title: Allergen-specific immunotherapy: which outcome measures are useful in monitoring clinical trials?
abstract: Various clinical outcome measures are commonly applied in clinical trials on specific immunotherapy for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis with or without asthma to provide evidence of its clinical efficacy. These "primary endpoints" measure clinical symptoms as well as the use for concomitant medication. "Secondary outcome endpoints" are represented by health-related quality of life (HRQoL), "well-days," provocation-tests, in vitro tests and others. This article reviews different methods assessing the clinical outcome of trials on both subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy, and highlights potential advantages and drawbacks of each method.
authors.affiliation: Center for Rhinology and Allergology Wiesbaden, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Mannheim, An den Quellen 10, 65183 Wiesbaden, Germany. oliver.pfaar@allergiezentrum.org
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pfaar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kleine-Tebbe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hörmann
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Klimek
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D015415:Biomarkers; D000939:Epitopes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G