Medical management and sublingual immunotherapy practices in patients with house dust mite-induced respiratory allergy: a retrospective, observational study.

The primary objective of this study is to retrospectively describe the treatment regimens (initiation, maintenance, dosage and duration) in sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) with house dust mite (HDM) extracts in routine practice in France. The secondary objectives include a description of the respiratory allergies that led to treatment and an evaluation of the treatment's efficacy and safety, patient satisfaction and compliance (as assessed by the physician) and patient management practices. Randomly-selected allergy specialists each included ten patients over the age of five with a respiratory allergy and proven sensitization to HDM (positive skin test and/or specific IgE >0.7 kUI) and in whom SLIT had been initiated in 2002 or 2005. The participants were monitored for at least two years. A total of 139 physicians participated in the study and contributed data from 1,289 patients (57% of whom were under the age of 18). More than 70% of the patients suffered from moderate-to-severe allergic rhinitis and 50% also suffered from asthma. More than 60% of the patients were polysensitized. A shift to shorter SLIT protocols was observed over time. Longer protocols tended to be used in children. Compliance was deemed good or very good in 84% of the patients. Treatment was deemed effective or very effective in 82% of the patients. Symptoms of rhinitis and/or asthma improved in 66% and 63% of the patients respectively, with a concomitant reduction in symptomatic medication intake. The majority of the patients were satisfied with their treatment, which was well tolerated. The results of this large, retrospective, observational study confirm the efficacy and tolerability of HDM SLIT in routine French practice in a real-world setting.