The cost-effectiveness of immunotherapy for respiratory allergy: a review

Quality of life and healthcare costs of patients with allergic respiratory diseases: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic asthma (AA) are chronic respiratory diseases that represent a global health problem. One aim of this study was to analyze the Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of the patients in order to identify statistically significant influencing factors that determine HRQoL. Another aim was to assess and analyze data on cost-of-illness from a statutory health insurance perspective.

METHODS

 The EQ-5D-5L was used to evaluate the patients' HRQoL. To identify the factors influencing the HRQoL, a multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted using groups based on the EQ-5D-5L index value as dependent variable. Routine data were analyzed to determine total healthcare costs.

RESULTS

 The average EQ-5D-5L index was 0.85 (SD 0.20). A high age, the amount of disease costs, low internal health-related control beliefs and high ozone exposure in the residential area were found to be statistically significant influencing factors for a low HRQoL, whereas low age, male sex and a good possibility to avoid the allergens were found to be statistically significant factors influencing a high HRQoL. On average, the study participants incurred annual costs of €3072 (SD: 3485), of which €699 (SD: 743) could be assigned to allergic respiratory diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

 Overall, the patients in the VerSITA study showed a high level of HRQoL. The identified influencing factors can be used as starting points for improving the HRQoL of patients with allergic respiratory diseases. From the perspective of a statutory health insurance, per person expenditures for allergic respiratory diseases are rather low.

Efficacy of acupuncture at three nasal acupoints plus acupoint application for perennial allergic rhinitis: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial protocol

BACKGROUND

Many studies have shown the potential therapeutic effect of acupuncture on allergic rhinitis. Most of these studies were limited by low-quality evidence. Preliminary experiments showed that the use of acupuncture at three nasal acupoints plus acupoint application (AAP) achieves a more persistent effect in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis than acupuncture alone. In this study, a multicenter, single-blind, randomized controlled trial will be performed, in which acupuncture at nonmeridian acupoints and sham AAP will be used as the control group to evaluate the effect of AAP through long-term observation.

METHODS

The trial is designed on the basis of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials 2010 guidelines and Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture. A total of 120 participants with perennial allergic rhinitis will be randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. A specially appointed investigator will be in charge of randomization. The participants in the treatment group will be treated with acupuncture at EX-HN3, LI20, and EX-HN8 thrice per week for a total of 12 sessions. In addition, they will undergo AAP at DU14, BL13, EX-BI, and RN22. The participants in the control group will be treated with sham AAP. The primary outcome will be the change in the Total Nasal Symptom Score from baseline to the completion of 4-week treatment. Secondary outcomes include changes in visual analog scale and total non-nasal symptom scores from baseline to the second and fourth weeks of treatment, as well as 1, 3, and 6 months after the completion of treatment. Peripheral blood IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 levels will be measured, and any side effects related to treatment will be observed and recorded.

DISCUSSION

It is expected that this randomized clinical trial will provide evidence to determine the effects of AAP compared with acupuncture at nonmeridian acupoints and sham AAP, particularly the long-term effect. These findings will help improve the clinical application of this technique.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Acupuncture-Moxibustion Clinical Trial Registry AMCTR-ICR-18000179. Registered on 12 April 2018.

[Costs of allergic diseases and saving potential by allergen-specific immunotherapy : A personal assessment]

BACKGROUND

The burden of allergic diseases is of particular relevance for the economy and the social welfare and health insurance framework. Allergic rhinitis (AR) has a life-time prevalence of approximately 30% and is one of the most common chronic diseases with considerable socioeconomic impact thus leading to substantial direct, indirect and intangible costs. This article explores the common hypothesis that allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) saves national economic expenses in the long term in comparison to other standard symptomatic treatment or no therapy.

METHODS

We conducted a selective search and analysis of the literature in PubMed and Medline including otherwise listed publications in German. Using a predefined model and data extrapolation over 9 years for data from different sources and short-term clinical studies we further discuss the problems and difficulties in analyzing heterogeneous datasets.

