title: Allergen immunotherapy for allergic asthma: protocol for a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is in the process of developing the EAACI Guidelines for Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) for Allergic Asthma. We seek to critically assess the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and safety of AIT in the management of allergic asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We will undertake a systematic review, which will involve searching international biomedical databases for published, in progress and unpublished evidence. Studies will be independently screened against pre-defined eligibility criteria and critically appraised using established instruments. Data will be descriptively and, if possible and appropriate, quantitatively synthesised.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings from this review will be used to inform the development of recommendations for EAACI's Guidelines on AIT.
authors: Evidence-Based Health Care Ltd, Edinburgh, UK.
authors: Sangeeta
authors: 0000-0002-2823-3258
authors: S
authors: Dhami
authors: Systematic Review at Decision Resources Group Abacus International, Oxford, UK.
authors: Ulugbek
authors: U
authors: Nurmatov
authors: Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Transylvania University Brasov, Brasov, Romania.
authors: Ioana
authors: I
authors: Agache
authors: Department of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, Charité Medical University, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Lau
authors: Food Allergy Referral Centre Veneto Region, University Hospital of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Muraro
authors: Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: Marek
authors: M
authors: Jutel
authors: The David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, St Mary's Hospital, Newport Isle of Wight, NIHR Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK ; Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors: Graham
authors: G
authors: Roberts
authors: Swiss Institute for Allergy and Asthma Research, Davos, Switzerland.
authors: Cezmi
authors: C
authors: Akdis
authors: Sapienza University Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Matteo
authors: M
authors: Bonini
authors: National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, London, UK.
authors: Moises
authors: M
authors: Calderon
authors: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL USA.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Casale
authors: Department of Allegy and Clinical Immunology, Sami Ulus Maternity and Children Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ozlem
authors: O
authors: Cavkaytar
authors: Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL USA.
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Cox
authors: University and Hospital of Montpellier and Inserm Paris Sorbonnes, Montpellier, France.
authors: Pascal
authors: P
authors: Demoly
authors: European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients Association, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Breda
authors: B
authors: Flood
authors: Children's Center Bethel, EvKB, Bieledelf, Germany ; Allergy Center, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany.
authors: Eckard
authors: E
authors: Hamelmann
authors: Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan.
authors: Kenji
authors: K
authors: Izuhara
authors: Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ömer
authors: Ö
authors: Kalayci
authors: Allergy and Asthma Center Westend (AAZW), Berlin, Germany.
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Kleine-Tebbe
authors: Children's Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Nieto
authors: Allergy Department, 2nd Pediatric Clinic, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors: Nikolaos
authors: N
authors: Papadopoulos
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany ; Center for Rhinology and Allergology, Wiesbaden, Germany.
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Pfaar
authors: Children's Mercy Hospital, Kentucky, MO USA.
authors: Lanny
authors: L
authors: Rosenwasser
authors: University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors: Dermot
authors: D
authors: Ryan
authors: Technische Univ and Helmholtz Center Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors: Carsten
authors: C
authors: Schmidt-Weber
authors: Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO USA.
authors: Stan
authors: S
authors: Szefler
authors: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Charite, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Ulrich
authors: U
authors: Wahn
authors: Section of Allergology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Roy-Gerth
authors: RG
authors: van Wijk
authors: Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Jamie
authors: J
authors: Wilkinson
authors: Allergy and Respiratory Research Group, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors: Aziz
authors: A
authors: Sheikh
keywords: Allergen immunotherapy; Allergic asthma; Allergy; Disease-modifying; Respiratory allergy