Sublingual immunotherapy: recent advances

New and old adjuvants in allergen-specific immunotherapy: With a focus on nanoparticles

Allergic diseases have remarkably increased in recent years. Nowadays, efforts for curing and management of these disorders are an important concern worldwide. Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) has recently gained more attention as a means for the management of allergic diseases. Adjuvants or helper agents are materials applied for better stimulating and shifting of protective responses, and these belong to an extremely diverse collection of complexes. The main function of adjuvants includes acting as depot foundations, transferring vehicles, and immunostimulators. Immunostimulatory adjuvants have gained increasing attention for ASIT. In this regard, the present study provides a review of old and new adjuvants used in allergen immunotherapy.

ARIA pharmacy 2018 "Allergic rhinitis care pathways for community pharmacy": AIRWAYS ICPs initiative (European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing, DG CONNECT and DG Santé) POLLAR (Impact of Air POLLution on Asthma and Rhinitis) GARD Demonstration project

Pharmacists are trusted health care professionals. Many patients use over-the-counter (OTC) medications and are seen by pharmacists who are the initial point of contact for allergic rhinitis management in most countries. The role of pharmacists in integrated care pathways (ICPs) for allergic diseases is important. This paper builds on existing studies and provides tools intended to help pharmacists provide optimal advice/interventions/strategies to patients with rhinitis. The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA)-pharmacy ICP includes a diagnostic questionnaire specifically focusing attention on key symptoms and markers of the disease, a systematic Diagnosis Guide (including differential diagnoses), and a simple flowchart with proposed treatment for rhinitis and asthma multimorbidity. Key prompts for referral within the ICP are included. The use of technology is critical to enhance the management of allergic rhinitis. However, the ARIA-pharmacy ICP should be adapted to local healthcare environments/situations as regional (national) differences exist in pharmacy care.

Sublingual immunotherapy in patients with latex allergy: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Latex allergy (LA) is a commonly observed entity for which sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has been shown to be effective in many small randomized clinical trials. The present study was conducted with an aim of systematically reviewing the existing literature on the efficacy and safety of SLIT in patients with LA and to apply the principles of meta-analysis. A search for randomized controlled trials with appropriate search strategy in PubMed and CENTRAL was conducted. Studies with documented clinical history of LA and SLIT administered in any dose, duration and regimen compared with placebo were included. Outcome measures were symptom scores, glove provocation test score, serum IgE levels, induration following latex skin prick test, medication scores and adverse effects. Random effects model was used when moderate to severe heterogeneity was observed and fixed effects model when there was mild heterogeneity. Forest plots for standardized mean difference (95% confidence interval) for all the continuous outcome measures were created. A total of 152 records were identified from the electronic databases and four studies were finally included in the meta-analysis. A statistically significant reduction for induration following glove provocation test (pooled results from two studies) was observed in the SLIT group with SMD of -0.9 [-1.71, -0.08]. No significant differences were observed in any other outcome measures between the interventions. We did not identify significant reduction in most of the outcome measures with SLIT in patients with LA except for glove provocation test score wherein only two studies were included. Large and more randomized controlled trials are required to ascertain and confirm the utility of SLIT in such patients.

Food-specific sublingual immunotherapy is well tolerated and safe in healthy dogs: a blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study

BACKGROUND

Food allergies are increasing in prevalence but no treatment strategies are currently available to cure dogs with food allergy. Over the past decade, experimental food allergen-specific sublingual immunotherapy (FA-SLIT) has emerged as a potential treatment for food allergies in human medicine. However, FA-SLIT has not been investigated in dogs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the safety, tolerability and dispenser sterility of FA-SLIT in healthy dogs before testing it in food allergic dogs. Eight experimental healthy beagle dogs, never orally exposed to peanut, were randomized in two groups to receive SLIT with peanut or placebo for 4 months. Subjects were monitored daily for local and systemic adverse effects. Blood samples for complete blood count and serum biochemistry, and urine for urinalysis were collected and the dogs' body weight was recorded at day 0, 35 and 119 of the SLIT treatment. Sera for the determination of peanut-specific IgG and IgE were collected at day 0, 35, 49, 70, 91, 105 and 119. Intradermal tests were performed before (day 0) and after (day 119) the experiment. The content of each dispenser used to administer treatment or placebo was tested for sterility after usage. In order to assess the presence or absence of sensitization, dogs were challenged 6 months after the end of the study with 2000 μg of peanut extract daily for 7 to 14 days.

RESULTS

All dogs completed the study. The treatment did not provoke either local or systemic side-effects. Peanut-specific IgG significantly increased in treatment group. Even though a significant increase in peanut-specific IgE was also seen, intradermal tests were negative in all dogs before and after the experiment, and the challenge test did not trigger any adverse reactions in the treated dogs, which shows the protocol did not cause sensitization to peanut, but nevertheless primed the immune system as indicated by the humoral immune response. All dispenser solutions were sterile.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that the used peanut-SLIT protocol is well tolerated and safe in healthy dogs. Further studies should evaluate tolerability, safety and efficacy in dogs with food allergy.

Advances in the Treatment of Food Allergy: Sublingual and Epicutaneous Immunotherapy

Food allergies continue to increase in prevalence. Standard care is a strict elimination diet, but life-threatening reactions still occur. Allergen immunotherapy has the most potential in treating food allergy. Subcutaneous immunotherapy has not been adopted into food allergy therapy. Oral immunotherapy has a high rate of adverse reactions. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) uses the tolerogenic environment of the oral mucosa and epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) uses the immune cells of the epidermis to transport antigens to afferent lymph nodes to activate immune responses. SLIT and EPIT can successfully desensitize patients. More research is needed to define optimal doses and administration protocols.