RESULTS

Using a health-economic model with currently available and accepted variables ASIT proves to be cost-effective in comparison to symptomatic treatment in allergic rhinitis; however, numerous parameters from other models have to be controlled, such as adherence to therapy and therapy discontinuation, heterogeneous costs for different treatment modalities, effect sizes with respect to symptoms including cross-influences with symptomatic rescue medication, duration of efficacy after treatment discontinuation and asthma protection.

DISCUSSION

The personal appraisal of the authors demonstrates not only the current knowledge but also the problems in health economical evaluation of ASIT in allergic diseases.

Sensitization profile in patients with respiratory allergic diseases: differences between conventional and molecular diagnosis (a cross-sectional study)

Background

Component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) allows to identify single molecular allergen components, and constitutes a routine practice in many allergy units. However, skin prick test (SPT) remains the technique of choice in many otorhinolaryngology departments, thus increasing the risk of using inadequate immunotherapies in patients with respiratory allergies. This study aimed to compare sensitization profiles determined by SPT and CRD in patients with respiratory allergy, and to explore the relationship between sensitization and type and severity of the respiratory disease.

Methods

Cross-sectional, multicenter study of patients admitted to the Otorhinolaryngology Department due to symptoms of respiratory allergy. Extracts from various house dust mites, pollens, and molds were tested by SPT, whereas IgE against the corresponding antigens were measured by CRD.

Results

The analysis included 101 patients. The sensitization profile obtained by SPT had low agreement with that of CRD, particularly to dust mite allergens (Dermatophagoides sp.) and pollens (Plantago lanceolata, Olea europaea, and Cupressus sempervirens). While SPT did not show any significant relationship between sensitization and type/severity of the respiratory disease, CRD allowed to associate Der p 1, Der f 1 and Lep d 2 sensitizations with asthma, and Der p 2, Der f 2 and Lep d 2 sensitizations with more severe symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Conclusions

Compared with SPT, CRD enables to describe a more accurate sensitization profile and to identify associations between symptoms and specific antigens. The routine use of CRD in an otorhinolaryngology setting may benefit the management of patients with respiratory allergy.Trial registration IB 3108/15 (Retrospectively registered).

Molecular diagnostics improves diagnosis and treatment of respiratory allergy and food allergy with economic optimization and cost saving

BACKGROUND

Component resolved diagnosis (CRD) allows to precisely identify the sensitization to specific molecules of a given allergenic source, resulting in an important improvement in clinical management, particularly of polysensitized subjects. This will end in the correct prescription of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) for respiratory allergy and in adequate avoidance diets or prescription of self-injectable adrenaline in food allergy.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this multicenter, real life study is to evaluate the percentage change of the diagnostic-therapeutic choice in polysensitized patients with respiratory allergy and in patients with food allergy, after using CRD compared to a first level diagnosis, along with an economic analysis of the patient's overall management according to the two different approaches.

METHODS

An overall number of 462 polysensitized patients, as suggested by skin prick tests (SPT), and with clinical symptoms related to a respiratory (275 pts) or food (187 pts) allergy, were recruited. All patients underwent CRD for specific IgE against food or inhalant recombinant molecules, which were chosen according to medical history and positivity to SPT. The first diagnostic-therapeutic hypothesis, based only on medical history and SPT, was recorded for each patient while the final diagnostic-therapeutic choice was based on the results from CRD. The rate of change of the diagnostic-therapeutic choice from the first hypothesis to the final choice was statistically evaluated. The economic impact of CRD on the overall management of the allergic patients was analyzed to evaluate whether the increase in the diagnostic costs would be compensated and eventually exceeded by savings coming from the improved diagnostic-therapeutic appropriateness.

RESULTS

An approximate 50% change (k index 0.54) in the prescription of AIT for respiratory allergy as well as a change in the prescription of self-injectable adrenaline (k index 0.56) was measured; an overall saving of financial resources along with a higher diagnostic-therapeutic appropriateness was also detected.

CONCLUSION

There is moderate agreement concerning prescription of AIT and self-injectable adrenaline before and after performing CRD: this highlights the usefulness of CRD, at least in polysensitized patients, in indicating the risk assessment and therefore the correct therapy of respiratory and food allergy, which results in a cost-saving approach.

