Emilio Funes Vera

Background/Objectives: To evaluate the tolerability and effectiveness of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) with a glutaraldehyde-polymerized undiluted mixture of grass and olive pollen in adults and children with allergic respiratory disease in routine clinical practice. Methods: Observational, ambispective, controlled multicenter study including patients ≥ 5 years with allergic rhinitis/rhinoconjunctivitis +/− asthma due to olive and grass pollen. Patients initiating SCIT with Olea europaea/grass pollens undiluted mixtures were included in the O&G group, and those continuing symptomatic treatment in the untreated (UT) group. Safety (primary objective) was assessed as the incidence of adverse reactions. Effectiveness variables (symptoms, control, and medication use) were compared during the pollen season before and after AIT; patients and investigators reported perceived satisfaction. Results: We included 218 patients in the O&G group (children, 23.4%; adolescents, 13.8%; adults, 62.8%) with a mean (SD) age of 26.5 (15.6) years, and 94 in the UT group. At the time of evaluation, patients had received treatment for a mean (SD) of 10.6 (2.5) months. Seventeen patients (7.8%) experienced 18 adverse reactions in total, all local (12 in adults, 6 in children; mean overall rate: 0.8%). Rhinitis frequency shifted from predominantly persistent to intermittent (−64.6% in persistent) (p < 0.0001), with significantly improved intensity and control overall and across age groups in the O&G group but not in the UT group. Patients with asthma symptoms decreased by −46.6% (p < 0.0001), along with improved asthma classification, treatment steps, and control overall (O&G group), and across most age groups. Changes in conjunctivitis symptoms followed a similar trend. Symptomatic medication use significantly decreased overall (O&G group) and across specific age groups. Patients and investigators perceived decreased symptoms and medication use after AIT. Conclusions: SCIT with a glutaraldehyde-polymerized undiluted allergen mixture of olive/grass pollen extract demonstrated safety and effectiveness to treat allergic rhinitis and asthma in adults and children in a real-world setting.

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerability and effectiveness of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) in allergic adults and children treated with a polymerized-glutaraldehyde undiluted mixture of house dust mites (HDMs) under routine clinical practice. Methods: This was an observational, ambispective, controlled, real-world, multicenter study including patients ≥ 5 years with allergic rhinitis (AR), due to Dermatophagoides sensitization. Patients who started AIT with a D. pteronyssinus/D. farinae extract and those who continued symptomatic treatment were included in the treatment (DP&DF) and untreated (UT) groups, respectively. We evaluated adverse reactions (ARs) and changes in effectiveness variables through changes in symptoms, disease control, medication use, and patient- and investigator-reported outcomes. Results: We included 130 patients in the DP&DF group, and 90 (69.2%) adults, 23 adolescents (17.7%), 17 (13.1%) children, and 94 patients in the UT group. Patients received treatment for a mean (SD) of 9.01 (3.1) months at the time of evaluation. Seven (5.4%) patients, all adults, reported eight ARs, five local and three systemic (mean rate of 0.62 ARs per 100 injections); all recovered, and epinephrine was not required. The proportion of patients reporting no rhinitis symptoms at follow-up significantly increased (+13.6%; p < 0.001). Rhinitis frequency, intensity, and control significantly improved overall and in specific age groups. Similarly, the proportion of patients reporting no asthma symptoms at follow-up significantly increased (+29.0%; p < 0.001). The use of all symptomatic medications significantly decreased, while the UT group showed no significant changes, except for worsened asthma classification and control in specific age groups. Both investigators and patients perceived a marked improvement in symptoms and medication use, with high satisfaction scores reported on the visual analogue scale. Conclusions: A subcutaneous allergen extract with a mixture of HDMs is safe and effective for allergic rhinitis and asthma in adults and children in the real-world setting.