Immunotherapy in children.
OBJECTIVE
Specific allergen immunotherapy although being performed for almost 100 years, is still being addressed in clinical trials. In children the sublingual allergen application has gained considerable interest.


RESULTS
Controlled long-term trials suggest that specific allergen immunotherapy has the capacity to modify the natural history of allergic airway disease by reducing the incidence of new sensitivities non-specifically, reducing allergic symptoms years after discontinuation and preventing the incidence of asthma. The current evidence on sublingual immunotherapy is not sufficient to recommend this mode of treatment in clinical practice yet.


CONCLUSIONS
Specific allergen immunotherapy should be considered in children in whom IgE-mediated allergic symptoms cannot be adequately controlled by symptomatic treatment.
Wahn
Ulrich
U
Department of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, CHARITE Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany. ulrich.wahn@charite.de
D000286:Administration, Sublingual; D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007073:Immunoglobulin E