BACKGROUND: The natural history of allergic sensitization is complex and poorly understood. A prospective nonrandomized study was carried out in a population of asthmatic children younger than 6 years of age whose only allergic sensitivity was to house dust mites (HDMs). OBJECTIVES: The study was designed to determine whether specific immunotherapy (SIT) with standardized allergen extracts could prevent the development of new sensitizations over a 3-year follow-up survey. METHODS: We studied 22 children monosensitized to HDM who were receiving SIT with standardized allergen extracts and 22 other age-matched control subjects who were monosensitized to HDM. The initial investigation included a full clinical history, skin tests with a panel of standardized allergens, and the measurement of allergen-specific IgE, depending on the results of skin tests. Children were followed up on an annual basis for 3 years, and the development of new sensitizations in each group was recorded. RESULTS: Ten of 22 children monosensitized to HDM who were receiving SIT did not have new sensitivities compared with zero of 22 children in the control group (p = 0.001, chi square test). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that SIT in children monosensitized to HDM alters the natural course of allergy in preventing the development of new sensitizations.
BACKGROUND: The natural history of allergic sensitization is complex and poorly understood. A prospective nonrandomized study was carried out in a population of asthmatic children younger than 6 years of age whose only allergic sensitivity was to house dust mites (HDMs). OBJECTIVES: The study was designed to determine whether specific immunotherapy (SIT) with standardized allergen extracts could prevent the development of new sensitizations over a 3-year follow-up survey. METHODS: We studied 22 children monosensitized to HDM who were receiving SIT with standardized allergen extracts and 22 other age-matched control subjects who were monosensitized to HDM. The initial investigation included a full clinical history, skin tests with a panel of standardized allergens, and the measurement of allergen-specific IgE, depending on the results of skin tests. Children were followed up on an annual basis for 3 years, and the development of new sensitizations in each group was recorded. RESULTS: Ten of 22 children monosensitized to HDM who were receiving SIT did not have new sensitivities compared with zero of 22 children in the control group (p = 0.001, chi square test). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that SIT in children monosensitized to HDM alters the natural course of allergy in preventing the development of new sensitizations.
Authors: Carlos E Baena-Cagnani; Désirée Larenas-Linnemann; Alvaro Teijeiro; Giorgio Walter Canonica; Giovanni Passalacqua Journal: Curr Allergy Asthma Rep Date: 2013-12 Impact factor: 4.806