Trial reaches objectives of significantly reducing allergy symptom scores and anti-allergy medication use during ragweed pollen season.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/greerr-reports-positive-findings-from-large-phase-iii-clinical-trial-evaluating-sublingual-immunotherapy-for-ragweed-allergies-2012-06-12
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) vs subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT)
Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is gaining acceptance in otolaryngology circles, but is it really any better than subcutaneous injections? Which patients can benefit from it? How can it affect practice?
These are questions ENT Today set out to answer by asking three physicians who use SLIT in practice: Bradley F. Marple, MD, Professor of Otolaryngology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School; Mary Morris, MD, an allergist and partner at Allergy Associates of La Crosse, and Medical Director for Allergy Choices in Wisconsin; and Steven B. Levine, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Otolaryngology at Yale University.
http://www.entoday.com/pt/re/entoday/fulltext.01265117-200902000-00008.htm;jsessionid=JhTWS5gTNn4PdG2TZ49QNB84FkkxXlGJkHYxrdqmMHW7LLHvlVC9!-858031623!181195628!8091!-1
These are questions ENT Today set out to answer by asking three physicians who use SLIT in practice: Bradley F. Marple, MD, Professor of Otolaryngology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School; Mary Morris, MD, an allergist and partner at Allergy Associates of La Crosse, and Medical Director for Allergy Choices in Wisconsin; and Steven B. Levine, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Otolaryngology at Yale University.
http://www.entoday.com/pt/re/entoday/fulltext.01265117-200902000-00008.htm;jsessionid=JhTWS5gTNn4PdG2TZ49QNB84FkkxXlGJkHYxrdqmMHW7LLHvlVC9!-858031623!181195628!8091!-1
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Novel Routes for Allergen Immunotherapy
Allergen immunotherapy is the only curative treatment of IgE-mediated type I respiratory allergies. Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is used as a reference therapy and has transformed allergic treatments; it improves symptoms (asthma and rhinitis) as well as the quality of life of patients. SCIT requires repetitive administration and carries the risk of severe systemic adverse effects, including anaphylaxis. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is now a valid noninvasive alternative to SCIT, as a safe and efficacious treatment for respiratory allergies. In this article, we compare various routes of allergen immunotherapy, including SCIT and SLIT, as well as more exploratory routes currently under investigation (i.e., intralymphatic, epicutaneous, intranasal and oral). We discuss their respective advantages, as well as their foreseen modes of action.
Posted: 04/10/2012; Immunotherapy. 2012;4(2):201-212.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/761450
Posted: 04/10/2012; Immunotherapy. 2012;4(2):201-212.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/761450
Thursday, March 29, 2012
From Medscape Medical News: Sublingual Immunotherapy Improves Ragweed Allergy
March 28, 2012 (Orlando, Florida) — Children who undergo a prolonged trial of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) before undertaking oral immunotherapy (OIT) for milk allergy have fewer treatment-related symptoms, particularly severe ones, than those on OIT alone, according to a study reported here at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) 2012 Annual Meeting.
"We found that prolonged SLIT before OIT improved safety and reduced severe symptoms but did not eliminate all symptoms." There was also no difference in food-challenge thresholds, reported Shannon Seopaul, a research assistant at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. "At this time, we can't say that prolonged SLIT before OIT is any more effective than OIT itself."
The study was part of a larger study that compared SLIT alone with SLIT followed by OIT (J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012;129:448-455).
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/761136
"We found that prolonged SLIT before OIT improved safety and reduced severe symptoms but did not eliminate all symptoms." There was also no difference in food-challenge thresholds, reported Shannon Seopaul, a research assistant at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. "At this time, we can't say that prolonged SLIT before OIT is any more effective than OIT itself."
The study was part of a larger study that compared SLIT alone with SLIT followed by OIT (J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012;129:448-455).
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/761136
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Treatment for food allergies showing progress
ORLANDO, Fla. – Combined treatment of food allergies that includes both sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) and oral immunotherapy appears to be effective in children who are severely allergic to milk, according to findings presented here during the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
Robert A. Wood, MD, director of Allergy & Immunology at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, presented new study results that indicated children with severe milk allergy who received a longer schedule of sublingual immunotherapy and then moved to oral immunotherapy had less respiratory reactions, along with less frequent use of certain medications.
“While the overall result of the study, which was recently published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, found that oral was far more effective than sublingual immunotherapy, it was also clear that oral was associated with more significant allergic reactions to the treatment,” Wood, who is the senior study author, said in a press release.
The difference between sublingual and oral immunotherapy is that the allergen is held under the tongue with sublingual, where the allergen is simply swallowed with oral immunotherapy.
Previous research by Wood and colleagues compared sublingual therapy (allergen is held under the tongue) with oral immunotherapy (allergen is swallowed) after a short period of increasing sublingual doses. In the current study, the same researchers from Johns Hopkins and Duke University tested patients to determine if a longer period on sublingual and then oral immunotherapy would improve the safety of the treatment.