Chinese Guideline on allergen immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis

The present document is based on a consensus reached by a panel of experts from Chinese Society of Allergy (CSA) and Chinese Allergic Rhinitis Collaborative Research Group (C2AR2G). Allergen immunotherapy (AIT), has increasingly been used as a treatment for allergic rhinitis (AR) globally, as it has been shown to provide a long-term effect in improving nasal and ocular symptoms, reducing medication need, and improving quality of life. AIT is currently the only curative intervention that can potentially modify the immune system in individuals suffering from AR and prevent the development of new sensitization and the progression of disease from AR to asthma. Although the use of AIT is becoming more acceptable in China, to date no AR immunotherapy guideline from China is available for use by the international community. This document has thus been produced and covers the main aspects of AIT undertaken in China; including selection of patients for AIT, the allergen extracts available on the Chinese market, schedules and doses of allergen employed in different routes of AIT, assessment of effect and safety, patients' administration and follow-up, and management of adverse reactions. The Chinese guideline for AR immunotherapy will thus serve as a reference point by doctors, healthcare professionals and organizations involved in the AIT of AR in China. Moreover, this guideline will serve as a source of information for the international community on AIT treatment strategies employed in China.

Estimate of the total costs of allergic rhinitis in specialized care based on real-world data: the FERIN Study

BACKGROUND

Despite the socioeconomic importance of allergic rhinitis (AR), very few prospective studies have been performed under conditions of clinical practice and with a sufficiently long observation period outside the clinical trial scenario. We prospectively estimated the direct and indirect costs of AR in patients attending specialized clinics in Spain.

METHODS

Patients were recruited at random from allergy outpatient clinics in 101 health centers throughout Spain over 12 months. We performed a multicenter, observational, prospective study under conditions of clinical practice. We analyzed direct costs from a funder perspective (healthcare costs) and from a societal perspective (healthcare and non-healthcare costs). Indirect costs (absenteeism and presenteeism [productivity lost in the workplace]) were also calculated. The cost of treating conjunctivitis was evaluated alongside that of AR.

RESULTS

The total mean cost of AR per patient-year (n = 498) was €2326.70 (direct, €553.80; indirect, €1772.90). Direct costs were significantly higher in women (€600.34 vs €484.46, P = 0.02). Total costs for intermittent AR were significantly lower than for persistent AR (€1484.98 vs €2655.86, P < 0.001). Total indirect costs reached €1772.90 (presenteeism, €1682.71; absenteeism, €90.19). The direct costs of AR in patients with intermittent asthma (€507.35) were lower than in patients with mild-persistent asthma (€719.07) and moderate-persistent asthma (€798.71) (P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

The total cost of AR for society is considerable. Greater frequency of symptoms and more severe AR are associated with higher costs. Indirect costs are almost threefold direct costs, especially in presenteeism. A reduction in presenteeism would generate considerable savings for society.

Cost-effectiveness of grass pollen SCIT compared with SLIT and symptomatic treatment

Background

Whereas specific immunotherapy (SIT) has already been shown to be cost-effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis compared with symptomatic treatment, only a small number of investigations have compared sublingual (SLIT) and subcutaneous (SCIT) immunotherapeutic approaches. This analysis discusses the cost-effectiveness of SCIT compared with SLIT and a symptomatic treatment modality. At the same time, particular attention is paid to preparation-specific characteristics.

Methods

The investigation is based on a previously published health economic model calculation. A Markov model, with predefined disease stages and a time period of 9 years, formed the basis of the analysis. The data on specific SCIT (Allergovit®) and SLIT (Oralair®) preparations required for the calculation were adjusted for the present analysis. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) based on symptom scores were calculated as the endpoint for effectiveness. Furthermore, the total costs and cost effectiveness of SCIT were determined. Model uncertainties were estimated by means of additional sensitivity analyses.

