patients undergoing immunotherapy treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seven hundred sixty-six patients, having rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma, were entered in a prospective, multi-centre, observational cohort study, to evaluate the safety of immunotherapy with modified allergen vaccines. Patients were sensitized to mites and/or pollen and received a therapeutic vaccine containing depigmented and polymerized allergen extracts of mites and/or pollens adsorbed onto aluminium hydroxide. The schedule of administration consisted of a build-up phase of 4- to 6-weekly injections, followed by 12-monthly injections of the maintenance dose. Tolerance was assessed by recording all side reactions related to immunotherapy. RESULTS: All patients completed the study. Fifty-four clinically relevant local reactions (43 immediate and 11 delayed) were observed (0.4% of injections). The systemic reactions were 34 in 12 patients. Six reactions were immediate (all of grade 2) and 28 delayed (18 of grade 1 in two patients, nine of grade 2 and one of grade 3). The systemic reactions of grade 2 or 3 occurred in 0.12% of the injections. All systemic reactions were mild and resolved spontaneously without the need for medication. CONCLUSION: Specific immunotherapy using modified allergen vaccines is safe to treat allergic patients. The percentage of adverse reactions detected is lower than those reported in the literature with native-unmodified allergen extracts.
BACKGROUND: The major complication of allergen immunotherapy is a severe reaction. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety of depigmented and glutaraldehyde-modified allergen extracts in a large group of patients undergoing immunotherapy treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seven hundred sixty-six patients, having rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma, were entered in a prospective, multi-centre, observational cohort study, to evaluate the safety of immunotherapy with modified allergen vaccines. Patients were sensitized to mites and/or pollen and received a therapeutic vaccine containing depigmented and polymerized allergen extracts of mites and/or pollens adsorbed onto aluminium hydroxide. The schedule of administration consisted of a build-up phase of 4- to 6-weekly injections, followed by 12-monthly injections of the maintenance dose. Tolerance was assessed by recording all side reactions related to immunotherapy. RESULTS: All patients completed the study. Fifty-four clinically relevant local reactions (43 immediate and 11 delayed) were observed (0.4% of injections). The systemic reactions were 34 in 12 patients. Six reactions were immediate (all of grade 2) and 28 delayed (18 of grade 1 in two patients, nine of grade 2 and one of grade 3). The systemic reactions of grade 2 or 3 occurred in 0.12% of the injections. All systemic reactions were mild and resolved spontaneously without the need for medication. CONCLUSION: Specific immunotherapy using modified allergen vaccines is safe to treat allergicpatients. The percentage of adverse reactions detected is lower than those reported in the literature with native-unmodified allergen extracts.
Authors: G Walter Canonica; Jean Bousquet; Thomas Casale; Richard F Lockey; Carlos E Baena-Cagnani; Ruby Pawankar; Paul C Potter; Philippe J Bousquet; Linda S Cox; Stephen R Durham; Harold S Nelson; Giovanni Passalacqua; Dermot P Ryan; Jan L Brozek; Enrico Compalati; Ronald Dahl; Luis Delgado; Roy Gerth van Wijk; Richard G Gower; Dennis K Ledford; Nelson Rosario Filho; Erkka J Valovirta; Osman M Yusuf; Torsten Zuberbier Journal: World Allergy Organ J Date: 2009-11-19 Impact factor: 4.084
Authors: Laura Kim; Immaculate Nevis; Ryan Potts; Clark Eeuwes; Arunmozhi Dominic; Harold L Kim Journal: Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol Date: 2014-05-07 Impact factor: 3.406