Weitzer T, Mueller R. The safety of rush immunotherapy in the management of canine atopic dermatitis-230 cases.
Vet Dermatol 2023;
34:385-392. [PMID:
37157908 DOI:
10.1111/vde.13170]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The duration of the induction phase of allergen-specific immunotherapy conventionally is a period of several weeks, during which the volume of an allergen solution, administered by injection, is gradually increased until the maintenance dose is reached. In rush immunotherapy (RIT), the induction period is abbreviated to achieve a faster improvement in clinical signs of atopic dermatitis (AD) compared to conventional immunotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the safety of RIT in 230 dogs with AD and report any adverse effects (AE).
ANIMALS
Two hundred thirty client-owned dogs.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Medical records of dogs receiving RIT between 2012 and 2021 were analysed and observed AE were investigated. All dogs underwent RIT following a protocol of subcutaneous allergen extract injections, given hourly with an incrementally increasing volume from 0.1 to 1.0 mL.
RESULTS
Adverse effects were documented in 6 of 230 (2.6%) dogs. Five of these dogs (2.2%) showed mild gastrointestinal signs (1 of 5 vomiting, 4 of 5 diarrhoea) and one patient an increase in body temperature by 1.5°C. These occurred at different stages of the RIT protocol. All AE were graded as mild and self-limiting.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Based on these data, supervised RIT in dogs appears to be a safe procedure to achieve the maintenance dose of allergen immunotherapy earlier with infrequent and mild AE.
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