Debates in allergy medicine: specific immunotherapy efficiency in children with atopic dermatitis

Allergen specific immunotherapy (AIT) has been the only pathogenetically relevant treatment of IgE-mediated allergic diseases (ADs) for many years. The use of AIT for atopic dermatitis (AD) treatment is dubious and has both followers and opponents. The improvement of subcutaneous AIT (SCIT) and introduction of Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) gives prospects of their application both for adults and children suffering from AD. This review presents results of scientific research, system and meta-analyses that confirm the clinical efficacy of AIT for children with AD who has the sensitization to allergens of house dust mite, grass and plant pollen suffering from co-occurring respiratory ADs and with moderate and severe course of allergic AD. There have been analyzed the most advanced achievements in AIT studies as well as there have been specified the unmet needs in AD. The preliminary diagnostics of IgE-mediated AD and pathophysiological disorders, including immune ones, will allow a doctor to develop appropriate comprehensive treatment algorithm for children's AD aimed at its correction. The including of AIT to the children's comprehensive therapy program is reasonable only if AD has the allergic form. It is necessary better to design the randomized research studies and to acquire extended clinical practice in children with AD. Use of the successes of molecular-based allergy diagnostics will help to optimize and personalize the process of selecting the necessary allergens to determine the most appropriate vaccines for children considering the results of the allergen component diagnostics. The strategy of treatment of children with AD in future will be based on individual target therapy.

A review of allergoid immunotherapy: is cat allergy a suitable target?

To modify the course of allergy, different types of specific allergen immunotherapy have been developed such as sublingual immunotherapy and subcutaneous immunotherapy with native allergens or subcutaneous immunotherapy with polymerized allergoids. However, the optimal specific immunotherapy, especially for cat allergy, remains undetermined. Few studies investigating immunotherapy in cat allergy have been published, and the risk of serious adverse reactions and systemic reactions has often been an important issue. Monomeric allergoids have lower allergenic potential while their immunogenicity remains constant, resulting in excellent safety with notable efficacy. Specific immunotherapy with monomeric allergoids could, therefore, be of high value, especially in cat allergy as well as other types of allergy, and bring relief to a great community of patients.

The Future of Sublingual Immunotherapy in the United States

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a safe and effective treatment for allergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA has approved three SLIT tablets for the treatment of AR and ARC in relation to pollen. Specifically, Grastek® and Oralair® are two formulations approved to treat patients suffering with AR/ARC to grass pollen, and Ragwitek™ is a formulation approved to treat patients suffering with AR/ARC to ragweed pollen. Although these approvals provide support for physicians to prescribe SLIT, barriers to prescribing SLIT still remain such as FDA approval for additional formulations, a standard dose and dosing schedule, and cost/insurance coverage. In order to further support the use of SLIT, research is currently being conducted to expand the indication for SLIT to other common comorbidities to AR/ARC. For example, allergic asthma, food allergies, and atopic dermatitis are other diseases which are being explored. The future of SLIT in the USA is unknown; however, education will be necessary for both providers and patients.

Sublingual immunotherapy in children: the recent experiences

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is indicated for the use in pediatric patients suffering from allergic rhinitis or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis caused by environmental allergens, such as ragweed pollen, grass pollen, and dust mite. This review focuses on recent and relevant studies associated with the use of SLIT for these allergens in children by examining efficacy, safety, and immunological data in comparison to subcutaneous immunotherapy, therapeutic treatments, and placebo.

RECENT FINDINGS

In several of the case studies examined in this article, involving mainly grass and dust mite allergic patients, SLIT has been shown to have similar efficacy to subcutaneous immunotherapy. SLIT has been proven as a safer therapy. In comparing the adverse events related to both therapies, SLIT has fewer cases of anaphylaxis and fewer incidents of local reactions of mild-to-moderate severity. In comparison to therapeutic treatments and placebo, SLIT significantly improved symptom and medication scores. In addition to allergic rhinitis and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, additional uses for SLIT in pediatric patients, such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies, are under development.

SUMMARY

SLIT treatment is a well tolerated and effective approach to treat allergic rhinitis and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in pediatric patients. Three SLIT tablets are currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat grass and ragweed allergies. The research discussed in this review will further the knowledge of physicians searching for an alternative treatment for their pediatric patients.

Immunotherapy in allergy and cellular tests: state of art

The basophil activation test (BAT) is an in vitro assay where the activation of basophils upon exposure to various IgE-challenging molecules is measured by flow cytometry. It is a cellular test able to investigate basophil behavior during allergy and allergy immunotherapy. A panoply of critical issues and suggestive advances have rendered this assay a promising yet puzzling tool to endeavor a full comprehension of innate immunity of allergy desensitization and manage allergen or monoclonal anti-IgE therapy. In this review a brief state of art of BAT in immunotherapy is described focusing onto the analytical issue pertaining BAT performance in allergy specific therapy.

Atopy patch test with Aleuroglyphus ovatus antigen in patients with atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND

Epicutaneous test made with dust mite antigens.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of the response of the epicutaneous test with Aleuroglyphus ovatus antigen in atopic patients.

METHODS

We patch tested 119 individuals, 48 with atopic dermatitis, 50 with respiratory allergy and 21 healthy controls. We compare the positive response frequency to a closed patch test using Aleuroglyphus ovatus antigen in different concentrations and 48 and 96h reading times among those individuals.

RESULTS

Six patients with atopic dermatitis (12.5%) and 4 with respiratory atopy (8.0%) had positive reactions. None of the non-atopic controls had a positive response. As the antigen concentration raised, the number of positive reactions to epicutaneous test raised as well.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest a positive relation between Atopy Patch Test positive responses and Aleuroglyphus ovatus antigen concentration, no matter the kind of the atopic clinical expression.