Results

With regard to effectiveness, both the SCIT and SLIT preparations proved superior compared to symptomatic treatment. Although more expensive, SIT seem to be cost-effective. A direct comparison of SCIT (Allergovit®) and SLIT (Oralair®) showed lower total costs for SCIT treatment over the study period (SCIT 1159 € versus SLIT 1322 €) and improved effectiveness (SCIT 7.112 QALYs versus SLIT 7.060 QALYs).

Discussion

SIT represents a cost-effective treatment option for patients with allergic rhinitis compared with symptomatic treatment. The comparison of SCIT (Allergovit®) and SLIT (Oralair®) showed SCIT to be predominant and cost-effective, due in particular to somewhat greater patient compliance and lower drug costs. It also became evident that, as far as possible, product-specific model variables are required for an economic evaluation of SIT treatment.

[Allergen immunotherapy: Mechanisms of action, and therapeutic and socioeconomic impact Consensus of the Asociación Colombiana de Alergia, Asma e Imunología]

Allergies comprise a set of highly prevalent diseases. When allergic processes are not controlled, they can endanger patients' health and lives, and have an important economic and social impact. The aim of this paper is to present a practical consensus of the scientific evidence on the use of immunotherapy in allergic diseases. A collaborative review made by various institutes and universities in Colombia was carried out upon request of the Asociación Colombiana de Alergia, Asma e Imunología, led by general practitioners, allergists, immunologists, internists and paediatricians with experience in the field of allergies. As a result, based on current national and international scientific evidence, we describe in detail what immunotherapy is about, its indications, contraindications and its economic and health benefits. Conclusions show immunotherapy as a clinically effective and safe treatment, which can substantially reduce the cost of the overall treatment of allergic patients.

Efficacy and safety of using a warming needle for persistent allergic rhinitis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Many previous studies have shown the potential therapeutic effect of acupuncture for allergic rhinitis. Most of these studies, however, were limited by the short duration of observations and lack of sham acupuncture as the control group. Our preliminary experiments showed that the use of a warm needling achieved a much more persistent effect in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) compared with simple acupuncture therapy. Hence, we have designed a multicenter, randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which the first-line medication loratadine will be used as the control group, and the effect of warm needling therapy will be evaluated through long-term observation.

Methods/design

The trial is designed as a multicenter, parallel-group, randomized, single-blinded (outcome assessors), non-inferiority trial. A total of 98 patients with persistent AR will be randomly assigned into two groups. Patients in the treatment group will be treated with warm needling at GV14 and acupuncture at EX-HN3, ST2, LI20, EX-HN8, GV23, LU7, LU5 and LI4 three times a week, for a total of 4 weeks. Patients in the control group will be treated with oral loratadine 10 mg/day for 4 weeks. The primary outcome will be the change in the Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS) from baseline to that at 6 months after treatment during the follow-up period. The secondary outcomes will include the Total Non-nasal Symptom Score and the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire, changes in the TNSS from baseline to that at 2 and 4 weeks during treatment, and 3 months after treatment during the follow-up period. Outcomes will be measured at 2 and 4 weeks, and 3 and 6 months after treatment. Any side effects of treatment will be observed and recorded.

Discussion

We expect that the study results will provide evidence to determine the effects of warm needling compared with loratadine. Our final goal of the study is to evaluate the difference in the short-term and long-term effects between the two therapeutic methods, especially the long-term effect of warm needling.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02339714. Registered on 14 January 2015.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-016-1432-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Adherence to allergen immunotherapy improves when patients choose the route of administration: Subcutaneous or sublingual

BACKGROUND

Immunotherapy has shown to be an effective treatment for the management of some IgE-mediated allergies. However, due to its long duration, a high number of patients withdraw from it before completion.

OBJECTIVE

Explore if allowing patients to select the route of immunotherapy, educational sessions and strict follow-up could improve treatment compliance.

METHODS

Patients consulting allergy service were divided into two groups; if they chose the route of administration of immunotherapy, they were selected for the active group; if their physician decided, they were selected for the control group. All patients had to attend the allergy service monthly for control. Before the first application of immunotherapy, all patients received an educative session about the benefits and risks of the treatment. Patients in the active group received an additional session about subcutaneous and sublingual routes and they chose the most appropriate according to their personal characteristics.

