title: [Efficacy and safety of cluster immunotherapy for 154 patients with allergic rhinitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of cluster immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus for allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifty-four patients with allergic rhinitis to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus were allocated to receive specific immunotherapy in a 6-week cluster schedule during the incremental-dose phase. Thereafter, these patients received maintenance-dose injection at 6-week intervals until the end of 1 year of treatment. Symptom scores and medication scores were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions were recorded. A rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) was completed in the baseline and after one year treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cluster immunotherapy significantly reduced the symptom scores and total medication score of patients enrolled (P < 0.01). The immunotherapy group also had a significant improvement in the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire. During the one-year of treatment, there were 26 systemic adverse reactions (0.75% of all injection) in 9 patients (5.9%) and no fatal systemic reactions occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cluster immunotherapy is efficacious and safe to treat allergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Beijing Tongren Hospital of Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China. luozhang@trhos.com
authors.forename: Luo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Cheng-Shuo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiang-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jian-Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: De-Min
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D040001:Dermatophagoides farinae / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides