Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Single-allergen sublingual immunotherapy versus multi-allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy for children with allergic rhinitis

  • Published:
Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology [Medical Sciences] Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

It has always been controversial whether a single allergen performs better than multiple allergens in polysensitized patients during the allergen-specific immunotherapy. This study aimed to examine the clinical efficacy of single-allergen sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) versus multi-allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) and to discover the change of the biomarker IL-4 after 1-year immunotherapy in polysensitized children aged 6–13 years with allergic rhinitis (AR) induced by house dust mites (HDMs). The AR polysensitized children (n=78) were randomly divided into two groups: SLIT group and SCIT group. Patients in the SLIT group sublingually received a single HDM extract and those in the SCIT group were subcutaneously given multiple-allergen extracts (HDM in combination with other clinically relevant allergen extracts). Before and 1 year after the allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT), the total nasal symptom scores (TNSS), total medication scores (TMS) and IL-4 levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were compared respectively between the two groups. The results showed that the TNSS were greatly improved, and the TMS and IL-4 levels were significantly decreased after 1-year ASIT in both groups (SLIT group: P<0.001; SCIT group: P<0.001). There were no significant differences in any outcome measures between the two groups (for TNSS: P>0.05; for TMS: P>0.05; for IL-4 levels: P>0.05). It was concluded that the clinical efficacy of single-allergen SLIT is comparable with that of multi-allergen SCIT in 6–13-year-old children with HDM-induced AR.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Pinart M, Keller T, Reich A, et al. Sex-related allergic rhinitis prevalence switch from childhood to adulthood: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int Arch Allergy Immunol, 2017,172(4):224–235

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Valenta R, Campana R, Focke-Tejkl M, et al. Vaccine development for allergen-specific immunotherapy based on recombinant allergens and synthetic allergen peptides: Lessons from the past and novel mechanisms of action for the future. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2016,137(2):351–357

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Ozdemir C, Kucuksezer UC, Akdis M, et al. Mechanisms of aeroallergen immunotherapy: Subcutaneous immunotherapy and sublingual immunotherapy. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am, 2016,36(1):71–86

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Arasi S, Passalacqua G, Caminiti L, et al. Efficacy and safety of sublingual immunotherapy in children. Expert Rev Clin Immunol, 2016,12(1):49–56

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Demoly P, Okamoto Y, Yang WH, et al. 300 IR HDM tablet: a sublingual immunotherapy tablet for the treatment of house dust mite-associated allergic rhinitis. Expert Rev Clin Immunol, 2016,12(11):1141–1151

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Canonica GW, Cox L, Pawankar R, et al. Sublingual immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization position paper 2013 update. World Allergy Organ J, 2014,7(1):6

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Chelladurai Y, Suarez-Cuervo C, Erekosima N, et al. Effectiveness of subcutaneous versus sublingual immunotherapy for the treatment of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma: a systematic review. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract, 2013,1(4):361–369

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Eifan AO, Akkoc T, Yildiz A, et al. Clinical efficacy and immunological mechanisms of sublingual and subcutaneous immunotherapy in asthmatic/rhinitis children sensitized to house dust mite: an open randomized controlled trial. Clin Exp Immunol, 2010,40(6):922–932

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Nelson HS. Subcutaneous immunotherapy versus sublingual immunotherapy: which is more effective?. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract, 2014,2(2):144–149

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Calderón MA, Cox L, Casale TB, et al. Multiple-allergen and single-allergen immunotherapy strategies in polysensitized patients: looking at the published evidence. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2012,129(4):929–934

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Bousquet J, Khaltaev N, Cruz AA, et al. Allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma (ARIA) 2008. Allergy, 2008,63(s86):8–160

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Wang DH, Chen L, Cheng L, et al. Fast onset of action of sublingual immunotherapy in house dust mite-induced allergic rhinitis: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Laryngoscope, 2013,123(6):1334–1340

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Pfaar O, Demoly P, Gerth van Wijk R, et al. Recommendations for the standardization of clinical outcomes used in allergen immunotherapy trials for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis: an EAACI Position Paper. Allergy, 2014,69(7):854–867

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Cox L, Li JT, Nelson H, et al. Allergen immunotherapy: a practice parameter second update. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2007,120(3):S25–S85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Soyyigit S, Guloglu D, Ikinciogullari A, et al. Immunologic alterations and efficacy of subcutaneous immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in monosensitized and polysensitized patients. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol, 2016,116(3):244–251

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Nony E, Martelet A, Jain K, et al. Allergen extracts for immunotherapy: to mix or not to mix?. Expert Rev Clin Immunol, 2016,9(3):401–408

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Amar SM, Harbeck R J, Sills M, et al. Response to sublingual immunotherapy with grass pollen extract: monotherapy versus combination in a multiallergen extract. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2009,124(1):150–156

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Bégin P, Nadeau KC. Epigenetic regulation of asthma and allergic disease. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol, 2014,10(1):27

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Narozna B, Hoffmann A, Sobkowiak P, et al. Polymorphisms in the interleukin 4, interleukin 4 receptor and interleukin 13 genes and allergic phenotype: A case control study. Adv Med Sci, 2016,61(1):40–45

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Ciprandi G, De Amici M, Murdaca G, et al. Serum IL-4 as a marker of immunological response to sublingual immunotherapy. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents, 2007,22(2):117–123

    Google Scholar 

  21. Li P, Li Q, Huang Z, et al. Efficacy and safety of house dust mite sublingual immunotherapy in monosensitized and polysensitized children with respiratory allergic diseases. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol, 2014, 4(10):796–801

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Allergology, Institute of Immunology; Department of Allergy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China

    Zhong-xi Wang  (王忠喜)

  2. Department of Gerontology, Central Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou, 380000, China

    Han Shi  (石 涵)

Authors
  1. Zhong-xi Wang  (王忠喜)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Han Shi  (石 涵)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhong-xi Wang  (王忠喜).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, Zx., Shi, H. Single-allergen sublingual immunotherapy versus multi-allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy for children with allergic rhinitis. J. Huazhong Univ. Sci. Technol. [Med. Sci.] 37, 407–411 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-017-1748-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-017-1748-2

Key words

Search

Navigation