RESULTS

A total of 204 patients were in the active group and 103 were included in the control group. At six months, a total of 46 patients withdrew from immunotherapy during follow-up, 24 (11%) in the active group and 22 (21%) in the control group (p=0.02). In the active group we observed no statistically significant difference in adherence between those who preferred subcutaneous or sublingual immunotherapy; however in the control group, the drop out of sublingual immunotherapy was significantly higher than those who received subcutaneous (p=0.05).

CONCLUSION

Educational sessions, strict follow-up and considering personal preferences of patients could improve adherence to allergen immunotherapy.

Cost-effectiveness of asthma therapy: a comprehensive review

BACKGROUND

Asthma has an important impact in terms of both direct and indirect costs. In Europe, the disease costs € 19 000 million a year. Moreover, the cost is greater among patients with severe uncontrolled asthma and is even higher when the work productivity is also taken into account. Improved control of the disease results in cost savings. In this context, cost-effectiveness and cost-utility studies offer important information for clinicians in deciding the best treatment options for asthmatic patients and contribute to ensure an efficient use of the available healthcare resources.

METHODS

An English and Spanish literature search using electronic search engines (PubMed and EMBASE) was conducted in peer-review journals, from 2009 to June 2014. In order to perform the search for the most suitable and representative articles, key words were selected ("asthma", "cost-effectiveness", "cost-utility", "QALY", "cost-benefit", "economic impact of asthma" "healthcare cost", "asthma treatment" and "work productivity with asthma").

RESULTS

Two-hundred forty-three titles and abstracts were identified by the primary literature search. The full text of the potentially 76 eligible papers was reviewed, and 22 articles were qualified to be finally included.

CONCLUSIONS

This article provides a comprehensive review on the evidence of cost-effectiveness of asthma treatments derived from the published literature and offers an overall summary of the socioeconomic burden of asthma and its relationship with the degree of disease control. Management alternatives, such as the use of combination therapy with ICS/LABA or omalizumab, when administered according to their current therapeutic indications, have been shown to be cost-effective.

Practical clinical approaches to the allergic rhinitis patient

BACKGROUND

Numerous treatment strategies are available for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR), including environmental controls, pharmacotherapy, immunotherapy, and surgery in appropriately selected patients. A stepwise algorithmic approach based on disease severity and persistence of symptoms is often advocated to effectively manage patients with AR.

METHODS

A review is provided of current evidence and guidelines for the management of AR. Practical clinical strategies to improve patient adherence to therapy and outcome are described.

RESULTS

Algorithms to manage AR are based on the severity and persistence of disease. A tailored strategy geared toward addressing symptoms that are most troublesome to the patient is beneficial, as is the assessment of comorbid conditions such as rhinosinusitis, asthma, and laryngopharyngeal reflux. Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is an underused treatment modality and patients with persistent AR should be considered candidates for desensitization, if appropriate. Assessment of patient outcome is important and the use of validated symptom surveys can provide an objective measure of quality of life.

CONCLUSION

A large armamentarium of treatment options is available to the otolaryngologist treating the patient with AR. A step-wise and tailored approach with equal attention dedicated to patient education and assessment of patient outcome can be helpful to improve efficacy of treatment.

Clinical practice guideline: Allergic rhinitis

OBJECTIVE

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common diseases affecting adults. It is the most common chronic disease in children in the United States today and the fifth most common chronic disease in the United States overall. AR is estimated to affect nearly 1 in every 6 Americans and generates $2 to $5 billion in direct health expenditures annually. It can impair quality of life and, through loss of work and school attendance, is responsible for as much as $2 to $4 billion in lost productivity annually. Not surprisingly, myriad diagnostic tests and treatments are used in managing this disorder, yet there is considerable variation in their use. This clinical practice guideline was undertaken to optimize the care of patients with AR by addressing quality improvement opportunities through an evaluation of the available evidence and an assessment of the harm-benefit balance of various diagnostic and management options.

