title: Three-year follow-up of clinical and inflammation parameters in children monosensitized to mites undergoing sub-lingual immunotherapy.
abstract: Parallel follow-up of clinical and inflammatory markers during sub-lingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is highly beneficial. Twenty-four children (age 4-16) monosensitized to house dust mite were randomized to receive either active or placebo SLIT for 1 yr in a double-blind placebo controlled design (Marcucci et al., Allergy 2003: 58: 657-62). Thereafter, for 2 yr they all received active treatment. Symptom scores for rhinitis, asthma, and drug usage were daily recorded. Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and tryptase in sputum and nasal secretions, serum and nasal mite-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) were recorded before treatment and at 10-12 months intervals. Nasal ECP and nasal tryptase after specific nasal provocation tests were significantly reduced as compared to baseline values (p = 0.0043 and 0.0195, respectively) in the third year of active treatment. None of the other inflammatory parameters was increased. In placebo treated patients all these parameters tended to decrease only after switching to active treatment. Clinical scores did not improve in treated vs. placebo patients in the double-blind placebo-controlled phase of the study. In both cohorts a clinical benefit was observed as intra-group score reduction as compared to baseline. A significant difference was reached in patients treated for 2 yr for rhinitis and asthma (p = 0.0009 and 0.0019, respectively) but not for drug usage and in patients treated for 3 yr for rhinitis, asthma, and drug usage (p = 0.0105, 0.0048, and 0.02, respectively). SLIT in children monosensitized to mites reverted the spontaneous increase in nasal IgE and in local parameters of allergic inflammation. These outcomes were followed by a consolidated clinical improvement in the second and third year of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Pediatrica, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marcucci
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sensi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Cara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salvatori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pecora
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Burastero
mesh_terms: D000286:Administration, Sublingual; D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D053802:Tryptases
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein; C479220:RNASE3 protein, human; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053802:Tryptases