title: Allergen immunotherapy for insect venom allergy: 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 the Management of Insect Venom Allergy. We seek to critically assess the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and safety of AIT in the management of insect venom allergy.
  
  
  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a systematic review, which will involve searching international biomedical databases for published, in progress and unpublished evidence.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 recomendations for EAACI's Guidelines on AIT.
authors.affiliation: Evidence-Based Health Care Ltd, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2823-3258
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhami
authors.affiliation: Systematic Review at Decision Resources Group, Abacus International, Bicester, UK.
authors.forename: Ulugbek
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nurmatov
authors.affiliation: Respiratory and Allergic Disease Division, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Eva-Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Varga
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Medical University of Graz and Outpatient Allergy Clinic Reumannplatz, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gunter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sturm
authors.affiliation: Department of Women and Child Health, Food Allergy Referral Centre Veneto Region, Padua General University Hospital, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muraro
authors.affiliation: Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ; Servicio de Enfermedades del Sistema Inmune-Alergia, Departamento de Medicina y Especialidades Médicas, Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Cezmi A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Akdis
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Darío
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Antolín-Amérigo
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Ancona, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: M Beatrice
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Bilò
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Danijela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bokanovic
authors.affiliation: Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Imperial College London, London, UK ; National Heart and Lung Institute, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Moises A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Calderon
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cichocka-Jarosz
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergology Internal Medicine, University Medical Hospital Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joanna N G Oude
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Elberink
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Radoslaw
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gawlik
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Medical Center Gießen and Marburg (UKGM), Justus Liebig University Gießen, Gießen, Germany.
authors.forename: Thilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jakob
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty Ljubljana, University Clinic of Respiratory and Allergic Diseases Golnik, Golnik, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Mitja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kosnik
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Pneumonology and Allergy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergollogy and Clinical Immunology, Mother Theresa School of Medicine, Tirana, Albania ; Department of Paraclinical Disciplines, Faculty of Technical-Medical Sciences, Medicine University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Ervin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mingomataj
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2nd Pediatric Clinic, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitris I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Mitsias
authors.affiliation: Allergy Clinic, Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, Gentofte, Denmark.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mosbech
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Center for Rhinology and Allergology, University Hospital, Mannheim, Wiesbaden, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pfaar
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece ; Allergy Outpatient Clinic, Apollonio Hospital, Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pitsios
authors.affiliation: UOC Clinical Allergy and Immunology, IRCCS Foundation Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pravettoni
authors.affiliation: NIHR Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, The David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, St Mary's Hospital, Newport Isle of Wight, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK ; Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ruëff
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Betül Ayşe
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Sin
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Respiratory Research Group, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Aziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sheikh
keywords: Allergen immunotherapy; Allergy; Hymenoptera venom allergy; Insect sting; Insect venom allergy; Systemic sting reaction