Thirty children with cow’s milk allergy were randomly placed into two groups that received either a short or longer sublingual schedule followed by oral immunotherapy. Eight patients who received sublingual therapy were moved to oral immunotherapy. After comparing reactions across the doses, the study authors concluded that the longer sublingual schedule before switching to oral immunotherapy appeared to improve safety, although it did not eliminate all symptoms. Symptoms occurred with approximately 25% of 2,251 doses.
While the overall rates of reaction between the two groups were similar, the longer sublingual immunotherapy group followed by oral immunotherapy had fewer lower and upper respiratory reactions and used antihistamines and inhaled beta-agonists less frequently, according to the study findings.
“We continue to search for the best approach for the treatment of food allergy. This study shows that for at least some children, especially those with more frequent or severe reactions to oral immunotherapy, beginning treatment with sublingual might be beneficial,” Wood said.
http://www.pediatricsupersite.com/view.aspx?rid=95272
Robert A. Wood, MD, director of Allergy & Immunology at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, presented new study results that indicated children with severe milk allergy who received a longer schedule of sublingual immunotherapy and then moved to oral immunotherapy had less respiratory reactions, along with less frequent use of certain medications.
“While the overall result of the study, which was recently published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, found that oral was far more effective than sublingual immunotherapy, it was also clear that oral was associated with more significant allergic reactions to the treatment,” Wood, who is the senior study author, said in a press release.
The difference between sublingual and oral immunotherapy is that the allergen is held under the tongue with sublingual, where the allergen is simply swallowed with oral immunotherapy.
Previous research by Wood and colleagues compared sublingual therapy (allergen is held under the tongue) with oral immunotherapy (allergen is swallowed) after a short period of increasing sublingual doses. In the current study, the same researchers from Johns Hopkins and Duke University tested patients to determine if a longer period on sublingual and then oral immunotherapy would improve the safety of the treatment.
Thirty children with cow’s milk allergy were randomly placed into two groups that received either a short or longer sublingual schedule followed by oral immunotherapy. Eight patients who received sublingual therapy were moved to oral immunotherapy. After comparing reactions across the doses, the study authors concluded that the longer sublingual schedule before switching to oral immunotherapy appeared to improve safety, although it did not eliminate all symptoms. Symptoms occurred with approximately 25% of 2,251 doses.
While the overall rates of reaction between the two groups were similar, the longer sublingual immunotherapy group followed by oral immunotherapy had fewer lower and upper respiratory reactions and used antihistamines and inhaled beta-agonists less frequently, according to the study findings.
“We continue to search for the best approach for the treatment of food allergy. This study shows that for at least some children, especially those with more frequent or severe reactions to oral immunotherapy, beginning treatment with sublingual might be beneficial,” Wood said.
http://www.pediatricsupersite.com/view.aspx?rid=95272
Friday, March 2, 2012
Patients exhibited comparable treatment with SLIT as with SCIT
March 2, 2012 ORLANDO, Fla. — Sublingual immunotherapy compared with traditional subcutaneous immunotherapy resulted in comparable results, according to data presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) has been effective in stimulating prolonged remission of allergic rhinitis, but has been implicated in association with allergic side effects. In previous studies, an alternative strategy using sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has demonstrated an approximate 30% reduction in symptom scores and a 40% reduction in medication use during the summer months.
To investigate the long-term effects of SLIT as a beneficial alternative to SCIT — whether SLIT induces tolerance and by what mechanism — Stephen R. Durham, MA, MD, and colleagues compared approaches in patients with severe hay fever using SCIT as a positive control. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, double-dummy study, lasting 1 year, the investigators enrolled 50 patients to compare SLIT with placebo and SCIT with placebo, with a special focus on the comparison between SLIT and placebo. In this small study, researchers found that similar effects were produced from both approaches.
Durham SR. Course 1204. Subcutaneous vs. sublingual immunotherapy for aeroallergens. Presented at: the 2012 AAAAI Annual Meeting; March 2-6, 2012; Orlando. http://www.pediatricsupersite.com/view.aspx?rid=95262
Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) has been effective in stimulating prolonged remission of allergic rhinitis, but has been implicated in association with allergic side effects. In previous studies, an alternative strategy using sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has demonstrated an approximate 30% reduction in symptom scores and a 40% reduction in medication use during the summer months.
To investigate the long-term effects of SLIT as a beneficial alternative to SCIT — whether SLIT induces tolerance and by what mechanism — Stephen R. Durham, MA, MD, and colleagues compared approaches in patients with severe hay fever using SCIT as a positive control. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, double-dummy study, lasting 1 year, the investigators enrolled 50 patients to compare SLIT with placebo and SCIT with placebo, with a special focus on the comparison between SLIT and placebo. In this small study, researchers found that similar effects were produced from both approaches.
Durham SR. Course 1204. Subcutaneous vs. sublingual immunotherapy for aeroallergens. Presented at: the 2012 AAAAI Annual Meeting; March 2-6, 2012; Orlando. http://www.pediatricsupersite.com/view.aspx?rid=95262
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Mother and daughter getting allergy skin tests. Click on the photo to see a You Tube interview with another parent and child.
