title: Variation in allergen content in sublingual allergen immunotherapy with house dust mites.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergen immunotherapy is a treatment modality which can be applied using different vaccines. The aim of this study was to quantify and compare the allergen content of different house dust mites (HDM)' sublingual treatments and to review the evidence on their efficacy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five sublingual allergen immunotherapy (SLIT) products were ordered and purchased at an ordinary pharmacy and masked for blinding before the study was started. Detection of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae allergens Der p 1, Der f 1, Der p 2 and Der f 2 was carried out by immunoblotting and fluorescent multiplex. A literature search for meta-analyses and systematic reviews that included SLIT-HDM products was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Der p 1 concentrations ranged from 0.6 to 14.5 μg/ml; similar figures were found for Der f 1 that ranged from 0.2 to 12.4 μg/ml. Der p 2+ Der f 2 ranged from 0.2 to 1.5 μg/ml. Data on efficacy are scarce for most of the five products.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Substantial variations regarding allergen content were found among these five SLIT-HDM products. Therefore, it can be necessary to guarantee the quality of the SLIT-HDM products and to demonstrate their effectiveness before they are marketed. It seems necessary, for the moment, to take into account these characteristics of the products before prescribing.
authors.affiliation: Lobaton Clinic, S.L.P, Cadiz.|"Immunology and Allergy" UCA-AICS, University of Cadiz, Cadiz.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moreno Benítez
authors.affiliation: Lobaton Clinic, S.L.P, Cadiz.|"Immunology and Allergy" UCA-AICS, University of Cadiz, Cadiz.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Espinazo Romeu
authors.affiliation: Lobaton Clinic, S.L.P, Cadiz.|"Immunology and Allergy" UCA-AICS, University of Cadiz, Cadiz.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Letrán Camacho
authors.affiliation: Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mas
authors.affiliation: "Immunology and Allergy" UCA-AICS, University of Cadiz, Cadiz.|Department of Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Public Health (Immunology), School of Medicine, University of Cadiz and Puerto Real University Hospital Research Unit, Cadiz.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: García-Cózar
authors.affiliation: Allergy Department, Complejo Universitario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.|IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Tabar
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology*; D063729:Sublingual Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D014612:Vaccines
keywords: allergen content; efficacy; evidence-based medicine; house dust mites’ sublingual allergen immunotherapy; weekly dosage