Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The issue that immunotherapy prevents sensitization to new inhalant allergens in monosensitized patients is controversial. Our aim is to investigate the effect of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) on the development of sensitization to new inhalant allergens by comparing the children receiving SCIT with children who with similar allergen sensitization receiving pharmacologic treatment in our clinic.

METHODS

All patients with only mite grass sensitivity and only pollen sensitivity and diagnosed with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis in our Allergy Clinic between 2000-2015 were included. The SCIT and control group were divided into two subgroups as mite and grass pollen sensitivity. The groups were compared in terms of age, gender, disease characteristics, the interval between two SPTs and development of new allergen sensitization.

RESULTS

One hundred thirty-three (60.4%) of the patients met the inclusion criteria in the SCIT group and 87 patients were found suitable for the study in the control group. The mean duration of SCIT administration was 51.3 ± 9.0 months. No significant difference was detected between the groups, when the SCIT group and control group were compared in terms of age, gender, type of allergic disease, the interval between two SPTs, and sensitized allergen (p> 0.05). In the SCIT group, the development of sensitization to new allergens was less often in the patients with mite and grass pollen sensitivity compared to the control group (p <0.05).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

When SCIT was administered to the monosensitized patients using grass pollen and mite, the development of sensitization to new allergens was observed to be less often.