PURPOSE

The primary purpose of this guideline is to address quality improvement opportunities for all clinicians, in any setting, who are likely to manage patients with AR as well as to optimize patient care, promote effective diagnosis and therapy, and reduce harmful or unnecessary variations in care. The guideline is intended to be applicable for both pediatric and adult patients with AR. Children under the age of 2 years were excluded from the clinical practice guideline because rhinitis in this population may be different than in older patients and is not informed by the same evidence base. The guideline is intended to focus on a limited number of quality improvement opportunities deemed most important by the working group and is not intended to be a comprehensive reference for diagnosing and managing AR. The recommendations outlined in the guideline are not intended to represent the standard of care for patient management, nor are the recommendations intended to limit treatment or care provided to individual patients.

ACTION STATEMENTS

The development group made a strong recommendation that clinicians recommend intranasal steroids for patients with a clinical diagnosis of AR whose symptoms affect their quality of life. The development group also made a strong recommendation that clinicians recommend oral second-generation/less sedating antihistamines for patients with AR and primary complaints of sneezing and itching. The panel made the following recommendations: (1) Clinicians should make the clinical diagnosis of AR when patients present with a history and physical examination consistent with an allergic cause and 1 or more of the following symptoms: nasal congestion, runny nose, itchy nose, or sneezing. Findings of AR consistent with an allergic cause include, but are not limited to, clear rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, pale discoloration of the nasal mucosa, and red and watery eyes. (2) Clinicians should perform and interpret, or refer to a clinician who can perform and interpret, specific IgE (skin or blood) allergy testing for patients with a clinical diagnosis of AR who do not respond to empiric treatment, or when the diagnosis is uncertain, or when knowledge of the specific causative allergen is needed to target therapy. (3) Clinicians should assess patients with a clinical diagnosis of AR for, and document in the medical record, the presence of associated conditions such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, sleep-disordered breathing, conjunctivitis, rhinosinusitis, and otitis media. (4) Clinicians should offer, or refer to a clinician who can offer, immunotherapy (sublingual or subcutaneous) for patients with AR who have inadequate response to symptoms with pharmacologic therapy with or without environmental controls. The panel recommended against (1) clinicians routinely performing sinonasal imaging in patients presenting with symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of AR and (2) clinicians offering oral leukotriene receptor antagonists as primary therapy for patients with AR. The panel group made the following options: (1) Clinicians may advise avoidance of known allergens or may advise environmental controls (ie, removal of pets; the use of air filtration systems, bed covers, and acaricides [chemical agents formulated to kill dust mites]) in patients with AR who have identified allergens that correlate with clinical symptoms. (2) Clinicians may offer intranasal antihistamines for patients with seasonal, perennial, or episodic AR. (3) Clinicians may offer combination pharmacologic therapy in patients with AR who have inadequate response to pharmacologic monotherapy. (4) Clinicians may offer, or refer to a surgeon who can offer, inferior turbinate reduction in patients with AR with nasal airway obstruction and enlarged inferior turbinates who have failed medical management. (5) Clinicians may offer acupuncture, or refer to a clinician who can offer acupuncture, for patients with AR who are interested in nonpharmacologic therapy. The development group provided no recommendation regarding the use of herbal therapy for patients with AR.

The contribution of biotechnology toward progress in diagnosis, management, and treatment of allergic diseases

'Biotechnology' has been intuitively used by humans since thousands of years for the production of foods, beverages, and drugs based on the experience without any scientific background. However, the golden era of this discipline emerged only during the second half of the last century. Incredible progresses have been achieved on all fields starting from the industrialization of the production of foods to the discovery of antibiotics, the decipherment of the genetic code, and rational approaches to understand and define the status we now call 'healthy'. The extremely complex interactions between genetic background, life style, and environmental factors influencing our continuously increasing life span have become more and more evident and steadily generate new questions which are only partly answered. Here, we try to summarize the contribution of biotechnology to our understanding, control, and cure of IgE-mediated allergic diseases. We are aware that a review of such a vast topic can never cover all aspects of the progress achieved in the different fields.

Current recommendations and emerging options for the treatment of allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is one of the most common diseases and represents a global health problem, currently affecting up to 30% of the general population, with a continuously increasing prevalence and significant comorbidities and complications. The aim of this review is to provide an update on AR treatment, with a focus on current therapies defined by AR and its impact on asthma guidelines and with a particular emphasis on new and future therapeutic perspectives.

Sublingual immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization position paper 2013 update

We have prepared this document, "Sublingual Immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization Position Paper 2013 Update", according to the evidence-based criteria, revising and updating chapters of the originally published paper, "Sublingual Immunotherapy: World Allergy Organization Position Paper 2009", available at http://www.waojournal.org. Namely, these comprise: "Mechanisms of sublingual immunotherapy;" "Clinical efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy" - reporting all the data of all controlled trials published after 2009; "Safety of sublingual immunotherapy" - with the recently published Grading System for adverse reactions; "Impact of sublingual immunotherapy on the natural history of respiratory allergy" - with the relevant evidences published since 2009; "Efficacy of SLIT in children" - with detailed analysis of all the studies; "Definition of SLIT patient selection" - reporting the criteria for eligibility to sublingual immunotherapy; "The future of immunotherapy in the community care setting"; "Methodology of clinical trials according to the current scientific and regulatory standards"; and "Guideline development: from evidence-based medicine to patients' views" - including the evolution of the methods to make clinical recommendations.Additionally, we have added new chapters to cover a few emerging crucial topics: "Practical aspects of schedules and dosages and counseling for adherence" - which is crucial in clinical practice for all treatments; "Perspectives and new approaches" - including recombinant allergens, adjuvants, modified allergens, and the concept of validity of the single products. Furthermore, "Raising public awareness about sublingual immunotherapy", as a need for our patients, and strategies to increase awareness of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) among patients, the medical community, all healthcare stakeholders, and public opinion, are also reported in detail.

Respiratory allergies: a general overview of remedies, delivery systems, and the need to progress

The spread of respiratory allergies is increasing in parallel with the alarm of the scientific community. Evidently, our knowledge of the onset mechanisms of these diseases and, as a consequence, of the available remedies is inadequate. This review provides a brief, general description of current therapeutic resources and the state of research with regard to both drugs and medical devices in order to highlight their limits and the urgent need for progress. Increasing the amount of basic biochemical research will improve our knowledge of such onset mechanisms and the potential efficacy of therapeutic preparations.

Sublingual immunotherapy and quality of life

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has been shown to be a new and promising treatment for people with various allergic syndromes. Several studies have examined its efficacy. However, significantly fewer investigations have explored its specific impact on the patient's quality of life (QOL).

RECENT FINDINGS

SLIT has an excellent safety profile, superior in many ways to subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). Additionally, SLIT significantly decreases the use of allergy medications, as well as decreasing the money spent on allergy symptom control. Finally, SLIT has been shown to improve the patient's QOL when compared to placebo or even second-generation antihistamines.

SUMMARY

Increasing data support the use of SLIT as a well tolerated, cost-effective, and time-efficient modality for the treatment of multiple allergic syndromes. However, additional studies are needed, particularly QOL studies which compare SLIT to the FDA-approved SCIT.

Causes of SLIT discontinuation and strategies to improve the adherence: a pragmatic approach

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is often discontinued, and many patients do not renew the prescription. We evaluated the reasons for discontinuation and set up an educational/follow-up plan to improve the adherence. In a first phase, the adherence at 4 months was directly assessed. Based on those results, an action plan (education, frequent contacts, and strictly scheduled visits) was developed and tested in other patients. A group of matched patients did not undergo the follow-up plan (controls). In the first phase, involving 252 subjects, at 4 months, there were 30% dropouts, mainly due to side-effects. In the second phase, 149 patients underwent education/follow-up and 90 received no intervention. In the first group, discontinuations at 4 months were 5%, vs 18% in the controls (P = 0.01). After one year, 12% of patients were lost in the first group and 35% in the control group (P < 0.001). An adequate education and a strict follow-up can significantly reduce SLIT's discontinuations.